Last week, I began a series on the Keiko Mecheri Bespoke Collection of fragrances, a line of seven (7) scents from the house released this year. As part of the next installment, I’ve chosen to review her version of an Amber keynote fragrance for the line, one that holds some promise as a genuinely different yet very subtle amber/rose/agarwood (Oud) scent.

Keiko Mecheri Bespoke Amber Mirabilis (2012): As I’ve spent time with the Bespoke Collection, it becomes very apparent that the ‘bespoke’ naming is rather appropriate. Each of the scents is a personal experience versus one that projects strongly or leaves sillage. The individual scents lend themselves more to a one-on-one intimacy as the sphere of influence tends to be very close to the skin. Canyon Dreams was certain this way, and Amber Mirabilis carries on that theme.

The fragrance opens with a smooth and enticing blend of spices over top of the clear base of amber, lending an earthy quality to the introduction. The transition to the heart highlights a foundation of patchouli that adds to the earthiness of the scent, and is augmented by Taif Rose. While the rose is a fantastically balanced element, its presence is fleeting and fades into skin after the first hour or so of wear, the patchouli dissolving not long beyond that. While the rose remains as a slight reminder, the spice and patchouli both give way to the eventual base of agarwood (Oud) and cedar to supplement the very soft and powdery amber. The blending tells an interesting story, as the overall effect is subtle, elegant and understated. The wearer is not experiencing a cheap amber or imitation, but a very sheer backdrop to the story being told.

Generally, most perfumers will use amber as a focal point to create a very warm and enclosing experience. It’s little wonder that when we think of amber, we usually think of a deep, rich, winter experience, both cozy and sweet, the perfume equivalent of a hot toddy on a chilly winter evening. Amber Mirabilis delivers a much different and less conventional encounter with the note. As combined with the Oud and using the subtlety of the rose, we still get a sense of coziness, but the overall result remains more appropriate in warm weather than most amber fragrances. Wearing this on a warm Spring or Autumn day doesn’t seem out of place, and you could conceive of this in summer heat without feeling suffocated.

This is soft in a way that seems classic, perhaps even vintage. The result is a fragrance that one might associate with a by-gone era, a long lost place or time, an antique comfort that has been updated to make it relevant but not removed any of that vintage pedigree.

The projection is very mild and so minimal that it’s not perceived beyond the top note dry-down. That very personal encounter reinforces the notion that Amber Mirabilis is purely for the wearer’s enjoyment.

Amber Mirabilis is also a bit conflicting. While I found the fragrance not to be a sensory challenge — the notes are simple, straightforward, exceptionally executed — it is perhaps too sheer to fully enjoy after the first couple of hours. It’s difficult to detect the fragrance later, not because you’ve become accustomed, but because the subtlety renders it meek in nature. It was the same concern I raised with Canyon Dreams and appears to be the hallmark of the collection. Also, the price point for any of the Bespoke fragrances – $275 for 50 ml – poses a value proposition.

That is not to say, however, that Amber Mirabilis is not a good fragrance. Indeed, it’s brilliant. Keiko Mecheri has done something very memorable in creating a remarkable amber scent, not an easy task.

Rating: 4/5. 

Amber Mirabilis is a captivating creation with brilliant execution, and is a very worthy addition to Mecheri’s collection. As with other fragrances in Bespoke, it has less-than-desirable longevity and projection and a premium price point. While I felt strongly about the quality and creativity, overall value remains very subjective.

Keiko Mecheri Bespoke Amber Mirabilis, as well as all of the fragrances in the Bespoke Collection, are available through Min New York and LuckyScent.com.

Related Posts:

• Review: Creed Royal Oud – Fashionably late to the party.
• Keiko Mecheri Bespoke Collection: Canyon Dreams
• Montale Aoud Leather: The tiger you want to tame.
• Review: Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille
• Review: Santos de Cartier. An oft-forgotten classic.

It’s that time again! We’ve made some updates to the “About” page to better explain what the site is all about in response to questions we’ve received concerning how we select and review new products.  The About now contains a more details Q&A on our process, our focus, and why we do what we do.  Please have a read as it might answer some questions or satisfy curiosity.

