Noir Exquis L'Artisan Parfumeur for women and men

If anyone is selling a full bottle or partial in Europe, please get in contact! 😊

'Noir Exquis' is a beautiful, enticing, warm and cuddly fragrance. It reminds me of the candied chestnuts we get in France so it would suit Autumn/Winter/Xmas time but I'm wearing it now in Spring and it still works wonderfully well. It's subtle and comforting with hints of vanilla, chestnuts and sweetness from the maple syrup. The coffee notes are very faint on me so can't comment on that. Overall, it is a quality fragrance that reveals itself over time. Not too mich projection which is fine by me as I don't want to overwhelm the neighborhood!

Another one I hoped would be amazing with the chestnut top note and tonka base, but the dry sandalwood just takes over for me, as it seems to do with a lot of frags with sandalwood as a base. It does get sweeter for me too but there are just scents that work better for me. I do love Tea For Two so will certainly keep trying other L'Artisan perfumes.

Edit - I ended up with a second decent which was much more pleasant in the opening but ultimately dries down too spicy and harsh on the nose. I feel it’s fairly masculine.

Dry, woody, sweet vanilla with nutty overtones. Comforting, soft, gentle, work-safe, cozy. Good for cuddling. Good for sitting in an overstuffed armchair snugly inside on a cold day with snow gently falling. I don't get any orange, but other than that the notes are accurate.

The first seconds was an instant "no", as the smell seemed very spirited, medical. But instantly the spirit started to fade and smell became sweeter (however, I could still smell a trace of alcohol). I tried to figure out, what does it remind me. It was something like those boxes of chocolates with liqueur filling. After a while, I decided to check what are the notes, and when I saw coffee, I instantly knew - I used to drink coffees with added tastes - chocolate, caramel, etc., and I would also pour in a drop of liqueur. This was it! It really reminds me of cozy coffee afternoons. I was surprised so many people get vanilla - I don't feel any here, it's very "brown" smell. The drydown is the same as Gold Immortals or Arabians Tonka (except not that strong), mostly tonka bean and that's it. I liked it, however, not enough to purchase it.

I see many compared Noir Exquis with By The Fireplace but I am not sure it's correct to compare them, since BTF is way more smokey. This one is softer, sweeter (I immediately identified tonka bean as soon as I smelled it for the first time) and creamier. It has a better longevity than BTF but it's a little more boring. Overall, I like Noir Exquis, it's a delicious and delicate smell, but I would not purchase a full bottle as there are tons of more intriguing alternatives out there.

Suprisingly powdery. I imagine walking into an old antique shop that also has pretty purple flowers on display.

The was an informed blind buy…recommended to me buy a scent profile computer at the Champs d’Élysées Sephora. It’s a cool machine that simulates notes from various scent profiles and recommends perfumes based on the notes you like. At any rate - I love this. It’s mostly a marshmellowy vanilla on me with a dry, warm, woodiness. A nice intimate skin scent that doesn’t project too much - which is what I like. I look forward to wearing it with a cozy sweater. I don’t get the other notes but that’s fine with me. It will layer nicely too. By the fireplace gives me a headache though I did like it to start. So far so good with this one! No headaches and I’m three sprays in. Curious to see what it does as it macerates…

Edit: I’ve noticed this is a scent that stays on my skin for a long time and it does project a bunch if I still have some on when I hit the gym, so I don’t spray a lot. I am also picking up more of the orange and chestnutty-ness now - still very good and I love it!

There must be other people, like myself, whose noses are overwhelmed by vanilla scent at certain concentrations. This is vanilla OD for me. It's probably complex and sophisticated, but my nose will only get vanilla, in fragrances like this. I have just re-tried a decant from 5 years ago. Some of the strength has diminished since then I think. It was strong enough, back then, to give an unpleasant, almost a burning sensation in the nose. Gives me a bad sinus reaction. Not the perfumier's fault.
If you're like me, this is no good for you.
It's also syrupy sweet and too feminine to be unisex IMO. But that could just be my sinuses in vanilla OD.
I'm not going to rate it, because that wouldn't be fair, with a currently impaired sense of smell

MM's By The Fireplace is way too smoky for me. Smells like a campfire. This one is more gourmand and wearable to me.

This reminds me of By the Fireplace - very sweet, sticky chestnuts that have roasted over the fire and started to split a little. Too sweet for me - I can almost feel the mapled chestnuts sticking to my teeth and caramelizing in my mouth. I don't get the coffee here - if you're looking for coffee, look elsewhere. Between By the Fireplace and this, I find this less headache-inducing, though still too sweet.

This fragrance is part of my bedtime routine. Not to wear. But when I'm trying to fall asleep, I smell the bottle and it brings me such comfort. Warm, cozy, spicy, yummy. This has by the fireplace vibes, but people will smell you assuming you're wearing an actual fragrance. They won't wonder if you just came back from a christmas campfire.

11/10. The end.

A poetic autumn composition of warm sunlight filtered through trees, sugary sap and fragrant chestnuts. You walk by with a cup of coffee and the air is perfectly crisp. If only it would not fade so quickly.. Noir Exquis is the last Bertrand Duchaufour creation for L'Artisan Parfumeur, and in my opinion the last exquisite perfume of the brand.

I got a sample of this because I was trying to find scents in a similar vein to Praline in Maple by Scents of Wood which is my absolute favorite fall scent and I wanted more in that category. It has those chestnut and maple notes that I was so excited for.

Come to find out that this is nothing more than a linear, slightly floral vanilla. No nuttyness, no maple. I only barely detect the coffee and I really detect the orange blossom. I wouldn't consider this a gourmand, and I certainly wouldn't consider this anything like BTF which is another of my smoky favs. This isn't really edible. Maybe I'm biased because I love a decadent, smoky gourmand, but this isn't it for me. Projection and longevity leave much to be desired.

5/10

A linear fragrance to my nose, that consists of (ebony) woodiness, chestnut with a touch of the maple.

This does not come across overly gourmand at all, but I sorta get the 'By The Fireplace' comparison ( but that is way sweeter ) This is a solid Autumn/Winter dark woody delight.

I have a bottle from around three years ago, and performance is great, lasts easily 8 hrs, doesn't protect beyond arms length but the sillage is very good and has been noticed by people several times.

This one put a smile on my face when I first tried it. I just wish the coffee was expressed better.

Very similar to By the Fireplace, but without that insane smoke. So cozy.

I received this fragrance yesterday, it was a blind buy and a good blind buy. The bottle is the new style, I have also purchased an old style one so will come back and edit this post if it’s edit worthy.

I will be short as there are so many reviews already,
To my nose the main note I smelled
Immediately was dark chocolate, I eat a lot of it and loved how realistic it was in this fragrance.

I also thought that there was a good pinch of cardamom but upon checking, apparently it’s not there.

Overall, this is not a usual stereotypical gourmand, it’s definitely grounded by wood which also brings it into the unisex territory.

Finally, I sprayed (a lot) before I went to bed - skin, not clothes. I woke up still smelling about 20 percent of it on my skin. Which is great imo.

This does really remind me of Versatile's Croissant Cafe. Perfect for if you want something like By the Fireplace but from a different path. The tonka bean is especially cozy.

A classy cool-weather gourmand, for those who want their gourmands to still smell like perfume and not food. Do not expect this to be Demeter "French café," it is more an artistic interpretation of the concept, and is equal parts nutty, sweet, woody and floral. Some say the heliotrope stands out awkwardly, some say it adds complexity, just know that it is certainly there. I found it more powdery than I was expecting and so it took me a while to warm up to it, but it has turned into a favorite this winter as I find myself craving something different from the ubiquitous youthful bonbons.

This is just wonderful. Lightly nutty, sweet woodiness and not overly rich. A sophisticated and easy to wear gourmand. BUT it is such a light scent, close to no projection or sillage, which is a shame as it deserves to be shared. Decided to sell my bottle and found my next replacement - Frustration by Etat Libre D’Orange where the chestnut is significantly amplified which is more what I was after.

Beautiful fall scent with a high quality blend. the chestnut and ebony woods stand out the most on my skin. The issue? the projection is super weak for that price point. Maybe should I try again in September?

The notes are absolutely amazing- but on skin, its sickeningly sweet, and STRONG. Even in the coldest winter day (in my country) I'd not dare wear this one.

This is a very well done gourmand scent that might appeal to people who are not into "too foody" perfume. Upon opening, it smelled like smoky Marron glace, dressed with vanilla, maple syrup, and coffee. I do not pick out other notes such as orange and flowers. It definitely suits the winter, evoking the image of being cozy around the fireplace enjoying coffee and chestnuts(and I dearly love chestnuts!).

Noir Exquis stays that way pretty much to the end. Simply put, it is vanillic smoky amber that seems to be popular these days. The drydown reminds me of that of BDK Gris Charnel which is attractive but bothers me with its alcoholic chemical smell(what fig note in certain fragrances smells like). Unlike some of other L'Artisan, NE lasts long, 7-8 hours and projects moderately. Considering FB purchase.
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Tested with the sample from the old version

This is a really hard fragrance for me to review, because I can't stand the opening but love the drydown. At first the orange note comes in really strongly to me in a way I find very unappealing. I tend to dislike citric accords in general, so this might be a personal issue. After an hour or two this subsides and vanilla and toasted nuts take over in a really pleasant combination (the orange is still there, but toned down so much that I actually kind of like it). I'll never buy a bottle because of that first hour, but if you don't share my aversion to orange, this is definitely worth trying.

Reminds me of PDM pegasus, both are not for me. I was so hyped before trying it as I love coffee notes, but I was disappointed.
It has kind of an oily smell that makes it too thick like pegasus.
EDIT : that "oily" note that I hate is heliotrope
Subjective grade : 5/10

I have both gold cap vs. new black bottle – what happened here? The new bottle is watered down so much and no offense the gold cap bottle juice, although smelling sirupy didn't perform already at all. I'm not into smelling crazy intense but I still want to smell my own fragrance somehow. Noir Exscuise the original was my absolute favorite vanilla fragrance although so weak! I'm so sad rn with the dark bottle…

Reviewing the newer bottle style, I have never smelled the older bottle style so I can't judge that one.

This is incredible. This only smells like BTF in the opening, and even then that only lasts about 5 minutes for me. Noir Exquis goes towards a sweet/gourmand route, whereas BTF goes smoky/woody.

This isn't overly sweet, though. It's mostly a comforting scent that doesn't project too much, whenever I've gotten compliments on this is when I hug someone or they sit close to me. Because this doesn't project much I've worn this to the office a few times in cold weather and it's great. I can smell this on myself and my clothes the entire day, and sometimes I get a whiff of it in the air after having sprayed it hours earlier.

I've had my bottle for a year and a few months now and have worn this so much that my family considers this my signature scent. If I had to get rid of all my bottles and keep just one, it'd be this one.

This is a unisex gourmand (not sickly sweet..) I first caught a whiff of what smelled like chocolate thanks to the chesnut, coffee, and tonka notes. It then dries down to more maple/tonka/heliotrope/sandalwood which I find lends to the unisex appeal. These notes are all my favorites so I was pleased to be able to smell them nicely blended all together. Very yummy indeed!

SO GOOD! It is like some of the others above, but it stands out to me enough to justify having it. Very well blended. I have maybe 7 or 8 from l'artisan, this is their BEST, I have ever smelled. I adore them, amazing creations! If you have those ^^^^^^^^, You still need to get your nose on this. If you wear this with a Vanilla lotion & spray on some Carner Barcelona Palo Santo, the world will be on their knees-

While this is solidly a winter-time fragrance, it lacks some of the typical (stereotypical?) notes that would push it into the "Christmas in a Bottle" category we hear so much about this time of year. There are no spices and no tobacco notes. There's nothing here that evokes Christmas trees, or Santa's pipe, or a snowy sleigh ride (whatever snow smells like). What you do get is deep, rich, and sweet chestnuts, maple and vanilla. Maybe a little orange, maybe not. The maple is quite dominant at the start, but develops some complexity after a few minutes. Not too much more, though. This is 100% gourmand - not a holiday fruitcake, or maple syrup, or anything else specifically (maybe a little coffee) - but it smells delicious. Noir Exquis is definitely a solid choice when your usual holiday fragrance starts to smell a little tired, and it might prove to be more versatile, too.

