Raiders of the Lost Scent: The unfinished articles: Part One (DRAKKAR NOIR)

In these short posts we'd like to present the latest unfinished articles, written in the years 2015 and 2016. We thought it was right to publish everything, even those notes that would become full-fledged articles. No changes have been made, the writings are in their raw state and therefore still incomplete.

Part One:

A tribute to Drakkar Noir, by Guy Laroche.

(last script: March, 2016)

Drakkar Noir, created in 1981 by Pierre Wargnye at IFF, launched the following year by Guy Laroche Parfums, was one of the most iconic perfumes of the 1980s.
Actually Drakkar Noir was a flanker of "Drakkar", launched in 1972; it was the first time a flanker had a much greater success than the original.
Drakkar Noir was one of the most famous scents of the 80s, for having begun the massive use of the chemical substance dihydromyrcenol in perfumes. Dihidromyrcenol smells like a "laundry detergent", and the success of this scent was overwhelming, backed in 1988 by Cool Water by Davidoff, built around the same molecule.
One of the little known aspects of this perfume is that it had many reformulations over the years, but the most famous and rare version was the first, and for a specific reason. When it was created in 1981, patchouli still was a predominant ingredient in perfumes. The second version (i.e. the first reformulation) created in 1989, almost completely removed the patchouli, considered too "1970s vibe", and left only a woody background.
In doing so, however, the scent was "distorted".
Only a "fresh, woody, clean scent" remained. When you compare the first version of Drakkar Noir with the following ones, the difference is enormous, especially in the "base notes" and drydown.
The first version of Drakkar Noir was really a *great* scent.
So, let's go in details:

DRAKKAR NOIR had
many different versions:

you can identify it searching the year,
written beside "Copyright Parfums Guy Laroche Paris"

Check the "Copyright" YEAR on the box!

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The most important and unique is
the First Version, labelled "year 1981".
All the others are more or less very similar to each other

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How to recognize the first version
from the following ones?
It is easy.

First version
(produced during years 1982-1989):

- "Textured" boxes with Drakkar logo, and:
- "Red&Brown frame" on the box, and:
- "Guy Laroche Paris", written in a single line on the front of box AND bottle.

Addresses:
"29, Rue du Faubourg St.Honorè" (between 1982-1986)
OR
"9, Avenue Matignon" (between 1986-1989)

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This is the original, first-formula

"Drakkar Noir"

Main clues: a "textured" box with Drakkar logo,
and a "Red&Brown frame" around the logo

"Guy Laroche Paris" written in a SINGLE line.

Box and bottle (front view)

Box and bottle (rear view)
with address "29 rue du Faubourg St. Honorè"

Batch code SC6F = year 1983
Copyright year 1981

Inside the box, with the textured logo

The "textured" box with Drakkar logo

(tester) batch UG2L = year 1987
(note the "new" address: "9, Avenue Matignon")

(tester) batch UH2K, year 1988

(note the "new" address: "9, Avenue Matignon")

Another first-version box, sold in Spain
view from the bottom side

Another first version bottle

First-version bottle EDT, sold in the USA

First-version EDT bottle sold in the USA

First Version After-Shave. sold in the USA

After-shave splash bottle

After-shave spray bottle

100ml Spray bottle

100ml spray bottle (back)

25ml natural spray

The 5ml/0.17oz. miniature.

First Version After-shave (Spanish)

First version EdT
address: 9, Avenue Matignon

Brochure

Giant Factice (30cm.)

Gift Set

Gift set, inside

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Parfums Guy Laroche batch codes:

you have to check the second letter, so

A= 1981 B=1982 C=1983

D=1984 E=1985 F=1986

etc.

for more details CLICK HERE

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Second version

(years 1989-1996)
Main clues:
-no "textured" boxes anymore
-the red&brown frame disappears.

-"Dotted" boxes;
- a grey-frame;
- The new bar-code on the box.
- during 1989-1991: "Guy Laroche/Paris" in a SINGLE line.
-during 1991-1996: "Guy Laroche/Paris" in TWO lines.

Addresses:
between 1989-1991: "9, avenue Matignon"
between 1991-1996 :"16, Place Vendome"

"Copyright Parfums Guy Laroche, Paris 1989" on the box.

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Two 2nd-version boxes ("Copyright 1989")
WTHOUT THE RED&BROWN FRAME ON THE BOX
years 1989-1991 (left, "Guy Laroche Paris" in a single line)
years 1991-1996 (right, "Guy Laroche Paris" in two lines)

Back of two second-version boxes ("Copyright 1989")
years 1989-1991 (left),
years 1991-1996 (right)

Bottom side with the new "DOTTED" BOXES
upper box: batch UJKD = year 1989
lower box: batch UL4M = year 1991
(note the new address "16, Place Vendome")