There is also some additional information on the page about manufacturer submissions for review — anyone wishing to submit a product for review so consider our guidelines since any submission constitutes acceptance of terms.

A quick note on Monday’s edition…

On Monday, we will be reviewing a 1975 vintage fragrance you’ve likely never heard of from a house you’ll most certainly have never recognized even though many will easily identify their products.  I think that’s enough of a teaser to keep everyone interested, but look for the full write-up in our Bargain Options column which has returned from a week’s hiatus.

Thanks for reading!

- Andy

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Those who know me know that I have a large collection of very deep, resiny, full-bodied fragrances that are perfect for the Fall and Winter months, but are far too heavy for Spring and Summer wearing. As a result, I sample far and wide to find that elusive holy grail of lighter scents that are perfect for warm-weather wearing but don’t smell non-descript or become that year’s passing fad. This is where the search becomes exasperating.

Just as the weather in New York was turning more Spirng-like, this brought me to the doorstep of Bond No. 9′s flagship boutique in NoHo on a brisk and windy Saturday morning. As background, Bond has produced four scents that use New York beaches as their naming and inspiration: Coney Island, Andy Warhol Montauk, Fire Island, and Hamptons, each with a slightly different take on the beachside experience if you accept the premise. While my goal wasn’t necessarily to purchase a beach-named fragrance, it was to find something lighter, fresh, and suitable for the months between Easter and Labor Day. I left with two options, the first being Coney Island and the other is the one I’ll review today.

Bond No. 9 Hamptons (2003): Though not a new fragrance in Bond’s collection, it is among the original issues and the first “beach” fragrance named for the Eastern Long Island summer playground of New York’s famous and well-to-do. The composition does capture the essence of what a summer-scent or beach perfume should encompass, as the notes are chosen and composed very well.

Hamptons begins with an opening that blends citrus, sage, linden blossom and cedar in a very light and fresh combination. It’s zesty, slightly sharp, but very light in opening with the citrus and cedar notes mixing well. As it transitions to the heart, jasmine, magnolia and Turkish rose take over leaving a more substantial yet not overpowering floral footprint that remains in the background until the base has fully emerged. The notes here are light enough for heat while not fleeting in nature. The base picks up the rose notes along with musk, amber and sandalwood in the dry-down.

The result is subtle, close to the skin as time progresses, yet strikes a good balance between a bright and light scent and the substantial properties of the rose and amber/musk dry-down. It all somehow works rather well. It’s not a fragrance that challenges the wearer, but simply takes its place as a calm and subtle statement that — unlike the more famous residents of its hamlets — isn’t ostentatious or showy. On it’s own, it’s a good backdrop. Sillage is very low, projection mild, longevity overall is good. Hamptons is difficult to over-apply, but it has another nice property when layered against other fragrances.

Hamptons, when set as a top-layer to other scents, has an obvious lightening effect. When combined with heavier scents — Bleecker, New York Oud, Cooper Square — lightens the overwise very heavy and warming impact of those scents against heat. While still a formidable fragrance, Hamptons becomes the “great party mixer” when added as an element to the perfumed wardrobe. I’ve paired it with other Bonds such as West Broadway, Brooklyn, Bleecker, New Haarlem and Great Jones, and it creates an interesting and appealing outcome each time, providing a great summer complement.

There is a down-side, however. If you’re seeking a rugged, very masculine, testosterone-laden frag, Hamptons is not it. At all. This is a light, floral with some element of aquatic thrown in. Wearing it won’t advertise machismo, and detractors will likely qualify the scent as more feminine in composition. While that isn’t true, it is definitely universal in nature, and a more luxurious version of an aquatic that would appeal to even those not heart-set on that genre.

Rating: 4/5. Recommended.

Overall, I was impressed with Hamptons. It’s a solid fragrance, carries the right level of elegance, feels very comfortable and not overstated, and remains a terrific aquatic-alternative for wearers like me who complain about nearly all aquatics. It’s wearable on a summer day or evening, and complementary to most other Bond scents. There’s little with which to find fault, especially if the goal is finding something that is as suited to a casual stroll on the beach as it is a walk into the boardroom.

Bond No. 9 perfumes are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, or at Bond No. 9 boutiques and online. 50ml for $175, 100ml for $230.

Images courtesy Bond No. 9. All rights reserved.

