Description
It is a Paris night. Dark and sophisticated, it evokes late concerts in smoke filled rooms…sipping coffee and listening to jazz. Captivating and sensual, Cafe Noir fuses classical sensibilities with the flair of the artist.
*96% Botanical perfume.
* EdP / VdP sample vials are 1/2 filled; Perfume / Extrait mini roller sample vials are full.
**FYI: the Voile de Parfum format is created with natural source IPM. It is the only format that is ship-able for International orders as it is non-flammable by Dangerous Goods standards. EdP, which uses natural alcohol, is considered a Dangerous Good, due to it’s flammability and can not be shipped outside of the continental US.
amy43@comcast.net –
If you love Shalimar–you’ll love this. Spicy sweet, slightly intoxicating. It was my free sample thrown in! Lucky me thanks!!
ossipr@gmail.com (verified owner) –
Tried the solid perfume and certainly like the scent, but it seems to dissipate quickly, and I wish it was less sweet. I can’t tell if it’s made sweeter by whatever the solid material is (shea butter, maybe?), but it does seem like that comes through. I’d be open to trying one of the liquid scents to see if they were less sugary, but won’t get the solid again.
DSHPerfumes –
Thank you for this review! It is the beeswax in the solid formula that makes the scent seem sweeter. As the EdP and Extract/ Parfum are alcohol-based, they will feel less sweet and a bit more effervescent.
rebeccajott1@yahoo.com (verified owner) –
Beautiful! lovely perfume. Sexy!
truesark@yahoo.com (verified owner) –
Very nice cafe/coffee scent. Sexy day or night. Really nice to layer with singular scents like coffee absolute or Au Lait. But just lovely all on it’s own. Will buy again.
Arneblaze –
My nose immediately detects cinnamon and cedar, even though the latter does not seem to be part of the scent’s make up – I’m referring to the booklet that comes with The Passport To Paris collection. The coffee emerges slowly, still mixed with cinnamon.
It somehow smells like Christmas morning to me – not a bad thing. Olfactory memories have a life of their own.
A lovely, warm, gourmand.
trade_pip (verified owner) –
Received a sample of this today as part of my first order with DSH, thanks for the quick delivery.
I’m still new to frags as of the past nine months after stopping about ten years ago due to finding nothing that appealed to me, and having some health issues, etc. I’m a middle aged male, very open to unisex frags.
After re-exploring designers and disliking 95% of them since last summer, I discovered niche/indy, and really wanted frags that were as natural as possible. A trusted source referred me to DSH.
This is a really wonderful scent. It instantly reminded me of the old historical homes in my area (having been in many) and a spiced tea. There were powerful memory triggers, which is a joy that seems to happen most only with quality scents.
I am not even a spiced tea fan, but that does not mean the scent of a spiced tea can’t be wonderful, and this scent definitely is.
Just great, instant, positive and happy response to the scent, and no headache or sensitivity to it yet, I don’t expect there to be.
longworthpeter (verified owner) –
My wife smells like no other, super sexy.
landshark321 –
DSH Perfumes Café Noir seems to be one of Dawn’s best-known and highest-regarded perfumes and is one that’s been on my list to try for some time, as I love gourmands in general and coffee-rich scents in particular.
Café Noir comes off like a spicy, resinous coffee, spicier and more floral, frankly, than something I’d actually drink, but such a neat, nuanced expression of coffee. What a neat note listing, as well, with cinnamon and pimento giving way to jasmine, rose, labdanum, benzoin, coffee, tolu balsam, and vanilla. It’s creamy, sweet, though definitely more floral and spicy than creamy and sweet. It’s indulgent without being over-the-top, enjoyable without being too playful, dense and rich while not monstrous.
Overall, it’s a very satisfying, nuanced coffee fragrance and I’m a big fan. Performance-wise, it wears a bit more like an extrait, dense and oily but not as boastful of projection as sometimes EDP concentration fragrances are. And this is fine, as there are other coffee fragrances that explore the concept with different notes and loud projection (for example, Kerosene Follow and Sebastiane Espresso Royale) so I rather like what Dawn’s done with the concept in Café Noir and can see how it’s been so successful.
