Coeur Noir Heretic 2024

As a long time fan of Joni Mitchell, one of her songs that has always spoken to me is 'A Song for Sharon' from her Hejira album. Coeur Noir is, in my opinion, a perfect depiction of the mood of that song, put right into a bottle. For those who are unfamiliar, A Song for Sharon is about a woman who is seeking love within the expanses of a cold New York city. It has a relatively dreary, yet shockingly optimistic tone that fits this fragrance almost perfectly. Coeur Noir opens with a resinous, dense, peppery vanilla note that is extremely warm and inviting. It also feels like wearing a big fur coat to keep out the cold. It's not overly sugary like vanilla can be at times, which is a big plus in my eyes. As it dries, the labdanum comes into play a bit more and gives it an warm ambery feeling, while adding in a bit of coldness. I think this is where I get the feeling of the Joni Mitchell song, as it feels like a fragrance striving for warmth, optimism and happiness in the middle of a cold, dreary and potentially depressing winter's day. It's really a testament to how perfume can remind us of certain things and events, while simultaneously creating new and fresh memories based on the fragrance itself.

Aside from all I've mentioned so far, I actually really enjoy this fragrance and look forward to wearing it more. Not only does it transport me to the world Joni Mitchell built within her music, but it smells amazing as well, and is perfect for cool, breezy fall/winter days. I cannot speak for everyone, but fragrances that invoke such peculiar feelings and memories like this one does are always welcome editions in my collection.

*I originally wrote this review on the entry for the 2016 version of Coeur Noir, but I actually have the 2024 version, thus why I have pasted it here :)*