Encre Noire Lalique for men

It starts of very sharp cypress, which is almost like pine buds of the pine tree.
after half an hour the sharpness mellows a bit and slowly you start noticing the dominant vetiver note.
this note is very woody and mossy (gorgeous).
sillage and projection is moderate, you can occasionally smell whiffs of yourself, bringing a smile to your face.
Longevity is moderate too, 4 hrs of solid performance and then 6-8 hrs close to skin, which is very nice.
the vetiver itself is sweet and may have an inky note, which i find cooling.
Use it sparingly. do not want to smell like a pine tree.
well worth the price.

solid 9/10 if u are a fan of dark, woody, earthy fragrances. may take u by surprise at the start.

Encre noire is the signature scent i have been looking for!

I was curious to see if the top note from Encre Noir really does give the impression of black ink. Many people have reported this and, of course, it is inferred by the design of the bottle. For the French speakers amongst us it might seem rather obvious from the title. But being an untrusting sort of fellow I still had to check for myself. It took me far less time than I have spent writing these words to decide, on smelling the fragrance, that yes it does smell of black ink. Or more precisely it has the smell of wet Indian ink resting in a ceramic ink well.

The cypress note gives a sharp, pine scent. On mixing with the woody notes it gives off an aroma that you can almost taste on the back of your tongue. Perhaps familiar to those of us who have ever chewed too long on a cheap ball point pen.

The cyprus takes some time to dry down. A pleasant blend of wood and vetiver is slowly revealed. Pleasant for me at least. I love vetiver and I love wood (no childish comments please - I'm looking at you Booney ;)).

To me this is something like a mixture of two other fragrances I love: Guerlain's Vetiver and CdG's Wonderwood. The vetiver is not as earthy in Encre Noir as it is in the Guerlain. Nor are the wood notes as complex and diverse as those found in Wonderwood. Neither of these things are meant to be interpretted as negative criticism. I think this is a superb, witty and well balanced fragrance.

Encre Noir is long lasting and above average in the sillage department. Also, it has gone straight into first place as my favourite fragrance container. A great bottle containing a great scent.

Although I do like this frag, at least to my nose, the slight burnt rubber smell competes with the woody smell too much.

If they could just tone down the rubber smell a touch, this frag would be perfect.

I usually combine with Wonderwood (CDG) to sweeten it up a little.

Encre Noire (Black Ink) is deceptively simple (or complex) depending on who wears it and will vary, as always, according to individual olfactory experiences and how and what it invokes subjectively.

At first it comes off as acrid and dense with a sour top note. I was skeptical. But the magic starts once it melds with your skin's own chemistry, after which the more subtle characteristics slowly unfold - dry wood, vetiver, musk, incense.

This is a scent of contrasts: sophisticated but not stuffy - classic but not dated - natural but avant-garde. People will notice but it exudes in a subtle way. The dry down is warm and lingers for quite a while. And over all there is something familiar and inviting about it yet it is mysterious and fleeting.

EN has a relatively similar feel, in my experience, as 'Terre d'Hermes', 'comme des garcons 2' and 'cdg 2 Man', but without the bitter citrus of Hermes, less metallic than cdg 2, and without cdg 2 Man's "pencil shavings" notes and not so monolithic.

I find Encre Noire to be a good balance of intrigue and simplicity. This definitely is not for everyone, but if you want something poetic and elegant as an extension of your style, this might be the right composition for you.

Un véritable chef d'oeuvre !

The long story - Found this at a discount store for 30 bucks so I gave it a try, it was something different on the shelf so I thought why not. I gave a spray on one wrist and I smelled a the ink people mentioned below, I know what ink smells like from painting with it but it never smelled 'good' until this moment. I thought I was going to be in for a show, I was wrong. After 20 seconds it turned into something else, mustard. Why? I didn't eat anything with mustard on it, I sprayed three more times, at the risk of it over powering my nose, it didn't but the mustard smell stuck around. The vetiver comes out an hour later, but it just make the mustard smell a tiny bit better. It's not painful to my nose, but I was ready to return the bottle next trip to the store. After 20 minutes the base notes come but I could still smell that damn mustard. Other may find this scent magical but not me, but for to keep a scent I have like it before anyone else. Try before you buy, or keep the receipt handy.

The short story - Smells like mustard to me, may have got a bad batch. Not sure why the site put me as guest in the comments below.

The long story - Found this at a discount store for 30 bucks so I gave it a try, it was something different on the shelf so I thought why not. I gave a spray on one wrist and I smelled a the ink people mentioned below, I know what ink smells like from painting with it but it never smelled 'good' until this moment. I thought I was going to be in for a show, I was wrong. After 20 seconds it turned into something else, mustard. Why? I didn't eat anything with mustard on it, I sprayed three more times, at the risk of it over powering my nose, it didn't but the mustard smell stuck around. The vetiver comes out an hour later, but it just make the mustard smell a tiny bit better. It's not painful to my nose, but I was ready to return the bottle next trip to the store. After 20 minutes the base notes come but I could still smell that damn mustard. Other may find this scent magical but not me, but for to keep a scent I have like it before anyone else. Try before you buy, or keep the receipt handy.

The short story - Smells like mustard to me, may have got a bad batch.

deep, dark and sexy, bag for the buck...puurely sensual..a must have!
first line in my wardrobe

it is woody and dark.you can use it in four season.longevity is good for four horse.it is one of my best perfume.

