Dead of Night
Designed by Christophe Laudamiel in 2014 for serious niche perfume enthusiasts, Dead of Night centers around wild-harvested Borneo agarwood rather than synthetic wood accords. The scent target is not crowd-pleasing office wear, but rather intimate evening gatherings, cold autumn walks, and formal gallery openings where dark woods and heavy florals can breathe. The composition places earthy oud against indolic jasmine, velvet rose, and dry sandalwood, finishing with resinous amber and musk. While beginners may find the fermented opening startling, experienced wearers who value authentic artisanal materials will appreciate its lingering, skin-close warmth.
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Performance Metrics
1,141 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
Dead of Night delivers eight to ten hours of wear on skin, staying noticeable on fabric for well over twenty-four hours. Projection stays moderate within an arm's length for the first two hours before settling into an intimate scent bubble. It performs best in cold winter air below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, as warm weather amplifies the fermented animalic top notes to an uncomfortable degree.
Notes Pyramid
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Dead of Night is a dense, texture-shifting blend of dark woods and lush florals. It opens with an earthy, damp soil texture from raw Borneo agarwood, brightened briefly by ozonic violet leaf and bergamot. As the initial funk recedes, creamy tuberose and velvet rose soften the rough wooden edges, leading into a dry down of warm amber, sandalwood, and smoky incense that rests close to the skin.
Main Accords
10 MAPPEDThe dominant oud accord opens with a damp, barnyard twang before relaxing into a smooth, resinous wood. Meanwhile, the white floral and rose notes do not sit on top of the wood; instead, they slowly bloom through the agarwood smoke, cutting through the heavy amber and musk base. Over several hours, the ozonic green top note fades entirely, leaving a powdery, balsamic warmth on warm skin.
Community Data
1,099 TOTAL VOTESCOMMUNITY SENTIMENT
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When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in winter and spring.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Contains real sustainably harvested Borneo agarwood oil rather than synthetic accords
Delivers eight to ten hours of continuous longevity on skin
Develops a rich damask rose and tuberose heart after twenty minutes
Stays close to the skin for an intimate, non-offensive scent bubble
Performs exceptionally well in freezing autumn and winter weather
Unisex composition that balances rugged woods with soft florals
Dries down to a smooth, smoky sandalwood and bourbon vanilla base
Comes packaged with a custom 24 karat gold-plated cap
Offers niche collectors an authentic artisanal oud experience
Composed by renowned master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel
Layers effectively under lighter oriental fragrances to add woody depth
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Extremely expensive price tag per bottle
Opening spray features a strong fermented barnyard funk
Requires twenty to thirty minutes on skin to become wearable
Not a safe blind buy for casual perfume wearers
Becomes overly pungent and heavy in warm summer heat
Low projection after three hours may disappoint sillage seekers
Violet leaf top note creates an unusual ozonic sharp start
Redundant if you already own heavy artisanal rose-oud oils
May cause nose fatigue for people sensitive to raw animalic resins
Limited distribution makes finding physical sample counters difficult
Oil-based formulation can leave residue on light-colored fabrics
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“Strangelove NYC Dead of Night Review: Raw Borneo Oud Meets Velvet Rose”
Christophe Laudamiel does not hold back when the first mist of Dead of Night hits your skin. The opening is sharp, green, and unapologetically funky. Green violet leaf and crisp bergamot flash for a brief second before getting overwhelmed by raw, fermented Borneo agarwood. If you are used to synthetic commercial oud accords, this initial stage will shock you with its damp soil, leather, and barnyard character.
Give the fragrance twenty minutes to settle. As your skin temperature warms the natural oils, the aggressive top notes soften into a surprisingly refined floral heart. Velvet damask rose and cream-toned tuberose push through the agarwood smoke, while jasmine adds a subtle indolic warmth. The rose here is not sugary or powdery; it feels dark, wet, and deeply integrated into the resinous wood.
The accord structure behaves dynamically across a full day of wear. What starts as an ozonic, pungent wood gradually transforms into a smooth balsamic hum. Grounded by sandalwood, warm amber, and smoky incense, the dry down introduces a soft touch of bourbon vanilla and musk. The animalic edge never disappears completely, but it shifts from a sharp barnyard twang to a low, quiet skin scent.
