New Perfume Review: L’Artisan Parfumeur Noir Exquis + Coffee and Cigarettes Draw

 

paris cafe lovers cafleruebon

L’Artisan Parfumeur Noir Exquis and Paris Café collage (MC)

It’s always a pleasure to experience a L’Artisan Parfumeur perfume from Bertrand Duchaufour. He has signed three of my favourites from the line – Seville à l’aube, Vanille Absolument and Traversée du Bosphore and I am always looking forward to his work for this iconic brand. While travel is a theme for many of his  perfumes, for the latest installment of the L’Artisan Parfumeur collection, Duchaufour has crafted a perfume with a more intimate story centred in his home territory, France. For Noir Exquis, M. Duchaufour has been inspired by a rendez vous  in a Parisian patisserie. “Two people meet over a coffee, hushed looks are exchanged”. This romantic meeting is the beginning of a new story with Noir Exquis.”

coffee eiffel tower paris1

Digital collage Eiffel Tower and Café au lait-MC

I happen to be a coffee addict and I need my morning fix or my body and minds fails to connect. Usually I succumb to a second and later in the day a third. For me coffee has a bitter quality and l hasn’t learnt to love it in its unadorned state. I require a touch of creaminess with a drop of milk.   As someone who is living in France what would my morning coffee be without a sinfully rich pastry, diet be damned.

Noir Exquis is a sugar free, caffeine free way to enjoy my addictions guilt free.  The aroma of coffee swirls and is smoothed and sweetened with crème fraiche.  There is an intoxicating nutty quality that encourages my yearnings for a pain aux raisins, one of my favourite breakfast treats.

1Françoise Hardy drinking coffee

French Actress Françoise Hardy drinking coffee 1967

Often this gourmand style of perfume layers on the dried fruits and honey, but in Noir Exquis the texture is less dense. It’s suffused with an airy quality that releases warm puffs of deliciousness from my skin. Here the sweetness comes from a hint of orange blossom but also maple syrup that provides a sublime contrast to the darker coffee aroma. The coffee absolute in Noir Exquis is not dark or bitter. It’s a lighter, sweeter iteration that brushes my skin tenderly but with surprising tenacity.  The perfume winds down to a tonka infused vanilla centred by macassa wood. Wisps of smokiness and light spices round out Noir Exquis and a woody presence is always noticeable. The perfume’s character stays true from start to finish. There are some ebbs and flows as the dry down is softer in temperament but the cosy feeling I get from Noir Exquis remains unchanged.

chestnuts and winter sky2

Roasted Chestnuts and Winter Sky

Noir Exquis will be perfect for autumn and winter when I’m looking for some warmth and comfort to cocoon me from the cold and silvered skies. It’s a snug, smoothly blended perfume that is fairly simple in construction, but it’s one of those scents that I will end up reaching for on a regular basis. It reminds me of winter holiday time in my seaside town.

otis redding coffee and cigarettes

Otis Redding and Coffee & Cigarettes collage MC

Roasted chestnuts are sold along the waterfront and the sweet smells of churros and candy floss from the funfair saturate the air.  While the locals play boules (petanque) and the children are entertained, warmth is provided by vin chaud (mulled wine) and the smell of coffee permeates the air.  If I could only hear the mellifluous tones of Otis Redding wooing me with his  1966 classic Coffee and Cigarettes all would be right with the world.

Disclosure : Sample provided by L’Artisan Parfumeur Paris, opinions my own.

Megan Paki, Editor and Editor Megan In Sainte Maxime

Art Direction: Michelyn

Thanks to L’Artisan Parfumeur we have a 50 ml bottle of Noir Exquis for a registered reader worldwide.  You must do this or your comment  won’t count. To be eligible, please leave a comment with why you would like to win Noir Exquis, how you take your coffee, your favorite L’artisan Parfumeur perfume and where you live. Draw ends 9/18/2015

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

8 × = 32

68 comments

  • Wonderful review! I would very like to win Noir Exquis, because from the notes sounds really unique, and I love unique perfumes. I take my coffee like nobody else. Without water and sugar. Only hot milk and the coffee. I have never had a chance to try any of L’artisan Parfumeur perfume, but I read about it a lot, and I suppose, that those perfumes are fabulous. Thank you for the draw. I live in Europe.