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For those familiar with niche fragrances, Keiko Mecheri’s creations have been a welcome highlight for both their quality and imagination in the niche space. Mecheri’s previous creations have been very solid offerings focused on a defined experience for the wearer, whether it be a scenario of place or imagination, or offering a particular style or genre. My only misgiving about her collections is that the appeal has been primarily focused on women even though her scents are unisex in nature.

At least until now. With the release of her Bespoke Collection — despite these not being fabricated to individual customer specification — she has positioned the entire line as one that maintains a universal appeal. Nearly every fragrance in the collection maintains a neutral gender profile, but a single common frame of reference: Oud.

In the coming weeks, I hope to publish a review of all seven fragrances in the collection. For now, I’ve chosen the single scent from the Bespoke collection that seems the most enigmatic: Canyon Dreams.

Keiko Mecheri Bespoke Canyon Dreams (2012): While the other scents in Bespoke seem to have carved a defined space, Canyon Dreams straddles and bridges the others in its composition. It is also what I’ll call the mystery scent, as it maintains this ‘deja vu’ quality suggesting a familiarity that you’ve smelled this somewhere before. Patchouli and Sandalwood surround an experience that opens with a fresh blast of bergamot and mandarin orange, and then opens to a soft but not overly dominant rose note accompanied with the patchouli. At the base are oud and sandalwood. Not a remarkable or outlandish selection of elements, but one that is solid and likeable.

As with most Keiko fragrances, the best guide for judging is the overall experience which is where Canyon Dreams shows as a solid if not showy performer. The elements blend nicely, longevity is about average, sillage and projection are very mild and close to the skin. The portrait presented is very oriental in nature and conjures a soft, subtle yet mysterious profile for the wearer. There’s that deja vu wafting over the wearer once again, certain I’ve been here before in a somewhat Santos de Cartier way based on how the elements create the richness of the experience; it’s similar but not the same. Where the Cartier scent is sharper, spicier, strong, Canyon Dreams is softer and more ethereal, breezier if you will. The Mecheri creation is more the subtle enticer, drawing the wearer into the experience.

So it’s good. Very good. It does a yeoman’s job of creating and sharing that experience. But it’s a scent you need to fully appreciate to love and own. On the skin, it needs to open slightly more fully than it does, and that’s the downside to Canyon Dreams – if there is a detriment to being too subtle it’s to be almost forgotten, which brings me to the two concerns I had with this Mecheri creation. It fades slightly too early, suggesting that a more liberal application is essential. Six hours in, the experience becomes fleeting, barely there, drawn inward. It mustn’t shout, but it should be more expressive.

The other is the price-point. Where prior Mecheri creations extolled greater value (Cuir Cordoba, for instance, retails for $115 for a 75 ml), Canyon Dreams approaches a space occupied by Clive Christian and By Kilian creations where cost is less of an object. The 50ml retails at $275 for an EDP concentration. The Bespoke experience is not an inexpensive journey, though whether the value is appropriate is a more subjective and personal decision.

Rating: 3.5/5.

Canyon Dreams is an excellent scent that suffers only from below average projection, average longevity, and a loftier price point than many comparable niche fragrances. While a very good effort, I’m conflicted on whether the end result supports the asking price. Moreover, other fragrances in the Bespoke collection along with many of her previous releases are in many ways superior to Canyon Dreams. While those may not include Oud, many need not.

While we like the concept behind the Bespoke line and understand the high cost of Oud, the overall outcome is a challenging proposition.

Keiko Mecheri’s Bespoke line, as well as her other fragrances, are available exclusively at MiN New York. Future reviews in the coming weeks will focus on the remaining fragrances in the collection, beginning with Ambre Mirabilis.

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• Safari by Ralph Lauren (Review): A trip down memory lane
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If it’s Oud you seek, the name Montale has become synonymous with the word, and for those who want the unique qualities of Oud accompanied by leather as a mixture, Aoud Leather and Cuir d’Arabie are obvious choices from their collection. But beyond those similarities, these two fragrances are horses of two different colors. Where in Cuir d’Arabie the emphasis is on a very stark, cool leather personality accompanied by aromatic birch and deep tobacco, Aoud Leather provides a more subtle though strong experience.

