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Ageldingeno – :
Sandalwood bomb with incense. Nothing special. Meh ill keep it just because i have the others.
First impression: a drier, less sweet version of original uomo with a bit of pepper?
Ill give it a go today and update the review just to be fair.
Update:
By no means should it be related to the original uomo. Creamy sandalwood surrounded by a cloud of incense I do get hints of cinnamon. Scent seems kind of linear and stale. Not much complexity to this one. I think it still has some boldness factor about it but, not for me. Strictly cold weather scent. Could see myself using it sparingly in the winter.
Be easy on the trigger,
Performance is excellent.
Projected very well for 3+ hrs
Longevity lasted on clothes past day 1 easily
olha – :
Everyone advised me to try it. I tried it. Incense and black pepper go great. When it replaces cinnamon, it turns into a one million with less sweet scents. In a nutshell: I do not like it.
kangol – :
Bought a sample to try and to be honestxim totally torn between this being a masterpiece of a scent or nothing special whatsoever.
I guess a few more wearings may be needed to figure this one out
morevgv – :
This scent is unisex although marketed to men. I saw You tubers review it and blind bought it. On my skin it smells like pepper, incense, and sandalwood with no cinnamon. It lasts about 7 hours in cool 86 degree desert heat as a skin scent but first 2 hours projection was up to date feet. I’m glad I bought it and will wear it in fall/early winter only.
novotec – :
I’m not too familiar with the Valentino Uomo scents, having smelled the other three but not really having sampled them. Uomo Noir Absolu in particular seemed to be received very warmly, and I picked up a decant.
It’s as described, a masculine blend centered around iris, modified by sandalwood, incense, pepper, and cinnamon, quite spicy and woody throughout but the incense lends its resinous sweetness, which emerges as the iris fades.
The fragrance opens sharp, and dries down sweeter. Its performance is pretty strong throughout, with hours of projection and significant longevity beyond that.
I put it roughly in the same category as Bvglari Man in Black, a well-constructed masculine winter blend, not too sweet, not too edgy, a choice that’s likely to work for many, even some women, as it lacks an overly dirty side (i.e. leathery, animalic).
The retail pricing of $118 for 100ml feels a little high, but it seems to make the rounds on some grey market sites.
8 out of 10
alkazar – :
Very impressive and smooth. On my skin it reminds me of creamy butterscotch. Leaves a great scent cloud around you.
potrebitel12345 – :
Update:
Well…shit. <= you’re supposed to say that Negan-style.
“They” say first impressions matter and they’re absolutely right! I can totally see the Black Orchid vibe people are getting from this, however, the main theme here revolves around an incredibly potent (but smooth as silk) sandalwood-incense note which as cliché as it may sound, gives the scent a very “mysterious” profile.
If you love the scent of Black Orchid and you, like me, think that it’s way too feminine for a man to wear, you should definitely get your hands on this.
It’s considerably drier, simpler and very “incensy” – not in a Hail Mary kind of way, but in a Sandalwood Incense Sticks kind of way.
Cold weather only and be careful on the trigger.
Bravo Valentino, you’ve managed to redeem yourselves from the sub-par Dior Homme-esque releases in fancy-ass bottles you’ve been trying to sell to us mere mortals and this release totally deserves the satisfaction one would get when answering what they wear.
abnonenieme – :
Dries down to a sweet leathery almost chocolate Iris
le)(a – :
@hdwilson
Thanks for the fragrance net heads-up! Just ordered mine. The price for the tester is a steal. Will update as soon as I get it.
dosia – :
Guys, if you want a mature, sexy scent, try Uomo Noir. I promise you will receive unsolicited complements. I get Uomo Intense + incense. Yes, the infamous iris note is beautifully present.
As of 9/18/18, Fragrancenet.com has 3.4oz tester bottles for $52 after the 37% discount. That’s a steal!!
By the way, I don’t get the Euphoria Liquid Gold comparisons. Liquid Gold is a much smokier/dirtier sandalwood dominated fragrance.
ilshat2106 – :
This elegant fragrance is a combination of Uomo and Uomo Intense, with the addition of incense and cinnamon.
