This category isn't that difficult. At least in my experience you can usually tell by the notes (not the note listing, but the notes you pick up with your own nose when sampling/testing) whether a niche fragrance is likely to get compliments. The key factor is to make sure it's not too abstruse or demanding. For example Montale fragrances probably don't have much of a reputation for drawing compliments, but much of this is perhaps down to the Montale scents which are popular. Namely the Aouds and exotic scents with a lot of depth.
Something like Sandflowers though is more than apt at drawing compliments.
Generally I find fresh-spicey, aquatic, citrus and green fragrances, vanillas, and the right sort of gourmands which still boast decent projection and longevity, assuming they work with your skin, draw the most compliments particularly when they're using headspace notes as these are very easy to appreciate. Darker fragrances are often less approachable, and many notes that appeal to fragrance lovers are polarizing in the extreme. Authentic notes of Oud, Tuberose, Rose, Immortelle, and Darker Vetivers for example will normally receive mixed responses. Animalics can have the same effect.
