Eau Noire Dior 2004

Speaking of oddball concoctions, here is one that I love and is among my most worn perfumes and one that I somehow never got around to reviewing.

The one and only Eau Noire. It is worth mentioning that there were three iterations of this fragrance, originally composed by Kurkdijan in 2004, then slightly tweaked by Demachy when Dior launched its "La Collection Couturier" in 2010, and it was later reformulated yet again by its original creator. I happen to prefer the early Demachy version over both the Kurkdijans, as I find it to strike the perfect balance between Fougere and Oriental. The original "Cologne" was heavier on spices and fresher, while the latest version steers more into the dry-smoked woods territory and tones down the blast of spices and heavy licorice. That being said, I have to give credit to Kurkdijan for creating such a unique and memorable fragrance. He is no doubt one of, if not the most overrated nose in the industry, but he outdid himself when he created Eau Noire. Despite my love for Absolue Pour Le Soir, I think Eau Noire is the best thing he has ever done, and for my taste, the best thing that ever came out of the house of Christian Dior.

What makes this perfume so exquisite is how it takes the most incompatible accords and blends them into something that not only works but manages to entice, inspire, and be completely original. Who could have ever imagined putting together greens, lavender, thyme, fenugreek, coffee, black licorice, vanilla, and wood? These are the most prevalent notes and accords to my nose. I don't get the people who call out Immortelle as one of the major players in here. As hard as I struggle to fathom that, I can't. I'd say fenugreek is to blame for the "curry/maple" feel in Eau Noire, and people get confused or regurgitate what others say. Eau Noire doesn't display the usual facets of Immortelle. But that's just my opinion.

The perfume is built of two halves, the Fougere and the Oriental, linked by this most peculiar accord of Black Licorice. The latter is not your licorice root nor the star anise, but an actual "confectionary licorice" accord. Indeed, like those dark-hued candies you might have tried at least once as a kid. If you didn't, you've missed out. I happen to love them and naturally, adore their showcase in Eau Noire. It is strong, and if you don't like that flavor, you can safely avoid this fragrance. It's omnipresent and connects the two parts of the composition.
It starts as a green, spicy fougere, with a strong display of thyme and perhaps myrtle, lavender, and green-wet grass. This part lasts for a good while before you start to pick up the Oriental elements underneath - the vanilla, the coffee, and the smoked woods that give off a "faux" leather impression at times. The coffee note is another major player in Eau Noire, and while I struggle with it in most compositions, I thoroughly enjoy how it is showcased here - think of a caffe latte, not the beans or the black coffee accord. The more it goes down into the base, the more of the woods, vanilla, and latte accord come to the forefront, but the green aspects, the fenugreek, the licorice, and the lavender hold their ground, albeit in the background. I believe the combination of fenugreek and vanilla helps to create the "maple syrup" impression that surfaces later in the development. And even after many hours, when Eau Noire finally settles down as a proper Oriental perfume, you can still sense the juicy and tart green aspects and the licorice cutting through the fuming woods and the steaming latte.

Eau Noire is one of those "love-it-or-hate-it" perfumes with no in-betweens. The one thing, however, that cannot be contested is how exquisite and iconic an olfactory work it is. Technically flawless, a seamless blend of all those notes that don't belong together yet works like a finely tuned musical instrument without ever feeling jarring, while creatively original with no resemblance, played by a musician that nowadays is in his hour of fame but worst moment of creativity, for the few ears longing for good music, the type that stirs emotions.

IG:@memory.of.scents

If you've ever smelled Immortelle you'll know what a beautiful smell it is: sweet, rich and roasted like fenugreek.
Eau Noire is basically Helichrysum opposed with lavenders - possibly oil and absolute - and there are herbs, licorice and violets, and other nuances to round it out.
This is posed on a base of amber, but most of these just modify the basic outline.
It's simple but beautiful.
If, like me, you thought Sables was the reference Helichrysum, you haven't tried Kurkdjian's garrigue fantasy, Eau Noire.

