Anyone else think that Timbuktu and Encre Noir are similar?

**Bigsly** · 10th April 2009, 04:04 AM

I sampled EN today and Timbuktu a while back, so I may be totally wrong here (plus, these are not my favorite kinds of frags, so I don't have much experience with them).

**Buzzlepuff** · 10th April 2009, 11:52 AM

There might be some speck of commonality where these two intersect, but it is a stretch to connect these two. Both do have wood and vetiver notes I guess, but they are used so differently. Encre Noir is dark and dry whereas Timbuktu is lively and radiating. Timbuktu is a mango floral incense that just radiates sparkling vibes through the drydown which is a radiating incense patchouli wood. Encre Noir on the other hand is an inky Haitian vetiver + Bourbon vetiver that just the opposite of Timbuktu, absorbs all the light from the room into its somberness. To me they are almost opposites. Both do have vetiver in their formula but the vetiver in Timbuktu gets blended with patchouli for and is almost unnoticeable, whereas the vetiver in Encre Noir blends with Cashmeran and stays very much the center of attention - very dark and dry.

**nycmd** · 10th April 2009, 02:04 PM

Yes! I can't claim to have the experience that others do, but I was wondering the same thing. I recently got Encre Noire. After several wears I was convinced that it had something in common with Timbuktu (even if they are very different overall). The best way I can describe it is that they have this sharp, vaguely urine like note.

**DustB** · 10th April 2009, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by Buzzlepuff

There might be some speck of commonality where these two intersect, but it is a stretch to connect these two. Both do have wood and vetiver notes I guess, but they are used so differently. Encre Noir is dark and dry whereas Timbuktu is lively and radiating. Timbuktu is a mango floral incense that just radiates sparkling vibes through the drydown which is a radiating incense patchouli wood. Encre Noir on the other hand is an inky Haitian vetiver + Bourbon vetiver that just the opposite of Timbuktu, absorbs all the light from the room into its somberness. To me they are almost opposites. Both do have vetiver in their formula but the vetiver in Timbuktu gets blended with patchouli for and is almost unnoticeable, whereas the vetiver in Encre Noir blends with Cashmeran and stays very much the center of attention - very dark and dry.

Wow, Buzzlepuff nails it for me.

I too see the speck of commonality, but agree strongly that they really can't be connected as directly similar. They give me a similar feeling--whatever that means--but as smells I really think they're different. Encre Noir is very clearly so much vetiver, and Timbuktu is much more of an involved blend. Timbuktu is like it's own created smell, not an involved and superior creation of a smell that's already out there--like vetiver is in the fantastic Encre Noir.

I'm not saying one is better than the other by talking about them that way--vetiver scents are my favorites, but I get some very different thoughts and effects from Timbuktu and Encre Noir.