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11/17/2020
Landshark321
516 Reviews
Landshark321
1
Lovely variant of the original---semi-sweet, resinous, woody, classy
This is my second wearing of Zaharoff Signature Noir, one of the two recently-released flankers (along with Signature Royale) to the original Signature from 2018. Noir feels much more like a natural variation of the original than Royale does, but Noir certainly deviates in interesting ways, and I love both aspects of it.
To the original’s sweet-and-spicy, semi-fresh, modern take on the fougere concept, Noir is denser, dryer, and ever so slightly less sweet. Anchored by a similar group of spices (pepper, ginger) but darkened by anise and a heavier use of oud (to my nose) and sharpened by tonka and resins (fir balsam, frankincense), Noir ends up having vaguely dry leather quality that is not part of the original.
The original Signature is very versatile in terms of situation and season, both a nod to classics while having a very modern, somewhat unisex sensibility, but Noir specifically feels like more of a modern nighttime / cold weather-friendly variation, albeit still walking the unisex/masculine tightrope. Overall, Noir is a welcome variation, clearly related to the original but very much with its own character, different utility, but still very impressive. I’ll be happy to have a bottle
Like Signature Royale, Signature Noir is priced at $105 for 60ml, very reasonable for an independent offering, just a touch higher than the original at $95 for 60ml or $155 for 120ml. It is sold individually, or part of other package deals, exclusively via the Zaharoff website in the US, to my knowledge.
8 out of 10
To the original’s sweet-and-spicy, semi-fresh, modern take on the fougere concept, Noir is denser, dryer, and ever so slightly less sweet. Anchored by a similar group of spices (pepper, ginger) but darkened by anise and a heavier use of oud (to my nose) and sharpened by tonka and resins (fir balsam, frankincense), Noir ends up having vaguely dry leather quality that is not part of the original.
The original Signature is very versatile in terms of situation and season, both a nod to classics while having a very modern, somewhat unisex sensibility, but Noir specifically feels like more of a modern nighttime / cold weather-friendly variation, albeit still walking the unisex/masculine tightrope. Overall, Noir is a welcome variation, clearly related to the original but very much with its own character, different utility, but still very impressive. I’ll be happy to have a bottle
Like Signature Royale, Signature Noir is priced at $105 for 60ml, very reasonable for an independent offering, just a touch higher than the original at $95 for 60ml or $155 for 120ml. It is sold individually, or part of other package deals, exclusively via the Zaharoff website in the US, to my knowledge.
8 out of 10
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