Noir Divin by Stendhal

I bought it blind and absolutely love the fragrance, although the performance leaves something to be desired. If you’re looking for realistic chocolate, nothing synthetic like Yes I Am Delicious, Noir Divin is a great commercial option (there are many more in niche). On my skin, it doesn’t evolve much; what I smell most is the cocoa, a light touch of spiced cinnamon and a shy rose in the background. I don’t detect the geranium. At first, it might smell of bergamot, but that fades within five minutes. What remains is a 65% dark chocolate: neither super bitter nor super sweet, with a powdery and elegant touch, almost vintage. Performance: it lasted 6-7 hours but was very faint, hard to detect. The trail is VERY soft, barely a whiff. I use it for the office in autumn-winter because others don’t notice it, ideal for quiet mornings. Perhaps my bottle is reformulated (mine is silver, the photo is gold), as the intensity isn’t what I’d expect for a night perfume. In summary: niche quality, decent skin longevity, but a disappointing trail. Unlike what is said about its similarity to Xerjoff’s Bouquet Ideale (which smells of spices and nutmeg), for me it’s simply bitter chocolate with soft cinnamon.

The STENDHAL brand, founded by Jeanne Piaubert in honour of the writer Stendhal, was born from the fusion of literature and high-end cosmetics. Chemical engineer Piaubert revolutionised the industry in the 1920s and led the brand for 80 years before joining the Bogart Group. Noir Divin draws its universe from ‘The Red and the Black’: a blend of black woods and velvety, sensual roses. The opening screams quality and exquisiteness. It is sweet, warm, enveloping, and amorous. Although the description says floral, I perceive it as very woody. It is unisex, in that line of high perfumery where gender doesn’t matter, similar to Valentino Uomo or Dior Homme. I would place it in the Oriental Gourmand family: addictive and delicious, far from current praline gourmands. It evolves to reveal a shy, discreet rose. I don’t smell the aniseed elemi, cedar, or geranium, but I do feel the magic of the woods, oriental balms and sweets: amber, patchouli, Peru balsam, and tonka bean. Deep, velvety woody notes. The dry-down recalls magical ointments in imperial palaces, in the style of Armani Privé or Annick Goutal. Excellent performance, high trail and longevity. It is a divine black for a night of masks and palaces.

Finally, I bought it and I have no regrets. The opening is black rose with chocolate: a dark, calm rose, nothing as loud as Lancôme’s, which stays in the background for about half an hour. Then it settles into an amber with tonka bean, which is wonderful. Whenever I wear it, people ask what I’m wearing. Aside from the initial rose, which isn’t really my thing, the rest is magnificent. I’ve worn it with Le Parfum by Lalique cream underneath, and the result is a sweeter, more vanilla amber that I adore. If I want the chocolate to last longer, I apply a flake of Tom Ford Black Orchid, let it dry, and then apply this perfume on top. You’ll be in the clouds. Le Parfum, Black Orchid, and Noir Divin combine for something spectacular.

I tried this perfume a few days ago and it is truly impressive. The opening is fresh and rosy; as I’m not a fan of roses, for a moment I thought it wasn’t for me. But while walking, the rose turned into chocolate with the rose in the background and a touch of tonka bean. The dry-down recalls Tom Ford Black Orchid and lasts for many hours. Without a doubt, it deserves a try.