Montale Aoud Leather (2009): Aoud Leather is a complex experience, marked by the main notes of oud and a soft, warm leather note. To complete the experience and offer a softer transition between the major notes, the opening begins with bergamot and saffron is added to become a very dominant yet rich dimension to the experience. Surrounding those elements are amber, cardamom and pepper to complete the fragrance.

Compared to the distinctly cool and sharp experience of Cuir d’Arabie, this is a warm, soft and very approachable scent that tends toward better 3-season wear (sorry, this is not a hot summer day scent) as it could tend toward being close and slightly cloying in excessive heat. That said, Aoud Leather is focused more closely on its warmth. Aoud Leather’s first application is slightly sharp, with a very linear presence provided by both the oud and the leather, yet nicely accompanied by the spices to add intrigue. Minutes later, the catch that is often found in many Montales takes shape.

Nearly every Montale “opens” within several minutes where the fragrance becomes a powerhouse. Simply, once the fragrance has an opportunity to unfold on warm skin, it goes from mild to explosive and the full force of the scent can scream. For some of the scents in Montale’s collection, this can be the point of suffocation, but in Aoud Leather, it’s relatively well-controlled. Nonetheless, the watchword here is conservative application; no more than 2 sprays to the body or a spray-delay and walk-through approach are best used to avoid the composition raging out of control.

But back to Aoud Leather. From about 10 minutes into the scent through to the end, the composition develops from the spicy opening to the main notes where it remains for several hours as it finally develops into its base. As that transition takes place, the saffron begins to open as the dominant note in the scent and it remains here as the amber joins and both the oud and leather to remain through the duration until all have dissipated…nearly a day later.

And this is where I should also point out that longevity on almost any Montale is legendary. This is a fragrance that you need to truly love, as you’ll be spending the day — the whole day and night — with it. It becomes more personal as the marathon duration wanes to a close.  Projection and sillage are exceptionally, especially if over-applied, so I’ll reiterate the appropriate warning about more than two sprays being more than sufficient.

Which now brings me to the overall verdict.  Aoud Leather is the tiger that the right wearer will want to tame. It’s a powerful fragrance for an outspoken personality, or perhaps it’s the fragrance for someone more shy and retiring who wants to make a bold statement. Equally, it’s for someone who understands the impact of an oud and leather combination, a la Tom Ford Private Collection Tuscan Leather, but isn’t seeking the price or extreme refinement of Clive Christian “C” for Men. At a price point of around $175 for the 100 ml eau de parfum, it’s less than half the cost of the Tom Ford, and a fraction of the Clive Christian offering. The overall power of the fragrance is a bit more untamed than “C” and will likely never see that lofty level.

Nonetheless, Aoud Leather is a kick to wear and an extreme amount of fun for its price.

Rating: 4.5/5. Highly Recommended. Fun? Yes. Refinement? There’s enough for this to make the right statement. “Bad-Boy”? It’s not as completely untamed as Cuir d’Arabie, but it’s enough of that experience for it to capture that quality. Did I mention fun?

This is perhaps one of the more accessible Montales that provides a great gateway to Oud in a refined presentation.

Images courtesy Montale Paris

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• Budget Options: Bvlgari Black and Juicy Couture Dirty English
• Parfum d’Empire Ambre Russe: Review
• Review of Montale Aoud Cuir d’Arabie
• Bond No. 9 Saks Fifth Avenue for Him: Review

A few nights ago, I sat down at Min New York with a others who had a mutual interest in the niche perfume market: among us were bloggers, a niche perfume retailer and curator, a YouTube video blogger and a founder of a Facebook group.  This could have been any diverse group but for their unique perspective.

All were men. All had an interest to varying degrees in the niche perfumery market — the area of the market defined by small manufacturers of fragrance, sold by selected retailers, with a very defined appeal to specific tastes. At least a couple of us were married or in serious relationships, no one resembled androgynous metrosexuality. And all of us had one thing in common:

We didn’t seem like the target demographic for perfume enthusiasts, a market typically dominated by women. That trend seems to be changing.  I’ll take a moment to introduce us:

• Carlos Powell – Facebook group: Peace Love and Perfume
• Harry Sheff – Blog: Cocktails and Cologne
• Cody Sulaimana – YouTube Video Blogger: Dracdoc
• Chad Murawczyk – Founder of Min New York

…and someone who authors a Niche Perfume Blog entitled “Scentrist“.

