Datura Noir

this flacon of perfume can easily have reached an age of 20++ years. it still contains 60%. I have always loved it and still do. but as my perfume collection grew into 280, some perfumes got lost a bit. the last days I experienced the same phenomenon I once had with Creeds Irisia and Jean Desprez Bal á Versailles. something got stuck in the nozzle. so out came a foul and what seemed, a 'turned' smell of perfume ingredients gone bad. now the Irisia nor Bal á Versailles stayed bad, and apparently Datura Noir goes the same good way. the Intrusive Hubrid, Putrid and Down To Earth 'Stench' metamorfosed by doggedly keeping spraying. then the 'Trombosis' gets loose and step by step the original perfume gets released. but these Initial Foul Spritzes facilitated the process as such, that the Veritable Character of this perfume eversomuch exposed itself almuch as Richly, Heavily Drapedly and Hysterically Dramatically. these are the Indoles, Scatoles and other Aroma Chemical Fleetingnesses which are liberated. it may not ALL be anyone's cup of tea but it is mine. I was thinking about the Datura, the Devil's Trumpet, from the Night Shade family. I fantasized it must have been Solanaceae derivatives 'dried up' in vitro. but no, now I realise the Datura must be a Fleur Muette, a Numb Flower which doesn't release her secrets so easily. so it must be recreated (deconstructed we could also say) with the help of other White Flowers. Tubereuse, Osmanthus, Heliotrope, Lemon Blossom, Vanilla. then I think the Myrrh, Almond, Musk and Tonka did a great job to hostage the nozzle of the flacon. it almost seemed like civet. and now I have the original perfume back where it even is better, more ripe, more insouciant and languourously intoxicative.

Enjoyable and lush only in moderation... attractive but inelegant.

Ho proprio la prima edizione del 2001. È un odore fruttato intenso e cremoso,la nota di mandorla amara ricorda l'hypnotic poiso n con quel tocco amaro e sulfureo. Le altre essenze non si distinguono singolarmente ma risultano lampi colorati in tinte pastello,rosa albicocca e lievemente arancio. Lo sfondo risultava piu blu notte e vellutato grazie allo storace,che nelle versioni successive non risulta presente. Ho sentito anche le formule del 2014 e seguenti ma sono decisamente diverse; sembrano sciroppo di orzata. Niente di oscuro ne stregato. La prima versione invece l'anima della strega cel'ha, seduce con la dolcezza e avvelena con l'amarognolo. Non mi ricorda l'odore dei fiori di datura ne della brugmansia.

Datura is a genus of the nightshade family with beautiful bell-shaped flowers of many varieties, but all contain the fun little alkaloid called atropine, which if not properly dosed can have the effect of making the heart race until it completely stops. It’s a dangerous flower, and that’s why it is venerated but also feared amongst ancient West and South Asian cultures that have cultivated them for centuries. The idea of effectively calling a perfume Black Nightshade implies that it will smell dangerous or alarming yet beautiful. It actually smells like Lutens and Sheldrake wanted to make tuberose edible. Oh Serge, how frequently you leave us scratching our heads. Hesperidic florals greet you, quickly stepping away to reveal tuberose and heliotrope, and that’s where Datura Noir stays for quite a long time. The tuberose has a slight green edge, but its clearest characteristics are the headiness, vanillics, and creaminess. Heliotrope, and likely other things, give Datura Noir plenty of unctuous and slightly metallic nuttiness. A mild coconut note overlaps both the tuberose and the heliotrope. The vanillics remain in the form of a tonka note that is center stage at the final skin scent, but, curiously, a sort of spicy green myrrh resin note appears that almost succeeds in steering the perfume away from gourmand, but not quite. It is when this myrrh note makes its presence known that some of the questions and pieces from before feel answered or having fallen into place. The myrrh also connects me back to the brief in a way that the rest of the notes do not: nightshade is venerated, and the myrrh feels like a spiritual blessing. I recall a time wearing Datura Noir at my local farmer’s market where a stranger told me I smelled delicious. Yes, delicious, not dangerous you’ll note. There are plenty of delicious tuberose vanillas out there, so why do I go with Datura Noir? Because of Christopher Sheldrake and his ability to make an accord whole and complete. Richness without being weighty, sweetness without being saccharine, cleverness without being pedantic. It certainly isn’t towards the top of the list of Lutens greats, but highly enjoyable nonetheless.

