Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu Valentino for men

No iris note but why can I still smell the iris? Anyway, this is fantastic scent. It's warm, spicy, sweet but in a manly way. Opening with cinnamon note is heavenly. Longevity is good. Sillage is average.

Glad I stocked up on some bottles of this! I got two bottles and now seeing people selling it for 600$ is crazy! But you are missing out if you do not have this fragrance! I wore it and have gotten quite a few compliments! One girl in a store I went to was dying to know what I was wearing and was in love lol. Two sprays and you will leave a trail of this gorgeous scent.

It’s a great chocolate style fragrance. I initially bought it without any perfume knowledge a good few years back. It’s more for someone with an acquired nose and not really mass appealing. My atomizer is quite terrible but that could just be my bottle. Projection and performance is nothing ground breaking. If money isn’t a problem for you I’d say TF Noir Extreme and Black Orchid are much better alternatives. Overall 7/10

A SEDUCTION POTION THAT WILL TURN HEADS!

Holy crap I did not realize this was discontinued and so highly coveted! I bought this a couple years ago, a 3.4oz bottle, fragrancenet I think? Anyway, I just sprayed some on tonight because I haven’t worn it in ages. This stuff is smooth as silk and very classy. It’s almost hard for me to find an occasion to wear this scent. I feel pretty guilty casually wearing this at home right now when I could probably sell it on eBay for $500 LOL. I suppose then I would feel guilty for price gouging…I think I’ll just hang on to it!

In my honest opinion this is an absolutely amazing fragrance. I get incredible longevity, especially when sprayed on the inside collar of a shirt, I can still smell it 3 or 4 days later. Although to me it does not smell that much like valentino uomo or noir, this is 2 or 3 levels classier and more versatile than those.

Surprisingly this has been one of my most complimented fragrances out of 80 plus bottles. It is just an all around classy and sexy fragrance. I think this one does not get the recognition it deserves in my honest opinion. Really a shame that they discontinued it and kept it such a limited release. I wouldn't be surprised if valentino launched it again in the next few years with a different name and slightly different variation.

9 out of 10 in my book!!!

does anyone know where I can find it?

This should have been named Valentino Uomo Parfum. Still has a tiny bit of Iris from the originals, but is mainly a sweet Cinnamon and Sandalwood combo. Has just the right amount of Pepper and Incense. Very classy and a darn shame it was discontinued.

I think I smelled it when it got just released but don't remember what it was like. I want to try it again, but it's discontinued.

Does Uomo Noir Absolu remind you of Tom Ford's Santal Blush?

Blast of powdery & peppery cinnamon leads to a spicy and dark chocolatey sandalwood. There's a distinctly Black Orchid effect on the drydown, with a dark coconutty whisper that lingers too.
Perfect for cold months, long-lasting with a solid sillage.
Definitely leans unisex to my nose.

Amazes me how little recognition VUNA gets out of the Uomo line. To me, it is head-and-shoulders above the others. The iris is dialed down, so there is no chance of smelling like you just crawled out of a lady's purse. What really sets it apart is its aloof, unaproachable demeanor. So while it smells fantastic, it is uninviting, so you can wear it without worrying about having to make idle chit-chat with strangers or co-workers. A huge plus in my book. I got a backup when scalpers only wanted $100 for them; but Nishane's B-612 feels pretty similar, though I might be alone in thinking so.

Valentino’s love letter to sandalwood. It’s so beautiful it almost makes me angry.

i love the transition from the opening to the drydown. For me the opening, cinnamon n pepper gave me a headache but then the dark smoky vibe comes out its sophisticated and beautiful. Last the sandalwood in the heart note is so classy and elegance. love it!

This right here is fragrance heaven. I have 2 bottles and want more. Just a gorgeous scent from start to finish, nothing but quality.. Just an absolute masterpiece. One of my all time favorites. This will make your fall and winters that much better... I'm so pumped to wear it come first chill.

I can’t tell if it’s discontinued. Lucky enough to have gotten two bottles. One with spikes on the logo which is from 2017, and one with the flat faceplate from 2020. Both same great smell. Need to buy more!

Nose behind this creamy sandalwoody heaven is Sophie Labbé. It would be appropriate to give her credit for this masterpiece...

I love the original. Heard good things about this one so had to try. Tore open the package and since the little 4ml bottle broke, the scent was all over the place. All I could think is this smells like something Tom Ford would make. I don't know which TF (tobacco vanilla, Black Orchid...) scent it is or maybe a combination of a few different ones but that's what it is. I like it but not anything like the original to me and since this is discontinued and the price is outrageous, I'd just get a bottle of TF.

"The Italian elegance of Iris is transformed through sandalwood..."
I just ordered a bottle of this; I really have big hopes on this one.

