Login or register to rate or review Drakkar Noir and access other features...
Fragrance Profile

Drakkar Noir (1982)
by Guy Laroche

  • Availability: In Production
  • Perfumer: Pierre Wargnye
  • Bottle Designer: Pierre Dinand

Basenotes says...

A classic. Drakkar is the Viking word for dragon boat.

Drakkar Noir Fragrance Notes

Reviews of Drakkar Noir

Showing 6 out of a total of 81 reviews

Show: 43 positive | 18 neutral | 20 negative


Add your review of Drakkar Noir


3194 reviews


One can immediately tell that this is not a modern scent because the opening is rather uninspired. It is obviously intended for purchasers with a longer than nine second attention span. With many of the “classics” the opening is simply a holding pattern — sometimes attractive, sometimes not — while the newly liberated scent molecules marshal their forces to present their real job and purpose; and that purpose is the presentation of the middle and basenotes, which contain ninety-nine percent of the existence of the fragrance. Drakkar’s opening is a soapy and spongy aromatic / citrus. The citrus plays a very small role in the action, while the aromatics — albeit insecure, unorganized, and a bit unrefined — provide the main force of the initial volley. It’s a tolerable opening but it is far from stellar, and if it had to depend on the typical modern mass- market purchaser, it might be immediately eliminated from his list. The richer, fuller, refined heart is a balanced green / spice accord with emphasis on the coniferous notes of pine and juniper. This is a distinctly wearable accord. The heart notes are not really fresh as “fresh” is presented nowdays, but they are clean, full, and natural. With sensible application, they provide a restrained, dignified sillage that is legendarily attractive to the fairer gender. The base notes add leather, sandalwood, and oakmoss to the note lineup in a skillfully balanced and refined accord — I don’t get the patchouli that is supposed to be there because the leather overrides it to my nose. I often dislike leather in fragrances and the leather in Drakkar Noir is what has kept me from purchasing it in the past. I keep decant of Drakkar Noir and I sniff it once in a while in spite of my dislike of the leather note. I have found it an interesting fragrance in the past, but never intriguing. It is very strong and has to be applied with a good dose of restraint. Too strong and it is a turn-off. Excellent longevity. (Edit of 15 October 2005 review. Changed from a neutral.)


17 August 2009


65 reviews

I neither love it nor hate it, Though at times it can offend. It seems to try too hard in some ways, with the lavender.juniper a sometimes seesaw. It seems to move at two altitudes, high, kind of clean but ultimately an overall sense of washed.
21 July 2009


20 reviews

MassMenace says: "Drakkar Noir is that annoying guy that talks too much and needs to get attention from everybody no matter what measures need to be taken.Some people like this guy, some don't..."

Well, it was worn by Truman Capote ;). Which is just one of the reasons I love this. It smells so good. Simply, that's all. Masculine, soapy and dirty at the same time, fresh, classic, comforting. For me, this will never go out of style.
16 July 2009


1 reviews

The epitome of cheap cologne. Offensive and unforgivingly common.
05 July 2009


28 reviews

Its official name should be changed to The Much Maligned Noir. The French lesbians, the phallic ads (“La douce violence d’un parfum d’homme”), the bottle that looks like your average shampoo, the silly name, the gateway scent of 80s youth. Actually I quite understand why some don’t like it anymore; I won’t wear Fahrenheit or Cool Water because I wore them as a teenager (although I don’t disown them.) But…I never wore Drakkar Noir, so without the weight of memories it’s basically a new fragrance. And it is of course a pivotal scent and (together with the beautiful Azzaro and Paco Rabanne PH) a baseline with which other scents of the 70s and 80s are measured.

It must have been very popular because it does indeed produce flashes of the eighties although I immediately smell it as a collection of (loud mouthed) rip-offs that Drakkar Noir has set in motion. The most flattering I know of, as some have commented before, Gucci Nobile (on paper a more unflattering example: one of the Axe’s at the end of the same decade.) But what I do find surprising is the fact that, contrary to its fame as 80’s powerhouse, Drakkar Noir is a quiet scent, probably the reason it got over applied by plebeian and youthful fools. “Soft violence” does indeed cover it as Drakkar Noir reminds me sometimes of an introverted, sweeter cousin of Quorum (from the same year.) When used correctly it possesses beautiful whispering sillage although longevity is rather average (beware though: I have a skin type that can absorb the most potent brews.) So from the outside something of a prole but inside hides the soul of a fine gentleman.
18 June 2009


672 reviews

The opening citrus and herbal blend is very similar to that of Eau Sauvage, though very much lighter. It dries down and settles nicely into pleasantly sweet floral notes leaving the nostalgic herbal notes lingering very subtly in the background. Has rather good longevity, though i don't get much sillage on this one.
18 June 2009

Show all 81 Drakkar Noir reviews

Add your review

You need to be signed in to be able to post your review and access other features. If you are not yet a member you can register here — it's free and simple. Registered members can sign in here

Related Drakkar Noir products on eBay

The aim of Basenotes is to collect as much information about as many perfumes as possible. If you have any further information about Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche that you wish you share, click here. Although Basenotes strives to be as accurate as possible, errors and omissions may occur. This page may contain links to Internet stores and/or eBay. Basenotes is not connected with these sites and make no guarantees and accepts no responsibility for what you might find as a result of these links, and any future consequences. This page may contain opinions about Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche from our visitors. These are the views of the credited author alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Basenotes
 
© copyright 1999 - 2009 Basenotes • www.basenotes.net • BCM Box 1111, London WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom