Encre Noire (2006)
by Lalique

Ummm … am I the only one who thinks this is predominantly Iso E Super? Vetiver + Iso E Super? I can't find an Eccentric Molecule sample right now for comparison, but I hope someone else will do a side-by-side and opine. As far as the “ink” association, I think it's more related to mimeograph ink than the haughtier ink well or Mont Blanc sort. Yes, EN smells good, and the name and bottle show marketing genius, but revolutionary? Certainly not. Now I'm wondering whether the forthcoming women's version will smell akin to CK Eternity.

This review is for the EdT formulation.

What an intriguing journey: from film noir black trench coat and fedora to black silk pyjamas.

Encre Noire undergoes the most striking transformation of any fragrance I have worn so far. It opens with a smoky and nutty vetiver that is most definitely tough and gritty. This film noir scent lasts for about ten minutes before the cypress wood arrives and changes the tone of the fragrance. The cypress wood brings a cool crispness to the fragrance, which balances nicely with the warm vetiver.

For the next couple of hours Encre Noire swings back and forth between warmth and coolness, and this movement keeps me sniffing my wrist. It’s almost like the tough guy in a film noir movie is agonising over a decision, and we get to smell him weighing up the situation.

Like all good things, this movement comes to an end. When the dry down arrives it is a surprise: the coolness from the cypress wood fades away; the vetiver becomes greener and softer; and soft woods and musk arrive. Encre Noire goes from brooding film noir to romantic black silk pyjamas in less than 20 minutes. The dry down is tender and elegant, and has a romantic, animalic air about it.

Longevity is good and sillage is low.

I didn’t expect Encre Noire to be as complex or interesting as it is. It is simultaneously an excellent vetiver fragrance and a yard stick by which the heights of the perfumer’s art can be measured. I am sure that I will always have a bottle on hand.

Guerlain’s Vetiver might have been the vetiver fragrance of note for the latter part of the 20th century, but Encre Noire is the vetiver fragrance for our time.

And just as an aside: Lalique have to be congratulated for the stylish bottle they designed to hold such good juice. The bottle has clean, substantial lines, and the wooden cap constantly catches my attention.

Sampling Encre Noir as we speak courtesy of AnthonyDG.

Quite a few glowing reviews below. Since I don't own vetiver-dominant frags, but do enjoy the note in symphony with mids or heartnotes especially, this is a generalized opinion on whether this simply smells good or not.

Well......it does. This is damp, earthy and has a dark aura to it. I relate "ink" to let's say Cartier's Declaration offering, but I can't say ( like the others) that this smells inky to me. This is much smoother than say Villoresi's take on vetiver, but what house wouldn't have a smoother take on vetiver?

I prefer Villoresi to Encre Noir, but if your tastes aren't as blunt and aggressive as mine seem to be, E.N. should satisfy your vetiver jones since it is a very good scent in its own right.

Sillage and longevity commendable for a designer. Good to go scent here.

What else is left for me to say about this phenomenal vetiver scent? Grassy and green one moment, dry and earthy the next. I'd pick ENCRE NOIR over Guerlain's Vetiver on any given day and twice on Sunday. I do not have the data but this could well have been a market share-grabbing release for the house of Lalique.

Lalique Encre Noire

When many of us start looking around Basenotes one of the first things we discover is the high level of esteem Guerlain Vetiver is held in. For many of us, I am sure, that Guerlain Vetiver is the first vetiver most of us try. From there it becomes a gateway to the number of great vetivers out there. In my estimation Givenchy Vetyver and Guerlain Vetiver were the alpha vetivers, at the beginning, as both came out in the late 50's early 60's. It took until the 21st century for the next evolution to really take place as there are two vetivers that really take those beginnings and move vetiver forward. Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire is one and the other is the 2006 creation by Nathalie Lorson, Lalique Encre Noire. Encre Noire takes vetiver and roughs it up by adding in some woody notes and more particularly a spicy underpinning that makes it a real "Noire" kind of scent. The top of Encre Noire comes in with the sharper edges of vetiver on display and it is balanced with a light wood of cypress and a hint of smokiness. As this develops the vetiver becomes more herbal in nature which adds some greenness to this and here the woods turn softer, in conjunction with the softening of the vetiver. There are also some spicy notes that become more prominent in the heart adding some complementary edginess to the woods and vetiver. The base eschews the woods and brings in a dark sensual musk to pair with the vetiver. This is where I really get the feeling of something happening in the middle of the night and in a good way. Encre Noire has average longevity on me and slightly below average sillage. It wears fairly close to my skin which makes it an ideal going out at night scent for me. If you're a fan of vetiver you have to try Encre Noire. If you're a fan of great perfumery you have to try Encre Noire. This is one of the best perfumes out there.

[Under Construction] - Original Review Under Revision - Currently Sampling