Café Noir is for sale at the DSH website as well as other boutiques like Tigerlily and American Perfumer. It runs $135 for a 30ml EDP and $245 for a 60ml Voile de Parfum (distilled in IPM rather than alcohol). As with virtually all of her fragrances, Dawn offers a variety of concentrations and beauty products, so there’s something for everyone’s preference.
I’d recommend this outstanding perfume to fans of coffee fragrances in particular who dig a somewhat spicy, slightly floral but still sweet/creamy/resinous take. I’m glad that it’s spicy but not too spicy.
Yvonne Roffel (verified owner) –
This perfume definitely has a vintage feel. The coffee note starts out strong but seems to dissipate within a half hour or so leaving a slightly powdery cinnamon and spice smell that lingers. I find it quite strong for a mostly natural perfume and the staying power is impressive as well. I don’t reach for this on a daily basis as I do find it somewhat assertive but its great on days like today when I’ve been up late ringing in the new year and need a pick me up to get me through the day:)
Rachel Schulman –
This is a dark, smoky, dirty coffee with some light amber in the base, rough in all the right ways but still transparent enough not to overwhelm. Gorgeous! Just wish it were a little stronger.
dt3304 (verified owner) –
Absolutely a favorite of mine, it’s my winter go-to comfort scent, if you like warm, spicy scents with you coffee, then this is for you!
MThompson –
I’ve tried other coffee fragrances in the past, but I like this one for its depth. It doesn’t just smell like I spilled a cup of coffee on my shirt (as often happens). Instead, there is a hint of spiciness, with a whiff of incense. I’ve been pairing this with Azucar Negro and it’s truly lovely.
anadevice –
Opens with fragrant spices and bright bergamot over dark roasted coffee. Rich balsamic amber and sweet frankincense join the dark brew, as soft woods warm the base. This is a smooth, complex blend with a sophisticated vibe, equal parts spiced coffee and glowing, golden resins.
Savannah Prokop –
Cafe Noir is a realistic spiced coffee scent. It’s very warm, cozy, and perfect for autumn and winter. It’s unisex, long-lasting, and easy to wear. As a coffee lover, you really can’t go wrong with this one!
Jonathan Gilligan (verified owner) –
This is one of my favorites for every day wear in cold months. I love the coffee scent and the spicy and floral notes that add complexity.
ash008 –
A powerful, dark coffee scent for coffee lovers. When this is first applied, it smells as if you’ve opened up a freshly ground cannister of the darkest coffee beans. I can pick up hints of the woods in the background, adding sophistication. It’s a heavy scent, good for fall and winter. As time passes, it almost gains a dark chocolate quality on my skin.
Lafeuillenoire (verified owner) –
The description, “it evokes late concerts in smoke filled rooms…sipping coffee and listening to jazz” feels apt to me. Café Noir has a clear note of black coffee, but it also evokes the feeling of a bohemian-era Parisian café or a small, dimly lit restaurant in the 1930’s with a singer on stage. There is some damask rose and other gentle florals to balance the darkness of coffee and richness of the vanilla, resins and spices. It smells like a vintage perfume and goes well with vintage clothing or as nighttime wear.
Marlen Harrison –
I do believe this was one of the first American artisan perfumes to explore coffee as a primary focus. Thirty years later and it has gained a cult following for a reason! This is no straight up cup of coffee or creamy cappuccino but rather a complex, spicy, rich composition with syrupy benzoin, tolu, and cinnamon-vanilla accents. Woody, spicy, dark, sweet, and aromatic!
Margaret Krigbaum –
This is a trip to a Paris jazz club at night in a bottle. While the coffee is clearly there as the other reviews mention, the tobacco and leather are also wonderfully present as well. Paris is a like a second home for me and when I am missing it, I just put on Cafe Noir and I am back in the Latin Quarter in the evening with a good glass of wine.