Rose Noir (2008)
by Byredo

Open an old ceder sweater chest that's been heating up over the years in the attic. In the chest are once laundered sweaters, and old books that once got wet but are now dried to the point where the pages break apart. Inside the book are faded old pressed roses. Take a deep breath -- and this is what to expect from Byredo's Rose Noir.

The overall effect is a very light dry rose, slight bilge accord which I associate with other Byredo concoctions, and laundry (musk). Sillage is low, fragrance is linear and minimal in structure.

It's pleasant, unoffensive, and utterly unremarkable. It's too tame to have the word "Noire" in its name - and not enough rose to warrant rose in its name. If you are used to the noire of Czech and Speake 88 this will come across feeling pedestrian. If you like the lush and deep meatiness of Lyric woman, this will feel like the equivelent of re-using a tea bag 10 times over. If you are a rose lover and need realistic rose, or expect a rich deep complexity of either of Serge Lutens offerings, -- this no doubt will a disappointment.

I gave this a neutral because its pleasant enough and not awful. For the price though, this fragrance should have an identity that distinguishes itself from the competition.

19th January, 2012.

I really liked this fragrance, but must admit that it's too expensive...
Headnotes gave me an overdose of aldehides and a pale rose, with a slight undertone of smoke/incense; there's really nothing more to it; I'd say that this creation is similar to Rumeur by Lanvin, but a bit darker and more masculine. In all it's a quite simple fragrance, if you don't care about the price or the short lasting power, give it a try...

6th January, 2012.

The continued search for the most intriguing rose fragrance led me as in a trance to the fragrance counter at Barneys for an extended testing of this curious little thing. Rose Noire is makes no suggestion of night or darkness, in my opinion. Citrus and especially grapefruit is about as 'noire-ish' as orange juice. This is neither day nor night, but definitely not night. The notes are riotous, yet subdued - - traffic in the distance. A modern work, like modern music or modern art, more discord that accord, yet toned down to a moderate contemporary sensibility-- a whisper. I am at a loss what to make of this. How can you hate a low-keyed fragrance that won't get you in trouble with the fragrance police or the secretarial staff? Isn't it interesting to wear a fragrance that is elusive and perplexing? Yet, who can walk out of a concert humming a tune by Cage or Ligetti? Do you understand the foreign allusions in the poems comprising "The Four Quartets"? This is not easy to relate to. Yet it is interesting. Citrus and musk together, generally work together like onions and mayo in my book. Ultimately, I find this hard to related to and very expensive to boot. In the final analysis, rose is so not what this fragrance is about, at least from the way the notes played out on my skin. A fascinating totally different citrus fragrance is the best way I could describe this. Try it if you want to know what a citrus with a suggestion of rose is like; buy it if you can relate and are quite well off. I dare you. Avant garde and cooly intellectual so, maybe it is more a conceptual art piece than music. A brave artist's experimental piece, multi media and in a non-existent foreign language. Hmmm. Maybe it's the work of a mad scientist, a genius, who knows. I know life is strange enough, I don't need a strange intriguing fragrance. At least not right now.

16th April, 2009.

A really dirty, dirty rose. Rose Noir smells earthy, musky on the skin. I noticed recently that the caps of Byredo have changed from a black cylinder to more a of knob shape. Perhaps this was to step away from the similarities drawn between this line and Frederic Malle. I think this is quite a nice, complicated rose. If you like rose musk or rose patchouli blends, this is worth a try.

12nd November, 2008.

on my skin the smell of vicks vapor rub. then a peeppery rose, however drydone is lovely and fine sillage

26th July, 2008.