Shiseido Nombre Noir Eau de Parfum (left) and Noir Extrait (photo Courtesy of Fragrance Vault© for this review)

 “PERFUME IS A FORM OF WRITING, AN INK, A CHOICE MADE IN THE FIRST PERSON, THE DOT ON THE I, A WEAPON, A COURTEOUS GESTURE, PART OF THE INSTANT, A CONSEQUENCE.” ~ Serge Lutens

I find it intimidating whenever I undertake to review an exceptionally rare and costly discontinued/vintage fragrance – and Shiseido Nombre Noir certainly crowns this category. There are goodness-knows-how-many knowledgeable people who have already done so (some have written page upon page about it) in detail. Another factor is the condition of the vintage itself: most often, it is undetermined how well the jus has been stored, and how happily (or unhappily) it has aged. Has it lost its luster? The closest that one may reliably come to the heart of the matter would entail a visit to the Osmothèque in Versailles: one might find the original and/or a masterly reconstruction which would prove enlightening. When I visited the Osmothèque a few years ago, it had not occurred to me to inquire after Shiseido Nombre Noir at the time. I wish, in retrospect, that I had. I was, however – extremely fortunate recently to receive a sample of the extrait for review (as well as the eau de parfum), thanks to the largesse of Jana Menard, the owner of Fragrance Vault – and my review is based upon these samples.

 Serge Lutens (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY / AFP) via Getty Images)

Shiseido Nombre Noir has been made much of for a multitude of reasons. It was the first fragrance that Serge Lutens collaborated upon for the famous Japanese house; it was the only perfume which Jean-Yves Leroy (a French perfumer living in Japan at the time) ever composed (after which he disappeared and is thought to have committed suicide); the perfume was released in 1982, although some sources write otherwise. Several esteemed critics have claimed it to be one of the finest perfumes ever created So you see, the legend is enshrouded in mystery and some degree of speculation.

Shiseido Nombre Noir ad via Wiki

There are solid reasons why this beautiful fragrance was short-lived. For one, the inclusion of a sizable proportion of beta damascones (chemical compounds from the rose ketone family redolent of plum, blackcurrant, tobacco, and rose)) meant that Nombre Noir was particularly sensitive to light, oxidation, and possibly photo-sensitized upon the skin; the osmanthus employed in its formula was very expensive. The packaging was another issue: Shiseido Nombre Noir’s original origami presentation was fastidious and expensive to produce for a mass market, and the gorgeous sculptural flacons were known to leak. I can’t speak to the veracity of the urban legend which says that Shiseido actually steamrolled a great many bottles because of their epic disappointment – but that, too, adds to Nombre Noir’s ongoing aura of fascination.

 

 

Shiseido Nombre Noir Extrait photo Courtesy of The Fragrance Vault for this article©

 As I apply a few choice drops of both EDP and extrait, I am painfully aware that what I experience is ephemeral and will not endure for very long. The initial impression is a lavish dose of brilliant aldehydes, crystalline, chilly, and light-infused. What follows is powdery in extreme – so if one isn’t predisposed to the cosmetic aspect of certain perfumes, it might not appeal to your taste. Rose is queen, with osmanthus as consort – but they are not alone in this scented boudoir. Coriander and marjoram season the mélange, which reminds me somewhat of 1973’s popular Coriandre by Jean Couturier – but less ebullient and vocal, if you will. Coriandre was very much a signature scent for many women in the 70s and reflects a confident presence which characterized a number of fragrances of the era. Both perfumes share a large amount of aromatic components, but Shiseido Nombre Noir doesn’t present itself quite as stridently as Coriandre. Nonetheless, this short-lived Shiseido seems to have a steely spine underpinning all of its beautiful florals (rose, osmanthus, geranium, carnation, ylang-ylang, muguet, orris and jasmine): rosewood (palisander) and sandalwood stand resolutely, partnered with a seductive scintilla of honey; vetiver, musk, and amber pave the path towards a chypric drydown, gentled by benzoin and tonka. Soft and steely? I believe so; a touch of soapiness accompanies the sophisticated powdery effect – but never to the point where Nombre Noir ceases to be a perfume easily worn by any gender. It is the sadly-maligned damascones which impart a berried lusciousness, whispers of tobacco tendrils, and dried fruit; the apricot leather of osmanthus feels both dry and juicy, suede-like in its appeal.

I am exceeding thankful to have had the opportunity to sample Nombre Noir, and am doing my best to reserve the samples which were gifted me, to make it last as long as I can. It is not a perfume which is within my means to pursue. If I owned a bottle I would wear it happily, as it suits me and is pleasingly and disturbingly complex, woody, leathery, floral. I am not equal to the task of pronouncing whether or not is amongst the finest fragrances ever composed and wouldn’t presume to do so – but I feel a deep gratitude and sense of awe in its presence. For me, that is enough.

Notes: aldehydes, rosewood, coriander, marjoram, bergamot, Damask rose, osmanthus, carnation, geranium, orris, jasmine, lily of the valley, ylang-ylang, honey, vetiver, sandalwood, musk, amber, benzoin, tonka bean 

 Samples generously provided by  Fragrance Vault – many thanks! My nose is my own

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

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