Other notes, not listed, but clearly present, are iris, and candle wax. The scent evokes memories of wandering through the local import store as a child…. seeing the rows of incense packets hanging on the walls and the boxes of colorful votive candles in neat rows. You reach into one marked “Sandalwood”, and bring the fragrant wax to your nose. This is what Noir Absolu smells like, but on a far richer and more refined scale.
The bottle is beautiful, although the half-cap seems to be more of an afterthought than an element of design. Sillage is moderate, but longevity is good. The fragrance can still be detected on skin up to 24 hours later. All in all, this is a fabulous fragrance that should be in any gourmand lover’s collection.
ALEX2327 – :
Having & loving Uomo Inense I took the blind buy risk & purchased this..found it on Fragrancenet for cheap right now with one of their specials! (took the risk there too) all the more positive then negative reviews peaked my interest & I really love that bottle & fact it’s hard to find made me have to have it (also getting colder here so it’ll make a nice new fall/winter smell). Like I said I love the intense, so hopefully this will be another love, will update with review later once it arrives & I test it out! 😀
Updte (9/25): Well it finally arrived today & it was legit! VUNA is beautifully blended sophistication & sex in a bottle. I’m so glad I took the risk of a blind buy. Agreed what you have here is Uomo Intense DNA with an added creamy sandalwood. However this is totally different enough to still make it it’s own unique scent & it find it to be more might I say slightly more comforting than the Intense. Yes the iconic iris powder lipstick note is still present even though it’s not listed I find in Noir Absolu the overall blend is surprisingly smoother I’m guessing from there being no leather & having that nice creamy sandalwood Noir Absolu agreed has a definite gourmand-ness to it (easily unisex), the more it dried down I got an almost spiced cookie vibe on my skin. Sillage is moderate but performance is beast..lasting through even a shower scrub..& the bottle is just even more stunning in person, this is the epitome of luxe quality, very happy the risk paid off & even happier of the steal I got it for & to have a bottle in my collection now. 😀
Side Note: I do get the comparisons to TF BOrchid (w/o the florals) it also reminds me a little of Noir extreme it’s like If BOrchid Extreme & Uomo Intense thruppled..lol also find this works best in small doses (3-4 max) & deff. a better in colder weather scent.
roman_25omsk – :
In addition to the massive growth of niche and exclusive perfumery it can be seen that another major current trend is the focus on creations aimed specifically at the Arab public. This is reflected both in the creation of limited editions for this audience and in the production of flankers with an Eastern footprint. Attentive to this trend, Valentino created for his recent success, Valentino Uomo, a flanker Noir Absolu, calling it a mysterious and eloquent woody oriental creation. And what is surprising is that the perfume really sells it very well.
One of the first surprises in Uomo Noir Absolu is that the perfume does not go by the most obvious route of Arabian aura, not resorting to patchouli, agarwood, or amber to create this mysterious aura. Instead the composition finds a harmony that wears the traditional gourmand iris with sandalwood, spices and incense, creating in fact a mysterious aura and a scent that speaks fluently Eastern harmony in a very elegant way.
From the way the perfume is built instead of the sandalwood behave like a base note it is already evident right off the opening. The sandalwood accord is very beautiful, sticking between the half-sweet, creamy woody scent of an Indian sandalwood and the driest smell of an Australian sandalwood. This woody scent eventually masks the powdery aspect of the iris and brings out its more earthy and vegetable side, which is complemented by a warm, slightly sweet cinnamon scent. Maybe because of the iris not being the protagonist it is not listed in the pyramid, however its scent is still present there. At first the scent seems to be linear in this harmony, though the scent of incense begins to grow on the skin and a sweet, incense and amber aura appears, something that suggests the use of myrrh or opoponax by a secondary nuance of dried fruits.
Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu creates the richness and mystery you would expect from a flanker Noir aimed at the target audience, but without falling into clichés. It is a beautiful perfume and my only criticism of it is the fact of its distribution, which makes it very difficult to purchase. But it’s worth the effort.
e_anisimov – :
After smelling this on a fellow employee. I had to get. Especially since it seems to be selling out.
mihail_ua – :
is sold out everywhere. was this a limited edition or what’s the deal?