Extremely sophisticated and beautiful. It’s a dark and brooding kind of fragrance, yet not quite antisocial. To say that it’s well blended would be an understatement. It doesn’t have the same vibe as Uomo or the Intense version. This has more depth and a somewhat melancholy wonder to it. Like watching palm trees sway under a grey sky full of clouds as the sky flashes with lightning and burns.
Def a masterpiece.

I love the scent, i hope they put abit less pepper in this, this will burn your nose of pepper in the first hour of application, becomes a perfect scent from this point on. Buy it if U can still find it.

Does anyone else has a bottle without the spikes on the logo, where is written on the bottle Valentino.
Or maybe is a bottle after L'Oréal took over the Valentino and they change the still of the bottle before discontinued, does anyone has more knowledge about this?
Edit: It does look like L'Oréal change the bottle a bit, I've checked on Valentino batch code and doesn't come up nothing, but when checking on L'Oréal I can see the manufacture date.
I have wear it today at work for the first time and guys I honestly never received so many compliments within 2 hours with any of my fragrances I've wear before. People can smell the scent metres away from you and also my colleagues compliment me a lot ''such a beautiful scent'', ''what is the name of the fragrance'' .
I will comeback with ratings later one.
But at the moment has to be a must have if you are into fragrance.
Edit:
Longevity: 8 hrs on skin, on cloths 24 hrs or more, 5/5
Projection/Sillage: huge, leaves a very nice trail behind the wearer for about 4 hrs, and fills the room, 5/5
Compliment factor: loads of compliments, is mass pleasing scent, my female colleagues compliment me a lot. 5/5
Price tag: great price, even if is discontinued I will still pay somewhere around 120-140£ to have it on my collection. 4,5/5
I don't see why someone would not like this fragrance.

I wish I could smell something other than COCONUT. It is coconut with a hint of creamy sandalwood. It smells like a bath and body works lotion, hand cream or body wash. I am not saying this in a bad way, but for the price this is now fetching, it is upsetting. Looking at the notes, this sounded like a home run for me. Sadly....I can add this to my growing list of expensive, blind buy fails. One would think I would learn, but alas no ;) LOL!

Unfortunately I had to pay 170$ for a bottle. But this stuff is amazing. That smoky smooth sandalwood with cinnamon is beautiful. I see a few people mention coconut, I do not smell that at all, I get like big red gum vibes from it. But I do believe it was worth the price I bought it at.

Glad I wasn't the only one that smells coconut - practically all I can smell to be honest. Reminds me of Body Shop's coconut body butter actually.

Thank you Romans1013!

So this fragrance IS back (thanks to Deanoh_11), at least to some extent in Europe at the time of this post. I received a bottle from July 2021. Box is in the newer Valentino design, but bottle is in the older 2017 style. Compared with my older bottle from 2018, this fragrance smells identical and performs just as well. If you're interested in this fragrance, pick up this re-release before L'Oreal reformulates it.

Addendum: I got my bottle online from Harrods, shipped to the US.

Seems like this is back, now that L'Oreal has taking over Valentino. It's on Valentino Beauty website. I have received today and it has slightly different packaging and bottle. Smells great to me and longevity is good but I don't have the original Puig formulation to compare.
Has anybody heard about this? Would be interested to know how it compares to the original formulation.

This perfume is quite unisex, in fact I'm a woman and I have it in my collection. For me it has more of a Maremma vibe than TF. On my skin the cinnamon dominates the fragrance from start to finish. I don't get smoked incense here on my skin, but Olibanun is here. It's a creamy and smooth fragrance, on my skin it is not invasive, I like this.

The name of this fragrance should be changed to:
"How to Get Hot Women to Give You Long Hot Sex EdP" by Valentino.

Aka H2GHW2GULHS for fragheads and reviewers.

The container box should be all black with no words except for "Hot Sex by Valentino" on the front in gilt gold lettering. Inside the box, the top flap bottle cover should have a sealed condom ready to go with a mini pack of KY jelly. That, along with a small customer care card offering a full money back guarantee if the male customer wearing this fragrance while dressed in a tailored tuxedo and formal dress kit is unable to get laid on the night of wearing.

That's it.

That's the entire review.

Go get yourself a tailored tuxedo, a formal dress kit (bow tie, studs, cufflinks, high polished black Oxfords, etc) and this fragrance and thank me (and Valentino) later.

Be prepared for fatherhood before you spray this.

bon chance

This is one of the most beautiful male designer fragrances that has ever been sniffed by my nostrils, it definitely does remind of a more masculine version of Tom Ford Black Orchid EDP without the overwhelming and nauseating aspects of Black Orchid. I can't believe that Valentino would discontinue such a masterpiece, it's warm, inviting and sexy as heck, too bad I had to pay resale for it. Tom Ford Black Orchid is one of my winter signatures but this is even better just upset I have to be so careful of when I use my 100mL bottle since it's discontinued. If anyone at Valentino is reading this, PLEASE BRING BACK UOMO NOIR ABSOLU!!!!
10/10

One of the best fragrances I’ve ever smelled. It somehow smells like TF black orchid but for it’s more masculine.