  • Yummmmm! Coffee,syrup, delicious. Sounds like I need a bath in this as soon as possible. 🙂 I need any fragrance described as warm and comforting. I take my coffee any way. I am adaptable, and will never turn it down. If I had my preference, however, it would be with a bit of cream just to a lovely light brown. My favorite L’Artisan would be Tea for Two. I am in the US. Thanks for the draw.

  • Sounds like a delicious potion for fall! I take my coffee with milk, vanilla, and honey. My other L’Artisan favorite is Safran Troublant, but I look forward to all of their new offerings. In the US. Thanks for the draw!

  • Ceil Shissler says:

    I would love to win Noir excise because it sounds like just the kind of gourmand I love. I take my coffee with a small amount of cream or else black, and extra hot. My favorite L’Artisan perfume is Iris pallida! I live in the US (Ohio)

  • This sounds amazing. I’m intrigued at the orange blossom in this. I love my coffee with caramel, or, even better, salted caramel, and cream. It’s like drinking dessert! US resident. I don’t own any other L’artisan scents, but this would work beautifully for me! Thank you!

  • madeleine gallay says:

    Ah this could be my favorite review.

    “Two people meet over coffee, hushed looks are exchanged.”

    Everything that is romantic, smoking and coffee included.

    I’ve been there, smoking and drinking coffee and a mad romance, I want to remember it sans the cigarettes now.

    US. Magical.

  • One word, Bertrand Duchaufour is the reason I want to try this fragrance please. His creations work on my skin. Plus this has coffee in it. I like my coffee smooth with a little vanilla creamer or sweet cream in it. Looking forward to experiencing this fragrance. L’Artisan fragrances are lovely and very office friendly.

  • Hi! Already have liked your site 🙂 I would love to win this because I am a huge Duchaufour fan (just got his Seville and am marinating in it). I love coffee but unfortunately cannot drink it (caffeine issues) so this would be the perfect substitute 🙂

  • Speaking as a coffee (well, latte) fiend and a lover of gourmand scents, Noir Exquis sounds fabulous. I’m not only intrigued by the chestnut and maple notes, but am inspired to play around with some coffee recipes now. Personally, I take my coffee with lots of milk and sugar, but I’m always open to the addition of syrups, spices, and seasoning. My favorite L’Artisan Parfumeur scent is Tea for Two, which sounds like it might appeal to the same type of audience as Noir Exquis. I’m in the U.S. Thank you for the opportunity!

  • As an espresso bar owner, I have long been on the look out for the perfect ciffee/cafe scent. When I first heard about NE this summer, I knew right away it might be the one for me. Chestnut note? Hell yeah. My favorite L’A perfume is Tea For Two (Of course), my coffee is a Dopio Macchiato and I live in the USA. Thanks!

  • I like gourmand scents that are lighter and love the thought of a coffee scent with orange blossom and immortelle. I take my coffee in a large conveyance with cream or milk. I’m in the U.S. and my favorite L’Artisan is Bois Farine.

  • Bertrand Duchaufour is one of my favorite creators. That’s a pretty good reason to want the Noir Exquis. I don’t drink cofffee, hope that’s not a disqualification. However coffee does smell great. My favorite of the L’Artisan Parfumeur line is Dzing!. 🙂 USup8w2

  • A perfume that is inspired by two people meeting for a coffee at a French patisserie and smells like a coffee is a scent I want to win and sniff. Just a few minutes before reading this review I was actually making coffee and I love the aroma. Noir Exquis must smell amazing, especially because it does not smell just like coffee but it is also a gourmand.

    “-How do you take your coffee?
    -I take my coffee seriously!”

    Joke aside, I take my coffee cold, half milk and half coffee , no sugar.

    I am a registered reader from the EU.

    Thank you very much! Wish you all the best!

  • Sorry for the double post, but I had to add that my favorite L’artisan Parfumeur is Premier Figuir!