Gorgeous sexy creamy floral - but maybe could be interpreted as a little powdery and grandma-ish???? Don't get me wrong it's beautiful and I'd love it on someone else. You would be That Girl. Didn't like the opening but the dry down is 😍 one of the best tuberoses I've smelled The almond is very very subtle I understand the sunscreen comments, but to me it's more like sunscreen with some luxury lotion you stole out the hotel

Datura Noir instantly reminds me of that bright yellow Johnson’s baby shampoo, which is exactly why I enjoy it so much. I’m also in the “sunscreen vibe” camp. In short, this reads as sunshine + cleanliness + exotic to me. The truth is: it doesn’t carry the dark (or occasionally mischievous) Serge Lutens DNA at all. It may even be one of the least “SL” Serge Lutens scents I own. What I pick up beyond that overall vibe: a white-to-tropical floral impression, a touch of bitter almond, and a very faint coconut nuance. I don’t get the overwhelmingly almond-heavy effect some people report. The vanilla is light and airy. There are tiny fruity hints, but I wouldn’t call it a fruity fragrance. It’s the kind of scent that behaves differently on hair versus skin, and I suspect it polarizes from person to person. Regardless: incredibly uplifting and lovable. Tag(s): baby shampoo, sunscreen, uplifting, joyful,, tropical floral nuance, bitter almond, faint coconut, airy vanilla

Datura Noir, - a beautiful creamy floral, enveloping scent without actual datura present in the pyramid. Unbelievably beautiful and elegant scent with satin smooth composition, sensual and seductive. It opens with heliotrope and slightly boozy almond, quickly followed by tuberose and coconut luscious duet. You can feel the two notes waltzing together, merging into one, and this is where, I think, the notion of datura comes out from. There is also an occasional glimpse of apricot and mandarin orange here and there, adding some playfulness, but never distracting from the main note of the composition. They do prevent it from becoming linear or too cloying without a doubt. Projection is reasonable, not a beastly or loud one, but noticeable enough, which adds versatility and wearability to this fragrance. Sillage is lovely - next to perfect. The scent is very clear, despite its seemingly complex composition with the notes of myrrh, osmanthus and lemon blossom, playing the "second fiddle" in a restrained and dignified manner. One of the unique features of this fragrance is how the milky-sweet floral notes keep swapping places (or steps) with the fruity ones. This is a rare quality that is exhibited by the finest perfumes, in my opinion, and the one which brings in diversity and attention to itself and its wearer. Despite the "Noir" designation in the name, this perfume can be easily worn during the day, especially in Fall-Winter. During Spring-Summer tuberose and coconut can become unapologetically dominant and it is then when care should be taken with the application and places where the scent is to be worn. In colder periods the florals can feel almost crystal-like, so light and see-through, and most innocent. In summer - they acquire the satin silk-like density and though fluid and airy, can feel somewhat intense. Still, not many perfumes of this type have such a great versatility, as well as multifaceted and nuanced signature. It is one of my all time favourites and I cannot imagine not having it on my perfume table.

Datura noir is very cozy! I unfortunately decided to sell mine because for me it's too flowery. I do enjoy the almond note a lot (it softens the flowers a little bit). It's still too powdery and musky for me. I barely feel any coconut unfortunately. It's a sexy, non--unique female perfume but I prefer other tuberose versions ( Diptyque, Kilian's etc or Memo's Marfa). I just think other tuberose interpretations are even sexier or more unique.

Datura Noir is a winter cozy perfume for me. Very comforting with almond, heliotrope and musk. The coconut is muted but adds to the nutty flavor. I enjoy this in cooler much more than warm.

Very sexy, this is a perfume for hot nights on a tropical island, worn with a backless silk dress and nothing else.

I love most Serge Lutens and own a dozen of his fragrances which I've purchased from Aedes de Venustas in NYC. That said, Datura Noir smells like suntan lotion. It's a nice, expensive suntan lotion.

I sprayed this without reading the notes, straight away i was mesmerised by this earthy rice accord underneath the tuberose. I could smell some other floral underneath supporting the tuberose, but couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. Only after reading the notes, I realised it was the combination of coconut, almond and osmanthus that doing all that magic to the tuberose. Its floral, fresh, slightly lactonic and sweet without being overtly sweet. That coconut in there deserves a pay raise !! The blending in this scent is perfection...

Gosh this is gorgeous. I want to roll around in it, drink it, make a love potion with it. It has a certain texture to it, almost seamless, but I think maybe its the myrrh that breaks it up and adds a welcome respite from something that could otherwise be almost too creamy. This is not tuberose prominent as you might think. In fact that's the backdrop, tucked neatly behind a pretty smooth blend of almond, coconut, vanilla. Tonka woven throughout, I think it may be the backbone here. If the tuberose is the canvas to this painting, the Tonka is the frame. Its unusually fresh for such a blend, and while its sweet it treads that fine line beautifully. Its very big on initial spray, but it softens fairly quickly (unless Im just going nose blind lol). The longevity on this is moderate. It's reminds me a bit of Poudre D'Or but a bit bigger with a longer life span, and more coconut and almond. Not super natural but very easy to love. Fairly feminine, most seasons except maybe winter- and still doable then. Not a gourmand though it leans that way. Not a freshie but it leans that way too. Does it smell a bit like suntan lotion? Why yes it does. Do I adore it anyway? Absolutely.

