Noir de Noir by Tom Ford

For this edition of my fragrance reviews, I have another entry from the Tom Ford Private Blend lineup, Noir de Noir. The scent is one of the more popular perfumes offered by the brand, but does it actually smell any good? How does this black of black perform? Is it even worth a try? I’ve been testing it out for a while and here are my results.

---

What does Noir de Noir Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, oud, patchouli, black truffle, tree moss

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Noir De Noir Eau De Parfum Spray Edp 3.4 Fl / 100 Ml

---

My Full Wear Review

I’m not too much of a fan of rose, as a note in fragrances. Especially, rose dominated scents, they usually never really strike a chord with me; even if I don’t hate the way it smells. So, Noir de Noir shouldn’t be a perfume that I enjoy, but I actually do.

When I saw that oud and patchouli were added to rose, I had the preconception that it was going to smell exactly like, every other Middle Eastern inspired fragrance out there, with a huge rose and overpowering spice. What I got from this Tom Ford scent, was quite different.

Noir de Noir does indeed open up with a familiar aroma of rose, however, it seems sweeter, while at the same time dirtier than other rose scents. But this is what makes it such a good smell.

It is paired with patchouli at the start and this provides an earthy spice, that not super intense but allows the scent to be dark and not just another in your face rose.

The oud sits at the base, along with the slight mossy element in here. However, the key here in my opinion, is the black truffle and vanilla. I didn’t see vanilla listed as a note, but I get that sweet creaminess peaking through during the dry down.

This is when Noir de Noir is at its absolute best. I love the balance here, one minute it is rosy and floral, the next dirty and spicy, and then it is sweet. All wrapped up in a dark and enveloping warmth. The oud is the sturdy heart of the perfume, but it stays out of the way, and isn’t super overt.

---

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, and Versatility

Projection wise, I don’t find the sillage of Noir de Noir to be all that powerful. It isn’t weak, but it didn’t make me recoil when applying it. It’ll stay in a nice little 3-4 foot radius of you during the wear and you will catch nice whiffs of it throughout.

It also stayed on my skin for about 9 hours or so. Wasn’t insane, with the longevity, but it is certainly very good. On a colder day, the performance does stand out. The longevity is good, but what’s impressive is how it sticks around with a good amount of power.

This is a unisex scent, maybe leaning more towards a woman’s fragrance, but it doesn’t really seem as wholly feminine. Noir de Noir works fantastically on me, as a man, so I wouldn’t worry about seeming too girly with it.

Either way, I liked wearing it in the cold weather recently, and don’t think that it would be too successful for anyone in the summertime. It’s a bit too rich for any time with too much humidity or heat.

Noir de Noir is a sophisticated scent, as such, I probably wouldn’t wear it casually. This is more of something to wear on an evening out, whether that is in a suit or a dress. Anything with a bit of style to it. It is sexy in its own way, not super seductive, but inviting and intriguing.

---

Overall Impressions of Noir de Noir

Overall, do I like Noir de Noir by Tom Ford? Yes, if you couldn’t tell. I think that it is a highly enjoyable fragrance, that captures a lot of different moods, aromas, and skirts the line of masculine and feminine.

It successfully managed to take notes that aren’t usually my favorites and make me enjoy wearing it. This is a wonderful piece of the Private Blend collection.

The truffle is a fantastic addition, getting paired with the more commonplace vanilla note. They sweeten and calm, what would otherwise be quite an intensely earthy sort of perfume.

Nonetheless, it ultimately is an earthy experience. The rose note is surprisingly good, when paired with patchouli. It comes together as a very dark, warm, sweet, and powerful wear. Noir de Noir is a fragrance, I wouldn’t have expected to enjoy, but really did, in the end.