    Have a great day! 😀

  • I would love to win this scent just for the idea of ““Two people meet over a coffee, hushed looks are exchanged” in a bottle. I personally take my coffee in someone’s cup, but I love the rich smell. So many too love, but D’Humeur Jalouse – it was my first introduction to the brand or La Chasse Aux Papillons. I am from the US (Florida)

  • This perfume is right down my alley. All my fav notes.
    I take my coffee with just cream. My Fav L’artisan is patchouli patch and I am in Ontario Canada. 🙂

  • The notes in Noir Exquis are ticking several boxes in my ‘favourite notes’ category, making this a must try, if not FBW. I take my coffee black; either espresso or drip. My favourite LAP scents are Nuit de Tubereuse and Seville à l’aube. I live in Singapore.

  • I love the idea of an airy gourmand with coffee notes – usually I find gourmands a bit heavy and hard to bear, but this sounds great! I love the smell of coffee, but I’m no connoisseur – my favorite is probably DD iced coffee with cream and sugar, which I can drink by the gallon full (which isn’t good for sleep). My favorite L’Artisan scents are Mure et Musc and Seville a l’aube. Thanks for the draw, I’m in the US!

  • I would love to try a fall perfume featuring a coffee note and maple syrup note! I own 2 L’Artisans and their style really fits me (my favorite is Dzongkha, but I also love L’Eau, though I don’t yet own it). This sounds beautiful. I drink my coffee black, or sometimes with cream. Thank you so much! USA.

  • WOW – I love gourmands, especially as we head towards cooler temperatures. This sounds A-MAY-ZING!!! I have never had the pleasure of sampling any of this line, so no favorite, sadly. Would love to change that! Live in the Big Apple (NYC), USA. Thank you!

  • L’Artisan has explored gourmand themes before such as in Mechant Loup but this is the first time it is exploring Coffee and under the guide of Duchaufour, thus, i am clearly intrigued. I must admit I drink milk but not coffee or tea even though there is almost no one that i know of who either doesnt drink coffee or milk. but despite not drinking them, i love aroma of both tea and coffee and have fragrances on both themes in my collection. My favorite L’Artisan is Tea for Two. thanks so much for the draw. I am in the US

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    A gorgeous review and it sounds like a gorgeous scent! I’m interested in winning this draw because a smoky, tonka-ish, coffee scent that is still somewhat diffuse and airy sounds lovely. I usually take it black (no tonka and sugar…). My favorite L’Artisan, speaking of airy yet oriental, is Tea for Two. Thanks so much for this draw. I live in the US

  • Lovely review and thank you for the giveaway! I would love to win a bottle of Noir Exquis as I love coffee notes in perfume and Bertrand Duchaufour is one of my favorite noses. I take my coffee with lots of cream and sometimes a pinch of cinnamon. My favorite L’Artisan Parfumeur perfume is Traversée du Bosphore. I live in the United States. Thanks again!

  • I don’t think Bertrand Duchaufour can make a less then great perfume (ok the vagabond prince excepted).
    Chestnuts sound interesting and although I usually AAM not a fan of gourmand perfumes I love Bond New Haarlem.
    Today I had a Starbucks red velvet cake creme frappacino blended grande. Awesome
    My favorite would be Timbuktu and Dzing
    Usa reader

  • I cannot resist any coffee fragrance and Noir Exquis sounds amazing plus Bertrand Duchaufour is brilliant! I take my coffee with a touch of milk and sometimes as cappuccino or hazelnut latte on a special occasion. My favorite L’artisan is probably L’ete en Douce =) I live in Taiwan and would really really love to win this one…

  • I take my coffee black or with soy milk (being lactose-intolerant). I am curious about coffee fragrances, and how did you know I had been thinking about the smell of roasting chestnuts just yesterday? My favorite L’artisan is Safran Troublant, and I am in the US. Thank you!

  • Great review Megan! This scent looks really nice! Seems like it’s got everything I adore! I love my coffee with brown sugar and milk.
    I live in the USA and my favorite L’Artisan is Tea for two.
    Thanks!

  • I’m not a gourmand scents lover, but I can’t resist to the smell of coffee.
    One of my favorites perfumes by l’Artisan is l’Eau du Navigateur, their first interpretation of coffee note, I love it! So I am very curious to try this new creation, for more I adore M. Duchaufour works, Timbuktu in first.
    How has to be my perfect cup of coffee? An espresso with a drop of milk.
    I am in EU.
    Thanks!

  • Thanks for the review! This one sounds absolutely gorgeous especially the maple syrup accord.! I love Traversee du Bosphore.