Loved the opening of this, but it got worse and worse as it dried down. Started out with very gourmand-smelling notes, could definitely smell the chestnut and coffee, but even less than an hour later is like...the stems of flowers you've let sit a few days too long in the vase.

Very beautiful vanilla chestnut scent. Sometimes I even find it a little bit oudy. The opening is underwhelming but as it warms up, I'd say about an hour later, it smells delicious and very comforting. However, on me, the perfume doesn't last and doesn't project. I'd get other perfumes on my buy list before getting this one.

Noir Exquis smells like the essence of autumn sunset...not all the pumpkin spice commercial autumn stuff but the quiet autumn of long shadows and fewer birds and chilly evenings. Mine is the old gold capped version. I feel lucky to have it since it's been repackaged and sometimes that means changed - but I can't say that for sure since I have not smelled the black capped version. NE has a trajectory similar to others I have been enjoying in the recent brief spell of cooler weather where I live: it opens with rich sweet nuttiness and then transitions to a luscious vanilla white floral. Cacharel's Yes I Am has a similar feel, as does Mariah Carey's M and Carolina Herrera's original Good Girl. These scents don't smell like Noir Exquis, but all four have the same sequence of sweet/nutty, then white floral/vanilla, with coffee or incense tones. It's a beautiful experience.

As others have mentioned, NE is not smoky the way BTF is smoky. I don't detect any smoke here. When I first got NE about six years ago, I was disappointed. Not sure what I was expecting. Maybe I thought it would be darker. Maybe I really wanted Serge Lutens De Profundis but could not get that one and went for this expecting it to fill a similar role (it's way different!!). Maybe it has macerated. Do perfumes age like wine or like milk...hmmm. At any rate it's wonderful now with more TONKA and COFFEE the longer I wear it.

Is it right for you? It's definitely something a man or woman could wear because it is so dark and nuanced, yet not overly gourmand or sandalwoody. Just an exquisite balanced quality scent in a quiet way, like good loafers that you don't pay attention to until one day you look down and think, Wow, those are really nice shoes! NE grows on you in a quiet way until you end up craving it.

This is for the gold capped version. Just a couple of things to begin with. There are very few gourmand perfumes I can say I love or even like. This is one I love. Second, with all due respect to it's admirers, MMM BTF doesn't come close to the mastery of this creation in my opinion. Someone far down in the reviews mentioned that BTF reminded her of barbecued sausage, and that is how I experience it as well, making it impossible for me to consider the two similar.
What I love about NE is that there seems to be an implied smokiness, something that hints at being is a cozy, warm patisserie where the smell of a distant fireplace adds to the ambiance. Stepping outside after enjoying some type of vanilla and maple confection that is not achingly sweet, I smell chestnuts being roasted by street vendors. It's funny because that particular aroma is very present on the streets of NYC in the cold weather just as it is in Paris, but the street I'm stepping out onto is definitely Parisian. I definitely have a scent memory from time spent in Paris in late autumn, and the nostalgia for that time and place makes the experience of wearing NE all the more heartwarming.
I've already hit on what most every favorable review has mentioned, though I did forget to mention the rich coffee I was enjoying with my little treat! Beyond that, I'll just add that on my skin I get about 4 hours with projection less than a foot away. ThoughbIve owned this for quite a while, I'm reviewing it today, because as we perfumistas tend to do, I'm thinking ahead to what I will be wearing for the upcoming holidays, and Noir Exquis is definitely on the menu for Thanksgiving!

I wish i loved this more. Its too weak and smells more floral than nutty, so please be aware of this. This does not smell like cake or desert to me, it smells like a floral perfume with a minor nut element. Best to test this one out before buying it. Now i only wear this for when i have a quick errand to run outside, but other than that, I wouldn't gravitate towards this one. Its pleasant and okay, but not the best with lasting powder as it lasts 1hr on my skin and clothes with over spraying as well.

It smells like you're assembling the dry ingredients for a cake - chestnut flour, cocoa powder, vanilla pod; but you haven't added the milk yet so the scents feel dry, unsweetened.
It's a classier version of the gourmand "coffee shop" scents in my opinion.

Aptly named, because it is exquisite. I get the chestnuts and the open fire. I was turned on to this scent profile when I got a free sample of "By the Fireplace," which is equally delicious but pricier. The scents are comparable, pretty much the same. I can't speak to longevity, but touch-ups after four hours or so are no biggie for me.

I usually don't go for citrusy notes but couldn't resist the others in this fragrance. The opening made me think of a cosy, warm December morning. The orange note isn't too cloying but refreshingly sweet. This is my first time trying a fragrance with chestnut in the top notes and it does come across as generic woodiness to me here.

A lovely scent but projection and longevity isn’t good, three hours at most. Not sure if I got a bad batch? Will gladly use up my travel decant in the hopes that performance improves.

9/10

A tremendous, mapley french patisserie fragrance. Unisex with a feminine lean - I would fall head-over-heels for someone wearing this. Aging wood, nutty dessert, a damn good coffee - reminds me of winter nights at a local pastry shop overlooking the Pacific. 9/10

Slighly spiced vanilla latte, a touch smoky, a touch of roasted chestnut, a little woods in the background. I have to overspray to get some projection but it has good lasting power. It smells well made and expensive, I will use up my whole decant but overall it didn't wow me enough to buy a full bottle. Would make a good cozy winter fragrance for cold nights cuddling up to your love watching a movie in front of a warm fireplace but it's not something people are going to smell on you unless they are very close to you.
It doesn't really smell too much like by the fireplace to me, this is sweeter and more gourmand. BTF is much smokier but it does have a BTF vibe in the drydown. If you like BTF but want it sweeter and a bit less smoky you would like this. BTF is also a LOT stronger.

This has no projection, very bad longevity but… it's so refined, like a violine playing.

I don't understand the name, this would be more ‘brun noir’ but ok. There's really nothing black about it.

I wear it for me ONLY. And I feel amazing wearing it. Everyday.

To me it's the best vanilla out there and I really struggle with vanilla usually.

God this is divine.

Idk why people are saying this smells like BTF they're very different. Both gorgeous though.

This is sweet, smoky, romantic perfection. So goddamn smooth. It is really and truly exquisite.


Update: Okaayy I stand corrected, the dry down is a little By The Fireplace-like.

@Dorange Sense,

Yes, you are the only one who thinks that. The two smell absolutely nothing alike.

When I wear this, I hear - "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." in my head. It is the scent of Christmases past. As in many families, mine would roast chestnuts for after dinner with dessert on winter holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas). This scent is the blend of the dry, smoky chestnuts, sweet desserts, brewed coffee and a slowly burning fireplace in the living room. Such a cozy and familiar scent that makes me smile. My mind's eye nine-year old is sitting at the dinner table with my grandfather, cracking and peeling chestnuts and eating almond torte with whipped cream on top. Comparisons with BTF are fair, but NE's smokiness is less aggressive, more nutty. Like a smoldering smoke with sweet chestnuts, not full blazing fire with heavier sweetness. The differences are enough to own and enjoy both fragrances.

Am I the only 1 thinking that this just smells like Givenchy Pi?

Delicious! Blind bought this fragrance based on reviews and comparisons with BTFP. The opening they’re a bit alike but nothing else. Although, I loved this fragrance! I have the feeling I have smelled this already long time ago but don’t know where.
Overall is amazing! I loved it

Very by the fireplace. I'm a little at odds with the chestnut note though, it never wows me somehow but probably just not my note. But I can tell this is a great quality frag, some nice coffee and woodsy notes, all very rich and gourmand. A touch of smoke too although not in the notes. Maybe the deep woodsy ebony is giving this effect. Soft vanilla and heliotrope make this very wearable.

I wanted so much to love this blind buy of mine. I have an older version of this scent. Hopefully the newer batches are nicer. NE is smokey, slightly giving those coffee vibes and has a comforting scent profile. Unfortunately the smokiness just goes so so wrong on my skin. The orange and the ebony don't really meld together

Such a beautifully done delicious fragrance. Good for special events or occasion wear, and will make you the best smelling in any room. The coffee is there throughout the development, and the opening has an element of smokiness or dryness which goes away in the dry down, where it becomes a vanilla-coffee-chestnut fragrance. Picture this: you’re eating a chestnut cake, with a vanilla-maple syrup over it and you’re drinking an Italian espresso. All of this is set in an old cafe where you can smell the aging wood. You’re staying warm by the fireplace in the cafe, it’s cold outside, you’re favorite (expensive) sweater is on and everything is good and beautiful.

Reviewing the more recent black cap bottle. I get a very very woody sweet scent. It's a dusty wood, or smoky? It can come off as either, but I get dry wood with stale coffee beans. The sweetness is vaguely fruity from the orange, and has an almond touch. The dry down is a bit more pleasant to me, the vanilla comes through more, but not my vibe overall.

I'm not really a fan of heliotrope, or gourmands so it's not a great start for me, but I can say that it's a well-blended fragrance and the ingredients are very distinguishable from one another. The chestnut is warm and cozy-like, but the heliotrope is kind of like the uninvited 7ft tall guest at the party. No one asked for them to be there and you can't ignore them either. The maple syrup note is absent for me, but if that's something you like, try out Eau Duelle EDP by Diptyque which doesn't claim that note per se, but it's very 'true' to a maple sugar shack like they have in Quebec.

Noir Exquis absolutely a gourmand fragrance, but it never forgets that it’s a perfume, not a holiday candle. The gourmand elements, such as coffee, chestnut, vanilla, and maple syrup, are front-and-center in the blend, but they’re cocooned with florals and woods and employed in such a way that they’re never too much – never too sweet, never too vanillic, never too juvenile or crass.

In line with L’Artisan’s long history, this is an exquisitely blended perfume created with a sense of elegance, sophistication, and care.

The opening is a broadside of juicy orange, powdery heliotrope and orange blossom, chestnut, and a deep, rich, almost boozy vanilla, reminiscent of real vanilla extract. Soon, though, everything starts to come into focus.

The orange fades, and the coffee starts to bubble up from beneath a golden haze of maple. This is not a harsh, bitter coffee like in By Kilian’s Intoxicated or Sebastiane’s Espresso Royale, but more like the pleasing wafts you might get when you come down for breakfast and a fresh pot of coffee has just been brewed. This coffee blends seamlessly with the chestnut and the thick, boozy, and slightly smoky vanilla.

As time goes on, the ebony wood comes more to the fore, and overall the fragrance becomes drier and less sweet. The heliotrope and orange blossom provide a lush, velveteen texture. Where other gourmand fragrances might eschew floral notes altogether, these flowers are used skillfully to add a suppleness to the fragrance that elevates it from a simple vanilla to something more complex and balanced.

What you’re left with for hours and hours after initial application is a warm, sensual vanilla flecked with coffee beans, white flowers, a drizzle (not too much) of maple syrup, and dry woods.

Performs exactly like an EDP, so good longevity and not-so-good projection and sillage. But I'm okay with that.

8/10

This is a cashmere blanket on a snowy night. This fragrance is comforting, thick, and syrupy but not overly sweet. I get dark chocolate, lacquered woods and chestnuts, spices, and inedible vanilla. Not the one that smells like cake batter, as this perfume does not evoke sweets or baked goods. It's the one that is still in the pod before the confectionery transformation. The floral notes only appear if I test it on paper, but on my skin, they are not found. While this is not my favourite as I find it a little boring with average lasting power, there is no denying it's well made and worth a try.

