Oriental Mint

Noir Marine

Phaedon 2011

Monsieur Guillaume seems to be a restless and tireless, extremely creative person, as he is not "just" a perfumer for Parfumerie Générale and Hutième Art, but also for Phaedon. Chapeau!

So far, the Phaedon fragrances (except for "Rouge Avignon" and "Tabac Rouge") have not really convinced me. All of them, except for the latter two, were too fleeting and not present enough for me. I also couldn't feel that "must-have" sensation with any of the fragrances.

I was all the more curious about my last Phaedon test candidate "Oriental Mint / Noir Marine," which unexpectedly fell right at my feet.

The name itself promised excitement, as I had not yet encountered peppermint in fragrances. At least not when it was supposed to play such a significant role.

Right after spraying:
Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
Minute 01 - 10: Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
Minute 11 - 20: Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
Minute 21 - 30: Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
Drumroll, is there more to come?
Minute 31 - 40: Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
A slight annoyance is creeping in!
Minute 41 - 50: Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
Should I wash this stuff off now?
Minute 51 - 60: Peppermint, clear, fresh, pure, that clears the nose instantly
OK, that's enough!

But just at that moment, something happened. The peppermint is still noticeable, but it has clearly lost its strength. Almost suddenly, out of the blue. Breathing in and out (it's going great now because the nose is so clear)!

I can now distinctly perceive peppery, dark wood notes. They successfully push back against the peppermint wall and cause the fragrance color to shift from aquatic blue-green to a darker direction.

The Ambroxan makes a brief stop and joins in, adding some brightness and warmth back to the whole thing.

However, this interlude is also short-lived, as the fragrance changes for a third time. Even though Oud is not listed in the fragrance pyramid, I am quite sure I can smell it very distinctly. Or could it be the Tolubalsam, whose resinous quality is hitting me here?

Whatever it is, what I now smell presents itself as medicinal, almost piercing, typical of Oud. A bit of the scent also reminds me of solvents. I certainly cannot detect tobacco and musk; that undefined note is too strong.

Thus, the fragrance remains for the next 4 hours as well.

No further surprises, no complete shifts in direction.

It leaves me somewhat perplexed. On one hand, the peppermint opening was too much for me; on the other hand, I found the subsequent transitions very interesting, varied, and unexpected. This is how niche should be, right?!

Would I want to wear it? I think not. Or would I? A typical case of "maybe," where the no ultimately seems to prevail.

By the way, I think the original name "Noir Marine" fits the fragrance much better and describes it more clearly than "Oriental Mint," as it doesn’t come across as particularly oriental. Or does it? And am I just not noticing it anymore because the peppermint has numbed all my olfactory nerves?

According to my sense of smell, I would call it "Noir Marine Mint." And because it has such a peculiar scent progression, I rated it 70%. Such recognition is necessary, as even though I wouldn't buy it, it clearly stands out among the Phaedon fragrances and represents something unique.

And now I’m going to dig out the Westernhagen CD as music for the fragrance ;-)

Actually, whenever I see "aquatic," I always think of "Cool Water," but that's just me.

At the very beginning, while the scent is still approaching me, I smell a bit of peppermint, then immediately ...... frankincense!!!! unfortunately not listed in the ingredients. Strange...

The frankincense lasts on me for a good 5-6 hours, along with pepper; I can't smell anything else.

So please don't be put off by the name, the scent is neither Oriental, nor Noir, nor Marine, and only a little Mint - in my opinion. Maybe "Incense Mint" would be a better fit.

Noir Marine is an unusual, almost experimental fragrance.

The unusual aspect reveals itself right from the start; instead of the common fresh-citrus top note, a herb-fresh peppermint breeze first wafts into the nose.
With the maritime name in mind, I immediately associate it with the well-known "Fisherman´s Friend" lozenges and envision a sailor somewhere on the French Atlantic coast, wearing a blue-black caban jacket during his shore leave.
It’s probably more of a yacht owner or leisure captain who wears this rather refined scent; for true sea dogs, it would be too playful overall.
The strong peppermint candy soon dissolves, and our sailor pulls out a small pipe from the depths of his jacket pocket, which he fills with light tobacco.
The fragrance evolves into a herbal-green, spicy blend, not clearly distinguishable. It does not become smoky but remains bright, cool, green, and spicy.

One must give this development some time, as the nose is initially numbed by the intense peppermint attack, making it hard to perceive the fine spiciness of the fragrance.
Interestingly, it employs the same effect known from Chinese healing oils used for cold-induced stuffy noses.
The nose is somehow wide open, as if poised for the scents it is now cautiously reaching.
It must be, as the fragrance notes remain very close to the skin and subtle.
To even catch a glimpse of this truly beautiful heart,
one can or should handle Noir Marine as an EdT a bit more generously.
This lack of sillage is, in my opinion, the biggest weakness of Noir Marine.

Despite the remarkable progression, I still miss a bit more reach and strength.
Although labeled as unisex, I believe that male noses could engage with Noir Marine much more. I am curious about their opinions.

Well, perhaps it's not a good starting point to evaluate a fragrance when you're wearing something unbearable on the other arm (in my case: Aoud Gourmet). So consider this a warning upfront. Because I find this fragrance simply wonderful. Fresh, but also soft -- it reminds me of the Elbe at its best. The peppermint is dominant and pairs with what is described in the fragrance notes as "resins." Unfortunately, I can't identify which resins they are; definitely something sweet.
Given the listed notes, one might expect Noir Marine to smell smoky, but I don't perceive anything smoky here at all.
It's a shame that the sillage is quite weak and the longevity could be better.

Only very few aquatic fragrances appeal to me, but this one is one of them: it will definitely find a place in my collection someday!

First: Mint all the way to 12! Why would I want to smell so intensely of peppermint? Extremely fresh and slightly woody. Mhhh… Somehow medicinal… Why medicinal? Ah yes, it smells more and more like menthol. Specifically like Vicks Vaporub cold ointment. Unfortunately, this also makes it smell like illness to me.

Oh dear, the opening is really not my thing. Now I’m reminded of my sick childhood days when my mother would slather me with the balm. Well, at least I could breathe then. I can do that now too, because after 50 minutes the scent settles a bit. No, it settles completely.

The mint has almost dissipated. Just like that, it has almost completely disappeared. First, the woods emerge, later also tobacco and musk. The scent becomes softer and rounder, and mint only plays a background role. The fragrance becomes rounded and cozy. Now the mother has wrapped the sick child in a soft cuddly blanket. She lights incense sticks… Why, I don’t know either.

In the end, it smells like a nice typical cotton scent. Soft and cozy, but nothing special anymore. The journey there was something, though.