In terms of performance, Dead of Night lasts eight to ten hours on clean skin, though it stays surprisingly tame in its projection. After two hours of moderate arm's length sillage, it draws inward, creating a quiet personal scent bubble. This muted projection works to its advantage during cold winter evenings, black-tie events, and late-night lounge gatherings where a louder perfume would feel suffocating.
This bottle is not built for beginners or anyone looking for a quick compliment in a crowded room. It requires an educated nose, a willingness to sit through a challenging opening, and a serious budget. Niche collectors who value authentic agarwood oil will admire Laudamiel's uncompromising blend, but casual buyers should approach with extreme caution.
If you are curious, sample this perfume on skin during a chilly evening before spending a single dollar on a full bottle.
FAQs
What does Strangelove NYC Dead of Night smell like?+
Dead of Night opens with a sharp, green burst of violet leaf and bergamot before immediately unmasking raw Borneo agarwood. The scent shifts from a damp, earthy barnyard opening into a rich heart of damask rose, jasmine, and tuberose, finishing with warm amber, sandalwood, and bourbon vanilla on skin.
How does the opening of Dead of Night differ from its dry down?+
The initial spray delivers a pungent, fermented agarwood twang combined with ozonic violet leaf that can feel aggressive for the first fifteen minutes. As it dries down over two hours, the harsh animalic edges smooth out into a creamy, smoky blend of rose, amber, and sandalwood.
How many hours does Dead of Night last on skin?+
Dead of Night lasts between eight and ten hours on clean skin, while lingering on wool coats and scarves for over twenty-four hours. Its oil-based formulation helps the heavy base notes of incense, musk, and vanilla cling low to pulse points without evaporating quickly.
Does Dead of Night have strong sillage and room-filling projection?+
No, Dead of Night projects moderately within arm's length for about two hours before pulling back into a close, intimate scent bubble. It does not create a loud trail, making its heavy agarwood and floral notes discreet enough for close-up evening settings.
What season and weather conditions suit Dead of Night best?+
Dead of Night belongs strictly in cold weather, excelling during freezing winter nights and chilly late autumn days below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Crisp air tames the strong fermented top notes, whereas summer heat amplifies the animalic oud to an overwhelming degree.
What occasions and dress codes work best for Dead of Night?+
Reserve Dead of Night for formal evening galas, dark cocktail lounges, art gallery openings, and intimate late-night dates. Its dense combination of dark rose and raw wood feels far too heavy for casual daytime errands, gym sessions, or conservative office spaces.
Is Dead of Night truly unisex or does it lean masculine or feminine?+
Dead of Night sits right in the middle of the unisex spectrum. The opening features rugged, earthy agarwood and smoky incense that appeal to masculine fragrance fans, while the middle heart of tuberose, jasmine, and damask rose adds a lush floral softness suited for women.
Who is the ideal target audience for Dead of Night?+
This fragrance is crafted specifically for experienced niche perfume collectors, oud enthusiasts, and lovers of artisanal ingredients. Beginners who are accustomed to fresh aquatic colognes or sweet designer scents will likely find the unrefined Borneo agarwood opening far too challenging.
Can Dead of Night be layered with other fragrances?+
Yes, Dead of Night layers remarkably well under lighter floral or sweet amber perfumes. Spraying a single dabbing of Dead of Night on skin and layering Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade on top creates a multi-dimensional wood profile with added sweetness and boosted projection.
How does Dead of Night compare to Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade?+
While Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade relies on a sweeter raspberry and leather accord with massive room-filling projection, Dead of Night uses genuine Borneo agarwood oil with an animalic funk that stays much closer to the skin. Ombre Nomade is bolder, whereas Dead of Night is deeper and more intimate.
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Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCOREIf you want a similar rose-oud pairing with sweeter fruit and bigger projection, look at Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade. For an even more intense Indian agarwood punch at a comparable price, Frédéric Malle The Night is the primary alternative, while Bortnikoff Oud Maximus 2020 offers a brighter floral contrast.
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