I ordered this fragrance without knowing its actual scent, but following my instinct. I saw it on sale on Notino at a bargain price during the Black Friday week. The fragrance notes and the price were attractive, so I put the item in the bin without thinking about it. Club de Nuit Intense Woman is a chypre with a Middle Eastern twist essentially composed of roughly medicinal oud, patchouli grim, rose caress, a leather bandage, and a soothing embrace of amber vanilla. It is a masterpiece, superior, and pleasant fragrance that not everyone will understand and appreciate. Kind of like opera in the theatre, either you love it, and it makes you cry, or you despise it and can’t stand it. This juice was love at first sight. If you are anything like me, you fall in love with it and don’t feel so weird about wearing a women’s marketed fragrance. As the scent progresses, anything that might seem a little feminine and high on the floral hue at first turns into something more masculine and animalistic.
To begin, Club de Nuit Intense Woman unfolds with an imposing semi-boozy Turkish rose fought over by two severe, rough, and gruff lovers, patchouli and oud. These two shady figures create a blanket of earthy filth around the immaculate rose, which is wondrous. There is a hint of green geranium, but most of all, I get the leathery facet of the saffron. Though the rose is the angry leader, saffron and geranium keep their temper to add some softness. Impressive opening with rose-oud-patchouli matching I’ve ever smelt.
The scent grows, and I see myself inside an old gothic cathedral. Earthiness and smokiness expand, and a sort of warm spiciness kicks in. I can get sweet nutmeg and spicy pepper with a misty powder hue. These spices add mystery, sensuality, and a haunting dark embrace, with the rose staying afloat and blending with violet leaves. This intermediate stage is very tempting, an essence that suits both genders until its final stage.
I catch a succulent tinge of bitter dark chocolate and aged precious red wine at the base. The dry down is one of the best finishing I’ve ever smelled. The patchouli that was already clear in the opening now fades quickly. However, it remains in the foreground with the oud, mixing with the sweeter and substantial powdery notes of vanilla, spicier than gourmand, and salty amber. To some extent, the final breath reminds me of Coco Noir Eau de Parfum. Several hours after the application, and even the day after, I get the cosy sweetness of the vanilla.
Regarding the essence itself, even if this came out first on the market, I notice an enormous similarity with Matière Noire. Perhaps some notes are more stressed in one rather than the other. However, this doesn’t surprise me as both are like or close to the Noir de Noir Eau de Parfum vibe. Club de Nuit Intense Woman is long-lasting and leaves your clothes smelling divine the next day after you’ve worn them the night before. Unquestionably a dark and dense essence for the colder evening and nights of fall and winter. I love it and am eager to try more from this fragrance house. Took a risk and blindly bought this, and you will be glad you did. Club de Nuit Intense Woman is a fragrance to wear to a formal event, dinner, or date, particularly at night in cooler weather.
Finally, what surprises me the most is its price. It smells like it should be a niche luxury creation for two or three hundred euros, but I paid less than 25 euros for it. To me, this is my secret stash of filth, in a good sense, of course. I bow in front of the Armaf house, as this is my second positive experience after "Armaf Niche - Oud | Armaf". Now I’m ready to discover more. Is there anyone who would like to suggest something? I can’t wait.
I base my opinion and review on a bottle I have owned since November 2022.
