Reviews of Encre Noire (2006)
by Lalique

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.

Vetiver is an amazing substance; there are a tremendous amount of fabulous fragrances with Vetiver in them. Let’s just take five that have Vetiver as their main element, Mugler Cologne, Guerlain Vetiver, Villoresi Vetiver, Eau Sauvage and of course Encre Noire. It’s amazing that with every one you’ll take a sniff and say “yep Vetiver” and yet they the spectrum in that group from light to dark is vast. Encre Noire falls near the end of the dark side of the spectrum, rugged but at the same time soft and smooth. For such a full bodied smell I find it amazing that it never becomes oppressive. In my mind its smell conjures the image of dark, gnarled and soggy wood akin to ‘bog oak’, accompanied with dense green Vetiver and a kind of bitter smokiness.

In the morning I look out the window and decide what to clothes to wear for the day. The clothes and weather then dictate my choice of fragrance. If the weather is overcast and cool I’ll plumb for Encre Noire. But it’s ultimately Encre Noire that dictates the clothes, generally black, in the same way that M7 makes me go for brown or Antaeus makes me go for purple.

I absolutely love Encre Noire, from the colour of the liquid, to the bottle, to it's all day dense aura, to the pure majesty of the smell.

Encre Noire is simply an excellent vetiver. Very appropriately named, Encre Noire starts dark and stays that way; the vetiver is black and earthy throughout. I don't mind the linearity, as the fragrance smells fantastic and conjures up some very vivid scent associations - to me, this smells just like the inside of an old, dimly lit, wooden church. Though it wears close to the skin, Encre Noire lasts all day on me, and the gorgeous bottle is an added bonus. Now, if Lalique would just release the eau de parfum at a reasonable price...

Wow, I came in with the notion that this would be a black scent as the name suggests. When I smelled it in the mall, I found the dark spices and I thought that it wasnt for me. When I got away from the commotion and into the car, I thought I had accidentally overridden the scent with another since I smelled so much vetiver in it (I sprayed around 9 other scents all over my arms). Now that I confirmed the fragrance by seeing the notes listed here, it smells very deep and intriguing. Can be had relatively cheap now as well.

A superb vetiver. Period.

In my experience, vetiver scents tend to fall into two broad categories: the crisp, suave variety, as in Guerlain Vetiver, and the pungent, uncompromising sort, as epitomized by Route de Vétiver. Encre Noire to some extent straddles the two groups. It is a bold, hard-hitting vetiver, but not in the earthy manner of Route du Vétiver or the sharp, dry style of Malle’s Vétiver Extraordinaire. Potent, dark, and yet transparent, Encre Noire is aptly named. It smells “moist” and rooty, but not dirty. Its vetiver is nutty, smoky, and pleasantly bitter, and it is balanced by the merest touch of sweet licorice or anise. In character it is perhaps closest to Givenchy’s reissued Vetyver, but Encre Noire is a bigger fragrance and distinctly less "polite."

Once it establishes its central vetiver accord, Encre Noire holds to a linear course, and with a heart that’s so well crafted I don’t object. While it is by no means a weak scent, Encre Noire does wear fairly close to the skin, and its sillage is not going to fill a room. The vetiver becomes woodier in the drydown, and is eventually joined by some warm musk and maybe a touch of labdanum before it drifts off altogether. On acquaintance I find Encre Noire to be a distinctive and successful take on vetiver that’s easily qualified to stand next to my favorites, which include Route du Vétiver, Givenchy Vetyver, and The Different Company’s Sel de Vétiver. If you’re fond of vetiver based fragrances, I think you owe it to yourself to give Encre Noire a try.

Vetiver at the start, vetiver at the end. I really can't add much to what's already been written, this is vetiver heaven...if you love vetiver. There are some very short lived top notes at the beginning, but they quickly make way for the complex vetiver note that will accompany the wearer for the next eight hours or so. Highly recommended! Did I mention you must love vetiver?