    A black italian roast coffee with a hint of nutmeg.

    Thanks for the draw! US registered reader

  • A new L’Artisan perfume is always reason to celebrate! I’ve been drinking skim lattes with an extra shot of espresso lately….or, if I’m using a French press, I’ll add some milk and a bit of sugar. My favorite L’Artisan (this week) is L’ete en Douce. I live in the US. Thanks for the draw!

  • I love Bertrand Duchafor’s work and always want to try a new L’Artisan, Seville l’Aube and Traversee du Bosphore are two of my favorites, also. Morning coffee is a necessity in my household, I like it black and strong. Later in the day I need some cream to soften the occasional afternoon cup. Great review, thanks for the opportunity, I’m in the US.

  • The orange blossom, maple syrup along with the coffee note can make this a very unique fragrance. Timbuktu is a one of my favorites from L`Artisan. Also, Traversee du Bosphore. I only drink coffee with real cream. US.

  • L’Artisan is perhaps my all-time favorite house so I am always excited for their new creations – especially those of Betrand Duchaufour. I’m thrilled to have the chance to enter this draw!
    I take my coffee with either a splash of milk or a spoonful of sugar (but never both – I’m not sure why!), depending on my mood. I’ve just been told I need to limit my caffeine intake, so this fragrance would allow to enjoy the pleasure of coffee without any of the negative effects!
    My favourites from the L’Artisan line (because it’s hard to pick just one) are Dzing!, Skin on Skin and Tea for Two.
    I’m in the US – thanks!

  • I would like to win Noir Exquise because it has some of my favorite notes maple syrup and coffee, my favorite L’Artisan Perfume is Piment Brulant and I live in Brooklyn NY, U.S.

  • Jennifer Witt says:

    Noir Exquis would be wonderful to win as it sounds like the perfect scent for the fall to winter transition. I take my coffee with a good dollop of cream plus 2 sugar, or however my husband wants to make it for me. He’s a genius at sneaking different things in that are delicious and surprising. It’s hard to pick a favorite L’artisan, but I guess I would go with Mure et Musc. I live in the U.S.

  • I would like to win Noir Exquis as I love coffee dominant gourmands and one by the great Bertrand Duchafour would be amazing!

    I take my many daily cups of coffee light and sweet.

    My favorite L’Artisan is Traversee du Bosphore and I live in the US (The beautiful Garden State, New Jersey)!

  • Ooh! Sounds great!! I take my (only Italian or French dark roast) coffee with cream. I fave of L’Artisan’s is Passage d’Enfer. This house is the one that was my entry point to niche perfumery and I have a soft spot for them, especially after visiting the very friendly shop they had on the Upper East Side of NY which is sadly no longer there. In the US.

  • Ha! This is so important to me I have to leave another comment (just in case L’Artisan folks are reading)! My favorite is actually Safran Soublant! Why is it important? I don’t want them to discontinue it!!!

  • A fragrant way to travel to a French cafe! At home I take my coffee with honey and a little milk, in the fall I add cinnamon nutmeg and real maple syrup. In a cafe I like a very dry cappuccino. My favorite L’Artisan perfume is Jour de Fete, but I love most of the line. I am in the U.S.

  • I like my coffee as I like my men, hot, sweet and strong with a big personality andNoir Exquis would seem to fit the bill. Lol. I live in the UK and Premier Figuier would be a favourite fragrance! Thanks.

  • I love a good coffee scent and Bertrand’s Traversee de Bosphore is my favorite of the line (although I have many). I would absolutely love to add this one to my collection!

  • Marianne Miller says:

    I like my coffee with cream – but usually a combination of non-dairy powdered and liquid. I love coffee scents with a bit of sweetness, and when I read “winter holiday time in my seaside town”, I think my heart actually skipped a beat! 🙂 My favorite L’Artisan so far I think, is Tea For Two.

  • This Sounds wonderful. I drink only double espressos, black, no sugar, but full of coffein. from L’Artisan Parfumeur I have : Caligna, Jatamansi, Tea for Two, Mandarine. I would like to have this perfume because I am searching for a Long Time a coffee scent and I think this would fit me very well. I became mother and right now my Money has to be spent for everything else but no perfumes. On the other Hand I NEED a new scent for the upcoming dark part of the year 😉 I live in Vienna, Austria.

