Bois Noir (1987)
by Chanel

Bois Noir seems to me more focused on the drydown notes of Egoiste (which is the part that i like the most). The drier, lavender-likem top notes of Egoiste seems to be absent and the fragrance goes straight to rich, creamy, spice aroma. The sandalwood is more on center than in Egoiste, mixed with the spicy tobacco note at the base and with a warm amber. There is also something that goes on cinnamon spice direction. The flowers are not evident on my skin. Compared to Bois des Iles, Bois Noir, seems more of a woody, tobacco, ambered version, lacking the ylang-ylang proeminent touch of Bois de Iles. Something on it also makes me think of an ambered Guerlain, like Guet Apens, and it the overall aroma has a warm, christmas aura. Since my favorite part of Egoiste is the basenotes, i prefer this one, that uses them in an amazing way.

23rd December, 2010.

Chanel's masterpiece, Bois Noir flopped and was removed from the Chanel boutique shelves within the year of it's introduction (1987). It was re-launched in 1990 as Egoiste. As good as Egoiste is (and it is good, no, it is great) Bois Noir is far and away, a superior mix of the same notes found in Egoiste. It is a dirty rotten shame Chanel found it necessary to alter the formula, however slightly for it's relaunch as Egoiste but they did and of course, Egoiste was a huge success.

I sparingly use my Bois Noir mostly for very special occasions... like the election of a democratic majority in the house and senate...which is to say, my bottle will easily last me for my lifetime.

Griff

2nd November, 2005.

An incredible fragrance. Heavier on the sandlewood and vanilla than what it morphed into as Egoiste (which has slightly more citrus). This fragrance tempers down to a senseous, almost dusty, note, spiked with a just a bit of spice. It's not a scent that a lot of (straight) men could pull off particularly well. What I mean is that it's a fragrance that women and other (gay) men would find attractive. The straight guy who is wearing it probably wouldn't care for it all that much. But for those who do like it, gay, straight, or otherwise, it's a total aphrodisiac.
The cap of the bottle, by the way, is made of hand-carved black-stained wood, not plastic. This fragrance was sold exclusively in Chanel botiques for the very few years that it was produced, in 4.2 and 8.4 ounce sizes.
This is truly one of the great men's fragrances ever.

27th June, 2004.