Pamtetflita – :
So, I just got this in from Bloomingdales and I still smell iris although not listed, sandalwood and cinnamon. When I smelled it in the mall a year ago (fall 2017) I picked up alot of incense and pepper. Although I like the aroma, I am confused. I am wondering if the different temps have anything to do with that. I kept looking at the bottle like did they send me the right bottle? Either way I like what I smell but I was hoping for the incense to come thru a lil bit. Glad to have it, a full wearing is pending but it’s still going noticeable from 8pm til 4 this morning. For what you are paying for they could have put this in a box like the noire edition and not been so cheap about the overall presentation. Yes the bottle is nice but a better box is needed. I hope this one remains limited where as it won’t hit discounters. Glad to have this line up minus the Aqua. Recommended.
hoolio22 – :
I don’t usually write a review but this got me so much compliment and attention that i had to come here and recommend it to others. It has a very good projection
P.s: cold weather only
iot509InsuffBooni – :
It reminds me of Liquid Gold Euphoria Women Calvin Klein. The bottle is very impassive and rich I love it.
axolotolll – :
…A nice spin off the Uomo set!
Good wear especially for the cold!
Bottle is stunning..
Adeline389 – :
This is a fragrance I can appreciate and see the quality of it without actually being a super fan of it. I think I prefer uomo intense/dior parfum over this.. However, this one smells more refined than those two.
Its hard to explain the scent.. People get different things out of this. This has the iris kind of dna of uomo intense but its definitely different smelling. This one isn’t as sweet.. It reminds me of a toned down black orchid with the heavy florals removed and replaced with the uomo intense iris note. If you want a less feminine black orchid with a powdery iris instead of florals… this would be a good one.
Even though maybe I’m on the fence if the smell is for me… I gave this a love because I respect the quality and refinement of the scent. To me this is a perfect flanker. It maintains something from the original while going in a different direction enough to differentiate it. This is definitely a different smelling fragrances than Uomo intense.. yet its not like a completely different fragrance.. Whether you like the scent itself… People should at least respect what they were going for… This certainly would be my preferred alternative to black orchid.
Scent 4.5/5
My taste – 3.5/5
Performance – 3.5/5
gipersonic – :
Sorry for a third review but I took a two month break from this fragrance, smelled it again, and it is still one of the most revolting designer fragrances I have put my nose on.
schwr – :
This fragrance smells very good, and has very acceptable performance. It smells like Uomo Intense, but with an added warmth and incense undertone. The cinnamon doesn’t stand out, but you can tell its there by the warmth and depth within the iris notes during the top and mid. Dries down to kind of like an incense / amber / sandalwood. Definitely my favorite Valentino Uomo release, glad to own a bottle. I have no idea why this is rated so low.
ze_ka – :
When I sprayed it on my arm I was instantly reminded by Tom Ford Black Orchid that I find nauseating and wanted to wash it away but after an hour I was enchanted by its smell on my arm and I kept smelling every two minutes.
I bought a 100ml the next day and yes the opening reminded me of a better, more subtle Black Orchid that is really pleasant not sticky like BO.The middle notes & the dry down are the most amazing part of this amazing fragrance that instantly became one of my favourites.
This is the fragrance that I was the most complimented for to date.
oleshka_23.02 – :
It’s very pleasant ! in the depth you can smell warmth from cinnamon, there is a creaminess from sandalwood but I don’t get that much incense and especially not Gucci pour homme incense vibe. Maybe it’s a little bit balmy.
Overall new Valentino smells like cooked carrot BUT it’s nice, there is also some sweetness like in Dior homme 🙂 This is not dark scent, I think that Intense may be even darker than this 😀 If you compare it to Tom Ford Noir than his Noir is dark like s**t !!
denisbarganiurii – :
@FlaconCB nope i smelled it at Bloomingdale’s. Took it home in a sample and tried a day later. Still got carrot soup! First sample I’ve ever thrown away.
agx180Bessinepome – :
It just been released in UAE in Debriham.
