Noir Epices by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, 2000

'Black (and) spices' might be the translation--not 'black spices' because the adjective is supposed to come after the noun in French. Anyway, this fragrance has lots of oddities beyond the name. I found the orange and sweet flashes of the opening very fleeting. The geranium managed to hold on and add a tiny bit of herbal freshness to balance the dark angularity of the base. The woods and spice used here have nothing to do with anything incense-y. The base is like an old wooden box--maybe a cigar box--that has been stored in a dry attic or maybe an Egyptian pyramid. When you open the box, you get only the very basso base notes of wood. It is a dark scent that reminds me of Domenico Caraceni 1913--another very dark rose, although Noir Epices is much smoother. It is a very unique note that has nothing 'perfumey' about it. As the blurb puts it 'its sensuality is elegant, never lascivious.' The very dark rosy and woody hum is brightened by the geranium and pepper. I got something kind of minty about it from time to time, although such a note is not listed. An analogous visual effect might be, say, a very powerful or spiritual person, very serious, wearing heavy, sombre earth toned clothing, but also wearing just a small swatch of sparkly netting or something else bright and a bit ephemeral. This dichotomy eases as as the base smoothes out, and the sparkly upper layer settles down to blend with the base in a more relaxed and balmy tone. This is unlike anything I have ever smelled before--quite a creative accomplishment. Not for everyone--get a sample first! For me, it was a completely new concept of fragrance. Groundbreaking. Super masculine, I would say. A woman who could rock this would be a very special person indeed.

The aldehydic fragrance in object is a woody-oriental that seems to get the heritage of some sumptuous spicy-oriental of the past like Youth Dew (but this one is finally less vanillic and ambery), Magie Noir and the legendary Mitsouko (but less fruity-hesperidic, mossy and earthy). The appalling aldehydic chord of citrus, rose-geranium, spices and patchouli grounds in a while a sort of dreadful and vintage aura around, an aura of mystery that is not properly dark in my olfactory vocabulary but that conjures on me the atmosphere of some claustrophobic attics of old buildings in the down town, full of objects, chandeliers and tapestries. The fragrance starts spicy and ends the same in an olfactory structure that makes the spices (mostly cinnamon and black pepper) whirling around the link of geranium-rose, orange in the first stage, than around sandalwood and overall patchouli. In order to preserve a touch of modernity i suppose there isn't bergamot in the top despite i perceive its proper hint of retro. The fragrance is dry, dusty and almost incensey with nuances of orange, cinnamon and rose under my nose, the sweetness is moderate, it's the indolic mildness of rose-geranium and nutmeg, the mild touch of sandalwood. The link of geranium, cedarwood and patchouli impresses restrained severity to the juice that is finally bold, unisex and misty with the florals soared by aldehydes. Another great concoction for us.