This fragrance is a WOW for me.

Sure this fragrance is a bit linear in its development, and the opening is a touch sweet, however, this fragrance comes across as niche quality for me.

Iris, which played a starring role in the other Uomo iterations, takes a back seat in this sandalwood and cinnamon based fragrance.
Expect a unisex opening of sweet, creamy sandalwood and Iris with a light, smoky incense. 
As the fragrance dries down, it becomes significantly less sweet. The cinnamon and pepper come out to play, accentuating the woodiness, giving it a classy and masculine edge.

VUI is a solid performing fragrance but VUNA takes it to the next level - 2 to 3 sprays and I'm good for the day.

This fragrance is likely best suited for formal occasions.

Not much more to say about an uncomplicated fragrance .

Sample this beauty if you get a chance. 

What a stunning fragrance! I own the Donna Noir Absolu and they do definitely share similarities, but this one doesn’t have such prominent fruity and leather notes, although the base is definitely there. If I didn’t have a bottle of both to compare, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell them apart though.
It makes sense this one to be the male version, as it is slightly spicier and woodier, but I do still find it unisex, so ladies, if you’re looking for Donna Noir Absolu substitute (as it is unfortunately discontinued), do not hesitate to grab this one. Needless to say I would love this on a man too...
I saw the Valentino website still offers it, and IMO the price is more than worth it. I hope they do not discontinue at least this one.
The bottle is stunning, as it is the whole line, and performance is great too.
It is a sexy cold weather scent, but it can be also worn in summer nights as far as I’m concerned. Love it and recommend it! Valentino fragrances deserve more recognition.

PS: I see where people are coming from with the TF Black Orchid comparison, which, for reference, I do not like. I would’ve never thought of that if I hadn’t seen the comments here though. However, to me, Noir Absolu (both the male and female version) is on a whole another level, much smoother, much more elegant, even more seductive if you will, and there is no truffle-patch-coca-cola headache inducing type of thing going on like in Black Orchid.

What an amazing sent from the house very sad that it is discontinued had my bottle for about 4 years now and honestly dont want to use it since I only have about 20 ml left. Not sure why most of the designer house are discontinuing amazing sents like this and releasing mainstream generic sents with bad performance like the latest two releases from Valentino.If you can get this amazing gem at a good price its worth every penny.

F-N fantastic scent. My favorite Valentino fragrance. It should never have been discontinued. It has super high quality oils. The incense and sandalwood work perfectly in harmony to create a stupid smooth, seductive, dark, rich, stunning fragrance. It's an honor to own the 1oz I still have. Hurts to see it go with every spray. Very special occasion fragrance

Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu is a smooth, spicy, and high quality sandalwood fragrance, especially for the price you pay on the grey market. It opens with a peppery incense with the subtle sweetness of cinnamon and although vanilla is not listed a note, nor Iris, the Valentino Uomo and Valentino Uomo intense DNA serves the base. Where this differs is that the smooth, very natural, and creamy sandalwood note lingers after the combination of incense and warm, sweet spices in the top and mid dissipates. In comparison, I would say this is more similar to Tam Dao EDP by Diptyque in terms of the sandalwood note. Where that goes green this goes spicy sweet but is still a natural smelling, wonderful woody base. I think this is an excellent entry level fragrance for those who want to get into modern orientals and sandalwood fragrances. It is pleasing, a joy to wear, and just creates a wonderful scent bubble of woody, smokey, sweet spiciness.

Longevity is 8-12 hours as the base notes keep pushing. Sillage is wonderful first 2-3 hours and then creates a nice "scent bubble" for the life of the fragrance. Def. Fall/Winter though I could see it working for cool summer nights around a bonfire. Excellent value for the price though admittedly it is getting harder to find.

8/10 for me. I wish it had a bit more spiciness in the base and the incense pushed a bit more, but, the sandalwood note is wonderful and smooth.

It's a dark, warm, dry smoky and spicy sandalwood with good performance on my skin.
Too bad that its discontinued.

Absolutely love this, gutted its now discontinued, get compliments every time I wear this!one of the best fragrances in my collection

For those of you considering purchasing this blind if comparisons to Black Orchid (whatever concentration) trigged your interest, please stop and look twice before you leap. You could be disappointed. My two cents, I can not smell whatever similarity to Black orchid EDP (which I know). Get a sample and test for yourselves first. It could be one pricey blind buy error for you as well. One of the Black Orchid’s prominent key notes is sweet boozy patchouli, a note that is absent here. For some this could be a deal-breaker, as was for me.

