Ormonde Jayne describes this perfume as a "dark, spicy oriental", and it certainly is that. Definitely dark, almost moody, and, well, it's certainly spicy. And while I will say that this fragrance is beautifully crafted and elegantly balanced, it just doesn't suit me very well.

I was completely overwhelmed by the top notes, and not in a good way. The top notes are davana, pink pepper, coriander seed, and bergamot, but I can barely detect the bergamot, and the pink pepper is just barely noticible on my skin. Mostly I am overwhelmed by the coriander and davana, and my reaction to it is... phew. If I wasn't well familiar with the development of fragrances, I might have been tempted to go and wash it off, that's how overwhelming I found it.

Once the heart notes start to develop, though, the fragrance is much more pleasant on my skin and to my olfactory senses. Iris, sambac absolute, pimento berries, and bay are the middle notes of this fragrance, quite an unusual combination (something I do appreciate in any perfume). The first heart note I could really detect was, unsurprisingly, the iris, but the bay was actually quite interestingly notable, as well. I have to admit, I don't know what pimento berries smell like, so it's hard to say what effect they have on the blend, but I do admit that I find the heart of this fragrance intriguing, and certainly more pleasant than the overwhelming top notes.

I do like the base in this very much, and, happily, they last a good long while. The notes are incense, patchouli, myrrh, Chinese cedar, and gaiac. I'd actually love to get incense that smells like this. It's sufficiently mysterious and just spicy enough without being too over the top. Very well done.

Unfortunately, for me the perfume doesn't really work, and that makes me a little sad, because I'm always interested in a well-crafted perfume with a unique character. You definitely won't smell like everyone else if you're wearing Orris Noir! I certainly recommend giving this a test run if you're interested in a well-crafted, moody oriental.