The original ‘Noir de Noir’ as included in Tom Ford’s original run of Private Blends didn’t initially speak to me. In that silence, however, was a promise to revisit its profile at a time in the future. At such moments, a promise is enough – when we’re not quite ready for something but we sense one day we might be. A similar shifting in taste and appreciation happened with ‘Carnal Flower’, and now that several more years have passed, I’m coming around to Ford’s ‘Noir Extreme’ thanks to a sampler that Betsy gifted me last year, and a full bottle that Andy gave me for this recent birthday.
The fragrance itself is a flanker of Ford’s mainstream ‘Noir’ offering – and while it’s listed as an Eau de Parfum, its staying power is more of a cologne, which makes it ideal for this late summer September moment, when the heat can still be quite on, and the days too much for an insistent parfum. It strikes the ideal balance at this time of the year.
Opening with a green citrus and spice kick, it quickly calms down to reveal a powdery amber second tier with some vanilla and wood. Aspects of cardamom, nutmeg and saffron lend it a hint of gourmand richness, while some minor white floral notes sound like the faint tinkling of bells in the distance. It seduces softly with some sandalwood completing its design, enveloping with a cloud of delicate beauty, something I appreciate even if it falls slightly short of a seriously potent Eau de parfum. As I mentioned, this isn’t the time of the year for that – not yet – and so this works perfectly. Timing can be everything when it comes to fragrance, and as we prepare to close out this Solid Gold summer, this fragrance gorgeously straddles the sun and the cooler nights, when darkness indicates mystery, and Noir whispers sweet secrets so quietly it might just be the wind.
