Thé Noir 29 2015 Eau de Parfum

Thé Noir 29 (Eau de Parfum) by Le Labo
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8.1 / 10 702 Ratings
A popular perfume by Le Labo for women and men, released in 2015. The scent is woody-spicy. It is being marketed by Estēe Lauder Companies.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Woody
Spicy
Fruity
Green
Fresh

Fragrance Notes

Black teaBlack tea FigFig Bay leafBay leaf CedarwoodCedarwood MuskMusk VetiverVetiver BergamotBergamot

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
8.1702 Ratings
Longevity
7.8599 Ratings
Sillage
7.3595 Ratings
Bottle
7.6562 Ratings
Value for money
6.1403 Ratings
Submitted by OPomone, last update on 07/28/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
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Thé Noir 29 Solid Perfume
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Thé Noir 29 Liquid Balm
Thé Noir 29 (Perfume Oil) by Le Labo
Thé Noir 29 Perfume Oil
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Reviews

23 in-depth fragrance descriptions
6
Pricing
7
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Merlotsupern

76 Reviews
Merlotsupern
Merlotsupern
Very helpful Review 7  
The Best of Thé Bunch
As someone who has often found Le Labo’s offerings underwhelming, either too subdued for their price point or lacking in lasting power, Thé Noir 29 is an exception.

While the name suggests a tea-forward scent, the black tea note is more of a supporting player than the star. Instead, what emerges most prominently is a layered interplay of fig, bay leaf, cedarwood, vetiver, and tobacco, with a subtle sweetness that adds warmth without becoming a gourmand.

The opening is slightly green and aromatic, with a bergamot and bay leaf combo. Quickly, the scent deepens into a more resinous and earthy heart, where cedar and vetiver take over. The tobacco and fig notes lend a dry, almost leathery texture that evokes the scent of damp wood, perfectly suited for rainy days or introspective evenings (for those who are capable of introspection).

What I particularly like is that the composition avoids the overly smoky or syrupy pitfalls that can plague dark/er fragrances. Instead, it maintains a clean structure which makes it wearable while still feeling substantial. The tea note adds a faintly tannic bitterness that enhances the overall depth without dominating the profile.

Performance wise, Thé Noir 29 fares better than many of its Le Labo lineup. On skin, it offers moderate projection and longevity in the 6–8 hour range, which, while not beastly, is respectable for a scent of this style.

In summary, while I remain skeptical of Le Labo’s broader catalog, Thé Noir 29 earns its place as the standout in their lineup. It’s a fragrance that feels thoughtfully composed and seasonally evocative (and maybe also Baie 19 Eau de Parfum achieves something similar). For those who, like me, have struggled to connect with the brand’s ethos, this might be the one that changes your mind... so give it a try!
0 Comments
5
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
8
Scent
Drseid

821 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
Helpful Review 3  
Brilliant Black Tea...
The Noir opens with an aromatic fig and mild orange-laced black tea leaf accord with a slight supporting cedar wood undertone. Moving to the early heart, the aromatic black tea accord deepens, taking on a mild smoky tobacco-like facet with the underlying slightly synthetic smelling cedar wood also more prominent. As the composition moves through its heart the slightly synthetic smelling woods gradually fold into the aromatic black tea, never being completely masked, but very well-integrated to the point that they almost seem like another aromatic facet. During the late dry-down the composition shifts gears completely as the aromatic tea and cedar vacate, revealing smooth musk, gentle vetiver and a touch of vanilla in the base through the finish. Projection is average, but longevity excellent at well over 12 hours on skin.

One of the most consistently excellent active perfumers today is Frank Voelkl. Apart from his stellar work elsewhere, Voelkl has produced most of Le Labo's impressive offerings with compositions like Santal 33, Ylang 49 and Iris 39. Now, we can add The Noir 29 to his list of winners. The composition immediately impresses with its brilliant use of fig to amplify the aromatic aspect of the featured black tea accord. Voelkl then brings out a similar slightly synthetic smelling cedar wood to the stuff used in his modern masterpiece Javanese Patchouli for Zegna. Unlike Javanese Patchouli where the smooth, dominant patchouli soaks up the woods primarily; in the case of The Noir, the synthetic woods are harder to hide and at first I thought they might be problematic. Luckily, after further review the answer is "No," as about a half hour or so into the heart phase the woods gradually get absorbed into the black tea accord. No, they are never obscured, but they become a key facet of the overall presentation, so skillfully integrated to the point that their slight synthetic nature becomes even a positive rather than a distraction, with an added tobacco-like facet providing a new element to counter them. The late dry-down is a bit of a mundane pleasant musky vanilla-like affair that won't set the world afire, but it somehow works as a nice change-up from the earlier aromatic wood-laced black tea. The bottom line is when I saw Voelkl's name associated with the $240 per 100ml bottle The Noir 29 I strongly suspected I would love it, and true to form it fails to disappoint with its "excellent" 4 stars out of 5 rating, earning it a strong recommendation to all.
0 Comments
7
Pricing
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
10
Scent
Monstaro

37 Reviews
Monstaro
Monstaro
Helpful Review 2  
Love at first sniff
This is the scent that really ignited my interest in fragrances. After only experiencing fairly standard designer fragrances, I couldn't believe how interesting this smelled. I was a broke college kid and spent half my tax return on this because I just loved it so much.

