Our take
What does Nuit Noor smell like?
Nuit Noor arrived in 2016 with Francis Kurkdjian as perfumer. The name plays night against light, since noor means light in Arabic. Elie Saab points to Beirut's lights at dusk. It opens peppery. Black pepper and a few spices add relief before the flowers arrive. The rose is honeyed and creamy. Madagascar ylang-ylang gives it a sunny, almost buttery glow. Then the base turns properly dark. Incense smokes gently and Indonesian patchouli brings earth, while a woody amber accord carries everything through to the morning. Elie Saab's Le Parfum leaned on orange blossom and honey. Nuit Noor is darker and more resinous. It feels closer to a Middle Eastern rose than to a couture floral. It now seems hard to find in stores. The amber accord in the base is what keeps it going through the night.
When to wear it
A winter evening perfume for big occasions. One or two sprays are enough since it lasts until the next day.
It belongs to the Floral, Oriental / Amber family. Nuit Noor is one of 11 creations by Elie Saab in our encyclopedia.