It reminds me of CK ephuroa but less spicy and more smoky
wadw – :
Cant wait to try this version!! I own Valentino Uomo Intense & is one of my favorites!! In response to LMNOP, i dont know if you smelled a knock off Valentino Uomo Intense, but it smells nothing like carrot soup!!
BipFlotaFlath – :
I smelled this when Carlos of Brooklyn fragrance lover sprayed it on me to do a first impressions video on it…I really liked it at first but couldn’t shake two scents which smelled very similar to it…The start features a different take on the iris. Regardless of what the notes say there has to be iris in this also as It comes across like the waxy aspect of lipstick but not cosmetic bag, like what u would find in a lot of other compositions.
There were two scents that came to mind when smelling this. The first is Euphoria for men Liquid Gold by Calvin Klein. Liquid gold and Uomo Noir absolu have a very cinnamon, peppery, sweet, creaminess once the iris in the top tones down. In the drydown, 3-4 hours later, Uomo smelled like Stash by Sarah jessica Parker. This scent lasted on my skin for HOURS. At least 8-9 hours before I showered. And it was projecting during hour 6. A major factor in that I believe was that it ended up on the cuff of my sleeve after rubbing off my wrist during wearing it.
This is a very seductive scent and the scents that smell like it, while nice are very harsh in comparison. Uomo Noir absolu is smooth and very easy on the nose. It’s also blended much better than those scents which can be very overbearing. Noir Absolu would be a lot more comfortable on others around u while maintaining the seductive vibe the other two scents were striving for.
It would be the perfect winter fragrance and a great option for people who like dark warm scents for cold weather. This would be a great date scent a great night out fragrance but beware when wearing this to work. It maybe out of place in a work environment.
My first impression of this scent was very positive. I will refrain from rating this because I’ve only had one experience with it but I can say the experience was a good one. It’s a shame that it smells so similar to other fragrances which is a theme with the Uomo line from Valentino. But while the ‘Uomo’ line smells so much like popular fragrances, no one calls these scents clones. Regardless it can be argued that every scent in the Uomo line improved upon the scent it smells comparable to. That is a difficult thing to do.
I would give this scent the lady for sure…I’m not sure if I would buy a full bottle yet…I may try it out a little more and decide later. Having ‘Stash’ makes it redundant.
YouTube Channel- Simply Put Scents
juri0310 – :
I really do not understand the very low rating; 1.85 right now. This reminds me a lot of CK Euphoria Liquid Gold for Women. Yet that fragrance has a much higher rating and got many favorable reviews.
Maybe people were expecting something else?
This is pretty good. Sandalwood, cinnamon and pepper. Totally unisex. Totally perfect for this time of year.
Doyle – :
Dont let the notes fool you, all I get is a sandalwood bomb with a touch of cinnamon. Personally expected more spice and incense, as in any.
ВИКТУАР – :
I don’t know, but I am not convinced… especially for this price tag!
The initial smell has strong cinnamon, and I also detect a caramel note.
The fragrance doesn’t have enough incense as I was expecting.
To me, the projection was very little, I had to stick my nose to my hand.
элька – :
Sprayed it on my hand 7 hours ago and it is still easily detectable. Projected pretty well for the first two hours. Still have yet to wear it out, but I like it so far. Has the original DNA with an added spiciness and incense. Dries down to a nice sandalwood and cinnamon with a hint of smokiness.
nervy – :
I just smelled this in Bloomingdales this smells like all the other flankers with added incense is somewhat loud in the beginning but quickly settles down. There is a moderate sent bubble for a little while for two maybe three hours but then the scent comes in closer after that. I must admit that I expected something more. this is nice, I don’t know if it is worthy of a purchase however the incense does blend well with the iris and it is creating its own character separate from the other flankers. The shiny black and gold bottle is awesome. I give this 3.5 stars out of five.
valdemar007 – :
Can’t wait to try this, notes are like music to my ears 🙂
But people downvoting this already, and I see this “mystery” on so many new releases that it pisses me off.
Eventually people are full of hate or they didnt get to learn manners when they were young…no culture here 🙁
василий999 – :
@JanneMan45- it’s clearly a mistake because in Italian ‘Donna’ means woman and ‘Uomo’ means man, I’m pretty sure Fragrantica will correct this mistake in no time.