  • What a beautiful review Megan, you’re seaside trip in winter I can completely envisage, and almost smell, which is partly why I’m so curious about Noir Exquis. I say partly only because anything with a huge coffee note will always have me excited, and this one sounds just amazing.
    I’m a black coffee drinker, double espresso with some (not too much) added hot water. I love my coffee and am very serious about it. Mornings without coffee need not apply! So far my favourite L’artisan is Saffran Troublant because it has another of my favourite notes; saffron, and funnily enough, this one reminds *me* very much of Scandinavian Christmasses where we bake lovely Lussekatte, buns with butter, sugar and saffron. The now discontinued Vanillia is another favourite, I suppose I’ just a fan of how L’Artisan does gourmand; subtle and comforting.
    I’m in Denmark

  • I’ve been hoping to find a great coffee perfume. I can’t drink it, but I love the smell–like tobacco, I think for me it is best experienced these days through perfume. It’s tough to pick one favorite L’Artisan scent, but I think Traversée du Bosphore just edges out Vanille Absolument. I’m in the U.S.

  • Bertrand Duchaufour is the first reason I want to try this perfume and secondly because I adore coffee and I can’t live without its taste and aroma. I prefer black coffee with a drop of milk and a resins croissant to accompany it. I usually drink up to three cups per day since its the amount of caffeine that keeps me alive and kicking the whole day. My favourite perfume from L’Artisan Perfumer is Mure et Musk.
    I am a registered reader living in EU and I thank you for this lovely draw.

  • I love coffee in all its’ forms: in chocolate, as a drink and in perfumes, therefore a coffee scent from the master Bertrand Duchaufour is something to look forward to. Given the notes and the nose behind this perfume, Noir Exquis would be a great add to anyone’s fall and winter wardrobe. My favourite from L’Artisan is Vanilla and my coffee is always black, simple and strong because I want to feel better its’ taste.
    I live in EU. Thanks for the draw!

  • I really haven’t been this excited about a new fragrance launch in quite a while: I love coffee, I love Duchaufour, and I love L’Artisan in general. If forced to pick a favorite L’Artisan, I’d probably say Mure et Musc, but I own and love so many others. (Please, PLEASE bring back Joyful Rire, L’Artisan!) I drink my coffee with milk, no sugar, and I’m not truly conscious in the morning until I’ve had at least one cup. I’m in the US. Thanks!

  • I would very much like to win Noir Exquis as its notes are really really interesting to me. I can feel the warmth oozing from the page with the descriptions and I know that there’s an attraction happening here. These elements can seem too easy but they’re not, they need skill to manipulate and bring out the best in each one, create the partnerships and make them shine, really work- sounds like that has been achieved! Awesome!
    I don’t have a favorite L’Artisan, but I have enjoyed sampling the few I have. I am registered. I am international NZ.

  • What a delicious review, pun intended! I love coffee, and I love that the reviews are turning toward fall-like perfumes. Maybe our weather will take note and follow! I love the smell of coffee and can’t wait to see how L’artisan handles it. They can be counted on to have a deft touch. I also love the illustrations for this review; it makes me think I can already smell it. IF I am making my coffee I take it black. If someone else with a machine is doing it, I enjoy cappucino. And I em especially thrilled with my local place who makes a kitty head of foam. It makes it 10X more delicious. My favorite L’Artisan is La Chasse au Papillions for summer and and Poivre Piquant for Winter (which may have been discontinued?). Thanks for the intro to this wonderful sounding perfume. USA

  • Would love to add this to my collection of L’artisan. I like my pumpkin spice latte, made with stevia. My favorite from this house is the original tea for two. I’m in the U.S. Thanks for the draw!

  • Great review! I really enjoy my coffee, even more so now I live in a place where it is hard to buy quality beans. The review was so evocative, I am dying to try this! My favourite scent from this house is Timbuktu of which I have a few mls left. I take my coffee Turkish style. Every morning i grind my beans in a vintage brass grinder bought too many years ago in Istanbul. I live in Harbin in North Eastern China and i am the luckiest man alive because my family back in Ireland send me four bags of artisanal coffee every two months! The best coffee in Heilongjiang! Thanks for the chance to win this!

