Or Noir (1981)
by Pascal Morabito

Here are the notes quoted from the FRAGRANTICA website:
"Top notes are iris, mandarin and black currant bud. Heart: gardenia, bergamot, jasmine, May rose, narcissus and lily of the valley. Base: oak moss, vanilla, ylang-ylang and clove."
I gave this a trial as I am usually interested in iris and rose. To my mind this is an oriental/gardenia perfume. Is that a category? I don't know. This smells of rose + old flowers soap burdened with darker notes. Maybe the cassis is there giving an effect or wineyness to the rose (not a fresh spring rose). Then bergamont comes in lays a blanket over it all and smothers it. It seems to be a kind of masculine scent though not sure it would appeal to any men. It's not doing much for me, though Or Black is fantastic.

12nd October, 2010.

Or Noir can easily be misunderstood. It is classified as a women's scent but it could almost be a men's scent.
The top note is so sharp and distinct and reminds me of diesel oil (well, the name says Black Oil!) but after about 30 minutes, all sorts of floral notes come through, and many hours later there is a soft cologne citrus lingering. Because I cannot be sure of the effect on other people I wear this perfume rarely.

4th February, 2010.

Although this scent is considered a sharp floral, this and other aldehydic heavy hitters such as Chanel No. 5 and Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent should come with a warning label: “ Caution! This is a superb scent, if you can survive the first 15 minutes”

With a sharp, soapy, and aldehydic top dominated by iris, the floral heart is obscured for the first 10-15 minutes. I have to say I sense more notes than the three mentioned above. There is definitely an herbaceous resin note as well-maybe the bergamot peeking through? I would not have guessed there was any cassis at all. Eventually, the top simmers down and the heart emerges rather discreetly. The aldehydes remain, but take a back seat to the rich floral accord. They eventually fade and leave the wearer with the impression of sweet tobacco-very compelling.

This is a strict, mature scent, for a formal professional setting or an evening out. I can’t see it on anyone under 40. The composition is very tight and precise. Not to be overapplied in public.

9th August, 2009.