I think a good perfume is one you forget you wear after a while seeing that it blends with your skin’s chemistry, becoming one with you; kinda like the dark side of the force. This is the case with me with Lalique Encre Noire.
Vétiver is strong in this one (It’s the main theme- two vétivers bourbon and Haiti - no secret here) but unlike the 'soapy' ones or the 'green' ones on the market this one is ‘dark and smoky.’ I sense a medicinal aroma that I'm hard pressed to identify...Also I detect a trace of fruitiness at times. To say I have grown fond of it would do it injustice.
This is easily one of the most intriguing smells I've come across in a long, long time. The adjective that comes to my mind is 'Mysterious'. To better illustrate, and make my review more interesting and longer than necessary, allow me to cut and paste some synonyms for the word ‘mysterious’: abstruse, alchemistic, arcane, astrological, baffling, cabalistic, covert, cryptic, curious, dark, difficult, enigmatic, enigmatical, equivocal, esoteric, furtive, hidden, impenetrable, incomprehensible, inexplicable, inscrutable, insoluble, magical, mystical, mystifying, necromantic, obscure, occult, oracular, perplexing, puzzling, recondite, secretive, sphinxlike, spiritual, strange, subjective, symbolic, transcendental, uncanny, unfathomable, unknowable, unknown, unnatural, veiled, weird . Get it?
For me this isn’t a sexy perfume – It isn’t surrounded by an intrinsic field that has the sole property of attracting the opposite sex – No this one is more of a personal statement, the unapologetic kind, it’s definitely a presence fragrance. It's like saying: 'I am here and this is me; remember who I am!' Nope, not for everyone.
If you like it at first, chances are you’ll end up loving it. If you end up loving it you may never get enough of it. I like to think of this one as the Darth Vader of fragrances - at least the ones I've tried. ‘Beware of the dark side… If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny; consume you it will, as it did me.’
A bit pricey but one of the best out there!
On a lighter note, as the name suggests, I feel it’s perfect for the aspiring (if not to say the perspiring) writer.
5/5 stars

Imagine a log of wood- aged and dirty with green moss over it. Its summer now and the moss has parched up against the log.Empty a bottle of ink on this log and let it age in the harsh sun. A drop of water now falls onto this log- releasing the aroma of dirt, wood and ink. That begins to cover the idea of what EN feels like.

My nose detects this dirt note somewhere in the pyramid- reveals itself once in a while when I move around. Otherwise- its a pure zen of fragrance. Potent stuff too... a single spray lasts me a whole day.

Cold wet hazy mornings in portland OR - Casual dress and a spray of ER and am all set for the day.

Thank you lalique.

To all those who didnt buy my bottle of Encre Noire when I was selling it for $50 bucks, sucks to be you because this is a real gem (literally speaking, the bottle is, in itself worth a pretty penny). The vetiver in it is dry and haylike; as if the vetiver spent the summer wilting under the sun, and then someone brought it inside and as it moistened under the winter showers, developed a damp ink note, like a package of wet newspapers. But its a good wet, don't get me wrong. This is not the shaggy dog wet - it is wet of a white t-shirt at your local sororities car wash wet. Longevity is good, with around 12 hours of lasting power.

i've never been a fan of lalique frags.but this is just amazing.i was looking to replace lanvin vetiver,sadly discontinued,which had a smokey accord.encre noire is vetiver turned up full volume + the smokiness which i find appealling.the nearest i have found to be similar is carven vetiver,but it fades very quickly.encre noire could easily be a cocktail of jacomo eau cendree and guerlain vetiver original.either way,it is a frag. i would highly reccomend to all lovers of true vetiver based perfumes.

Smelling this and terre de hermes on each wrist they are very much alike, this is less harsh. With two types of vetiver and maybe some orange and greens thrown in it is very nice and complex.

i thought i was ready for this.... after reading all of the reviews i could get my hands on, after studying all of the dynamic nuances of various vetivers, after attending lamaze classes to learn the correct breathing techniques, i really thought i was ready for this... i wasn't... there is absolutely nothing in my advanced vocabulary to accurately depict this fragrance... some say that vetiver is vetiver is vetiver and they have their head shoved so far up their ass that they can taste their own throat... this is the earth turned inside out and smacked with liquid nitrogen... this is what it smells like at the event horizon of a black hole... this is the coldest, dryest, most intriguing thing i've ever had the opportunity to smell, and i haven't even decided yet if i have the intestinal fortitude to wear it... but i love it... thumbs up for absolutely changing my swollen paradigms of what a fragrance can be