Perfume is perception based on olfactory experiences. Some people "hear" this scent in loud decibels. For me, Datura Noir is liquidy cozy tuberose that flows around you like dry ice smoke. It is simple, yet comforting. At least for me.

A long-time favorite. I've loved this since it first came out. To me it smells like summer, lounging on the beach and splashing around with friends and loved ones. Reminds me of a popular shampoo back in the early 90s that I'm still trying to figure out the name of. The coconut is subtle, but really adds something. Even if you despise coconut notes, this will probably be safe for you as it's not the focus and so well-blended that you don't notice that's what it is unless you're looking for it. So lovely. Very wearable and approachable scent. I do understand the sentiment that it's not datura-heavy. It's not overtly floral, for sure so if that's your goal, you can look elsewhere and pass this by. That said, I think it's pretty divine and don't quite understand the Keiko Mecheri comparisons and her creations have always been painfully synthetic to my nose and borderline offensive - especially the formulations within the last 20 or so years. Less likely to offend those around you or cause an allergic reaction, (but personally I never advise SL for work or hospital-like settings due to the number of aromachemicals present). That said, this is fairly gentle that way and I always appreciate SL's gentle touch that way. Very few of SL creations seem to hit like a hammer that way and I have some fairly severe perfume allergies that do actually cause me to go into anaphylaxis! (Yes, I do appreciate the irony. . . 😂)

Datura Noir is mindblowingly vulgar. I’m not sure if it’s good vulgar or bad vulgar. It’s made with high-quality ingredients, for sure, but it’s an extremely powerful tuberose-coconut blend, which is kind of like “cream on cream” and “sweet on sweet”. Where Carnal Flower is a gauzy white tuberose with just a hint of golden coconut, Datura Noir is full-on sunscreen-lotion SEXY! BEACH! TIME! The intoxicating sweetness is so potent that I’m genuinely not sure whether it smells delicious or annoying. It’s the first perfume I’ve worn where I’ll be minding my business, focusing on other things, and I’ll actively be distracted by the smell wafting up from my wrists. It’s brazen. It’s the perfume equivalent of spray tans and boob jobs. It’s…actually kind of pretty, though, and it does have some complexity. The opening has some of the green, fresh aspect of tuberose – at first I wondered it was gardenia, before the full swoony sweetness unfolded. Later on, I got a whiff of bitter almond, and also some kind of dried-palm-frond-underbrush-like smell that I remember from Hawaii, that place high up on the beach that’s shaded by scrubby tropical trees where you might hang your hammock. And it’s a really nice blend of creamy coconut milk and golden-sweet apricot syrup – if you want a fragrance that’s both fruity and creamy without being too silly and literal in the “dessert” direction, this is a good example. For me, it’s really on the edge between “I’d find this fun to wear again as a pick-me-up” and “maybe this will be too annoying to the people around me.” And I don’t really have a SEXY! BEACH! TIME! lifestyle. But if I ever get invited to someone’s private island, I’ll consider picking up a sample.

Harsh opening scent. dies down a bit and disappears. maybe its my skin but sure isn't worth the price

Gorgeous. Very feminine. Narcotic. It does have a narcotic floral scent of datura yet it is constructed out of different ingredients. It is predominantly almond-coconut on a tuberose canvas. I feel also musk and tonka beans, lemon blossom and apricot. Maybe a drop of heliotrope and vanilla. It is a gentle cloud. Nothing harsh, nothing too obvious. Just beautiful. It feels universal weather-wise, day and night. A perfect signature. It is one of the prettiest Lutens scents yet far from generic. A classic beauty with wide appeal. If you want something special and to try niche this is a perfect choice.

A floral with an unexpected lightness, like moonlight filtering through a gauzy fabric woven from daylight. The tuberose here isn’t its usual heavy, intoxicating self. Rather, it floats, airy and almost weightless, softened by a veil of coconut that adds a dreamy, creamy texture without tipping into sunscreen territory. A touch of citrus flickers at the edges, but it’s more the bitter zest of the rind than the brightness of fresh juice, lending a subtle tartness that keeps the composition from becoming too languid. As it settles, a warm, vanillic powderiness unfurls, wrapping the florals in a soft, glowing haze. Evokes, weirdly yet appealingly, a lightly perfume-spritzed, crumbly almond shortbread cookie. It’s equal parts delicately sweet and gently mysterious, like a fleeting whisper of white floral lingering in creamy morning mist, refusing to be pinned down. Irresistible.

I do get a lot of almond with flowers. It’s also soapy. Sniffing up close, I get a bit of bitterness; so I like to smell this from a distance. This is my second Serge Lutens. I prefer Fils de Joie, which is gorgeous.