On the other hand, this fragrance smells good and I have grown to like it a lot. It’s smoky, sweet with a fabulous long-lasting sweet woody, albeit linear drydown. If actual sandalwood is present in this, it’s might not be the buttery Mysore variety, but rather a burning incense stick type of woodiness that’s quite pleasant nonetheless.

I'm not a big fan of this one. Remind me TF Black Orchidée with incense
Disgusting smell, project very well and long lasting.
It's a dislike for me

A light spray of VUNA on wrists and décolleté, chased by another light spray of Tiziana Terenzi Maremma is absolute divinity. The two seem somehow made for one another. An hour later I’m driving with the top down, it’s 75 degrees Fahrenheit at 6:30 pm, the sun is getting low, and the most glorious warm, soft, sensuous cloud of sweet and smoky resinous vanilla and spice is wafting up around me in the car. Took the long way home, and drove a bit slower, enjoying every minute. Fragrance has the power to transport the senses, set the mood, and fix memory in a well-rounded way that little else can. The Maremma, although unisex, atop the Uomo Noir Absolu tempers it’s masculinity a bit without dampening it’s strong spirit. The two are like seasoned lovers, perfectly-matched, honoring and complimenting the other’s strengths, while still proudly displaying their own. Wearing either fragrance without the other seems somehow foolish and empty now...

Spicy dark and creamy. This is seductive in an idgaf sort of way. Definitely worth picking up before they disappear.

Had this and sold off immediately: i wanted to like it and the notes were up my alley but very weak with no sillage-just get man in black its close and lasts longer and is way cheaper cost.

To me this basically smells like bubblegum, and looking at the notes I don't really understand how that happened... The notes look woody, smoky, spicy, but the scent is actually super sweet. Doesn't quite make sense to me.

It smells pleasant enough but leans a bit feminine because of how sweet and bubblegum-y it is.

perfect upgrade of Valentino Uomo or Intense ...
Noir Absolu = Sandalwood and Cinnamon!!! yeah ..

it´s an upgrade of original Uomo with added sandalwood and cinnamon .. yeah, it has a hint of original Uomo chocolate vibe, but not that sweet ... it´s towards more serious, not that powdery-iris sweet playfulness like original or intense

Tried a sample, and, the dry down is a lot more pleasing than the initial application.

Dark & powdery, definitely matches the advertisement for this fragrance.

If you are the type in that dark realm of fashion and styles, then this would be a perfect fit.

It also has this black pepper type of effect to it that spikes the nose as well ( likely the incense ) . It's not smooth by any measure... its more in your face, kind of like the way Spice Bomb screams for your attention.

Best application, in the winter time.

The age groups, primarily the older crowd ( 25+ )

Doesn’t smell like Black orchid at all, which i have and enjoy quite a bit. Black Orchid is deep and dark with truffle, chocolate, and patchouli, and this is nowhere near that deep or dark. Dont be convinced there is any incense or really anything other than sandalwood and some supporting notes that give it that iris-y feel from the other versions.

Although I have started to enjoy this more now that I have the original Uomo and this is pleasant and very smooth, its not as interesting as the original,
This is not an incense or spice bomb, as those notes dont exist on their own. Dont take my word for it, or everyone else’s, try it yourself and give your honest opinion.

Sandalwood & Cinnamon.

Woody, soft sandalwood spiced up a delicate & lively cinnamon note. I expected more incense, to be honest. I can' detect it at all here.

Soft, woody, warm. A bit dark & mysterious as well.

Does not smell like Donna Noir Absolu at all. That's wrong. I'm comparing them side by side, & Donna is much sweeter & has a floral accord while this is woody & spicy as I've said.

A likeable woody/spicy fragrance but I thought it would be even better.

A cold weather wear for men ~25yrs & above.

"Like".

Anyone else getting coconut, especially at the beginning?

What an interesting albeit surprisingly satisfying experience with VUNA thus far. Usually, too much of a Black Orchid type blanket of patchouli and dark chocolate notes can be overwhelming on either sex when worn. The trick with the Valentino is keep the blueprint for Black Orchid in mind, maintain the swirling brew of sandalwood, incense and spices while leaving patchouli out to offer some freshness and a less cloying effect. Works remarkably well.
After just week of owning VUNA, worn at home and to the office just a couple of times. I now find myself taking the top off the bottle to take a whiff for the sheer joy of inhaling what reminds one of warm butterscotch enjoyed around a wood burning fireplace in the festive season.
Also, not just a formal scent as many have described, a spray or two to the chest area while casually enjoying the weekend in cooler weather works a charm.
All that being said, be cautious while applying this scent, as the fine line between alluring sillage and overwhelming blanket of perfume in the air can be crossed quite easily with this fragrance. Less is more and looks like the bottle could last forever.