Robin: Batman! I haven't seen you in days. Have you been in the Bat-Cave this whole time?
Batman: Of course I have, Boy Wonder, I've been smelling this entrancing scent that I found on my Bat-News.
Robin: Holy what-do-you-call this dark crusader?
Batman: Lalique Encre Noire, but keep it quiet, Robin, I don't want everyone to know about this marvelous aroma!
Robin: Holy Dynamic Nuclear Ink Blot, Dark Night, it smells like Gotham City after the Penguin, Joker, and the Riddler burned it to the ground!
Batman: Maybe so, Batboy, I could save the world with this Gothic fragrance!
Robin: Holy unbridled sexuality, Batman! I could seduce Catwoman with this and stay up all night with it's diabolical longevity! This will even make Bat-guano smell great!
Batman: Slow down Boy Wonder, even crime-fighters need their sleep.
Robin: Holy Grail, Batman, this is a very sexy incense-y smoke scent - makes me want to put on my spandex pants and take it out on the town for a ride!
Batman: Settle down, Boy Wonder, we have villains to go after. One whiff of this and...BAM, KAPOW, SOCK, CRASH!!
Robin: Holy Approval Rating! TWO Knight-Wings way up!
Batman: Robin! To the Bat-Mobile!
Robin: Uh...the flat. Remember?
Batman: Of course. Alas! Why wasn't I given the power of flight like Superman? For the love of kryptonite, even Wonder Woman can fly!

It is my favourite perfume. I love this vetyver scent...Superb.Thumbs up!

Randy! Am I just crazy about this scent. It is so rich, so ripe, so sexy! Most people commenting on Encre Noire emphasize vetiver, but to me this is just an entirely different animal from most vetivers (like Guerlain's), which I found highly powdery - the old-lady smell, truth be told. Encre Noire is an animal, period. Whenever I drop by my favorite perfumers' I give myself a spritz of this, and when my current dark & funky scent (Sables) runs out, it will be replaced by Encre Noire. There are many, many things here rudely bumping in the inky night. And it will last 'til morning.

Woody vetiver, vetiver, and some more vetiver with volume turned up a few notches. Similar to the vetiver used in Kenzo Air and sharper/less rounded than Malle's VE.

Both thumbs up! Mesmerizing is right! The best vetiver (or should I say two vetivers?) that do last and last! Love the fact there aren't any top notes in this guy. A powerhouse fragrance that takes you on a fragrance ride like never before, without the speeding ticket!

Not even nibbling Prozac from the crests of a Supermodel's buttocks would be as pleasurable as using this wonderful fragrance. Mesmerizing, melodic and divine, and surprisingly,all this from a designer fragrance, Simply stunning.

I thought Terre d'Hermes was my favorite perfume until I read here on Basenotes someone mentioned Encre Noire was a better version so with a big skepticism I decided to test it. Wow! They have in common the Vetiver note only and I am not sure if I can relate them in such a direct way but anyway Encre is more elegant and mature and is definitely my Number One from now on :) I still love Terre d'Hermes though. Everything else has been said, so I will save your time.

dry. industrial. cold. metallic. vetiver. this is like nothing else on the market. by far the dryest scent i own. the only competition to Encre Noire is FM Vetiver Extraordinaire-----however that stuff just smells cheap after a bit of EN. this is definitely NOT for everyone. this is NOT for the soft-vetiver fans. this is not for fans of Guerlain Original Vetiver....this is for fans of people who imagine the scent of industrial, authentic, and dynamic cascades. I get so many compliments on EN...more than any other scent i owned. definitely recommended!

A warm, woody vetiver that shares much in common (aside from the prominent vetiver note) with Thierry Mugler Cologne.

The wood notes become much more evident within the first ten minutes after application, then the "soft" portion of the drydown begins in earnest.

A bold yet never harsh interpretation of vetiver that every vetiver fan should at least try, if not own.

A modern vetiver masterpiece

In my opinion, the best take on vetiver since Malle’s Vétiver Extraordinaire. I’ll go as far as to place it in par with Guerlain's famous green juice of the sixties. However, unlike these esteemed predecessors, Encre Noire does not open with the harsh herbaceous green or a citric blast, in fact, the raw vigor of earthy/soil vetiver is so powerful that if there are any topnotes in this fragrance, they are immediately overwhelmed. The lack of traditional opening simply does not matter. For a vetiver addict like myself, one whiff at the rich aroma of so many vetivers (I detect more than just the two listed) all in one place is enough to keep me happy for the whole progression of the fragrance, which given its excellent longevity, means I am happy for a long time.

