Oddly enough, the "black" flanker of Drakkar perseveres in an ever-changing market, while the original is now defunct, and has been for years. As ubiquitous as Cool Water, Drakkar Noir has, over the years, been reformulated into a lighter scent, no doubt to better conform with changing trends. The bittersweet citrus, rosemary, and lavender opening is still quite soapy and recognizable, but it rapidly dries into a darker juniper, patchouli, and oakmoss accord, with hints of fir. Very nicely blended, very masculine in temperament and movement, and very conservative by today's standards, although current 2020s bottles under L'Oréal seem to have regained some of the aggressive growl of Pierre Wargnye's original formula, so you might want to glance at batch codes with this one.
Drakkar Noir is the fougère that set the tone for fougères of the 1980s. Things had been chugging along with plentiful doses of earthy pines and spices for some time, but this one came to the party, plunked down its armloads of oakmoss and patchouli, yanked the curtains shut, beelined for the turntable, and cut off Blondie to play The Cure. Drakkar Noir was perfectly tuned into the zeitgeist of its era, and was a massive smash hit among folks of either sex. It was the essential '80s prowler scent. Straight men loved it. Gay women loved it. Everyone else? Not so much. Or at least, that's what I'm told. To me, it smells suburban, like the most expensive shaving cream you can buy at the drugstore, the one with rosemary instead of anise, and an excessive amount of dihydromyrcenol carrying everything on a metallic New Wave. Joel Goodsen goes to the barber.
These days it's associated more with business than pleasure. Times have changed, and the smoky and aggressive perfumes of yesteryear now conjure boardroom instead of bedroom. For a good time, we have other, newer toys, things like Sauvage EDP, YSL Y, and Armani Stronger With You Intensely. In other words, things Tom Cruise or Patrick Swayze would've never worn. For those who yearn for a manlier time, a time where coolness was serious and Wayfarer sunglasses were worn at night, Drakkar Noir is still on the market and selling well. While there aren't many straight women under 50 who would go for it nowadays, those who would are probably hot as hell.