It was a chance for us to share our experiences with fragrances, how we became interested in perfumes, and why our interests might seem different to others. Within our conversation — which was recorded for a future article to be published for the London Sunday Times — there were some common points of agreement worth sharing.

• We collect a lot of fragrances. One has a collection of over 200 separate bottles, not including samples or decants (this wasn’t me, honest).
• Our interest isn’t “gender defined”. We largely agreed that there are perfumes that were unisex in nature, or some scents associated with women could just as easily be worn by men (and vice-versa).
• Our interest in perfumes isn’t always shared by our significant others. Many of our wives and significant partners didn’t share the same tastes, though a couple of us found that our mates supported our enthusiasm.
• The niche perfume market offered far more than the mass-market or designer markets, though not all of us agreed that was to the exclusion of one or another.

…and finally…

• Men as perfume writers and bloggers are a very small minority. In fact, it’s difficult to find more than the few of us gathered who actively write about perfumes. More of a minority were those who wrote largely about niche fragrance.

The men’s fragrance blogging world is perhaps the niche to the niche in many respects, since most fragrance blogs cater to a female focus. Guys? We’re the minority, though we feel we serve an important purpose in opening up the exploration of scent to an emerging market. Men are exploring it increasingly as the trend toward men’s personal grooming grows overall.

It’s also a market with the potential to grow since many men aren’t satisfied with the defined limits of the major retail chains, designer fragrances, and the general mass-market fragrance industry.

One other area we all had in common? Our interest wasn’t to impress others, but one we liked as a finishing touch to our own wardrobe, and considered as an essential part to feeling “complete”. Scent to us was as important as the choice of jacket, tie, or shoes in feeling dressed for the occasion.

For the other observations? I won’t post a spoiler here as I’m sure the article will explore those in much greater depth. For those of us who already know the details, the piece might seem a beginners’ rehash about guys who are perfume fanatics. For others, it should prove enlightening.  And anything that opens the hearts and minds of others can’t be terrible.

Once the article is published, I’ll be certain to post a link so you can read the piece for yourself.

Related Posts:

• Fragrance Foundation Consumers Choice Awards 2012: Vote Now!
• Odd Perfumes: Strange Scents and Unusual Aromas explored.
• Huckstering, marketing, and mystery: The case of Montale.
• Scents du jour…

The rules are simple: It’s one entry per e-mail address, and once e-mail is validated, you’ll be provided a direct link to cast your ballot. You can vote for a fragrance on both the Mens and Womens categories based on the nominated finalists.  The links for the nominees are listed below:

Womens Nominees:

Anthropologie 1922 Lily Sanguine Eau de Parfum – Inter Parfums USA
BBW Signature Collection Paris Amour – Bath & Body Works
bebe Gold Eau de Parfum – Inter Parfums USA
Beyoncé Pulse – Coty Inc.
Bottega Veneta – Coty Prestige
Christina Aguilera Royal Desire – P&G Prestige
curve appeal for women – Elizabeth Arden
Dahlia Noir – Parfums Givenchy
Dolce & Gabbana The Velvet Collection: Velvet Vetiver, Velvet Wood, Velvet Love, Velvet Patchouli, Velvet Sublime, Velvet Desire – P&G Prestige
Heidi Klum Shine – Coty Inc.
Jersey – Chanel
Lily – Crabtree & Evelyn
live in love – Oscar de la Renta
Maison Martin Margiela (untitled) – L’Oréal
Moment de Bonheur Yves Rocher – Yves Rocher North America, Inc.
Outspoken Intense by Fergie EDP – Avon Products, Inc.
Prada Candy Eau de Parfum Spray – PUIG USA
Someday By Justin Bieber – Give Back Brands, LLC
Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge – Private Blend – Tom Ford Beauty
Tom Ford Violet Blonde – Tom Ford Beauty
Victoria’s Secret Angel – Victoria’s Secret Beauty

