Néroli Outrenoir by Guerlain

For the price, I was doubtful, expecting the black tea to make me gag or sound odd. Spoiler: it doesn’t. It’s a lovely black-and-white scent, never dissonant. The neroli and black tea work well together. It reminds me of a sunroom seen from the inside, with the lights on. Elegant and unpretentious.

An exquisite and elegant perfume, just as Guerlain knows how to make it.

Simply wonderful, a work of art. The smoky black tea note is the star and utterly addictive. I’ve already converted it to a bottle. The price is exorbitant, but the scent is sublime and elegant.

I was gifted a decant and I must say, one word defines it: ELEGANT. It smells citrusy and neroli-like, yet with a tea base and a hint of smoke that gives it a darker edge. It reminds me of a luxury hotel where everything smells clean and refined. It’s a majestic fragrance; although I don’t think I’ll buy the bottle, it would be a worthwhile investment for its quality and longevity.

Arrived as a decant gift and straight to the point: Neroli Outrenoir is the best neroli I have ever tried, even though I usually don’t favour that note. Plus, it’s one of the finest tea scents I’ve encountered; it doesn’t envy brands like Floraiku or State of Mind. The opening maintains sweet citrus and white flowers that become dense thanks to the black tea. It evolves with a smoky nuance and a resinous base that makes it unique (myrrh is very prominent). Longevity and projection are impressive for a summer fragrance, though I think it works well in fresh weather too. Many might find it feminine due to the sweet nuances, but I see it as super unisex for casual or semi-formal occasions. Debatable whether the price is fair, but I believe it’s worth it for quality, originality, and performance. Note: 10/10.

Neroli at an exquisite level. It’s a fragrance of something highly crafted in perfumery: the neroli, with that warm orangey touch from the bitter orange that adds zest. The one that portrays that note best is Profumum Roma’s Neroli, respecting the nature of that citrus and welcoming scent, a ‘home’ fragrance. But Guerlain, with Outrenoir, takes a different path. A drier, earthier, more complex and elaborate neroli, sophisticated in sum. It’s the neroli dressed in design, with class and sobriety, adding infinite elegance. It reminds me of the lovely ‘Arancia di Sicilia’; although more familiar, they share something in common due to the contrast with other ingredients. As a neroli lover, this is a 10.

Opens with a fragrant and refreshing note of a fine neroli, nothing piercing, linked with tea leaves that add something herbal and green but measured and warm due to the union with the smoky, semi-woody, and damp scent of oakmoss, which blends deliciously with myrrh. Just there, the fragrance turns sweet, slightly balsamic, with a spicy touch and launches into a clean, translucent, and sweet musk, accompanied by vanilla. It’s not a complex or difficult composition, nor just another citrus. It’s a perfectly amalgamated fragrance, where the elegance of simplicity lies, the less is more. Timeless, usable in any climate, as its ensemble gives a sweet but sophisticated, fine, and classy trail that attracts the foreign nose with just four sprays, intensifying slowly. Needless to say, I want it with me always.