When comparing it against By the Fireplace, I find the latter more balsamic, woody, and dare I say, smoky. There are elements that are similar, but Noir Exquis appears to be more rounded and softer.

The older 100ml bottle is very pleasing to use. The gold cap is heavy and while the quality of the glass itself is not perfect, it is a lovely bottle that feels substantial.

— Black bottle black cap —
Instant travel portal… Winter afternoon… French patisserie… Candied roasted chestnuts, vanilla cake and coffee. Far in background there is a fireplace, cosy and so lightly smoky.
Noir Exquis perfume is rather an experience than an accessory.

Special, sweet and light at the same time. The notes i get are coffee, chocolate, vanilla and woody for the drydown. This is the type of fragrance that i like. Not extraordinary but pleasant.

💙 Male
❄️Cold Seasons
📌 Personal Note: 8 / 10

The main note I get is coffee..smooth, black and rich, with some spices and sweetness. I'm enjoying it even after just one wear, but would like to experiment with layering it under my lighter fragrances as I'm not currently into very rich and strong smells. The longevity and projection are both great... just two small sprays on my elbow lasted me the whole afternoon and evening. If you love coffee, you will love this somewhat forgotten gem (now that there are so many hyped-up niche coffee-prominent bottles out there).

Quite lactonic and fruity, it reminds me of durian!

First impressions of the older bottle - Very sophisticated grown-up vanilla fragrance. I just received this in a swap, any fragrance that you just receive and that has been traveling, needs to sit for a few weeks to settle down.

Upon the first spray I smell a maple sap and a tiny hint of coffee. It’s close to the skin but it does last a while, so it’s not fleeting as some people here mention ( My skin eats fragrance pretty quickly, so it’s a surprise for me that this one stays a while). I do not feel any resemblance to By the Fireplace, because that one seems to have too much smoke for my taste. NE is very soft, gentle, sophisticated and beautiful, I know once it’s been a couple of weeks it’s going to develop even better. This is a very comforting scent, this is not something I would wear out, although it is quite possible to do so, I just prefer this as a comforting at home scent. I’ve tried several other creations of this perfumer, and he’s always about outside the box, very artsy, so if you were looking for comforting and artsy at the same time, this is definitely for you.

very sweet and can definitely smell maple sap in the opening, too sweet for me personally

After an hour or two this fragrance turns into something beautiful. Creamy Vanilla coffee. Just amazing, and very long lasting I get 12+ hours. This is nothing like by the fireplace to my nose.

Completely fell in love with it !! All the things I like, sweet, woody, and vanillic. Very warm, gourmand a little more sophisticated than the MMM By the Fireplace. HOWEVER, the dry down is sickeningly sweet and it just doesn't go away. It lingers on for days, takes over everything, and not in a good way. As much as I want to love it, I just can't! If you are in Paris I'll gladly swap!

The smell of Christmas day. Orange peels boiling in mulled wine. Someone's having coffee on the couch with whipped cream on top (it's a holiday after all). Roasted chestnuts. Gingerbread and vanilla sugar cookies cookies straight from a hot oven. Someone cutting up vanilla pods for some sweet treat they're about to make. A little smoke from the fireplace. The floors and coffee table are made out of a deep colored, dry wood. A lot of different notes, but ultimately, this is mainly about vanilla on my skin and if all that except the vanilla sounds good to you I recommend walking along because the vanilla in this is strong and unavoidable. It's there from the first spray and lasts into the drydown.

I feel like I detect some similarities to TF Vanille Fatale which I would say is a little drier and woodier (and a little heavier) than this. I have and like VF, but I think this is even better. I can see the comparisons to By the Fireplace, but I think this is more complex and I like this far more than BtF.

Reviewing a sample from the black cap bottle. Every time I test this I love it more. I've ordered a bottle.

Noir Exquis is “haute perfumery”. I received the beautiful golden cap bottle. It starts as a soft silent whisper of roasted chestnuts, ripe orange, maple sap and dry vanilla. It lingers on the skin and develops into a warming cosy unique smell. Not a screamer but a gentle multi layered perfume with a good longevity. Not sweet and sticky but dry and a little roasted smokey gourmand with elegance. The flowers (heliotrope and orange blossom) pop up in the dry down. Love this kind of perfumery. A perfect fall scent. Je suis en Paris.

Edit 25-09-21: After 24 hours as the oxygen entered the bottle the real strength and enormous potency of this eau de parfum came loose and grabbed my senses. What a heavy strong one this is. Thick and overwhelming roasted chestnut and vanilla smells. "As deep as a hecto liter size barrel full of stir-fried vanilla pudding scented with heliotrope and thick maple syrup". Awesome!

This is the only perfume that I have bought two backup bottles of and I am plowing through my first initial bottle like crazy. I want to smell this all the time. At least until spring time or I reach THAT point. You know the one.
I have received no compliments on this and the silage is maybe non-existent, longevity is okay particularly on clothes but all that doesn't seem to be that important.
Gold cap.
update: 3 bottles now finished and it's March 22. I did receive one compliment! Ha

Not a review, but does anyone know if there are any major differences in the juice between the older style bottles and new style bottles? I have tested the older style bottle a couple of times, and I love the smell but I could never find it discounted, and the newer bottles are selling for a far cheaper price than the older bottles.

***Black Bottle Review*** Brief personal story to enhance the review. The performance related info will be towards the bottom if that's all you're interested in.

I drove by a very small pâtisserie during winter, not far just outside of San Francisco, and saw a massive line all the way down the sidewalk. I was sharing a vehicle at the time and made a mental note to return on the weekend when I'd have it to myself. Got there an hour early on Saturday, still third in line, realized I forgot my coat :)))))))))) and waited until my turn. I'd never been in a pâtisserie before but the smell was just warm, sweet, buttery bliss. The people running the place were equally warm, sweet, and buttery. I got some stuff I don't remember the name of and it made me cry. Spicy meatball hand kiss. Anyways, that same day I ended up in Bloomingdales and was chatting up the sales associate about Kilian when he suggested me this house. This was the first fragrance he sprayed and before doing that he read the inspiration which was "two lovers rendezvous at a pâtisserie" which to me was like the stars aligning, and smelling it made me feel exactly what I had earlier that day. The accuracy of the smell was flooring so I bought the bottle and now every night I smile at my tiny personal San Fran adventure.

Noir Exquis wears close to the skin, but has great longevity. I can smell it on my skin for a good 6-7 hours. The only similarity from By The Fireplace this has is the roasted chestnut at the top. None of the smokiness, though, it's all sweet. This hits its stride once the maple and coffee comes through. Maple is foremost, but it's a pleasant airy maple. Not thick or gooey by any stretch, which is why this has turned into the fragrance I spray before bed.

Okay I’m reviewing the black cap bottle (which I love their design btw and the bottles are sturdy)
I love this. This to me smells like vanilla, woody, campfire ish. There’s a touch of caramel (I think it’s actually the maple) and I smell amber as well. It’s beautifully blended, my husband loves it too. He doesn’t like vanilla and as soon as I sprayed this he said “mmm I like this vanilla”. It smells like a grown up vanilla where the vanilla isn’t the main character but an equal partner with the other notes. Cannot wait to wear this in the fall and winter!

It would be SO helpful if people would say if they are reviewing the black cap or gold cap bottles.

I have the gold, brand new in box, blind bought based on the notes, and all I get is a sweetish woody scent with very mild smokiness. It's simple and very close to the skin even with four sprays in the same spot... what's going on?!

I love Amour Nocturne and Deliria (all purchased from the same site) but this is very flat. Barely there! Have to put my nose right up to my wrist to smell it even after just applying. Not offensive, just not much of anything! A true disappointment.

What happened to all those missing notes? Is it too old? I'm so sad;(

UPDATE
The end game is still sweetish but heavy on the musk, less wood now. Still bland as ever.

I have a sample. (thanks SailorV!)

----

Summary: sweet gourmand, but elegant and refined.

This is really really good. Smells of dark old wood (like those old offices with high ceilings and dark wood bookcases that reach the ceiling), of candied boiled chestnuts, of the smoky vanilla that old pipe tobacco used to smell like, of something sweet and smoky but not heavy nor sticky, more atmospheric and undulating instead.

That is the most unusual part of this, that it manages to be clearly sweet and smoky but keeps its lightness.

I don't get the coffee, but I get all other notes. The orange and orange flower notes come and go, the heliotrope is more permanent. The vanilla and tonka are there but are elegant, not screechy as they sometimes are in other fragrances, and the sandalwood may be there (I detect a warm creaminess that is usually, for my nose, associated with sandalwood) but is not prominent.

I would love to have this one.

I will have to test it on winter as well. Even on warm weather, I find it lovely, but I suspect it will shine on cooler air which will lend it even more airiness and brightness, which is not usual on sweet gourmands like this one.

Another incredible variation of vanilla
Beautiful gourmand fragrance
With my vanilla collection getting bigger thankfully it’s not getting repeated every time which makes me really happy vanilla +spices
A dark vanilla I would say
Longevity is great such a great fragrance

Smelled this in Harrods and really liked it. Then bought it from the l’artisan parfumeur website as they were having a sale. Annoys me that it only comes in 100ml bottles. Secondly, this feels quite sheer and translucent on the skin, especially for the price. I remember it smelling a tad more feminine in Harrods, but now when I spray it, it definitely seems masculine leaning, yet at the same time is almost too sweet for most men to wear, at least men that I know. Also doesn’t seem to have particularly great longevity. I get maybe 3-4 hours.

This is a divine unisex perfume that is high on my wish list. It is intense and dark, but not bitter or sharp. The opening is to die for with the roasted chestnuts and maple, but in the middle I get the wonderful fleshy floral orange flower - it adds grace and lightness without ever getting too floral or sweet. I love the mid section - the combination of the penetrating coffee with the sweeter floral note is just exquisite. The tonka comes in and I am a major tonka addict so things just get better and better! The base really reminds me another perfume - perhaps Tom Ford Noir Femme, but I am not sure. It is warm and enveloping, reassuringly smooth and well constructed. The coffee persists all the way to the base which I love- dark roasted beans with tonka and vanilla. Yum. Longevity 10 hours, sillage moderate- good for cooler weather. BTW I don’t think it is anything like By the Fireplace, which to me has unpleasant traces of barbecued sausage. Noir Exquise is far more masterly.

This is very, very similar to By the Fireplace, maybe just a tad less sweet (BTF is very sweet on me). Strong chestnut notes, I wish I got some of the coffee or maple but I don't. It's a nice fragrance and has great lasting power and sillage/projection. Great winter/fall scent and very unisex. I just don't feel the need to own this since I have (and love) BTF.

Super underwhelmed by this fragrance, I don't get any nuances from the note pyramid, just faint sweetness, nothing deep or interesting here.

Candied chesnuts. A vanillic syrup. Something like sweet tobacco too.

It's longlasting on me. But it gets close to the skin after hour 5.

My partner says it smells like sweet sidewalk chalk though. While I don't agree, I can see where he's coming from. It's a little powdery & reminds me of Necco wafers.

edit: gold cap

Probably one of the most comforting scents out there, couldn’t expect less from the Genius Bretrand.
Its name matches perfectly the aroma, and i’ll tell you why:

It’s noir, because it has chestnuts, coffee, ebony wood. But what if you dip in some maple syrup and vanilla to get noir alive and sweet?

This beauty it’s not overly sweet at all, but it has a double face... sweet, dark, sweet, dark, and it smells like perfume, not like an ice cream.

I looove it, when i smell it in the summer makes me willing for fall to come in, and enjoy this scent on the sofa while it’s raining outside.

Bertrand, keep them coming!