8.5/10

It smells very luxurious and opulent. Very appropriate for a gentleman in an evening outing. That being said, it does seem very versatile. You can pull this off formally, or somewhat casually.

I'd say the longevity is above average as well as silage. Lasts literally a week on my jumper and this is exactly what I want.

One other thing, this is niche quality. I don't wear designer fragrances often because a lot of them have a very typical and tired smell to them (except Tom Ford and several others). Just how Tom Ford lies in a realm between designer and niche (more niche in my opinion), this fragrance is the same. I don't know why, but I understand why this was a Harrod's exclusive. It really does smell luxurious.

I do get a lot of Black Orchid vibes in the dry down but I'm not complaining. I love that scent, even as a guy.

These are relatively hard to come by these days with L'Oreal buying them up recently. Could be due to change in logistics or whatever. However, you can find them online for around $65, which to me is a steal. I'd say even at full price ($120) the scent is worth it.

Highly recommended for a sophisticated man.

One of my favourites this winter and so glad I finally bought this. Great longevity on my skin 10+ hours, with projection and sillage in the 5+ hours. Makes it perfect for nights out. I find it similarish to TF Black Orchid but definitely less opulent, which is perfectly understandable.

Thank you Valentino.

This is the second winter I am wearing this. I can relate to the people smelling a bit of black orchid in it. It's only in the drydown though. A faint reminisce of TF Black Orchid.

Not at all. Closer to Black orchid.

A stunning composition with one of the best drydowns in the modern designer fragrance game—creamy, sweet sandalwood. I get 10+ hours longevity, it really lingers on skin and clothing.

I believe I saw a review on YouTube that compelled me to purchase this frag blind. I bought Valentino V many years ago and was expecting something similar or unique.Upon receiving it, I immediately sprayed my hand and smelled it.

My initials thoughts were “What the f*ck is this?!” It smells unlike any other frag I own. Definitely unique. But it smells unpleasant.

So maybe an hour or two goes by... and BAM! That unpleasantness is gone and you’re left something soft and powdery. It smells so much better.

The opener I would rate a two or maybe three out of 10.
The Drydown I would rate a solid seven out of 10.

I can definitely wear it and enjoy it. But the next question is; When and how?

Definitely a cold temp frag. But does it go well with a leather jacket or blazer? Henley T shirt?

Whatever the case may be, spray it at least one hour before going out.

I'm not a huge fan of warm spicy fragrances but this one really stood out. I originally intended on purchasing another bottle of the original Uomo during a lay over in Doha and the sales lady recommended this to me.

At first, I didn't like it because it was too spicy and very offensive on the nose especially after spraying it 3 times on my wrist. I also sprayed the Uomo Intense on my other hand and loved it and was more inclined to buy a bottle each of the latter and the Uomo Intense. However after walking around Doha International waiting for this to settle down, I've noticed that its settling into a more pleasant scent. The combination of incense, sandalwood, iris and cinnamon is outstanding. 7 hours later after landing at Heathrow, I could still smell it on my arm and tshirt.

This fragrance gets me a lot of compliment everywhere I go. Though I must say, this isn't the best fragrance to wear in hot and humid places but is best when worn in the cooler months. The projection and longevity are both outstanding even with just two sprays.

The bottle design is also very appealing. I've always been a fan of Valentino's signature stud designs.

Overall, the performance of this fragrance is outstanding.

For a moment at the start, I detect a hint of Iris peeking through, revealing its relationship as a flanker. After that, it's all meditative sandalwood.

Uomo Noir might very well be the best offering on the market, since Tom Ford released Noir Extreme.

UNA is sultry, decadent and dark woody oriental. It might on paper only have 5 notes, but their execution is simply perfect.

The opening is spicy. A black pepper infused cinnamon cocktail. Very opulent.

Slowly, the incense envelops the black pepper and cinnamon, creating a very bold yet spicy accord.

Then sandalwood appears. The sandalwood acts as sort of a thickener. It gives weight and heft to the composition, and reinforces the oriental aspect.

Underneath it all, I get hints of creamy iris.

UNA is a simple scent on paper and in reality, but everything plays off each other so well. There is spice from cinnamon and pepper, juxtaposed against creamy sandalwood and smoky incense.

Dare I say it, this is creativity at YSL in the 90s level. Expert craftsmanship and execution.

This accomplishes what most niche scents with this theme can't. It's interesting and different, yet it never alienates. There is still a sense of traditionalism in here. This is a mans scent.

If you like incense and sandalwood, get a bottle. Forget about Wonderwood and Tam Dao. This is THE modern sandalwood to own.

Longevity is excellent. 12 hours. Projection is close yet always there.

