Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
The orange opening Frédéric Malle Noir Epices is dark and dimly lit, as opposed to sparkling like a handful of glitter. Touched by the soft apricot notes, rose begins to unfold gently, wrapped in a foil of velvety green and herbal notes. The moment the orange sweetness is dimmed, the transition is akin to throwing open a door into an idealized vision of a souk, where spices are displayed in colorful mounds.
Created by Michel Roudnitska, the nose behind Parfums Delrae, Noir Epices (2000) appropriately evokes the spice market, as it was born out of a fragrance originally designed for Roudnitska’s olfactive ballet “Quintessence”. Combining dance performance and scent, “Quintessence” was based on the theme of five elements. The element of fire was illustrated with the fragrance that was inspired by the Spice Route imagery. Fiery “Route des Epices” became a starting point for Noir Epices.
Yet, spices in Noir Epice do not burn, but glow softly, their characters melding into a tapestry of radiance and warmth. The dryness of pepper flows into the sugared wood element of cinnamon, while the floral character of nutmeg reinforces the dark carnation aspect of clove. Interspersed with floral elements, the spice veil has a luminous, and yet austere feel, given the relative dryness of the composition. On a strip, it softens into a dry mélange of woods, ornamented with rosy touches, however on the skin, I also notice a floral element of carnation that is caught in the dark and earthy haze. A note of dry, warm sandalwood emerges much later.
Its oriental opulence is made more subtle by the lack of obviously sweet and vanillic notes, and the result is a dry elegant composition that would be closer to Caron Poivre than to Serge Lutens Arabie.
Editions de Parfums fragrances are available from Frédéric Malle boutiques, Barneys New York and Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums website.
Illustration: from art-et-parfum. Image M. ROUDNITSKA.