Mens Nominees

Armani Code Sport – Giorgio Armani Beauty
BBW Signature Collection for Men Classic – Bath & Body Works
Boss The Collection: Cotton & Verbena, Silk & Jasmine, Wool & Musk, Velvet & Amber, Cashmere & Patchouli – P&G Prestige
Comme une Evidence Green – Yves Rocher North America, Inc.
curve appeal for men – Elizabeth Arden
Gucci Guilty Pour Homme – P&G Prestige
Incense Oud – by Kilian
John Varvatos ★ U.S.A. – Elizabeth Arden
L’Homme Cologne Gingembre – Yves Saint Laurent
L’Homme Libre – Yves Saint Laurent
New York Oud – Bond No. 9 New York
Samba Sport Man – The Perfumer’s Workshop International, Ltd.
Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge – Private Blend – Tom Ford Beauty
Un Jardin Sur Le Toit – Hermès – Beauté Prestige International
YUZU – Caron
Zipped Premier – The Perfumer’s Workshop International, Ltd.
Zipped Soho Noir – The Perfumer’s Workshop International, Ltd.

To vote, please click on this link to enter the voting registration site.

Our editorial policy won’t suggest how to vote or advocate stuffing the ballot box, but admittedly I’ll be personally disappointed if Bond No. 9′s New York Oud doesn’t get the nod from all of our niche fans, especially when competition includes a more-than-healthy dose of “celebrity fragrances”.

Cast your vote through the 15th, and good luck!

Imges courtesy the Fragrance Foundation, all rights reserved.

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• Scents du jour…

To recognize their marketing arrangement with Saks Fifth Avenue, Bond No. 9 in 2007 veered from its normal unisex treatment of scents by developing Saks Fifth Avenue for Him and for Her.  The two scents that have little in common other than name.

Where Saks for Her is a green, floral scent, Saks for Him tells a much different story with the use of a variety of different elements.  And perhaps it’s either those elements or that story that haven’t proved terribly compelling to most fans of the Bond line, let alone casual wearers.  We’ll detail a bit of this through the notes and composition before we explain the verdict.

Bond No. 9 Saks Fifth Avenue for Him (2007): As a Fifi Niche Finalist in 2008, Bond No. 9  was recognized for a once compelling creation that rubbed slightly against the grain of the fresh/fruity/floral trends that were the norm in the fragrance market. And its release shortly precedes the appearance of the Oud craze that has taken the niche marketplace by storm. It was certainly recognized for being different, though you can decide if that is a good thing.

The elements behind Saks for Him are equally interesting.  The fragrance begins with only a slight bergamot opening, which then is followed into the heart notes by cardamom, black pepper, chili, incense and a combination of elements closely resembling anise. The result is more of a sharp oriental than a woody aromatic in nature.  Base is composed of Guiac, Cedar and amber, resulting in a soft and powdery outcome.

The overall result of the composition is somewhat linear from beginning to end, however. It begins with a licorice personality best described as anise, but more closely linked to the cardamom, pepper and chili. Incense is faint toward being nearly undetectable. Amber and a very mild wood is present at the very end, but the composition overall is very simply defined: Powdery licorice. It’s unique in that it defies some categorization as a true-wood or pure-powder, resulting in an outcome that is a solid, elegant effort. However, we found it fell slightly short of the mark for some very simple reasons.

SFA for Him is so close to Must de Cartier pour Homme, a fragrance that’s also had its share of positive promotion, that it begs the question of buying the Bond when Must is less than half the price. In fact, in testing both, the differences in project, sillage, and longevity were so slight as to be imperceptible. While SFA for Him is not a bad fragrance, it’s difficult to justify the value proposition for the Bond. Little wonder that SFA hasn’t gained quite the following of New Haarlem or Brooklyn.

Rating: 3/5. Neutral.

Bottom-Line: Saks Fifth Avenue for Him is a solid entry, but at a $230 price point — typical for most 100 ml Bonds — it doesn’t bring enough to the table to prefer the niche over the designer. While this isn’t a bad Bond, it falls too wide of the mark to have a lasting impact.

Related Posts:

• Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory: Review
• Budget Options: Bvlgari Black and Juicy Couture Dirty English
• Bond No. 9 New York Amber (Review)
• Bond No. 9 Hamptons: Breezy, bright and light.
• Montale Aoud Leather: The tiger you want to tame.

