Iris de Nuit Heeley

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7.3 / 10 229 Ratings

A perfume by Heeley for women and men. The release year is unknown. The scent is floral-powdery. It is still in production.
Pronunciation

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Main accords

Floral

Powdery

Woody

Fresh

Green

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Ambrette

Angelica seed

Heart Notes

Orris absolute Violet

Violet

Carrot seed

Base Notes

Ambergris

White cedar

Perfumer

James Heeley

Ratings

Scent

7.3229 Ratings

Longevity

6.9182 Ratings

Sillage

5.9172 Ratings

Bottle

7.3156 Ratings

Value for money

6.533 Ratings

Submitted by Andi136, last update on 06/03/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Nirmal

Iris de Syracuse

Orris Tattoo/29

Infusion d'Homme Eau de Toilette

Iris silver mist

Iris Goddess

Reviews

9 in-depth fragrance descriptions

04/25/2013

5
Bottle 5
Sillage 7.5
Longevity 10
Scent

FloraMilena
47 Reviews

FloraMilena

Helpful Review 9

SUBLIME BEAUTY

IRIS DE NUIT by James Heeley

Mystical, Magical, Enchantingly beautiful. This distinctly unusual wraith-like scent drifts up with a swirling haze of cool, shadowy Iris and powdery Violets. Misty tendrils of sweet herbal-green angelica and sensually rich ambrette seed are woven seamlessly through this composition and linger throughout its duration; giving a tremendous feeling of openness, spaciousness, and an elusively fine, airy splendor between the pull of the celestially transcendent crystalline angelica and the earthy voluptuous carnality of the musk mallow. The juxtaposition of these two notes is uniquely brilliant in this perfume.

An interesting dewy-moist vegetal of carrot seeds is very subdued and serves to maintain the otherworldly beauty of the Iris firmly to the very end of the dry down, gradually increasing the feeling of wetness as the Violet completely recedes and the majestic Iris proclaims her dominion. A breathtakingly clean cedar serenely grounds the entire composition with quietly somber grandeur, while smoothly consistent amber provides an invitingly warm and intimate sort of tender coziness to the entire work.

This is a truly magical scent impression of fireflies hovering in the misty twilight, with elves and fairies and other nocturnal creatures stirring in the gathering dusk. It is the scent of night itself awakening in a tranquil forest just as the air turns cool at lakeside.

This to me is stunningly exquisite, unbelievably refined, and just profoundly beautiful. The balance here between masculine and feminine, between spiritual and corporeal, between dryness budding into moisture, between that perfect moment of light closing into darkness is so perfectly balanced that it is… sublime.

On my skin and to my nose, this is Iris perfection.

09/21/2012

5
Bottle 5
Sillage 7.5
Longevity 9
Scent

Ysbrand
84 Reviews

Ysbrand

Helpful Review 5

Wild violets and squeaking bats

Once we found a bat in the attic. Somehow he got trapped. I was very excited because i love all animals, specially the strange ones. It was tiny. The bones of the translucid pink wings were so thin and perfect, the eyes were as tiny as the tip of a needle, as they were its teeth, and the fur was the softest thing i have ever touched, so soft it would make cats and rabbits feel rough. I held him carefully, while he complained and then released him into the night. The smoothness of the bat and the happiness of its finding are very similar to the sensations i get from Iris de Nuit.

Iris de Nuit is an iris fragance as it is a violet fragance. Violet and iris are so intimately mingled that you don´t know where iris starts or violet ends, a little bit what happens in Serge Lutens´ Bas de Soie with other iris and in this case hyacinth. So far, it was love at first sniff. Iris and violet are one of this blue/purple tinged notes that make me sigh in rapture every time i find them in a perfume.

Iris de Nuit starts very green and flowery. A chilly musky violet and some bitterness from the angelica and the carrot seeds. It truly has a night quality, or better, twilight, when the sunlight is almost gone and you start feeling the air getting fresher, and you go for a cardigan. Iris is earth caked, with nuances of turnip and carrot, enhanced by the last one´s seed.

This dusky violet/iris heart last very long on the skin. Violet doesn´t smell too sweet or prim, but on the contrary is wild and sultry, the dirty iris contrubutes an outdoor feeling. I am bewitched by the transparence of this perfume; the drydown is a warm ambery iris similar to Dior Homme, very refined and elegant, and a bit soapy. We could say the iris starts a bit dirty and ends neat and clean. The dominant violet is reduced to a whisper.

Heeley is becoming a favourite house. I get in here what i want from violet and orris without the distraction of other misleading notes. Some might find it too simple and introverted, but to me is perfect.

12/05/2013

7.5
Bottle 10
Sillage 10
Longevity 10
Scent

Tessa
81 Reviews

Tessa

4

My Iris Forever.

After Iris Nobile who has a weak developpment and, after purchasing Cuir Pleine Fleur, I trusted Heeley's ability to create a well rounded scent out of the iris and I was not wrong. This is one of my favorite perfumes. All the power of this flower is treasured in the violet colored liquid that may warm up your days. Worth every penny.

10/27/2012

7.5
Sillage 5
Longevity 8
Scent

Sherapop
1239 Reviews

Sherapop

3

A perfect balance of beloved notes

Heeley IRIS DE NUIT is just beautiful. It numbers among a cluster of niche-quality iris perfumes featuring iris, cedar, and carrot tops. I'm thinking especially of the versions on this theme found chez The Different Company, Hermès (Hermessence), and Frédéric Malle. To my nose, this may be the best of the bunch, compositionally speaking. The proportions are perfect. The inclusion of ambrette, which I do not detect as an isolable note, but which may be helping to harmonize the whole, cannot hurt, given that I adore ambrette! I also love violet, which, again, I do not detect here separately from the blend, and amber, ditto. What I perceive is very straightforward and deceptively simple: a seamlessly woven cloth of iris, powdered cedar, and a light seasoning of carrot tops.

The mark of a high-calibre iris perfume is that all or most of the notes are genuine, not aromachemical substitutions. The iris is really iris; the cedar is really cedar (not iso-E-super!). The details matter, including the judicious proportioning of the individually beautiful components. Together, the quality of materials and perfect proportions elevate this composition above the others. Although I do not believe that the idea is new, the execution is irreproachable.

Is this a masculine iris? I'd say that it is perfectly unisex. My only wish is that the longevity of this quiet, subtle beauty were better.

09/13/2023

9.5
Scent

OdorAeternus
27 Reviews

OdorAeternus

3

King of Iris, violet powdery fragrance.

This fragrance is highly highly sophisticated. One of the best Iris powdery scents I've ever tried. The combination of notes used here is really smart and to me the best possible combination to make an Iris-Violet-Powdery fragrance. The violet gives a soft leathery feeling. The Violet and iris are extremely well balanced with Ambrette, and carrot seeds. Both of these notes are very interesting, and to me add a layer of elegance and sophistication to the skin. And finally, the angelica here gives a fresh, nice, clean earthiness to the combination. To me, this is really a masterpiece.

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