After the initial blast subsides, you start to really understand the concept behind Encre Noire, because while the basic vetiver note stays with you for the whole day, its faceted journey is just beginning. Here is my analogy: a classical symphony, it opens up with a powerful theme, then follows with variations of that theme throughout its course. First, come the dark and root-only vetivers, reminiscent of the middle in Malle’s Vétiver. These give the fragrance its name, and a gothic appeal which makes it perfect for the night out, but forget the nightclub, this is strictly ballroom material. After a three or four hours, the dark vetiver subsides, and a softer and sensual aroma emerges, think a richer version of Mugler’s Cologne or Creed’s Vetiver: perfect for the bedroom. This stage lasts for quite a while in my skin, but fades quickly from my clothes. What is left for the rest of duration is a wonderful soapy-musky drydown, think of the base in Guerlain’s Vetiver but without the sweaty tobacco. This last phase goes on and on until the next morning.

I don’t know the differences between Haitian or Bourbon vetiver, I have not plucked the grass or dug up these roots, so I can’t vouch for the specific notes, but I have done my best to describe what I smell in Encre Noire by reference to other vetiver fragrances which I own…but I do not think I do it justice.

I have also heard that L'Artisan Parfumeur's Vetiver is supposed to be just as rich and dark. Sadly I can't find a bottle or even a vial of that discontinued fragrance in order to compare. Even so, Encre Noire is truly a great fragrance and is becoming harder to find, so if you are a fan of vetiver or are just starting to appreciate this wonderful note, buy a bottle without any remorse.

I’m surprised at the intensity and rawness of the vetiver in a designer scent – seems like a niche scent. The makers of vetiver scents have to work hard to make me dislike a vetiver scent. Lalique didn’t put any effort at all into this one because I love it and I am speaking unconditional love here. The vetivers present a gruff and rustic face, but are not quite as mean and nasty as they could be: They are refined a bit, but enough of the rawness remains to suggest the proper degree of edginess while keeping the fragrance truly wearable. The vetiver interpretation turns a bit smoky toward the end, warming up the fragrance and adding intimacy to intrigue. I enjoy these two vetivers in Lalique Encre Noire immensely, and I enjoy the minimalism in the use of other notes – a clean, crisp cypress that echoes the cool and compelling vetiver of the opening and the musk in the base that reinforces the warmth of the Haitian vetiver. I have a hard time leaving off sniffing this one – it’s entrancing.

A fantastic vetiver based scent. Amazing woody drydown with a slightly inky feel. Dry and dark. It's actually quite relaxing to me. Vetiver is quickly becoming a favorite starting with Givenchy Vetiver, CdG MAN2 and now Encre Noir. A must try for vetiver fans.

If you like Le Labo's vetiver 46 and Gucci Pour Homme (I) then, this is somewhere between the two. Not as flat and cedar-y as the Gucci, not quite as complex as the Le Labo. But a very sexy incense-y smoky scent - makes me want to put on a Ralph Lauren Wool Fishermen's Sweater, plaid wool pants, Hermes boots, and walk in the fresh snow down a Parisian street at dusk in December.

Wore this when it was first launched and liked very much. Very nice soft wood/vetiver fragrance that lasts all day and improves in the drydown when the musk kicks in. Not for harsh vetiver lovers though. Bottle can be doubled for ink when finished also.

Removed by user.
Removed by user.

...the Vetiver is this is not the vetiver we are so used to...plus this scent is very damp, earthy, rustic, "WOODY"...and at the same time - dry...i liked the way Nthny described the vetiver in this one..i think he said, it smells like underwater vetivers...how apt, thts exactly how vetiver plucked from the base of a dense swamp in middle of africa would smell like IMHO. very unique and yes, a company needs to have guts to release a scent like this one.

Encre Noir was love at first whiff. Encre Noir opens up with that bit of "green" from the Hatian Vetiver but you soon notice the licorice yielding a dark, inky, metallic texture that adds depth and mystery to the composition. There is a slight suggestion of spice, but rather it is the earthiness of the Vetiver Bourbon that quickly fades and supports Encre Noir's complexity. The Musk and Cashmere Wood adds sophistication and "Manly" overtones. As a whole, this is indeed a dark, brooding, inky fragrance that has instantly won me over. It is complex, yet smooth. Dark while mysterious. It conjures up several scenarios to mind. A must in any serious wardrobe and a fragrance that can be worn for any occasion and season. Finally, a Lalique that I don't want to be without!

for me the most interesting fragrance for men at the moment!
beautiful composition - ink, powder, woods! a dream!
try it...
if you like writing with your 'mont blanc'-pen, you're going to love this one!