Created in 2006, Lalique Encre Noire is a scent that is qualified as a vetiver by use of the vetiver root at its heart rather than the leaf used in most vetiver-derived fragrances.  It opens with a fresh blast of a lighter cypress, and fades into an eventual dry-down of musk and cashmir wood.   Surrounding notes include a grapefruit opening and a licorice base added to provide some variance to something that might otherwise be very linear in nature.  The result is very rich, clean and maintains a woody and earthy presence throughout the course of wearing.  Depth is more than sufficient, and it ends with a very resinous quality that is sustained throughout by virtue of the infusion of woods.

Simply put, this is not your typical vetiver scent. In a category highlighted by popular fragrances such as Guerlain Vetiver or Creed’s Original Vetiver — both highlighted by a light, fresh, almost soapy quality — Encre Noire supports a much darker and robust profile. It’s less of the “green” fragrance to be expected of the genre, and has much more in common with a woody & aromaatic combination, a la Bond No 9′s Great Jones, Creed’s Windsor, or (to a lesser degree) Guerlain Homme to name just a few.

I should point out that, like most designer houses, Lalique’s core business is not perfumery. Crystal, jewelry and architectural pieces are their mainstay.

Projection is very good, and sillage will leave a slight trail behind.  Longevity will vary, but is on the high side for an eau de toilette. It manages to maintain endurance very well. In short, this is a particularly good value, which brings us to the price.

The street and brick & mortar full retail for Lalique Encre Noire is $100, more in locations such as Neiman Marcus (where you might at least try the fragrance). That isn’t necessarily budget friendly, and ordinarily would render it ineligible for the under-$50 ceiling for our budget fragrances. That is unless you begin looking on-line, where the Internet price before shipping is routinely around $45-47. If you take advantage of free-shipping or budget-shipping coupon codes, your net price hovers at the $50 mark, just under the wire. Considering the nature and recent vintage of the fragrance, it sets a very high standard for a moderately-priced scent since Encre Noire neither seems dated nor irrelevant in comparison to other current offerings.

Ergo, we highly recommend this even if you need to do a blind-buy to obtain a bottle.

After testing and trying Lalique Encre Noire, I will suggest that it isn’t quite my favorite vetiver scent. For that, I’d suggest fragrances priced about four-fold higher than Lalique’s offering, more than that in the case of Creed’s Vetiver offering. Given the value for money, it’s difficult to go wrong with Encre Noire as it provides a very enjoyable experience at a more than reasonable price-point. And that’s a great bargain any day.

Related Posts:

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• Le Labo Oud 27 (Review)

The world of fragrance has always contained some unusal and often odd perfumes, many of which seem to defy both logic and wearability. Of various products on the market, you’re as likely to find a scent that is a crowd-pleaser as much as one that leaves you scratching your head, muttering, “What were they thinking?” I thought it would be interesting to provide some examples of scents that were intriguing, unique, or just plain weird as an alternative to the normally tame and sanitized scents that we’ve come to expect from the perfume marketplace.

Etat Libre d’ Orange Secretions Magnifiques: Some perfume houses exist for their shock value, and Etat Libre d’Orange is certainly one that often pushes beyond the envelope. Far beyond it. This is a brand that has produced interesting scents with names such as “Fat Electrician” or “Philippine Houseboy”, daring to test both our olfactory limits and our politically correct sensibilities. But of their collection, none is more polarizing than Secretions Magnifiques. For this fragrance, the house has captured a very post-coital feeling by coming accords of blood, sweat, semen, musk, saliva and others (which makes one wonder what went on during that particular rendezvous). Why is it polarizing? Imagine a very human smell, unwashed and unbridled, let out to expand on the heat of skin. It’s more than just shock value, it’s very animalic. Very carnal and forward. Put succinctly, it’s a very pungent combination that will leave people wondering whether the wearer forgot to bathe…for the last decade. It’s quite vile. Speaking of which…

Va-jay-jay: I’m not kidding. This is precisely how you’ve read it and exactly what you might imagine. Without going into explicit detail, the makers of Vulva Perfume created a roll-on application for men that captures the essence of an alluring woman’s fluids when aroused. The idea? Roll it on a man’s skin for his arousal at the musky yet very erotic “scent of a woman”. Does it work? We’re a bit afraid to find out, but more amused by the concept behind it. The videos to promote the line are more than a bit risque, the appeal supposedly is to the more carnal of desires, and the end outcome is less of a perfume but more of an essence. We wonder who’d want to go out wearing this, and whether they’d answer the question of “what are you wearing” honestly.