It's unique, deep, sexy, bold, but also fairly fresh and not overly masculine.

I always get a hint of rose from this, maybe everything just comes together to give that impression. It's definitely fig-forward, and I guess I do wish the black tea was a little stronger. It smells like you're drinking tea during a rainstorm in a field of figs, roses, and fragrant woods in the distance.

I especially like to wear this on spring days, especially when it rains. It compliments the subtle excitement in the air; the promise of imminent beauty and life on the horizon on an otherwise dreary day. Honestly, though, it could work in any season. It's cozy enough for winter and exciting enough for summer. Although this is probably my favorite fragrance, I couldn't wear it every day, especially with the price point. It's something I would wear to make an impression or when I'm in the right mood for it.

May not be for everyone, get a tester first. Le Labo actually has decently priced samples you can buy.
0 Comments
8
Pricing
6
Bottle
8
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
Mike212

7 Reviews
Mike212
Mike212
3  
Experienced this in the second person and wow.
I first encountered this on the jetway walking out to a plane. The woman wearing it was boarding right in front of me. I smelled this slightly sweet, spicy, and sexy smell. I initially mistook the bay leaf for cinnamon, but it’s different and very unique in perfume. I don’t get tea per se, but it’s evocative of tea. She sat right behind me and I smelled it throughout the flight and it was divine. When the flight ended, I had to compliment her and ask her what it was and it was The Noir—she showed me a little mini bottle of it that she had in her purse. The irony is that I have a The Noir sample from Le Labo, but I was so grossed out by all the other samples I got from them that I had given up and never tried it on. Live and learn.
0 Comments
Thewaterlog

26 Reviews
Thewaterlog
Thewaterlog
3  
Disappoint
This note pyramid is gorgeous, and exactly the kind of perfume I'd expect to be a dream come true for me. Unfortunately, it's not at all what I get on my skin. In a bizarre twist, this turns powdery rose, a sort of old book accord. So much so that I've checked and double checked the notes to make sure I sprayed the right sample. Really bummed that this doesn't vibe with me, because everyone seems to love it. Oh well!
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

28 short views on the fragrance
NoirAletheaNoirAlethea 2 years ago
7
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
10
Scent
Someone has stolen
the person I wish I was
and then bottled her.

- a haiku review.
1 Comment
BoBoChampBoBoChamp 5 years ago
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
7.5
Scent
A fresh and creamy fruity-spicy Mid season fragrance, on a solid (and bitter) green earthy-woody base. Sadly not very balanced. 100% Unisex!
0 Comments
BamBamNYCBamBamNYC 2 years ago
5
Scent
Sweetened bay leaf. Nothing black tea about it.
0 Comments
HermeshHermesh 10 years ago
5
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
7
Scent
Tea note is only slightly perceptible, but quite a bit of cedar and (later) vetiver. Fig gives also its clear green accent.
0 Comments
BertolucciKBertolucciK 2 years ago
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
I love the opening, a fresh fruity fig, sweetened with honey, black tea and laurel. In the drydown, a velvety musk, dark rose and cedarwood.
0 Comments
RisingChaosRisingChaos 3 years ago
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
4
Scent
Pungent fruity opening. Like raw, bitter tobacco leaves steeped in lukewarm black fig tea. Beneath this "wet" top is a dry green-woody base.
0 Comments
HolscentbarHolscentbar 11 months ago
9.5
Scent
It's been my signature for years. I almost forgot how beautiful it is. One of the best tea accord perfumes out there
0 Comments
PurpleKatPurpleKat 5 months ago
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
7
Longevity
2.5
Scent
I was not expecting this to smell mostly like rose when it's not even listed - it's a nauseatingly strong/vintage-smelling rose to me, yuck.
0 Comments
NicheOnlyNicheOnly 11 days ago
3
Bottle
4
Sillage
6
Longevity
5.5
Scent
Very woody throughout. Fig, even light rose & a dill-type sandalwood in the top. Dry-down is cedar with prominent black tea (woody-spicy).
0 Comments
ViridescentViridescent 5 months ago
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
9
Scent
It opens with fruity fig, shifts into cedarwood-smoked black tea, and settles into musky dark rose. Unique, mysterious, bold yet elegant.
0 Comments
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Images

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