Apparently I love a chestnut note, because this is sooo good. I am falling in love with this scent and can't wait for fall to start overspraying because it smells so good. The opening with chestnut and orange is perfect, and then the coffee and maple syrup start to come through with the perfect balance of sweetness. Noir Exquis ends with a warm vanilla and maybe a little ebony? Most perfumes don't last more than a few hours on me, even with lotion and vaseline, but this one gets me 8 hours or so. Right now I am just putting on the back of my hand before bed because it is so comforting and just perfect. 😍😍😍😍

Im Better then By The Fireplace!

Why i dont get the attention i deserve then!? Bertrand cant do a fragrance wrong man! Im telling you this is way better then By The Fireplace! The reason is that amazin Coffee and Maple syrup! Along with the Smoke! It just Elevates the whole composition!

Margiela lovers! Its here Waiting for you!

Sadly the performance could be better! 6H sits closer to the skin!

A Sunday Brunch in Switzerland, By The Fireplace! 8.5 out of 10!

Bravo Bertrand!

Expensively delicious; chestnut roasted woods with warm honey, sweet vanilla, and fragrant coffee for balance. I agree with GiannisP's assertion, it really does smell like a (wintertime) breakfast by the fireplace. Intimate and inviting.

Breakfast by the fireplace!

This is a lovely gourmand scent, very well blended with a smokey vanilla aspect. I used to own this and MMM By the fireplace but to my nose this was by far the most well crafted and unique scent. It has the smokey-vanilla-chestnut accord that Btf is well known for but this is more. To me Btf is just that and a bit too smokey that some times it's like you smell like ashes or just smoke. This has a beautiful coffee and maple sirup accord, the smoke is toned down, it's a bit woody and the chestnut, vanilla combo give this amazing gourmand-nutty feeling. It's like having pancakes and coffee for breakfast by the fireplace!

Performance is the biggest drawback of this scent compared to Btf, it lasts 6-7 hours on my skin with moderate to soft projection. I think that this is a cozy/lay back/movie night with your partner scent and you don't need huge performance. It can be a date scent and you need this person to come closer to smell you. A beautiful gourmand that lacks in performane in comparison to it's biggest rival but wins in smell!

Right off the bat I get a whiff of chestnut, and it’s delicious! This is a very cozy, fall/winter coffee shop fragrance. It’s sweet, definitely smell baked goods. But I think the coffee has an underlying bitterness that levels out really well with the maple syrup. I don’t really pick up any orange or orange blossom on my skin. But it’s gorgeous nevertheless. The dry down is vanilla and sandalwood for me. I just think this is a cozy daytime parfum! Not for everyone though, sample first.

A lifetime ago, when I was still attending university, my sister got me a coffee-and-vanilla-scented Aquolina set for Hannukkah. The opening of this perfume smells exactly like that. It also smells like Starbucks or the vanilla protein smoothie with coffee that I use to drink when I have a friend's wedding coming: sweet and synthetic vanilla coffee. As it dries down, though, the maple syrup accord picks up and redeems this a bit. I was hoping to get some chestnut, but it never came.
Maybe it's just my skin that doesn't work with coffee-forward scents, but this didn't work for me, and I find it overpriced for what it is: a disingenuous gourmand, mostly suited for the cold season, with a moderate projection and a long-lasting performance (about 8 h on my skin). If you like sugary scents, though, it might work for you.

5/10

Gender: Men
Age: 30s+ to 40s+
Season: Fall/Winter
Longevity: AMAZING, lasts over a day
Overall Impression: gourmand, warm, dry sweet, rich, classy, sophisticated, expensive
Key Notes: vanilla, chestnut, maple, coffee, wood

Imagine cooking all the ingredients listed above to a simmer, when the sugar starts to caramelized. There's something dark and warm about it. It's not the clogging little girl vanila sweet, more of a mature sophisticated men on a date kinda sweet. This is a man-version of the YSL Black Opium.

It shares some similarities with Valentino Uomo, but sweeter and denser. Uomo emphasizes more on the woodsy layer, yet Noir Exquis is smokey gourmand.

This is a lovely, cozy unisex scent that, I feel, could really work most any time of day or any occasion. With master parfumeur and mixmaster extraordinaire Bertrand Duchaufour at the helm, all notes and accents are so smoothly blended that nothing feels too loud or prominent and everything works together beautifully.

My nose gets some of the sweet orange and a tiny drop of coffee in the opening, but what I smell at 1st spray and lingering closely on my skin for hours is primarily a soft, subtle, sophisticated medley of the base notes: warm vanilla, light wood, tonka bean/coumarin and - a fave of mine - heliotrope, of which there’s a nice creamy, almondy dosage.

Another masterpiece. I see why folks might draw comparisons to “By the Fireplace”, but that one would be a drugstore cousin, if anything - much more sweet, smoky and synthetic musky.

I thought I was going to love this perfume and there is just something off about it on my skin. It is not a by the fireplace dupe at all for me. It is vanilla with a little something that turns it synthetic or slightly wrong. It smells expensive, but not good, with no longevity or sillage to be proud of.

I thought this would be a knock out with notes and top, middle and base layout, its just designer type sweet scent. Starts off with Orange Maple Syrup and then instantly dries down to a masculine smokey sweet pencil sharpener shaver scent. This one is more of a good candle by the fire place. Its a skin scent basically. .. As a man if you don't already have any good gourmands, buy this, if you have something, no need to run out and buy. I do recommend you try it. If this was blended differently, with less or no maple and a par fumed extract, this would of been awesome.

Upon initial spray, I was bummed with this one. I'd heard this hype as similar to M3 By the Fireplace, and it did not spray like that at all. But I gave it time (because I truly want this to be similar) and it developed into a near-identical fragrance. The smokiness, the chestnuts, the sweetness, the spiciness, and that feeling like you're cuddling up at a bonfire on an autumn night I get with M3 By the Fireplace are all here. Still testing out longevity - that's my hesitation in buying a full bottle with M3; despite how it lasts on everyone else, the longevity on me is pitiful. Hopefully Noir Exquis far outlasts it.

Mason margiela by the fireplace meets mason margiela coffee break. Has facets of both in this creation

The aroma of sitting down at a table before the server has had a chance to clear away the breakfast remnants from the prior guests. wafts of stale coffee and maybe a cold pancake. slightly gross and nauseating as Bertrand Duchaufour generally is for me. Seems so amateur. Barely detectable after an hour so not much to worry about if you dislike the smell of cold breakfast.

I'll start by saying I really wanted to like this, especially because the notes seemed perfect to me. I typically love all of those notes and the description and reviews were promising. But unfortunately, I find this is too dry for me. I like the initial impression (good mix of woody/nutty/smoky), but it ends up being short-lived to me and then this overwhelming dryness takes over and it lasts! Longevity is not an issue here. I gave it a second chance, but my opinion was the same again so sadly, I am letting this go. This scent is definitely unique and nice but I just couldn't bear to wear it after the initial spray. I think it falls in the unisex / slightly more masculine category.

Creamy chestnut and maple ! There’s a freshness to it, i couldn’t say if it’s the orange cause I don’t actually smell it.
Way too gourmand and sweet for my tastes but if you like these, this should be a winner ! I honestly just feel like eating pancakes when I smell Noir Exquis. Skin scent and weak performance though, very very unisex but the sweetness would likely suit a woman better than a man. It's not an immature sweetness, it's a foodie sweet, i don't know if I explain this well. On my scale, Black Opium or La Vie est Belle are immature sweet scents. This is miles away. But yeah, an autumn morning (thank the chestnuts), a full plate of pancakes covered with maple syrup on a kitchen table next to a bouquet of heliotropes.

I like it, but I can barely smell it. I just received it, so I'm going to let it settle for a while and revisit. This certainly isn't like other L'Artisan perfumes I own which have very strong sillage when first sprayed.
EDIT: It's still not very strong. I plan on decluttering this. It becomes very synthetically woody on me rather quickly, which I don't really like.

In an alternate dimension there is a precious wood that has a remarkable aroma of chestnuts, heliotrope, and bourbon vanilla; a cosmic wood, if you will, highly coveted but protected from the ravages of over-harvesting.

I imagine Noir Exquis to be the scent of this fantastical wood from another realm.

An opening blast of liqueur quickly subsides to receding autumn leaves, distant bonfires, and dark shadowy woods at dusk. The base gets ever nuttier, woodier, with just a dusting of powder and pastry. Sweet, pensive and charming.

Perfect to wear as we reach the precipice of winter.

This is everything that I expected and wanted Mechant Loup to be, a woody bonfire-like slightly sweet jaunt through a magical forest where the leaves are forever falling in slow motion under a big fat moon. I was interested to see that some users have voted Amour Nocturne as reminding them of this scent because I picked up some of that too - it doesn’t smell like it per se but there is that similar ‘gunpowder and caramel’ facet swirling in the background. Noir Exquis is a perfect fragrance to wear on these shorter days when the winter sun crawls along the edge of the world that cast elongated shadows that walk beside us.

Blind buy during the recent L'Artisan UK sale. On first application I felt it skewed very masculine and somewhat less original than Duchaufour and L'AP's usual offerings. On subsequent wearings I have begun to appreciate - even love - this comfortable and rich gourmand blend. I receive lots of compliments from my flatmates when I wear it, which is good because they're pretty much the only people I see these days!

It starts boozy and rum-like, then quickly develops a plastic-oud note. This is joined by a dry, non-sweet vanilla, similar to Annick Goutal's Vanille Exquise (as LeonieB pointed out). Comparing it arm-by-arm with Tea for Two, Noir Exquis is richer, woodier, less spiced and more caramelised. Maple syrup with a good dollop of whipped cream slowly intensifies over the course of development. I never particularly notice the coffee or orange/blossom, but I sense the latter humming in the background. This settles into lightly salted woods, similar in spirit to Hermès' Un Jardin sur la Lagune.

Great longevity, initially strong sillage which settles into a noticeable but inoffensive little cloud of warmth. An enjoyable no-brainer for cold months and dark days.

My first niche experience! I decided to splurge and bought myself some niche samples, and will now try them at random. [dabbed on]

To be totally honest, I am not blown away by my first smell! Yes, it's very pleasant, and extremely well blended.....but I am surprised it's a skin scent on me nearly immediately. I really expected something "niche" to be a powerhouse of projection.

It really reminds me of something, and I couldn't place it until I looked at the reviews: I 100% agree it's like a "By the Fireplace".

To me, "Noir Exquis" starts off very non-'smoky', but the 'smoky' scent gets stronger as it dries down. I would be really interested to try this side-by-side with "BTF". I don't pick up a lot of orange/orange blossom, and definitely vanilla more than heliotrope or tonka. Although I smelled it at first the coffee note faded quickly, but I get a wonderful nuttiness that lasts through the entirety of the fragrance.

The longevity on me is fantastic, lasting nearly ten hours. I would say this is definitely a fragrance that any gender could happily wear. It seems to 'work' better on my than "BTF". I like it, and I would definitely wear it if it was given to me, but I don't see myself buying a full bottle.

I have had the juice for several years now and find it to be a complete winner. Nice for fall and winter days or nights. It has a holiday vibe for sure. I don't find it overly gourmand but it does have a bit of sweetness. Performance on me is roughly 7 hours with limited projection after the two hour mark. Overall a worthy blind buy IMO. Enjoy!

I would like to parrot Little Parrot’s review below......ditto. This is a beauty and the only other thing I would like to add, is that the Ebony wood adds a dry effervescence that is unique. This is a dry, slightly sweet warm scent. Not a sweet gourmand and that is fine with me.

It does remind me of By the Fireplace, but it is less sweet and smoother. I much prefer it.

I had been wanting to try this for years, but unfortunately it's not doing much for me. It primarily smells of alcohol, even after quite a few hours, though it does fade enough for a sweetness to appear. Masculine side of unisex on my skin.

Where I live, in the Great Lakes region of the United States, Autumn is the most naturally fragrant season to my nose. While Spring has it’s florals, fresh cut grass, and the smell of evening thunderstorms, each instance is situational and therefore fleeting. Summer is the smell of smoked meats from charcoal grills, but also just as fleeting.

In Autumn, however, the smell of the leaves seems to permeate the air as soon as I open my door. Most of the time, there is a pleasant faint smokiness - the smell of a bonfire a few blocks away. Or a major brush burn from the edge of the city. I never know where exactly it comes from, but the smell lingers throughout the season and feels like home to me.

So it’s late October. The leaves have changed color and began to fall about a week ago, though many will still cling to the trees for a couple more weeks. I’m walking to a certain corner cafe, a longstanding local institution that fits right into the setting - historic brick streets, uneven sidewalks, old growth trees and craftsman and foursquare houses. I leash up my dog, bundle in my Fall best, my favorite boots and jacket that have spent months seasonally neglected and packed away, and begin my stroll through the crisp, dry morning air - through mottled amber and fire red tunnels of maple, ash and oak trees - taking in the warm hues and smoldering redolence of this morning’s golden hour.

At the cafe, I’m greeted by the same friendly staff I see every time, the same warm environment, but this time I want something different than usual - something slightly sweeter, slightly more extravagant. I indulge in a touch of Hazelnut, two ristretto shots of a medium roast espresso, and top it with a little steamed whole milk. I take my lidless drink in one hand along with a small waxed paper bag containing a butter croissant, tip generously with the other, say my goodbyes, and head out to the sidewalk patio, and shortly after to the park across the street to finish my morning walk through the fragrant, somewhat smoky Autumn air.

This narrative is the essence of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Noir Exquis. And in my mind, it’s not far off from their French pâtisserie marketing spiel, so I think they hit their mark. The chestnut, vanilla, and deep woody notes combine to pay tribute to the vaguely smoky sweet idealized Fall experience I speak of, while remaining somewhat airy and transient at the same time. It’s this airiness that gives Noir Exquis the kind of restraint that demonstrates experience worn maturity, thus making it very wearable and downright classy.

If you’re looking for an ideal autumn scent, seriously forget all of the pumpkin spice nonsense - Noir Exquis will set you apart from everyone else who has bought into the insipid Starbucks variety of autumnal cafe inspired travesties. And it will do so with undeniable style. It is somehow understated and humble while simultaneously seeming luxurious and intoxicating, the perfect juxtaposition of which makes it an anomaly - a single sparkling gem in a world of underwhelming costume jewelry. Noir Exquis could be considered the definitive outlier of an often disappointing sea of countless mediocre “almost, but not quite” fall fragrances. And thank god we have one - there is nothing basic about it at all.

To me, this is also a somewhat rare case of the presentation perfectly doing the product justice in that L’Artisan Parfumeur’s bottle design accurately signifies and reinforces the idea of the high quality of the contents within. If, for some reason, I get through this life not having used my entire bottle, I could see Noir Exquis being a treasured heirloom. The whole package epitomizes classic maturity and timelessness. The same could be said for the other selections I’ve tried from the brand.

The cynic in me knows that I am just falling for the image, but my god - their marketing team deserves all the credit in the world for tricking me into thinking I’m getting something more unique and special than the more mass appealing, pop culture endorsed products manufactured by the same parent company. I clearly take no issue with knowingly buying into the gorgeous bottles paired with an antique botanical print aesthetic, a contrived stab at the impression of a long established reputation and rock solid authenticity. I’m so very in - they got me.

Frankly put, this is “simple pleasure” defined. I hope that it endures forever.

I ordered this blindly, based off of the reviews. I came back this morning to read the one below that said TOBACCO! OMG, I hate Tobacco! I got it in the mail this afternoon, & WHEW, NO Tobacco here. This is JUST as described by others & as above, which can be very rare on here. Chestnutty honeyed, coffee & I do smell the leather others have mentioned. SCORE b/c I LOVEEE leather. So if the Tobacco review scared you, fear not. I DO have ILNY for all. I see the similarity, but that one is a pancake syrup beast, this is way toned down, but I adore both. I cannot believe I have never pulled the trigger on By the fireplace, I almost have sooo many times. Maybe that will be my next present to myself. This one is beautiful! I also have JDP, & I would say if you like that, you will like this. That one is more sweet french baked bread & this one is more honey chestnut tho.

2nd Update. I bit the bullet & ordered a small bottle of By the Fireplace. They are very similar, but I think this one smells better.Lasts forever, even on skin. Performs better in all areas, in my opinion. You don't need both, but L'artisan wins again!
I have over 500 in my insane collection, & I am downsizing. Decluttering is happnin' on YT if you are interested, this will NOT be in there ;) Natalie N On Youtube

Lovely sweet tobacco, with comforting woodsy notes, vanilla, and tonka. Really fun to wear next to By the Fireplace and compare the two, as they are similar but different. This isn't as much sweet toasted marshmallow as it is the sweetness of a lokum shop.

Opens up nutty gourmand but sadly after 5 minutes dries into a very musculin scent and continues to do so giving off green vibes... It's a disaster with my skin chemistry. Devastated.

This reminds me so much of Robert Graham's Valour, however a very, very light version of it, mainly because both have nuts in them. Noir has chestnuts. Valour is thicker, heavier and projects more, while Noir exquis is quiet, down played but effective.
If you have Parfums de Marly"s Pegasus, you will not need this one, again because of the almond notes. They all share same vibes.

For something light refined, delicate and affluent. I will go for Noir Exquis.

UPDATE: 09/14/2020
This is one of my greatest blind buys. Compliment galore not that I care since I wear what I want but every time I wear this people compliment, love it and want to know what it is. Yes you should spend your coins in this covid times on this. Folks smell this through their mask. Sprayed at 6am, it is now 1.16pm still going strong.

This isn't a full review as yet but for my nose it is very much a lighter, more palatable Je de Peux by Lutens. JDP has something I could never stomach so I am happy I found this one. The impression of milk, maple syrup with spices and woods is strong in both of them but in my opinion NE is the better one! I don't know what is particularly "noir" about this one - I get the impression of Christmas breakfast though it's still not overly gourmand in my opinion.

Unfortunately like many ALP frags, it doesn't last very long on skin and is better sprayed on clothing.

Edit: Going to test this one again in colder weather and see what I get! Stay tuned!

opens with pleasant notes of coffee, chocolate, milk, nutty liqueur, citric notes, resins, light woods

compared to other coffee scents this one is light but it also smells natural & doesn't reek of synthetics

after an hour it becomes leathery & powdery
I enjoy this one quite a bit

5 sprays - light to medium projection

Vanilla flavored coffee, that's the main accord of this fragrance, smells similar to the k-cup coffee I have at work every morning, it has a light-roasted coffee bean aroma, not the bold and dark type.

The Opening is a little minty, I didn't detect any citrus or orange blossom at all. After 10min the Tonka and Maple sap came in, with a hint of chestnut as a supporting role in the background. After an hour or so, there's some smokey burnt-wood reared its head, which i presume to be the ebony? reminded me of a fireplace, the dry down is quite dry. At 2hr mark, the Vanilla coffee bailed out and disappeared. None of the notes are in-your-face though, they seem a bit like an illusion.

Projection and Sillage are moderate for about 2hr, with an average longevity of about 6hr. The sprayer is like firehose, a massive amount of distribution so 2 to 3 sprays should do. This fragrance project an aura type scent bubble, you know it's there but it's not dense or heavy, wouldn't be offensive or cloying if you overspray. I would wear this anytime in any season, whenever i feel like having a darker gourmand scent. Though, I'll reach for Al Contrario from Terenzi when i want a lighter and more uplifting gourmand scent.

I have the older style bottle. I get the chestnut, vanilla, and woods. It's all blended to perfection and the execution is smooth. There's a faint syrupy texture in here but it's luckily nothing too thick or sticky. Some vanillic based scents tend to go to that sugar sweet candy floss territory but there's an almost understated elegance to this composition. I'm glad it doesn't get saccharin sweet because the woods keep the vanillic sweetness from overpowering the rest of the notes. The chestnut note lingers nicely, which is accompanied by the vanillic woody sweetness. A very cozy scent which in my opinion could work in an office or day time setting as well.

Performance is slightly better than most L'Artisans and to me it's perfectly unisex. Could be worn all year except very humid and hot summers I'd say. A great release by what appears to be one of Duchaufour's last creations for L'Artisan (as of today).

8/10

I get why people compare this to By the Fireplace; but, I think they are more like cousins than siblings.

That said, this is very, very smooth and rich. I find that it performs very well. And, it feels cozy and comforting.

light sweet caramel smell from chestnut, maple sap, tonka and florals that are present to keep this form being a sticky sweet gourmand; the heliotrop, orange blossom lift the fragrance; this is what I think I wanted Dzing to be. It's a little salty sort of like salted caramel with florals mixed in, love this

Strong chestnut, smooth honey, sweet vanilla and black coffee on me and I love it. Seems a cousin to my beloved One Legged Joe by Ganache but less foody and, if I may say, more grown up. I didn't know chestnut could smell so wonderful in a fragrance, having encountered street vendors roasting them many years ago in New York City and being overcome by the smell, and not in a good way. Amazing what a dose of honey and vanilla will do, yeah?

Goes on with an oily sheen and lasts a good 8 hours on me. (My bottle is the older clear one with a black label.)

this starts like a sweet warm cloud of chestnut, vanilla, heliotrope and tonka. it's super cozy and a bit sweet. after about 20-30 minutes, i get a woodiness...guess it's the ebony? the heliotrope and chestnut dies down...there may be a little hint of coffee? something in this reminds me of the base of chergui without spices and woods or something...i dunno. this is ok, but i like it at the very beginning the best and then it sort of goes downhill from there for me.

I expected this to turn dusty on my skin but surprisingly, it is delightful. I smell whipped cream to go with the chestnut, much like a strudel and it's not too heavy. Sweet but not sickly, warm but not cloying. A lovely scent

Oof. This stuff is a sexy, sexy dream. A totally awesome forum member sent me a decant, and I plan to strut around Florida pretending we have fall. Kind of reminds me of an updated and lighter version of Organza Indecense.

my mom gave this to me because she said she hated it. I'd never heard of or seen it. I sprayed it and I got this glorious wuff of woodsy vanilla.....sweet woodsy vanilla. It took me about 30 seconds to realize that it smelled VERY similar to by the fire place.....yes....just like everyone says but maybe a little sweeter. And it....was....glorious. After 5 minutes some spicy notes seep through. Still pretty good. The vanilla is strong and pairs so well with the woodsy notes. After about 30-60 minutes it looses it's woodsy vanillery goodness and smells like really strong spice....like sweet spicy mens cologne. I didn't like it much at that point. but to me this was STRONG. like REALLY strong. I don't get why people say it's light and week. I totes disagree. But I've just started smelling niche frags so maybe compared to others it is. I don't get coffee but I'm also not an expert at frags so I probably wouldn't know anyway.

long story short.....I was in love for the first 30-45 minutes

but after 1 hour this is very much a dudes scent. sweet spicy cologne which I wouldn't mind smelling on a dude for maybe a formal occasion but I'm not into smelling that way.

It took me quite a while to actually figure out why I wasn’t enamoured with the opening of this perfume, but I think something clicked when I got to smell Martin Margiela’s By The Fireplace. Chestnut. My brain simply won’t allow my sense of smell to recognise chestnut as a desirable aroma, and i really think that the omission of this particular note would have made me like this perfume a whole lot more.

The chestnut opens with the sweet tang of orange, which I found a dissonant pairing, and definitely had a negative impact on how i perceived the rest of the perfume’s development. Like having the aftertaste of medicine in your mouth just before you eat a lovely dessert.

From that point, the scent plays out very safely using the old firm of vanilla and tonka, solidified with some dark woods (i guess something was needed for the Noir). I wish the coffee was accentuated on my skin, but i only got the haunting of some distant powdery bitterness. Maple sap was also missing in action, but that could have been me assuming it would smell like the stuff I pour on pancakes.

The thing is, it smells nice on me after the first 10 minutes and I know a few people who genuinely have this perfume as one of their loves. So like all reviews, you need to take my opinion in the context of my personal tastes of the time, and right now gourmands in general are not my, well, jam.

There is one thing, it is the type of scent I really enjoy smelling off clothing. I wore it with a scarf the other day and really enjoyed nuzzling my cold nose into it 8 hours later. It hangs around, but won’t really intrude anyone’s personal space unless they are close enough to intrude yours.

Now if you are a gourmand fan, then I will always recommend you try this. Just because I am a chestnutaphobe, doesn’t mean you won’t love it. But somewhat sadly, Noir Exquis will be finding a new home with someone that can show it more love than I can. It’s not you, it’s me.

I'm surprised that nobody has noticed that Noir Exquis is similar to Dior Hyphotic Poison EDP and its best offshoot JHAG Mmmm... The list of notes (chestnut, maple sap, ebony) might trick you into believing that this is a very original fragrance, but in reality it's not. I'd say that it is fruity, nutty and vanillic in equal measures. Its projection and longevity are both great, which separates if from the majority of L'Artisan frags, which tend to be quite fleeting. However, since I already own Mmmm... I see absolutely no reason to invest in Noir Exquis. The bottom line: never trust official scent pyramids, they're mostly phoney.

Omg.

I love this.

It's so sexy, so addictive, so edible.

I'm not normally into vanilla based fragrances, most vanilla scents just make me think of candles and diffusers.

This is the most decadent vanilla-y scent I've sniffed so far in my new world of perfumes. On the initial spray, there's a sweet pleasant vanilla, and then it really starts to come alive.

Honestly.. every time I wear this I smell a different note each time. As if the notes take it in terms to come forward and shine. Today I smell the coffee and maple sap.

Yesterday I smelt more woods and sweet sugary chestnuts.

Omg, I just can't get enough of it. It's divine.

The dry down honestly reminds me of the dry down from both Lancome Oud Bouquet and Bacarat Rouge 540. Both burnt sugary, incensey sexiness!!!!

At least to my nose anyway.

This is a winner for me.

- I went through a 2mL sample in a couple of days, but I'm still unsure about this fragrance. It's certainly lovely and composed of quality ingredients and is blended well. And sometimes I love it and I must have it other times it's just another nice woody vanilla with an orange (blossom) and coffee/nutty twist . But I already have a woody vanilla I love (Al Contrario by Terenzi).

I'm not sure Noir Exquis stands out of the crowd. Perhaps that's why it's so great. It comfy, mild, and very pleasant. Smells way better than By The Fireplace to my nose.

Aug 2020: my bottle finally arrived and I love the fragrance. It's a soft fragrance that could never be oversprayed.

Be aware this has been reformulated. look for the older green bottles for a killer scent.

Soft and a little sweet, like a VERY weak version of By the Fireplace.

I cant believe these reviews are so negative. I am so picky with frags and I look for quality and that smooth factor where everything is blended well together and very reined. Well let me tell you about how much I love this one! It the perfect vanilla to me not sweet and adult but still gourmand.. I don't usually like smoke but this is done right . and I even have trouble with eau duell. I was so lucky for a seller on ebay to send me a sample and I could not stop sniffing my wrist not to mention the scent lasted all day and then some. If you like eau duell and layton type, this one is really nice. Let me know if anyone agrees as I guess others dont agree.. but I do love it soooo much! :)

Shout out to Mikej13 on ebay! one of my favorite frag sellers- gives samples and is incredibly kind, loves to talk frag and helped me find this.

I‘ve been wanting to try Noir Exquis for such a long time and when I finally aquired a sample, I felt a bit disappointed at first. But now I have tried my sample a couple of times and the scent grew on me.
The main downfall is that I really don‘t smell any coffee at all in this, no matter how often I try. I love coffee notes so I was a little let down that I don’t get it. But once I got over that, I had to admit it‘s a good scent.

In the opening I smell some smoke and some maple syrup sweetness, but also a really strong ebony note. To be honest I‘m not that familiar with ebony in real life, but this just smells like beautiful dark polished wood. The wood gets accompanied by a fruity note, that must be the orange, but if I didn‘t read the note list, I would have thought it was mango.
Later, as the scent dries down, the vanilla joins in and the scent becomes even more woody, smokey and sweet. It has a bit of a Christmas market feeling due to the marron glacé note. Very cozy and warming.
100% gourmand, but not in the typical girly way, it seems very unisex to me. I could imagine this on a man just as well as on a woman.

At first I get the citrus aspects. Then the honeyed-maple/slight floral...Then the drydown....I really get a chestnutty coffee. with vanilla..and.with the beginning and mid notes still there but "underneath". I was NOT too sure of this one at first,but Like soooooo many scents...this one you need to let do it's "thing" on your skin and with your chemistry....so let that happen before you judge this scent. I am impressed so far. Even tho it is a moderate sillage/projection and still judging the longevity factor.I consider this a gourmond,IMHO. I also do get the slight tonka/sandalwoody vibe too.

edit: Spectacular scent !!! After many wearings, this is now Top 10 list material.

More of a comparison than a review but here we go:

If you like By The Fireplace I think you would like this too, lot of similarities but I think Noir Exquis is more masculine with drier woods, maybe licorice as it has some Mechant Loup similarity too. By The Fireplace is stickier and sweeter but they both share that chestnut accord which I guess is tonka and smoky wood pulling that off.

I would say Noir Exquis comes off more natural and a nicer blend, but By The Fireplace lasts longer and projects more. You pay a premium for the longevity but I think it needs less sprays as it pushes more.

If I had to pick one it would be tricky as I prefer the scent of Noir Exquis overall but prefer the performance of By The Fireplace.
Ultimately I’d go Noir Exquis I think especially for wearing on a man, but I got a small (original clear) bottle of this after I’d already got a decant of By The Fireplace so hey.

Very similar to By The Fireplace. I got BTF first not sure which was produced first without looking. L'artisan is less marshmallow but very similar on the sticky slightly sweet roasted chestnut. L'artisan is a tad bit more bright, maybe that is from the citrus/floral notes (I don't prick up citrus but it must be in there slightly taming the smokiness). BTF is more Smokey. Love both scents but since I get same longevity and performance out of L'artisan I would tend to buy L'artisan since its price point is way better.

I blind bought Noir Exquis based on reviews because I love gourmand scents. I have other perfumes from this brand L’artisan Parfumeur that project well and last long time on skin so I had high hopes for this perfume. Sadly on my extremely dry skin I miss out!

Zero maple syrup, chestnuts, vanilla or coffee notes ever show up on my skin. First blast I thought was honey or sugar water but it faded fast to a fireplace smoking embers scent. I understand now why other reviews compare it to By the Fireplace which I own and love too. This only hints at fireplace scent with odd sweet note.

This faded to skin scent in 15 minutes and after hour I could hardly smell it! I reapplied with 2 instead of 1 spray but results the same. Temperature is only 59 degrees so maybe this perfume needs heat to activate all notes. I will retry it once Arizona heats up in a month.

This may be a common trend in today's perfume world, but I love it: a warm, sensual combination of vanilla and a nutty note, a lovely, not-too-sweet, delicious gourmand. I can't imagine anyone disliking it.

I agree there are similarities with "By the Fireplace", but Noir Exquis is more natural, smoother and fuller. The lack of longevity is the downside. I wish I could have more time before it turns to a skin scent. On me, it's less than an hour.

Still, I love it so much I'm looking for a full bottle. Also, I’m thinking I will layer it with “By the Firpelace” next time I want to wear it.

Fell in love with it and instantly bought it. I adore this one... however, on me it fades almost instantly, no matter how hard I spray it. Sillage is also non-existent.

I don't get chestnuts but definitely a gourmand vanilla and coffee and some nuts, too. I also perceive a hint of green in it but no citrus notes (luckily). Overall a completely lovely scent: it's a real pity I hardly get to smell it all on myself.

- I finally got a sample of this and although I like the fragrance, the longevity is extremely poor. It's gone minutes after application so that you need to use many sprays or keep spraying throughout the day.

I'm sure I'm in love with this fragrance after wearing it for a few days. The love has grown. <3

Oh, dear god.

This is first perfume I have ever blind bought. And probably the best perfume I have ever bought. I am so in love with it.

According to the notes listed here and the fact that I love L'Artisan vibe, I assumed I would like this one. Damn, I am good. This is good.

I got it yesterday and couldn't imagine a better new year's gift. This is really warm and sweet (high quality sweet) blend of something yummy, but not edible yummy. And for me, so unique. Five of my favourite scents are blended together in a way I personally would mix them. Like there is someone working for L'Artisan that can read my dreams.

Chestnut, maple sap, orange, coffee and tonka bean are equally strong on my skin, they are very authentic and you can detect each one separately, although in a perfect mix. The ebony and sandalwood basis make the whole thing a bit woody and sacral.

Sillage and projection are perfect (maybe a bit strong for the first 20mins).

I cannot stop smelling myself and congratulating myself for such a good blind buy. It actually makes me happy.

I will wear it for some time and see, but I think this could be my (winter) signature scent.

nice;)

To me, this is pure black coffee, but not the aroma of coffee - the taste, with a squirt of syrup to take the edge off. I am also picking up on an (unlisted) licorice note. Decidedly unisex, but not particularly unisexy to me. Not cozy, either. Stoic, almost.

This is a Douchaufour masterpiece perhaps.
It is the only gourmandish fragrance in a large, mostly niche collection, I have.

Now that the cold weather is here, this is a favorite again. The dark ebony wood makes an accord with the rich chesnut note, comes off like a benzoin note, or a deep woody resin.
This is very woody, nutty; A sweet vanilla, makes it very delicious and cozy.

Some people would never agree that their brain/nose are just NOT ABLE to pick the notes, and so the silage would always be "weak" at certain combinations. Just read some science about this instead of complaining that juice is watered. It is mega-powerful on me. lasts for 24 hours, and it is not only my opinion, if you read other reviewers.

I had to double apply this one, so I agree with the other reviewers who are talking about the scent's lack of sillage (Luckyscent 0.7ml dabber sample). It seemed to take about 15 minutes to show up properly, as if the topnotes had decided not to come to work that day. So what does Noir Exquis smell like? I get a predominant nutty note (smells like walnut to me), a predominant woody note (not sandalwood, I guess it's the ebony), burnt sugar, tonka, a touch of coffee and orange. There's something a little spicy that I can't identify. It's a little sweet, a little tart from the overlay of orange, but mostly about the interplay of dark wood and nuttiness. There's a waxiness here as well. Maybe it's the waxiness, my scent image of Noir Exquis is a waxed walnut desk in some friendly boss's office.

I think I prefer the nuttiness of Mechant Loup, but I like Noir Exquis (when I can smell it). I'd like to try another sample or a spray version to see if the same projection problems happen. Like.

Bertrand Duchauford, once again, never ceased to amaze me. Judging by the notes alone and thinking that you will get something incredibly sweet and cheesy, suffocating then you were wrong. I was covered in a bed of warm and woody notes, just slightly sweet enough to bring you tranquility and a homely mind. It feels like being on the winter holiday and cheerfully surrounded by your family members by the lovely fireplace, having breakfast together with waffles and some maple syrup and a hot cup of latte. Creations by Bertrand always brings you back to your very best memories, moments when you were the happiest on Earth. And of course you would never get tired of re-living in those greatest moments, wouldn't you?

Crazy!
it was a blind buy and when I sprayed it, I also thought my nose didn't work anymore or that I received a scam bottle! A super light honeyish juice, that I barely liked.
So I decided to spray it on a piece of towel paper and I went outside to walk my dog.
After 10 min it was not the same story, it became sharp, spicy and dry, UNBELIEVABLY GOOD!
Reminds me of Armani privé Cuir Noir, but a lighter version, I used to have it and I loved it, but I couldn't handle the slap in your face certain days.
Noir Exquis, just exquisite but also discrete. just to put in secrets corners reachable by kisses...

Oooh, this is so lovely. I think it may be one of my first proper loves from L'Artisan. It has quite a few of my favourite notes in perfumes: chesnuts, amber, coffee and tonka. It shows all of these rather intensely, but not so intensely as to put one off of their fragrance. There's also a beautiful powdery incense vibe that I get from this, although it's not listed in the notes/accords. It dries down to a splendid incense/coconut/sandalwood/vanilla in which it becomes more of a body scent. It's stunning and magnificent at the start and beautiful at the end, but perhaps it'd make a better layering scent than anything else.

Mine is a brand new bottle but it smells so watered-down that I wonder if my nose is not working right today?

I agree with one of the comments that this will get the "ok" of gourmies and amateurs of woody categories (not spicy/oriental unfortunately).

Powdery, vanilla with very very subtle coffee in this order; you come back for a second whiff the "woody" smell just kills everything; balanced wood notes. Not a fan of wood notes but this one is elegantly designed. Could pass as a male perfume.

Belongs to my top three among all L'Artisans and I love 90% of them.

First of all it is the most loud and long-lasting fragrance of this house, - this is The Fact. Noir is in EDP concentration, but feels more like an extract.

Roasted chestnuts dipped in maple sap and dense black wood prevents it to turn into sticky gourmand. Coffee is dark here, nothing from cappuccino and no milk , thank you.
It has wow-factor, it has beautiful burned woodiness and sweet, pleasant, husky dryness at the base, that lasts like no one's business. I appreciate every minute from start to finish, solid and innovative composition, that would please to both gourmies and amateurs of woody-oriental categories.

A beautiful fragrance that suffers from poor longevity and sillage. If only this one came in an extreme version.

This is so warm and cozy. I absolutely love the sweet and spicy maple note which is blended to perfection with the chestnut, vanilla, and coffee. This will be a perfect cold weather fragrance.

The notes are lovely, yet somewhat artificial.
A nice, sweeter version of the "Mechant Loup" concept.
The biggest problem I have is the fact it's causing me a tremendous headache. Had to give it away.

I guess I just don't get this one. If I struggle, I can make out something nutty, but mostly I just get Vanilla and Tonka with some muted woods. At dry down (about 35 min), there is a smooth, sweet wood. This was just a remnant after an hour and a half.

Scent: 5/10
Longevity: 4/10
Sillage: 4/10

I expected more after having smelled Timbuktu from this house.

Mmmm this is nice and warm and nutty. The opening is crisp with a strong alcohol notes but that chestnut and maple quickly take over. There is also a medicinal note to this. Either that ebony is really oud, or there is a copal incense note that nobody mentioned. I'm not sure which. It isn't unpleasant though, just slightly challenging.

I agree that it is similar to By the Fireplace

A gourmand fragrance with a cashmere, nutty, dark, vanilla, sweet somewhat woodsy aroma. Very nice indeed!

Initially, both my wife and I thought this was more feminine than masculine due to the sweet vanilla, however after the first few minutes that died down and the true essence of the fragrance began to emerge.

This fragrance sits in the middle, leaning slightly masculine in my estimation. If you have ever smelled Corduroy by Zirh, there I believe you will recognize that vanilla sweet cashmere aroma (with a hint of woods) similarity immediately!!

FBW, maybe?!?!

Overall, great job!!!

★★★★★

I was thinking of giving this a 4 star rating, but I changed my mind and I will explain why:

This might not be ultra original and new, but in the sea of smokey/dark/sweet fragrances this is one of the most elegant ones, with great longevity and an acceptable sillage.

It's sweet and edible in the beginning, the nuttiness of the chestnut and the sweetness of maple is striking. Coffee is the note that glues everything together.

In the drydown, it gets mysterious, smoky and definitely masculine, which I love. At this stage, it stays true to its Noir concept and maintains depth and elegance. Smoke or incense might not be listed as notes but I think that the ebony, sandalwood and heliotrope make this "noir" and smokey aspect shine.

It is not challenging, definitely not groundbreaking, but it makes a perfect signature for the winter if you want to walk around with an elegant, alluring and mysterious aura surrounding you.

Can you justify the 5 stars now? Well done Mr. Duchaufour!

I bought a 50 ml. of L'Artisan Parfumeur Noir Exquis as a somewhat similar companion to a decant of Guerlain Angelique Noire but w/a touch of A*Men. Noir Exquis also bears some resemblance to By The Fireplace. I do not love the Guerlain's strong flowery, biting-green, opening but at least it develops from an 8 into a 9 out of 10 fragrance with excellent performance. The Noir Exquis' performance, on the other hand, is good though comparatively weak for an alleged EDP. However, in the true dry down there is something in the base that is acerbic, cloying, left behind to my nose bringing this otherwise 8 down to a 6 out of 10 overall rating, if you will. I don't know what it is that specifically makes this fragrance a bit challenging to wear for me.

Initially this scent on my skin reminds me of a cup of nutty coffee with a hint of vanilla. Then it starts to be sweet but not too much. The woody notes then turn the whole thing into something much more. I am not usually a fan of sweet perfumes but I like this one. It lasts a long time on me the sweetness fading and the woody tones becoming more prominent. I think it is a rich sort of scent probably best worn in the evening although with its reference to food scents it could also be worn during the day. Maybe at a coffee morning?

So decadent! Nutty, smoky, sticky candy. Gives the impression of slightly burnt caramel. The woody notes and slight edge of coffee keep it from ever becoming overly saccharine. Completely wearable and delicious.
The sillage is not overpowering and lasting power is admirable.
A must for gourmand lovers.

At first it smells like something is burning,very odd and like fire. Then it devellops to something spicy, Anyway, this is a little review, a first impression, I tested a little spritz to the department store. And to me is more of a spicy rather than a vanilla perfume. Absolutely unisex, at first it smells more masculin and then becomes more unisex. I have to say this is the most longlasting perfume I ve ever smelled.And I was not expecting this bc I own a perfume from this house and I know the longevity is not their thing. Anyway, I have to say, i spritz once on my hand, on the upper side, I am sorry I don t speak english well, not on the palm points and I smelled it for 2 days non stop! And I have washed my hands, of course, several times. I am speechless.... I don;t know how it is in terms of sillage, but oh... it is a mysterious and hypnotizing smell that lasts forever. I like that it is not sickly sweet but more like aegyptian, eastern,really sensual and erotic smell. It is not caramelised,it s not juvenile sweet or vanillary. It reminds me of good old opium very much. Oh I forot how I loved opium...I love it and I want it

Where is the alcohol note because that is all I smell in this.

This could be my favourite fragrance across all fragrance families and facets. The zenith of of my gourmand tastes certainly. As with most, if not all of Bertrand D's formulations, there is a wonderful balance and juxtaposition... in this case the woody note offsetting the vanilla/coffee density.
The performance and longevity is legendary, with one spray on my chest giving easily 10hrs.
Worth every penny.

Lovely sophisticated gourmand comfort scent with strong vanilla honey (without the pissy note). While it may not be groundbreaking now, it is quite well done, if you like gourmands. I'm not a true gourmand lover of perfume, but every now and then.... for some reason I like to wear them to bed, and I suspect this one will be the same. The orange that everyone is complaining about is not really all that present to my nose, nor is the coffee or the hazlenut, alas. But the heliotrope, vanilla and tonka are considerably amplified on me so this is very sweet indeed. I blind bought this based on someone's review and one that I admire, not something I would normally do, but I'm very happy with this, even if it is a warm fall and winter scent. It's not doing too badly in the heat this spring. I plan on wearing it again tomorrow when the weather cools up (we're having some weird weather in Cali). I think this is unisex while skewing a bit feminine, and, for some may even be sensual and sexy, though I eschew sweets for civets with respect to seduction scents. This is warmly, comfortingly seductive.
Edit: two-three months later, now October. I bought a FB. Now I can smell the coffee and the hazelnut, but it’s not as strong as the opening of the new Atelier Cafe Tuberosa. Noir Exquis is more expertly blended, and just beautiful—lovely silage, and lasts all day, and as an added plus: I get compliments on this one (a rare thing!). I’m very happy and even with my truckload of ‘fumes—this one is getting some wear and I’m already looking at close to the half-bottle mark...

Dark, rich and exquisite. This is all chestnut, honey, and ebony on me. I have had people say that the room I just left smelled like "lilies," which I suspect is the honeyed edge to it. So rich and powerful it carries the scent of the flowers the nectar came from. Not quite gourmand, it is too well blended.

And this is powerful juice, three sprays gives me a cloud of fragrance that lasts me all day (from application at 8am until bed).

It is fairly linear, what you get is what you get. But it is so different than anything else I have ever smelled that I never want it to change. Spicy, warm, and yet I can wear it in the summer as well. (It is more of a dark evening fragrance in the summer, sexy and mingled with the smell of warm bodies.) There is something deeply exotic and alluring about this fragrance. I crave it.

I do not get vanilla, or coffee though it seems most people do, so your mileage may vary.

I have enough vanilla and coffee themed fragrances, so should not have the need to buy more. But L'Artisan's version is a must-have.
It's done by the textbook - instantly addictive top notes, in here they consist of chestnut and coffee with a citrus hint, that fully capture the attention. Then the maple syrup brings the delicious aroma forward while the orange blossom keeps the citrus theme alive. This is what the quality of the L'Artisan line is about - memorable fragrances that develop over time and never lose their grip. Theirs are smooth and fine transitions. A few hours in NE the dry down is all about vanilla with an excellent heliotrope note.
Exquis is exquisite but produced too late to make a greater impact.
****(*)

This for me is the best gourmadise!
If you ever tried Angel Man fragrances, this is like it, done with greater quality notes.
This is such a delicious warm comfort scent. The chesnuts and the woody notes blend so well, it smells like a nutty aromatic tree, the coffee and maple sap, vanilla, go so well with the theme of the fragrance, enjoying a nutty cake at a cafe in France, sipping coffee.
A touch of orange blosom and orange freshen this rich fragrance.
I like it that it is not sweet, just a bit. The notes and blending make this a delicious comfort scent without having to add any sugary sweetness.

Rating: 9/10

Be blessed. John 3:16

Guys I gotta tell you. This thing stayed on my arm for 12 hours now anf still going! With some sillage whifting still! The only others I had such a strong staying power with are the exceptions of Interlude Man and Eau Sauvage Parfum and montale Intense Cafe. I'm really pleasantly surprised.
Scent-wise it's intriguing. Not really outstanding but still special enough. Specially when u smell it in the air not up close.
The drydown is basically smokey vanilla with some woods.

At an earlier stage I got that strong similarity to Eau De Baux.

Great stuff overall. More cold weather like.

A very quick review which will require updating, but I needed to write down my initial reaction.

I received this today (bought blind as usual), am wearing it now and I LOVE it. I have yet to find a Bertrand Duchaufour fragrance which I don't at least like.

It reminds me of something and I am racking my brains to remember what it is... It is one of the Arabic perfumes I own, but I can't remember which one. This is driving me mad.

I am certain I smell a light oud or incense in the drydown,although it may be the interaction of some of the notes.

Projection is moderate. I suspect that the longevity is going to be very long lasting on clothing (less so on skin, but my skin sucks up perfume, so I never use this as a fair reflection on a fragrance).

That is very warm and comforting scent. Beginning is a bit chemical, not the best one... But heart is very good, reminds a looot of By the Fireplace Margiela, due to chestnuts I assume.

