Uomo Noir Absolu by Valentino

Taking a break from reviewing Tom Ford scents, I wanted to get around to posting a review of this fragrance, I got a sample of months back. Uomo Noir Absolu is a flanker of the Uomo line by Valentino. How does this entry stack up? What does it smell like? How does it perform? Is it worth a buy?

What does Uomo Noir Absolu Smell Like?

Notes include: cinnamon, sandalwood, iris, pepper, incense

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu For Men Eau de Parfum 3.4 Oz

My Full Wear Review

Before we dive into my personal review, let’s see how Valentino describes this fragrance: Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu is a modern exploration of oriental intensity. The Italian elegance of iris, the original Valentino signature, is transformed through the intimate richness of high perfumery. Translated through sandalwood, cinnamon, pepper, and a precious veil of incense, it is a mysterious and eloquent interpretation.

Noir Absolu opens with a lot of cinnamon spice, the pepper note, iris, and a resinous sweetness. I have to hand it to Valentino, they have definitely been getting into some unique scents, with these Uomo flankers. After the originals, were pretty much just Dior Homme sort of colognes.

Noir Absolu goes towards the darker end of the spectrum, while Uomo Acqua, went for a fresher and naturalistic smell. While this one is darker, it does have a powdery scent from the iris, and the aforementioned sweetness.

The cinnamon and pepper notes are there, but don’t have the same level of sharpness as I’d suspect, subdued underneath the other ingredients. Well, after the first 10 minutes or so, the opening is rather spicy.

Once things have calmed down, this really does become an oriental sort of cologne. Incense really comes through in the next wave, along with sandalwood, which will grow into a larger role later on.

Iris can be hit or miss for some guys, as it isn’t always featured in men’s fragrances. However, I really enjoy it in most applications, such as Dior Homme (which I have a full bottle of) and this Uomo series.

It plays its role to perfection, in this scent. It sits underneath, giving Noir that powdery/lipstick/makeup bag sort of aroma,

Finally, the dry down is a nice healthy dose of sandalwood. Along side it, are light cinnamon/pepper, iris and incense smokiness. Warm, slightly spicy, creamy/powdery, and a sweet touch.

Noir Absolu has a good bit of development and actually gives you a few different experiences throughout the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Uomo Noir Absolu is pretty strong. At the start, it is quite heavy, but calms down later on in the wear. The initial spice, can be intense, and spraying too much can overwhelm. Not too much is needed here.

It’ll project off of the skin, somewhere in the 6-7 foot area after the initial spray, if you don’t go crazy with the application.

The longevity with this fragrance is great. These notes stick around in the 8-10 hour range, it’s probably the best of the Uomo line, with its longevity. But, it’s also the most dense out of them as well.

The performance will not disappoint at all.

This one is built for the colder parts of the year. Not a wear for tropical climates. It’d melt in the heat, not too pleasant. Autumn through early spring, is when this one will be at its best.

This has enough style and class to be worn formally. Will gather complements. Probably for guys mid-20s and up versus something built for the teens and college-age.

This can totally be worn for the nightlife. In fact, it’d be a unique choice for that scenario and allow you to stand out from the crowd. The performance here, is all around wonderful.

Overall Impressions of Uomo Noir Absolu?

Do I like this cologne? I do. I think other folks, like this more than I do, however. Don’t get me wrong, it is very good. It’s just that I prefer Uomo Acqua and the original, to this.

I think Noir, is better for guys who want a darker version, where sandalwood is played up instead of iris.

The performance is great, it smells nice, and gives you a unique vibe. I’ve seen it compared to Tom Ford’s Black Orchid and I completely get why. This is a more masculine version, of that scent.

Personally, this is a like, rather than a love. I enjoy aspects of this scent, but it kind of got on my nerves, with the sandalwood and spice. The iris is always good in the Valentino colognes and I liked the incense note that was kicking around.

Not my personal taste, but a lot of guys will completely dig this cologne. Valentino has been crushing these releases, as of late.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.