I want to love this so much but there is a squeaky shampoo note under the delicious coconut Tuberose that stays throughout the entire fragrance. I have a vintage 50ml that I paid a fair bit for. I think I should sell it. I also have Keiko Mecheri Datura Blanche which I prefer because it’s missing the note I don’t like but very close to this.

My experience of this fragrance was the opposite of what I expected, having read just the name. It doesn’t really smell of datura, nor is it “poisonous” in any way as datura is, even if that just means seductive, heavy, penetrating, occlusive, the kinds of qualities that get attributed to femme fatale fragrances. There’s tuberose in this, which can be all of those things, but this is a neutered tuberose. A friendly, light, sedate and easy to wear tuberose. As to Noir, no it’s more like Blanche. White thick coconut, blanched almonds, a solar fragrance of the classiest possible iteration. Instead of being dark and poisonous this is light, bright, pretty, innocent and easy to wear. It lasts 7-8 hours on skin and as it ages the whiteness takes on a purple tinge from heliotrope, which starts to edge out the tuberose. This is by far my favorite stage of this perfume.

Lutens fans and collectors, monitor fragrancenet . com!!! Sometimes they put up older bottles for sale (and you can easily recognize them by the images, which are accurate) with their usual cheap prices. I managed to snatch 2009 bottle for barely $50! Where did they even get this older beauty from? It's 15 years old, where has it been all this time?! I am beyond happy with this lucky find. Absolutely gorgeous chunky fleshy tuberose in coconut cream cloud. Oh, it is so, so good. I would need to wear it more to write a detailed review, but right now I am almost ashamed and feel like I committed a crime by buying it so dirt cheap. It is fighting for the spot of being my favorite tuberose fragrance after Tubereuse Criminelle (and Datura is much more wearable and suitable for daily use). For the first hour it is actually very strong and projecting. Then it quiets down, but not to the level of being a skin scent. Overall longevity on me is about 4 hours, which I consider quite good.

This fragrance is so comforting to me. 3 sprays on my chest and I'm getting wafts of creamy solar tuberose and slightly poisonous almond smell. A bit powdery and cool- the coconut comes out more in spring weather for me, and it's a coconut meat texture. Like Hypnotic Poison, Datura Noir has a slightly doughy vibe, but think of pastry dough coated in almond flour. Serge Lutens does gourmands in such interesting ways! I have the bottle with the old white label, and it has more floral touches and less coconut than the black label version. The older version gives me moderate projection and 8+ hours of longevity. I'm going to need a backup bottle 🤍🤍

Tuberose pillowed in creamy coconut marzipan. A twinge of bitter almond, a nod to the deadly nightshade. The vanilla here is gentle and powdery, really pleasant like the softness of a petal.

Generic Perfumes has a dupe for this that is a beautiful, well-blended oil - at last: a tropical tuberose that doesn't blast you out of your seat. If you can't get to Paris to shell out for the original, this might fill the creamy vanillic indolic hole in your heart

edit: wore this to bed, and was pretty turned off by how powdery it is. it reminds me of baby wipes too much to be sexy. I was really hoping for something that would replicate the experience of sticking my nose directly into an angel's trumpet dangling invitingly onto the sidewalk from some neighbor's yard in san francisco, without risking being caught on their ring camera. this doesn't smell like that, and doesn't smell like datura either, from what i gather. it's the first serge luten i've smelled, which i regret a bit because it seems like it's not typical of his style. it's very pleasant. it reminds me of alien, but is sweeter and rounder and significantly less abrasive (i like alien). it doesn't remind me of angel but it smells like something an angel would wear. it's thick but i don't think it'd be oppressive in heat.

It started with a very distinct lemon cleaning product scent, but i was glad it went away within 5 minutes. It then turns into a soapy, floral but sweet smell. It's somewhat creamy (probably the coconut which I can smell clearly) and I'm surprised there's no black liquorice at all it in, since I can smell it (or something very similar). To me it smells classy, light and feminine. I think it works best in warmer weather, since it's not heavy and it smells a bit like soap (that light, clean scent).

It's not discontinued- it's still available on the Serge Lutens website in the Bell Jar. I think it's just the 50ml spray that is discontinued.

beauty, beauty, beauty on paper and projecting from the strip. so bubbly and flirtatious and lightly sweet without being juvenile. this scent feels like she's dancing past me and laughing while i trail helplessly behind her. would imagine this in summer, but specifically a hot, DRY summer. it's a bit too rich for something humid. unfortunately, this really doesn't work on my skin :( something about the florals + coconut + tonka bean/heliotrope is giving it this really synthetic, powdery vibe. scent: great, but we're not meant to be :( maybe i'll try this another day. polarity: leans feminine longevity: moderate projection: strong!