So to me, this is a cross between TF Noir Extreme and TF Black Orchid. I know that sounds crazy but that's what I'm getting. However, I do love this immensely and am happy to have gotten recently. It really does smell great and last a long time as well.

Easy 9/10

Incesne / sandalwood heaven for the lovers of this type.

It reminds me a lot of CK Ephoria Liquid Gold men with the peper and the creamy sandalwood although it is smoother in Noir Absolu.

This is basically an oriental woody scent.. Although iris is not listed in the notes breakdown, you’d get this rich and creamy “lipstick” accord that I assume is coming from the combination of sandalwood, cinnamon and incense.. It’s noticeably spicy as well because of the pepper.. Overall, it’s a nice scent and I believe you would enjoy it if you’re into kinda dark or mysterious fragrances..

The 2018 Noir Absolu Musc is amazing with it!

I blind bought this one online as it's hard to find now, being a Harrods exclusive. After just one testing, this one may not be for me but I'll give it another go soon.

In the opening I got strong pepper, some cinnamon and incense but it gave me this sambuca like feel which really threw me off. I'm sure the atomizers ultra heavy concentrated spray didn't help matters but it came off harsh, even unwearable. Noir Absolu did start to calm down and then the creamy sandalwood came forth which definitely helped smooth over and round the frag out.

The performance didn't really blow me away either but I only tested it this once. The projection was heavy the 1st hour or two and then became pretty moderate. After about 5 hours it was hard to pick up.

Overall, it's a dark, warm, dry smokey and spicey sandalwood. Maybe too much pepper and incense for me but I'll definitely give it a few more wearings and update if I feel differently. As of right now, I rather wear Uomo or Uomo Intense anyday.

Got this lately. Linear incense sandalwood and pepper, the mix gives a so/so result that is totally unisex leaning more towards women’s perfumes. Warm and heavy fragrance, it definitely suits cold weather. Overall rating: 6/10
Do I recommend it: No!

Everyone advised me to try it. I tried it. Incense and black pepper go great. When it replaces cinnamon, it turns into a one million with less sweet scents. In a nutshell: I do not like it.

Bought a sample to try and to be honestxim totally torn between this being a masterpiece of a scent or nothing special whatsoever.

I guess a few more wearings may be needed to figure this one out

This scent is unisex although marketed to men. I saw You tubers review it and blind bought it. On my skin it smells like pepper, incense, and sandalwood with no cinnamon. It lasts about 7 hours in cool 86 degree desert heat as a skin scent but first 2 hours projection was up to date feet. I’m glad I bought it and will wear it in fall/early winter only.

I'm not too familiar with the Valentino Uomo scents, having smelled the other three but not really having sampled them. Uomo Noir Absolu in particular seemed to be received very warmly, and I picked up a decant.

It's as described, a masculine blend centered around iris, modified by sandalwood, incense, pepper, and cinnamon, quite spicy and woody throughout but the incense lends its resinous sweetness, which emerges as the iris fades.

The fragrance opens sharp, and dries down sweeter. Its performance is pretty strong throughout, with hours of projection and significant longevity beyond that.

I put it roughly in the same category as Bvglari Man in Black, a well-constructed masculine winter blend, not too sweet, not too edgy, a choice that's likely to work for many, even some women, as it lacks an overly dirty side (i.e. leathery, animalic).

The retail pricing of $118 for 100ml feels a little high, but it seems to make the rounds on some grey market sites.

8 out of 10

Very impressive and smooth. On my skin it reminds me of creamy butterscotch. Leaves a great scent cloud around you.

Dries down to a sweet leathery almost chocolate Iris

Guys, if you want a mature, sexy scent, try Uomo Noir. I promise you will receive unsolicited complements. I get Uomo Intense + incense. Yes, the infamous iris note is beautifully present.

As of 9/18/18, Fragrancenet.com has 3.4oz tester bottles for $52 after the 37% discount. That’s a steal!!

By the way, I don’t get the Euphoria Liquid Gold comparisons. Liquid Gold is a much smokier/dirtier sandalwood dominated fragrance.

This elegant fragrance is a combination of Uomo and Uomo Intense, with the addition of incense and cinnamon.

Other notes, not listed, but clearly present, are iris, and candle wax. The scent evokes memories of wandering through the local import store as a child.... seeing the rows of incense packets hanging on the walls and the boxes of colorful votive candles in neat rows. You reach into one marked "Sandalwood", and bring the fragrant wax to your nose. This is what Noir Absolu smells like, but on a far richer and more refined scale.

The bottle is beautiful, although the half-cap seems to be more of an afterthought than an element of design. Sillage is moderate, but longevity is good. The fragrance can still be detected on skin up to 24 hours later. All in all, this is a fabulous fragrance that should be in any gourmand lover's collection.

