Noir Epices (2000)
by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

It started off promising enough, with a very spicy opening and no indication of which direction the composition would go. This was something I really liked and was eagerly expecting to be impressed. Unfortunately, it evolved into a boring (and almost clean) scent, with faint traces of pepper, woods and patchouli still being detectable.

All those references to perfumed soap were spot on…

[Original submission date: 10 April 2008]

Brooding, sensuous, mysterious... Citrus and floral top note; bold spices in the middle; woody and rooty base — a near-chypre in my book, except for the lack of oakmoss. This is a haunting fragrance to wear, and not for the timid. It has a definite presence and a notable sillage. Best for evenings out or romantic ones at home, but fine (judiciously applied) for daytime socials. A scent of confidence, self-assurance, allure, and animal magnetism; be all that, or use with caution!

Oh man -- there is so much clove in the middle of this, it jolts me. It only really subsides way into the drydown and this is the stage I like best as the woods and patchouli soften. The opening couple of hours are a bit too camphorous and almost medicinal for my liking -- smells as though you may be treating a chest infection or something bronchial at least. It is not a scent I will wear regularly because the opportunities will be limited, i.e. not good for warm weather or an office environment imo. For ultra spice diehards only.

Well Shiver me Timbers and Clove my Peppers!
Black Spice is one strong badass scent with outstanding power and longevity. Surprisingly so, even for an EDP.
Could this be the 21st Century's niche upgrade of Aramis?
Alas, it does not fit well with my skin chemistry ( or perhaps I OD'd too much on Aramis back in my early 20's) hence the neutral rating, though I can see how for some hardened pirates, this could be true love at first powderkeg explosion.

Ummm...
Everything L'aventurier said, plus, that there is a huge wood smell lurking in the basenotes. For the first few hours there's just too much going on, but as the wood emerges victorious, the scent becomes defined.

I'm not really a fan, however, I did get compliments, so, take it for what it's worth.

Frederic Malle Noir Epices

Frederic Malle's ideal to let perfumers have the freedom to create has produced, for me, one of my favorite houses. One reason I like these perfumes as much as I do is the sense of the unexpected I get every time I wear one. Michel Roudnitska in creating Noir Epices in 2000 displays all of the creativity envisioned by M. Malle. As I've come to sniff so many things; the most common beginning to many, many fragrances is citrus married with bergamot it becomes almost rote for my olfactory synapses to start to fire that way as soon as the first note of citrus hits my brain. Noir Epices was one of my first refreshing experiences that made me realize there are so many more wonderful things to pair with citrus. Michel Roudnitska creates a stiletto sharp citrus paired with geranium over all of this is the metal tang of aldehydes evaporating madly. Then peeking around the edges comes a beautiful rose to make this one of my favorite beginnings to any scent I've worn. As the aldehydes make their departure the titular spices enter the fray. First up is a sharp pepper paired with clove then the zing of cinnamon followed by the mellowing influence of nutmeg all mixing together on my skin with depth and power. The base is the only ordinary thing about this scent as patchouli ushers you into a cedar and sandalwood finish that is smooth and somewhat familiar. It is only at the base that I find anything pedestrian about this scent and perhaps with the fireworks that have taken place before one needs a little familiarity to bring one's feet back to earth. Michel Roudnitska has created a thoroughly modern scent that lives up to all of what Frederic Malle must have hoped for when he created Editions de Parfum.