Oriental fragrances have hardly touched or interested me until now, with the exception of Jubilation. They seemed too impractical for everyday wear, sometimes even too overwhelming. I must slightly correct my attitude after experiencing Noir d'Orient. NdO is truly a first-class delight for the nose... enchanting from the very first moment... enveloping and caressing. NdO starts off almost identically for me as Opium pour Homme EDP... even though there's no mention of blackcurrant here... but even in previous tests, this fruity note immediately caught my attention... and today I finally remembered what this wonderful top note reminds me of... indeed Opium! This one, due to its monotony (is that even a word;-)???) got on my nerves after a while and felt a bit suffocating. Here it is quite different... the incense comes in very subtly... cinnamon in a slightly larger dose... lets the thoughts drift far away... it's a decelerator that comes just at the right time... hecticness, stress, and worries fall away. No overly sweet couch cuddler like the thousands that already exist... no... here there's much more dark and mysterious depth... whether that's due to rum or patchouli, I can't say for the life of me... as both notes are only subtly perceptible to me. Or patchouli disguises itself here as chili chocolate/cocoa... slightly spicy... as this note becomes more pronounced after 45-60 minutes... reminiscent at times of Guerlain L'instant Pour Homme Eau Extreme... where I also loved this note. The clove also gives a certain kick... that brings the fragrance to life... dark yes... but not gloomy and anything but heavy and overwhelming. Something (fruity-)fresh constantly hovers over the fragrance and forms the perfect contrast to all the sweetness and oriental notes. The sillage doesn’t overwhelm like so many oriental bombshells... doesn’t stick like glue... but lasts a good 7 hours. The nose doesn’t have to get used to spices and fragrance notes that are unfamiliar or exotic for European noses... one starts enjoying right from the first inhalation. Simply a great fragrance, not for every day, practical for everyday wear, equally suitable for both genders, gourmand light.
Similar fragrance direction: Sorriso, Dries van Noten, Opium PH EdP, Lillipur
The scent is kind of cool. I can't really see the comparison to Sorriso, though. When I smell it, I think more of Bazooka Joe gum from the early '70s. Seriously, no joke... :-)
Wow, you're totally right about Opium! I just applied Evody. But only for the first 30 seconds. After that, it really reminds me of "Ambre Sultan." Overall, Evody is more of a "meh" scent for me :-)
A light gourmand trophy!