Not an easy scent –complex, spicy and woody, without the balance or sweetness that would make it all friendly.

It is fairly intense and strong, which is brilliantly mirrored in the name and bottle. Notice how most of the reviews here unconsciously reference the bottle: “dark” “inky” and “black” come up again and again. I would say this deserves a gold medal for the matching of name, scent, and bottle, as they all seem to reference each other and together the whole is more than the sum of the parts.


You have to be careful where you wear this one because it is bold and strong. It won’t be liked by everyone, but everyone will notice it. It lasts well, although the spiciness fades and it becomes pleasantly woody in the end. The drydown is pleasant, but the early notes of boldness and spicy complexity are what you will remember.

As another compliment to the bottle, I should add the spray on this one is remarkably good. It is easily controllable, so you can squirt just a little or a lot, important in a scent as bold as this one. It also sprays a very fine mist, which is great for even application. I wonder why other manufacturers spend so much on the bottle but then attach an unwieldy spray nozzle.

I will join the group that was surprised by the scent after hearing the name and seeing the bottle. My initial impression was "smoke!" then... "grass... no, vetiver??" then... "encre noire? vetiver??" But so it is... and it's a very intriguing vetiver at that. The vetiver note in it reminds me of stems left in water too long. There's something a little "passed" about it in that rounded, odd way that something "on its way out" smells. But there's also the most fascinating impression of vetiver plucked from the ground-- fresh wet earth dripping from the roots. So with Encre Noire we have an expectation of something dark, inky, brooding, dangerous, refined. And we receive vetiver, at first sharp with a wisp of smoke, then calm, wilting, slightly muddy. To my nose it is a portrate of vetiver in its most natural state.

I like it very much. The first time i tried the edp and it's quite better than the edt i finally bought (more deep and the drydown it's fantastic, very long lasting, complex and appealing for me). However for the first two hour i also like the edt very much. The first minute it's fresh and "green", and i instantly like it. But it's the drydown that i prefer. After a few minutes it changes and remainds me the smell of a burning forest of resinous fir-woods. After 30 minutes it mixes up, and it remainds me of the ashes. After one hour it's not too pronounced but people around you still get a clean, and for me it's ok (i dont like very strong and coarse scents)
For me it's also quite sexy in a tenebrous and dark way.

Lalique’s Encre Noir is not at all what I expected, yet I like it. The name (‘black ink’) prepared me for something dark, perhaps brooding. The high-class vetiver ingredients led me to anticipate a substantial grassy vetiver element. This is fresh and crisp, light and yet quite interesting, with very subdued vetiver. It has a pleasant green-floral opening. There is a slight earthy/black soil note. Rumor has it that blackberry is another ingredient, and I believe it. During the first half hour I could detect just a hint of blackberry, not sweet-fruity but slightly tart. Eventually, light wood notes emerge, which I suppose are the cashmere wood but which remind me of the birch in Cartier’s Declaration. The wood almost has a lemony citrus aspect which is really intriguing. The white musk reminds me very much of Mugler’s Cologne and I’d say that the two fragrances are similar, except EN is greener and crisper. This is a very good daytime/ workplace scent, and would be refreshing in warm weather.

It reminds me a big fire in a mediterranean wood under the rain.
Warm, spicy and dark. An intense, rather refined fragrance.

I've nabbed some samples of this last week. I'm a woman and I've tried it on myself. I really like it.

As others have said, it's dark yet soft. I found it elegant and subtle at the same time. My nose did not detect the ink so much, as I'm unfamiliar with ink smells. I smell mainly wood in the initial spray and as it dried down, it smells rather "earthy". It lasted a long time, about 8 hours on me.

I think it is a really very unusual scent, it would be something I would wear in fall/winter with my black cashmere turtleneck sweater.

I tried this one because the bottle impressed me with its simplicity. The contents hit me with a strange, artificial but captivating top note. It reminds me of the smell if an ink blot or a piece of wood that has been heated to the point of carbonisation by electric heat! Not exactly woody but something darker and dangerous. So I bought it right there... Later I realised that this top note fades easily leaving middle and basenotes almost identical to L' Eau par Kenzo, which I also use, not so sweet though. Overall I love it but wish the top note lingered...