  • I love a good gourmand …. can’t wait to smell the coffee in this perfume, the maple syrup (i’m Canadian after all) the vanilla and tonka bean all this good stuff in one just sound my cup of coffee. LOL
    My coffee I like it ”alonger” with minimum acidity. two tea spoon of sugar and almond milk …. I spend a lot of money for a good espresso machine to have that every morning 😉
    As for the best L’artisan parfumeur perfume I think I have a tie between Ambre extreme, Traversee du Bosphore and Nuit de Tubereuse

  • I’d love to win Noir Exquis because it sounds so gorgeous, I love the smell of coffee, and L’Artisan is one of my favorite houses. I like my coffee strong and with a dash of cinnamon and cream. My favorite L’Artisan is Traversee du Bosphore. I’m in the US.

  • I would love to win this one because I am a huge fan of gourmand notes and being a coffee addict I am sure I will find it intoxicating. I prefer my coffee with creme but no sugar and my current favorite L’Artisan is La Chasse de Papillons. I am in the U.S.

  • If you listed peoples favourite scents, it would probably be fresh baked bread, freshly brewed coffee and shops selling leather.

    I’m still looking for my perfect coffee scent. Not sure I’ve found the other two either, but I’ve definitely come closer than with coffee. I live in hope, Bertrand.

  • Forgot to add:
    Australia
    Strong, and only just white (a tablespoon of milk, maybe…)
    Havane Vanille/Vanille Absolument, Tea for Two, Dzongkha, Dzing, Navegar

  • I really like the warm and toasty qualities of this fragrance. It is the perfect scent for those cold days. I’m actually not a coffee drinker, but I do like them in fragrances. My favorite from the house would be Skin On Skin. Masterpiece in a bottle!

    I’m in Canada.

  • I would like to wn Noir Exquis because it seems a non swwt gourmand and I like my coffee always without sugar or milk 🙂 AND with dark 90% chocolate.
    My favourite artisan ara Passage d’enfer, Figuier Extreme and La chasse aux papillons. I live in EU.

  • I’m one of those people who don’t drink coffee, but love the smell. Especially with vanilla! 🙂 I also love smoky fragrances and I don’t even smoke. Ha. 🙂
    I own a lot of L’Artisans, but my favorite is the very first one I acquired, La Chasse Aux Papillons (I guess the first love IS the deepest :)).
    I’m in Canada. Thanks for the draw!

  • I would like to win Noir Exquis because I’m looking for a great coffee scent. I have tried a few, but I think L’Artisan did a great job with this one and it might be the best I’ve tried. I like my coffee black and very strong. I need something to wake me up in the morning. My favorite from this house at the moment is Tea For Two. I’m in Canada and thanks for the draw!

  • I love fragrances blended by Bertrand! His touch is remarkable and delightful! I do not own any coffee fragrances and have wanted to add this note to my collection. I Love coffee. Period. Hot or cold black or with cream, always with a touch of sweet.! My favorite L’Artisan is Seville a l’Aube, and I live in Albuquerque NM. USA. Thank you!

  • My favorite L’artisans are Saffran Troublant and Tea for Two, so I would love to try Noir Exquis! I like gourmand, creamy, warm, spicy, smoky, deep scents and L’Artisan always manages ‘heavy’ seeming notes with airy bright transparency: “in Noir Exquis the texture is less dense. It’s suffused with an airy quality that releases warm puffs of deliciousness from my skin”

    Coffee isn’t a daily thing for me, but usually I like it with cream/milk and good enough quality that it doesn’t need sugar or flavorings to be palatable. DD iced with c/s is a favorite.

    I’m in the US thank you

  • L’Artisan is a house I really like. They bring out very high quality fragrances and this one sounds divine. I’m not a coffee drinker at all but I do enjoy them in scents. I’m interested in how this one would fare on my skin. My favorite from the house would be Tea For Two. Canada

  • I would love to win this bottle. I adore gourmand fragrances. I am new to the world of “niche” fragrance, after discovering The Perfume House in Portland OR. I drink my coffee (Community Coffee from Baton Rouge only) black. I live in the pacific northwest where a “cozy” fragrance would be much loved. My favorite by L’Artisan is Tea for Two.