The comparisons and jokes about “Aqua Vulva” become tongue-in-cheek very quickly.

Eau de MacBook Pro: Yes, this is already old news, but this recent addition is designed to capture the essence of an Apple product being opened for the first time by its owner. It’s that “factory fresh” aroma so similar to “new-car-smell” for your laptop, though we wonder if it’s wearable…or who would walk around smelling like a Mac?

Blood Concept: This particular perfumer has created a line of fragrances named after the four major blood types, A, AB, B, and O, none of which smell like blood at all. The idea is to capture a mood and some level of novelty behind the concept.

Demeter Fragrance: Demeter has fashioned itself as a cologne manufacturer that builds scents reminiscent of various artifacts and experiences. Everything from clean windows to sticky toffee, along with everything in between, are bound to be represented. Some of our favorite oddities? Crayon (you guessed it, it smells like Crayola), Dust, Dirt and Mildew (no hints on what these resemble), Glue (yes, it’s modeling/airplane glue in non-toxic form to make it legal), Play-Doh (exactly what you think it is), Laundromat, Paint (latex or semi-gloss?), Tarnish, Rubber and Vinyl/PVC, and Turpentine (to accompany your Paint). We’re still awaiting Dry-Erase Marker, Litter Box and Urinal Cake, but we aren’t holding our breath.

We should mention that if you enjoy Demeter fragrances, you should really check out Christopher Brosius’ line of CB I Hate Perfume. Brosius was the creator behind many of Demter’s scents, and the CB line of perfumes have a similar flair while not being limited to a single note emphasis.

Did someone say Litter Box? The next closest smell would be Civet, a note that has a lot in common with a very animalic cat smell (the animal, however, is no longer used to provide the essence), and perfumes such as Kouros for Men by Yves Saint Laurent have been well known for their use of the note. Its volume has been decreased over time, but it’s still there and plenty noticeable. More to the point, Oh My Cat! Perfume is a fragrance designed for your feline, tested and developed to be pet-safe. While it doesn’t smell of fur or used litter, the notes of mandarin, rosewood, freesia, sandalwood and jasmine (among others) are designed to keep Fifi fresh. And it can be worm by non-felines as well.

There is an Oh My Dog! as well, containing rosewood, osmanthus, freesia, orange and vanilla. I’ve known a few dogs who’d benefit from that.

Think politics really stinks? Sure, why not smell like your favorite political party. Nature’s Garden will sell you a fragrance oil that can be used to make colognes, soaps or bath oils, extolling the values espoused by Democrats, Republicans or Independents.

Bacon. Yes, we said bacon. In the beginning it was a breakfast food. Then, it was a condiment and a mayonnaise. Now? It’s a cologne (eggs not included). You can now smell tasty and savory with a couple of quick sprays.

Oil or Petroleum? They’re in the list as well. Cory Ingram produced a limited edition of “Crude”, a 50 bottle run of 50 ml bottles containing pure crude oil, described as the perfect gift for “the man who has everything”. It’s obviously not wearable.  Something that is more appropriate is Histoires de Parfums Petroleum, a creation designed to mimic the olfactory sensation of a deep gasoline smell.  If you don’t like the current price of gas at the pump, it’s unlikely you’ll be shelling out the $11,200/gallon cost for this version of petroleum (the 60 ml size is $175).

The list certainly goes on, this is just a sample of the many out there.

For more on these scents, check out the following links:

• Bizarre Beauty: Odd Perfume Scent
• Strange Smells: Seven Odd Fragrances
• He Hates Perfume
• Blood Scented Perfumes Launched

Related Posts:

• News & Updates: 1/27/2012
• Emerging Trends: Men & Niche Perfume
• Fragrance Foundation Consumers Choice Awards 2012: Vote Now!
• Huckstering, marketing, and mystery: The case of Montale.
• 2012: The year we enjoy what we already have.