Having & loving Uomo Inense I took the blind buy risk & purchased this..found it on Fragrancenet for cheap right now with one of their specials! (took the risk there too) all the more positive then negative reviews peaked my interest & I really love that bottle & fact it's hard to find made me have to have it (also getting colder here so it'll make a nice new fall/winter smell). Like I said I love the intense, so hopefully this will be another love, will update with review later once it arrives & I test it out! :D

Updte (9/25): Well it finally arrived today & it was legit! VUNA is beautifully blended sophistication & sex in a bottle. I'm so glad I took the risk of a blind buy. Agreed what you have here is Uomo Intense DNA with an added creamy sandalwood. However this is totally different enough to still make it it's own unique scent & it find it to be more might I say slightly more comforting than the Intense. Yes the iconic iris powder lipstick note is still present even though it's not listed I find in Noir Absolu the overall blend is surprisingly smoother I'm guessing from there being no leather & having that nice creamy sandalwood Noir Absolu agreed has a definite gourmand-ness to it (easily unisex), the more it dried down I got an almost spiced cookie vibe on my skin. Sillage is moderate but performance is beast..lasting through even a shower scrub..& the bottle is just even more stunning in person, this is the epitome of luxe quality, very happy the risk paid off & even happier of the steal I got it for & to have a bottle in my collection now. :D

Side Note: I do get the comparisons to TF BOrchid (w/o the florals) it also reminds me a little of Noir extreme it's like If BOrchid Extreme & Uomo Intense thruppled..lol also find this works best in small doses (3-4 max) & deff. a better in colder weather scent.

After smelling this on a fellow employee. I had to get. Especially since it seems to be selling out.

is sold out everywhere. was this a limited edition or what’s the deal?

So, I just got this in from Bloomingdales and I still smell iris although not listed, sandalwood and cinnamon. When I smelled it in the mall a year ago (fall 2017) I picked up alot of incense and pepper. Although I like the aroma, I am confused. I am wondering if the different temps have anything to do with that. I kept looking at the bottle like did they send me the right bottle? Either way I like what I smell but I was hoping for the incense to come thru a lil bit. Glad to have it, a full wearing is pending but it's still going noticeable from 8pm til 4 this morning. For what you are paying for they could have put this in a box like the noire edition and not been so cheap about the overall presentation. Yes the bottle is nice but a better box is needed. I hope this one remains limited where as it won't hit discounters. Glad to have this line up minus the Aqua. Recommended.

I don't usually write a review but this got me so much compliment and attention that i had to come here and recommend it to others. It has a very good projection

P.s: cold weather only

It reminds me of Liquid Gold Euphoria Women Calvin Klein. The bottle is very impassive and rich I love it.

...A nice spin off the Uomo set!
Good wear especially for the cold!
Bottle is stunning..

This is a fragrance I can appreciate and see the quality of it without actually being a super fan of it. I think I prefer uomo intense/dior parfum over this.. However, this one smells more refined than those two.
Its hard to explain the scent.. People get different things out of this. This has the iris kind of dna of uomo intense but its definitely different smelling. This one isn't as sweet.. It reminds me of a toned down black orchid with the heavy florals removed and replaced with the uomo intense iris note. If you want a less feminine black orchid with a powdery iris instead of florals... this would be a good one.
Even though maybe I'm on the fence if the smell is for me... I gave this a love because I respect the quality and refinement of the scent. To me this is a perfect flanker. It maintains something from the original while going in a different direction enough to differentiate it. This is definitely a different smelling fragrances than Uomo intense.. yet its not like a completely different fragrance.. Whether you like the scent itself... People should at least respect what they were going for... This certainly would be my preferred alternative to black orchid.
Scent 4.5/5
My taste - 3.5/5

Performance - 3.5/5

This fragrance smells very good, and has very acceptable performance. It smells like Uomo Intense, but with an added warmth and incense undertone. The cinnamon doesn't stand out, but you can tell its there by the warmth and depth within the iris notes during the top and mid. Dries down to kind of like an incense / amber / sandalwood. Definitely my favorite Valentino Uomo release, glad to own a bottle. I have no idea why this is rated so low.

When I sprayed it on my arm I was instantly reminded by Tom Ford Black Orchid that I find nauseating and wanted to wash it away but after an hour I was enchanted by its smell on my arm and I kept smelling every two minutes.
I bought a 100ml the next day and yes the opening reminded me of a better, more subtle Black Orchid that is really pleasant not sticky like BO.The middle notes & the dry down are the most amazing part of this amazing fragrance that instantly became one of my favourites.
This is the fragrance that I was the most complimented for to date.

It's very pleasant ! in the depth you can smell warmth from cinnamon, there is a creaminess from sandalwood but I don't get that much incense and especially not Gucci pour homme incense vibe. Maybe it's a little bit balmy.

