Nuit Noire (2006)
by Mona di Orio

Like Lux, this developed in a horrible way on my skin. However, unlike Lux, it remained pleasant for much longer.

I've never been one to state that fragrance X made me feel sick (or even gave me a headache) but, after applying Nuit Noire, it actually made me feel nauseous after a while (and eventually physically sick – quite literally).

I'll think I'll pass on this house.

[Original submission date: 10 April 2008]

It is definitely a chef-d'oevre . Unique. Arabic. You either love it or hate it. It surely (ha-ha) makes Gold by Amouage smell like an innocent baby water. One major problem : IMHO it is not wearable ( in public) at least..Unfortunately for me I've developed an addiction for this scent, BUT I would not DARE to wear it in public. IT is just too revealing. Ok, I'm not shy . But Nuit Noire just screams sex and more sex.. So it is certainly fine to buy for the collection and for general "nose"-training ( there are some good notes in it) but once again although I gave it 'thumbs up'.......it is just a perfume out of time and place.......Dixi

Animalic to the core -- this is raw, deep, dark, and, well . . . odd. I can easily see fans of Knize Ten, Jicky and Mitsouko being drawn to the beautiful juxtaposition of tuberose and (almost distinctly fecal) civet herein.

There's a leathery note here, too, and even somewhat of a rubber "twang" -- both of which should appeal to the Dzing! crowd and the Bulgari Black aficionado. .

Addictive? I can see that, yes, at least for some. Still, at app. $200.00 per bottle, I can think of other frags I'd rather follow to the ends of the earth. In either case, it's a definite try-before-you-buy kind of fragrance. And yes, other reviewers have been quite correct in pointing out that this IS (love it or loathe it) a fragrance from another era. (Think Belle Epoque, folks.)

This one ultimately snags a positive rating from me, but with reservations. Here we go: a) try before you buy, b) ignore Turin's cruel "civet fart" comment and c) try to get a bottle in a swap, or "for cheap" if possible. ($200.00 is, like it or not, a great deal of money to spend on this Italian oddity.)

Soapy woods and fresh balsamic florals with some animalic nuances. I don`t find the composion particularly animal nor fecal, but surely there is some civet in the mix. Its easy to detect especially during the first hour or two.

Because of the fairly prominent floral notes mixed with that civet, this leans quite strongly towards feminine side.

Not horrendously bad, but it has a strong feel like it was made "with left hand" by not especially talented perfumer.

Nuit Noire is another Mona di Orio fragrance that I can’t grasp the significance of. Like some other fragrances of hers, it comes across as being gaudy and ostentatious, as well as a little clunky. In the top where I should be getting florals and spices, I’m getting a strong fecal note. I suppose it is civet, but to my nose, civet only suggests a fecal ambiance… here it IS fecal. The only note in the published pyramid that I can allegedly blame is leather, and this doesn’t seem like leather. There is a tuberose in the background… the tuberose I get is more of a solid, unchanging background note to the animal notes that take center stage. I don’t think that the fecal smells are the indoles from the tuberose. Okay, moving on to the middle notes: I get a hint of cinnamon and clove and some incense in the background, but mainly I get leather… an off-leather at that. The base lightens up and smooths out somewhat and is almost pleasant enough (for a second or two) for me to forget about the headache the fragrance has given me.

With Nuit Noire, it felt as if Mona di Orio was trying to do a modern take on a classic type of perfume. Nuit Noire is a powdery floral that has a touch of musk but I couldn't pick out any specific middle notes. Reading the notes listed up above was surprising- I definitely did not get ginger, clove, cinnamon, etc. The base note, however, smelled like just like red grapes.

I kind of see where Mona di Orio was trying to go with Nuit Noire but honestly, it is just not a likeable scent.