In fact, this is not just a cologne. And the concept of noir is a puzzling one, after so different takes by many perfumers (TF Noir de Noir: rose oud; Bvlgari Black: leathery black tea...which noir will be mine? Probably not one with the name on it).
This has an enormous longevity and suits me much better in a winter cold day. Why? Because of its warmness and full character, given by the immortelle.
Actually that note is one of my preferred, and as in AG Sables or more subtly in HdP 1740, immortelle plays the main role here.
Francis Kurkdjian made a twist with lavender, and it became a bonbon. Eat one, two would get you sick.
My immortelle remains 1740, the most masculine of the three, more leathery. But the sweetness of this one is very comforting also. I’ll wear 1740 when I feel a bad boy, and Eau Noire or Sables when I am a good boy (not so often, I know!)

The name Eau Noire relates to the Château de La Colle Noire, located in Provence in southern France, where Christian Dior spent his holidays in retirement. To put that in context, it makes use of a lot of Provençal (i.e. Mediterranean notes), namely Sage, Thyme, Lavender, Immortelle and Liqorice. Also, I read that the head of design at Dior, Hedi Slimane, wanted something that he would wear based on his lifelong signature scent, which was Pour un Homme de Caron, with it's Lavender-Vanilla combination; and what better man to do it than Francis Kurkdjian, the man who created the world famous Lavender and Vanilla bomb, "Le Male"?

Right out of the bottle I get a really aromatic thyme note (listed by Dior as 'white Spanish thyme'). Thyme as a herb can be sharp and is unmistakable, I also detect sage, which adds to the herbal build-up. The thyme, sage and lavender all play on the dry herbal aspects of one another to give Eau Noire a definite herbal quality. I would describe this fragrance as a "herbal gourmand" or "aromatic gourmand", purely because of the aromatic coffee-vanilla and herbal lavender pairing. I happen to love the smell of lavender, and the lavender here smells very much like the almost-dry lavender picked off the bush in hot summer. The herbs are then paired with a deep-roasted coffee bean note, with the leather and liquorice simmering underneath.

With regards to the infamous "curry note". I wonder if the mention of Immortelle or 'everlasting flower' is not just a trick of the mind? As it could also be the liquorice/thyme combination or the burnt vanilla-coffee mixing with the herbs and leather? On the Dior website Immortelle isn't listed in the notes. However, if the flower IS in the fragrance (and many people swear it is), it most certainly forms its backbone, the very thread which holds it together, and in this sense it completes a very Mediterranean vibe when paired with the herbal qualities of the sage, thyme and lavender.

Overall, Eau Noire may be a love or hate fragrance. It is undeniably well made and well composed, of that there is no doubt. It smells extremely natural, very much like sitting on a Mediterranean hillside in the South of France in hot summer whilst sipping an authentic espresso. It's gourmand, it's definitely interesting, and whilst it's not for everyone, and it's certainly not bad. I for one find it really unique, and not something that I come across very often in fragrances.

Truly niche, it effortlessly distinguishes itself within the Privè line. A symphony of spicy bitter herbs and licorice. I'm reviewing the recently re-released fragrance (clear pale yellow juice formulation).

The opening is BOLD. Powerful. Spicy tornado. The subsequent drydown veers towards a more traditional lavender cologne, featuring a herbal base with licorice undertones, slightly soapy.

However, a particular note tarnishes my experience. It resembles curry/cumin. Not the charmingly perfumey, warm cumin with hints of maple syrup, but rather the literal kitchen spice that smells like a curry dish with cumin. Maybe, it's immortelle? Normally, I LOVE immortelle. But not in this composition...

This fragrance is unconventional; I'd recommend it to seasoned perfume enthusiasts. Not for beginners. Challenging herbal blend. Once on, it becomes an irresistible enigma, prompting me to stroll with my nose delicately affixed to my wrist.

It conjures images of a magical herb garden — a uniquely classic creation that performs admirably.