The polarity of the composition is really surprising. One the one hand, it's fresh, with a really strong blast of szichuan pepper and citrus. On the other hand, it is also very dark and smoky. The smokiness is not quite as pronounced as fragrances like Encre Noire L'Extreme or Gucci Guilty Absolute, but it is nonetheless a dominant accord which may be off putting to some. The darker notes minimize the freshness, and the freshness tempers the darkness. I don't really get that dynamic in, say, Aramis, Antaeus, or Jacomo de Jacomo.
I also don't get animalic notes or moss. While there are floral notes, they're not really in the forefront either. What I get, instead, are leather, patchouli, smoke, spicy, and woody notes as the fragrance dries down.
The leather is buttery, smooth, and rich, yet also somewhat rugged. Think of the intoxicating smell of a pair of Gucci horsebit loafers, crossed with a worn out leather jacket which has spent years rested on the back of a chair in dive bars filled with cigarette smoke.
The wood is smells more like natural cedarwood oil (earthy, damp, kind of spicy, and resinous). It is not the clean, dry, and inoffensive pencil shavings of TdH.
Noir Anthracite also has that sharp texture I get from Tuscan Leather. Not an abrasive sharpness you get in some cheap or poorly composed fragrances. Rather, it's like note from TL which people say smells a, uh, really expensive stimulant.
Also, it might be worth noting, this smells NOTHING like Noir or Noir Extreme. Keep that in mind if you're expecting a powdery, chocolaty, creamy, or confectionery fragrance.
Performance is really good. It's not as excessive as some of Ford's other scents, but you'll get 8-10 hours out of it. It'll project for about an hour two before it sits close to the skin. It might not be as great a value as the other fragrances I mentioned; most of which are between 15-40 bucks for 3-4 ounces. However, I'm actually surprised this wasn't part of his private collection since it's quite daring and "nichelike" (I hate this term).
No comments:
Post a Comment