This is now my favorite release by L'Artisan, and definitely the best thing they've done recently. You're going to get a lot of vanilla and sweet tonka bean in this one, a kind of rich, undoubtedly buttery vanilla but it's accented by many nice and interesting gourmand nuances so that it never gets boring. I wasn't sure how roasted chestnuts would translate here but they smell great, with their own unique flavor. They match up well with the coffee note, continuing a sort of roasted/toasted quality that runs throughout the scent. This roasted side of the fragrance is nicely balanced with the sweet side, so it doesn't become cloying or sickly sweet. Maple syrup leaves a bit of a crystallized burnt sugar impression, and finally there's a nice solid woody structure in the base. I guess it could be described as sandalwood, or maybe cashmeran wood, a sort of dry but solid backbone for the base. If you like New Haarlem but always wished it wasn't as big and sloppy and in your face as it is, this is a great option. If you're looking for a gourmand that has some nice nutty and woody characteristics to it as well this is also a good choice. It reminds me most of Aoud Vanille by Mancera, however Aoud Vanille is drier and lacks the quirky little detail of Noir Exquis. Thumbs up for sure. This was a pleasant surprise that almost slipped by me, and it probably deserves more attention than it's received.

Perfectly done. Vanilla, wood, chestnut, touch of sweet, touch of powder, subliminal but influential florals. Excellent longevity with a subtle trail. Noir Exquis is warm and dry for a chilly, wet day or night. It's about as perfect as you can get for a fall scent without being a pumpkin spice latte itself.

Basically Noir Exquis is a smoky vanilla scent with an important woodsy drydown.

Top and middle notes are in-between gourmand vanilla and leather tobacco vibe. But by the time the fragrance dries on the skin it develops in a very strong woodsy base. It's the black ebony note that in the end is all that remains and that's the reason why I don't love this fragrance. It stars almost gourmand and it ends masculine.

This fragrance smells like a blonde beautiful woman wearing a black leather motorcycle outfit. :)

It's a wonderful dry oriental, smoky warm woody fragrance.
A bit vanilla (I was expecting/hoping more of it) in the opening but this fades quickly.
I smell the bitter coffebeans, not coffee - and later the orange blossom and the smoky, woody (ebony) tones and tonkabean.
For me it's not gourmand and foody at all!
Very special fragrance, one of a kind (Duchafour!), special for if you like a warm fragrance for winter and being not a lover of too sweet, gourmand ones.
I bought this one in the transparent bottle before the repackage in the black bottle starts.....

VERY sweet, burnt caramel opening notes that slowly fade towards a dry down with a bit of a woody base with occasional whiffs of something like incense. Not my cup of tea, but it is a lovely vanilla-caramel fragrance.

It's a gorgeous nutty and woody fragrance, although it's considered to be a subtle gourmand one. The usage of a chestnut note is quite impressive, while the middle phase is considerably enthralling due to the combination maple syrup-coffee . It's a very pleasant and comforting warm spicy fragrance with great longevity, perfect for fall/cold winter days.

After wanting this, based on notes, for a million years, I finally ordered it. And It was far away from love.... not at all. It isn't feminine at all.... I don't know where some people smell roasted chestnuts.... I smell oud (??? ), ambre, musk, dark woods, some tonka... nothing sweet or feminine. I cannot believe I actually dislike it....
Edit : I tried again on a crisp fall day. This is very temperamental ! Today I could actually sniff the hazelnuts and the the sickly oud disappeared ! It is much better , much smoother, no more oud, but still rather masculine and not a true gourmand.

The perfect gourmand fragrance for anyone who would rather not smell of crème brûlée or chocolate pudding. Noir Exquis possesses an almost savoury character. Shavings of ebony and sandalwood, toasted chestnuts, almond-like heliotrope and rich brewed coffee dominate, but it's the subtly carnal combination of sweet maple syrup, vanilla and orange blossom that give this scent life.

The fragrance lasts an exceptionally long time on skin compared to other L'Artisan fragrances I've tried and owned, and projects ideally for wear in the Australian autumn. I feel this is could be comfortably be worn by any gender. Lovers of nutty scents will certainly appreciate.

This has some similarities to onde sensualle in the opening, I might even like this better, though I love the former. They are similar here and the smoke that permeates it. Something I cna't put a finger on but I am intrigued by it. I love the opening warm and unsweet gourmandy vibe and you can get nuts and heliotrope. The projection is excellent as is longevity as I was still catching whiffs of my wrist the next morning, which were beautiful. By that time it had lost a brief but strange moment in the dry down where the smoke turned into a note u can only describe as burning tire, it has to be the coffee note everybody else gets. I will try again because it is a beauty minus this fleeting moment of what? On the clothes this is completely absent. Will also try on the hubby to see if it's just me.

Its a very nice fragrance. One of the best from this house. Predominantly nutty and woody. It has sweetness like Bond I love New York for All but it has the ebony note which sends it in another direction. I get lots of sweet chestnut, ebony, tonka and vanilla. There is a similarity with Armani Myrhh on the dry down. Its definitely a unisex fragrance. Low sillage and good longevity

sweet??? wram spicy??? vanilla????? were are they????? I just smell wood and nuts and... Nop... NOT FOR ME AT ALL, so strong!! I won't say it is gourmande.... and neather for women...Is very masculine in my opinion...and I don't even like it for my boyfriend

This is one of the longer lasting L'Artisan scents that I have come across after sampling tons. This and Ambre Extreme are the 2 best as far as longevity. Noir Exquis easily lasts 6-8 hours with moderate sillage. Not a true gourmand but somewhat of a light or mild gourmand such as Aomassai. No they don't smell the same but would be in the same category. I also find it a bit dry and dark maybe due to the ebony wood overpowering the sandalwood in the dry down? If you are looking for an everyday gourmand scent for the colder temps then this is worthy.

Vanilla & Chestnut...

I think this is a fragrance which will appeal to a broad range of people. That's because it's not really gourmand enough to turn people away, and it has just enough gourmand notes in it to attract people.

I say this because the way Bertrand Duchaufour has used the ingredients, they don't feel overwhelming or sweet in any way. In fact it's quite subtle. I get a mix of tonka bean, heliotrope and vanilla, then the sandalwood and ebony wood. So it's a mix of vanilla and woods basically, which isn't particularly original, but I do get the chestnut note, which I think is.

I love the smell of chestnut as it reminds me of Christmas time, and this fragrance brings that back for me. It reminds me of food, so I guess you could call it a gourmand, but at the same time it has enough woodiness that it's very tame and versatile. A fragrance for both formal and casual wear. I really enjoy this one, and once again I am impressed with yet another brilliant creation from this house and perfumer. Quite good in my opinion.

The definition of "gourmand" - a perfume for when what you really want is pudding! A creme brûlée, or noisette praline or chocolate orange cream, indulgent and rich - something for the colder months (avoid in the summer unless you want to smell like melted ice-cream). It's cosy, comforting and warm, but has an edge.

All the slightly bitter or vegetal notes listed are evident - but I don't really get the coffee! My anosmic daughter does however, how weird. The use of orange reminds me of Theorema by Fendi, and the vanilla is straight out of Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise. The nuttiness I can't account for, wish I could, and the sandalwood is straightforward and unchallenging. No smoke, spice, skank or oud.

I find it altogether much more accessible than the other L'Artisan scents, but that's just me. Also, the projection and sticking power are better than usual - so make sure you like it!

Very pleasant, non-offensive vanillaic fragrance with a hint of green sharpness. Although it does not smell particularly like chestnuts to me, you get a sense of the texture of a roasted chestnut: warm and a very chestnut-like softness. Not very "noir." In the daytime if sprayed sparingly, can be taken for a light and green daytime scent.

I got a sample of this as part of a 'buy 5 get 5 free' promotion. The 5 free samples were chosen by the company, an oriental vanilla fragrance would be the last thing I'd pick for myself. But even though I hate vanilla (and almost all of the other notes in this) I still have to give it a like because it's well done. It's worth a try for anyone who likes this type of fragrance. The longevity is amazing on me, I'm still getting strong whiffs of it 9 hours and one shower later. I wish I could say that for the L'Artisan fragrances that I do love!

I like this juice a lot. I blind bought it hoping it would be something amazing. Judging by the notes and perfumer this was bound to be good. Boy was I right. This is quite linear on me. I get the roasted chestnuts vibe totally. It's a little smoky but nothing too offensive. It's something that you can wear dresses up or down. A gourmand that is kinda out of the box but looking in. I haven't really smelled anything like it before. Great longevity with moderate projection. If you are looking for a gourmand that isn't too sweet then I think this might be the fragrance for you.

weaselize: You said:
This one ended my curiousity and further exploration to the l'artisan line.

Well, MY curiosity with the L'Artisan line ended with Dzongkha. Glad to see I'm not alone in my disappointment with L'Artisan.

Another Gourmand using attractive and really pleasurable notes - with the ubiquitous Orange top.

Burnt dessert vibes mixed with sweet vanilla. Not honeyed, spicy sweetness, simple vanillic sweetness here.

But the use of the topnotes is simply boring and there's no escaping the fact orange note is distinctive and associations with a million other scents, especially the orange-gourmands will be made.

Why not use something different, like apricot or peaches?

My rating: 4/10.
Quality: 8/10.

This one ended my curiousity and further exploration to the l'artisan line.
Once again a boring fragrance, very boring.
This is a subtle nutty/vanilla/honey/ coffee drink. It has this touch of plasticine smell which i dislike in a fragrance. Longevity ok, projection weak.
I don,t find anything "artisinal" to this. Nothing unique, nothing special. Just boring.
Once they made special scents in their beginning during the 80s maybe 90s but now it,s like they keep copying and tweaking former scents of their lineup and call it a new release. I will get one bottle though from the men,s line Fou d'absinthe.
This one, i would not call it "magnificent black" but rather "just grey/brown". not really worth the effort

I am a gourmand lover, but this one made me disappointed because it isn' t what I'm expecting.

On me this smells like roasted bananas, rum and vanilla, layered over warm wood. In other words, it's definitely a gourmand, but it's not cloying - it's warm and comforting, perfect for fall and winter. I wasn't expecting to like it, since this is not really the type of perfume I usually wear, but I loved it. I find myself fascinated by the way it evolves, every stage of the process smells absolutely wonderful on me. The dry-down is slightly smoky, warm and sweet, with a hint of spice. A lovely, cosy-yet-flattering sweater of a perfume.

I would rate the projection as weak-to-moderate, but that doesn't mean much as for some reasons most perfumes sit very close to the skin on me. Excellent longevity though.

This perfume literally left me in awe.
It starts with a wonderful bouquet of chestnut, coffee, maple sap, vanilla, orange.. This was the first fragrance (I'm still an amateur) where I could pick a coffee note. Unfortunately this firework of notes does not last long, 10-15min. Then it turns into sweet and thick layer of.. I would call it coconut. Cheap, overused smell of coconut. Most likely it's maple/vanilla/sandalwood mix? Eventually it fades into less offensive vanilla with a light and refreshing hint of florals.
In the morning (I applied the perfume late evening) I could not recognize the smell - it was sharp and pretty, masculine aroma. Sandalwood/ebony with some heliotrope?
I'm not sure I like the *coconut* part but overall the quality, sillage and longevity is great. The projection is an interesting ride for a perfume lover, it doesn't get boring.

Urgh, nooo; orange. Yet again, orange!

The perfect notes, the perfect Parfumier, yet Paco rabanne 1million's influence still lurks.

Not even bothered. Pass.

This is a quite a unique winter scent!!! Kind of like a roasted chestnuts vibe.
The notes are delightful, bright, sweet, the heliotrope is very present, the heart of the scent is where I have a bit of trouble, the maple mixed with coffee gives it a bit of a weird edge, but then it opens up, gets a bit more smoky in the drydown...it lingers nicely on the skin, with an aura of sweet and woodsy undertone..very high quality perfume,the ingredients are all so strong and authentic...It isn't what I usually like to wear, it has a foody vibe too, I will revisit in winter, for now, I find it too unisex for my taste .. A bit out of my league, but interesting .
The base smells very much like Dior addict, but the top notes have that foody undertone..