I’ve been pretty open that I enjoy animalic scents in the context of “I like that hyraceum smells like gasoline-powered cat pee” mixed with however a perfumer chooses to blend it in their creations. Generally, I take animalic notes for what they are, and I focus on the unique olfactory experience they bring over the comprehensive experience of the fragrance.
Parfum De La Nuit No 1, however, is an entirely different beast. Seeing as this is going to be the first Roja Dove fragrance we’ve reviewed on this site, let me give you a quick rundown of the house. As far as the luxury fragrance industry goes, Roja Dove (both the perfumer and the house) stands near the top as a name synonymous with ultra-high-end scents. The New York Times has even gone so far as to call Dove the “master tailor” of scents, and American GQ has even declared him as ‘the greatest nose in the world’.
This British perfumer is so well-respected he was even appointed an ambassador for The GREAT Britain Campaign. Other luxury brands have collaborated with Roja Dove to provide scents for hotels and even cars; Rolls Royce, Laurent-Perrier, The Four Seasons, Fabergé, and The Macallan have all worked with him. As a house, Roja Parfums has introduced well over 100 fragrances to the market since 2005.
Needless to say, this house and the man behind it have been hyped to the moon. And since y’all know that John and I are contrarian by nature and typically skeptical of “hypebeasts”, well, I initially approached this scent with caution. Let’s take a look at the note breakdown.
Parfum De La Nuit No 1 Notes
Top: Bergamot
Heart: Guaiac wood, cloves, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, saffron, papyrus
Base: Labdanum, benzoin, tolu balsam, castoreum, civet, vanilla, styrax, Tonka bean
Yeah, this scent has some skank to it.
Verdict
Parfum De La Nuit No 1 is possibly the first fragrance ever in which I’ve been able to actually appreciate a dirty animalic note combined with an entirely rapturous scent experience. As I mentioned before, typically I enjoy animalics by honing in specifically on those notes, but usually enjoy less the scent as a whole.
Not so here. This is a wonderfully rich, decadent, vintage-smelling scent that actually lives up to the “vintage scents smelled magnetic and dirty and sensual” line that I’ve always heard about scents from the 1920s and 30s, but never fully quiet experienced until I smelled Parfum De La Nuit No 1.
It’s entirely hard to quantify, yet at the same time it’s impossible to put down. Something about this scent holds a primal attraction and entices you to keep taking just one more whiff.
Which is why it’s so disappointing that the price is utterly haram. Yes, this high-end luxury fragrance sits at the top of the luxury pyramid. But asking $1330 for a 100 mL bottle of smelly juice goes too far, even for someone who understands luxury pricing.
That said, you can get a reasonably priced smaller sample of this for $10.96 at Surrender to Chance. If you’re like me and love it but will never pay for a full bottle of it, pick up one of their decants for those “special occasion” moments that call for a deluxe fragrance. Just be aware that even decants of this perfume are very expensive.
Overall, this is definitely a scent to try and experience in your lifetime. Just stick with the sample, because this is one fragrance that’s too rich for my blood.
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The Fandomentals “Fragdomentals” team base our reviews off of fragrances that we have personally, independently sourced. Any reviews based off of house-provided materials will be explicitly stated.