Overall new Valentino smells like cooked carrot BUT it's nice, there is also some sweetness like in Dior homme :) This is not dark scent, I think that Intense may be even darker than this :D If you compare it to Tom Ford Noir than his Noir is dark like s**t !!

@FlaconCB nope i smelled it at Bloomingdale's. Took it home in a sample and tried a day later. Still got carrot soup! First sample I've ever thrown away.

It just been released in UAE in Debriham.

It reminds me of CK ephuroa but less spicy and more smoky

Cant wait to try this version!! I own Valentino Uomo Intense & is one of my favorites!! In response to LMNOP, i dont know if you smelled a knock off Valentino Uomo Intense, but it smells nothing like carrot soup!!

I smelled this when Carlos of Brooklyn fragrance lover sprayed it on me to do a first impressions video on it...I really liked it at first but couldn’t shake two scents which smelled very similar to it...The start features a different take on the iris. Regardless of what the notes say there has to be iris in this also as It comes across like the waxy aspect of lipstick but not cosmetic bag, like what u would find in a lot of other compositions.

There were two scents that came to mind when smelling this. The first is Euphoria for men Liquid Gold by Calvin Klein. Liquid gold and Uomo Noir absolu have a very cinnamon, peppery, sweet, creaminess once the iris in the top tones down. In the drydown, 3-4 hours later, Uomo smelled like Stash by Sarah jessica Parker. This scent lasted on my skin for HOURS. At least 8-9 hours before I showered. And it was projecting during hour 6. A major factor in that I believe was that it ended up on the cuff of my sleeve after rubbing off my wrist during wearing it.

This is a very seductive scent and the scents that smell like it, while nice are very harsh in comparison. Uomo Noir absolu is smooth and very easy on the nose. It’s also blended much better than those scents which can be very overbearing. Noir Absolu would be a lot more comfortable on others around u while maintaining the seductive vibe the other two scents were striving for.

It would be the perfect winter fragrance and a great option for people who like dark warm scents for cold weather. This would be a great date scent a great night out fragrance but beware when wearing this to work. It maybe out of place in a work environment.

My first impression of this scent was very positive. I will refrain from rating this because I’ve only had one experience with it but I can say the experience was a good one. It’s a shame that it smells so similar to other fragrances which is a theme with the Uomo line from Valentino. But while the ‘Uomo’ line smells so much like popular fragrances, no one calls these scents clones. Regardless it can be argued that every scent in the Uomo line improved upon the scent it smells comparable to. That is a difficult thing to do.

I would give this scent the lady for sure...I’m not sure if I would buy a full bottle yet...I may try it out a little more and decide later. Having ‘Stash’ makes it redundant.

YouTube Channel- Simply Put Scents

TERRIBLE. Had to wash my hands as this smells like carrot soup from start to finish. Uomo intense has a carrot smell in the opening but it is gone within 2 minutes and transitions to the beautiful scent I love.

This OTOH is just terrible carrot all throughout. Hard pass.

I really do not understand the very low rating; 1.85 right now. This reminds me a lot of CK Euphoria Liquid Gold for Women. Yet that fragrance has a much higher rating and got many favorable reviews.

Maybe people were expecting something else?

This is pretty good. Sandalwood, cinnamon and pepper. Totally unisex. Totally perfect for this time of year.

Dont let the notes fool you, all I get is a sandalwood bomb with a touch of cinnamon. Personally expected more spice and incense, as in any.

I don't know, but I am not convinced... especially for this price tag!
The initial smell has strong cinnamon, and I also detect a caramel note.

The fragrance doesn't have enough incense as I was expecting.

To me, the projection was very little, I had to stick my nose to my hand.

Sprayed it on my hand 7 hours ago and it is still easily detectable. Projected pretty well for the first two hours. Still have yet to wear it out, but I like it so far. Has the original DNA with an added spiciness and incense. Dries down to a nice sandalwood and cinnamon with a hint of smokiness.

I just smelled this in Bloomingdales this smells like all the other flankers with added incense is somewhat loud in the beginning but quickly settles down. There is a moderate sent bubble for a little while for two maybe three hours but then the scent comes in closer after that. I must admit that I expected something more. this is nice, I don't know if it is worthy of a purchase however the incense does blend well with the iris and it is creating its own character separate from the other flankers. The shiny black and gold bottle is awesome. I give this 3.5 stars out of five.

Can't wait to try this, notes are like music to my ears :)
But people downvoting this already, and I see this "mystery" on so many new releases that it pisses me off.
Eventually people are full of hate or they didnt get to learn manners when they were young...no culture here :(

@JanneMan45- it's clearly a mistake because in Italian 'Donna' means woman and 'Uomo' means man, I'm pretty sure Fragrantica will correct this mistake in no time.

Little strange.........Uomo.........for Women