This is a MASTERPIECE! Encre Noire is for fragrance aficionardos who appreciate beautifully crafted scents that are simplistic in composition and yet complex in delivery. Defined scent which smells original and seductive. The best way to describe Encre Noire is like walking through a Pine Forrest in Germany on a bright sunny winter day after it has rained all night.

Intial spray is real vetyver--earthy, mysterious, and crisp. Very natural and calming.
If you cannot bear the initial blast of M7, but long for its dry down, this is a good alternative. They both have the same musky, incencey dry-down.

C-L-A-S-S-I-C-A-L! Sophisticated, classical, mysterious and elegant. In my humble opinion those words describe Encre Noir.

Very good!!!

a really unique fragrance..
dark yet inviting scent..
I like it very much especially in the middle notes..
longevity is pleasing..
changes in the notes are perfectly smooth , awesome..
a perfect dry down..
I think it is a first class perfume..
it is one of my favs...bravo Lalique..

an EXTREMELY sophisticated and refined scent....classy and aristocratic, like Guerlain Heritage. This has "signature scent" all over it. Its a favorite, for me. And comes as a nice reprieve from all the sweet/spicy frags that I have. Vetiver is not a simple choice for those that dont dig it. Its a "love it, or hate it" note. And its heavily featured with Encre Noire...but I happen to LOVE vetiver.

Nathalie Lorson, really knew what she was doing when she added the note of cypress. That was genius.

I decided to blind buy this one. I'm not disappointed in it. It's a very nice scent that I would rate as an "outdoor" scent. I sprayed it on me and my shirt and it realy stays long on the shirt. Longevity for me is several hours. I do think that 2 sprays is a bit too much. One will do for me.

I combine between armani adg essenza and encre noir lalique.
And the Result is.. WOW..!!

Its smells like allure sport By chanel, without citrusy.. smooth.. longlasting and good sillage.. i get smooth woody And less citrus from adg essenza, with no strong chypress on encre noir And smooth amazing vetiver..
It become
Smell : 9/10
Longevity : 9/10 (7-9 hour on me)
Sillage : 9/10 (3feet is good on Me)

Its ideal for Me.. but dont know for others.. :D

smyle12, I don't remember asking you for any opinion nor breakdown of notes. so just chill dude.

Just got the bottle and sprayed on my wrist and the fragrance is all over the cabin ..
Need to check this at home, lest people come and ask me what it is .
First Impression ...
It hits u like a bomb ..
Will update more later

First impression is... wow..!!

Then become really vetiver.. yeaah.. javanese vetiver.. i know how it smell coz i have raw vetiver @my room.. soo spiritual smells..

First spray u'll get cypress, then become lighter and soft By vetiver.. the drydown is good.. from cypress, become vetiver but on the Bridge, from cypress to vetiver, u'll get amazing mix from that Both..
The middle vetiver becoming 3hour projection, then going to the base like an antique persian carpet smells... maybe thats from cashmere wood And musk..
Scent : 8.5/10
Longevity : 8/10 (6hour on Me)
Sillage : 8.5/10
I think its fit for a day wear because of cypress element fit for a day wear, But not at hot day.
On Me, its projected like wise men with good spiritual and warm.. but Mystical and unpredictable.. sexy..

That's E01 - part b.

Whereas E01 is better and edgier, Encre Noire still is a very good variation of the Iso-E-Super-theme, nearly 100% Iso-E-Super, like E01 without the fresh citrus and pepper notes.

I personally am a lover of Iso-E-Super, I love it's simplicity and appeal, so Encre Noire will be one of my next purchases. In Germany, by the way, it costs 1/3 of E01 and it is as unisex. Buy it, gals!

Iam smoker.
Smoke + Encre Noire = Amazing smell.
Personally, I think this is the only one fragrance really great for smokers.

Performance:
(Full wearing on my skin - 6 sprays)
On me, EN has medium to high projection.
Good longevity, 7 - 10 hours.
The scent, smokey dark vetiver. Mysterious, exclusive, and untouchable.
Silent but strong. Great.
For me, women can't use this masterpiece. This is too manly. Only for alpha male. Very masculine.
Quite versatile. Just dont apply it on really really hot weather.
Compliments? Not too much. This is not for everyone.
Respect? YES.

Lalique~
Encre Noire.
Just wow.

On a recent trip to China I took my bottle of EN in my travel case. One afternoon I put 1 spray on my chest, 2 on the neck, and 1 to my wrist. I left my hotel and just went walking freely, it was a greyish day and had been raining. The streets, soil, the bark of the surrounding trees etc. were wet and the smell in the air was so fresh and earthy. And there was something more in the air that day, a mysterious and powerful aroma somehow akin to Black Ink. And so I walked for hours, stopping to drink tea every so often, and the surrounding aura of Encre Noir as my sole companion. Deep in my thoughts, and the contemplative enjoyment of a true Masterpiece scent. So simple yet complex. So dark yet fresh. So bold yet elegant. Just perfect in that moment. EN is not a scent I wear everyday, I am selective about when I should wear it, but when I do it has the potential to create unforgettable and vivid moments/memories in my life. It's mere potential makes me shiver with delight. What a Triumph.

Lalique Encre Noir.

Tried it: DISASTER.

2 days later, try it. Again: BEAUTIFUL.

3 days later: BUY A BOTTLE.


My first vetiver fragrance.
I can't describe with words. Im a novice.
My opinion based on my feel when used it.
But, this is great.


*Edited my profile. Put it on my new favourite*

The amazing smell of Vetiver has been with me since I was very young. For those that live in hot climates can better understand: we used to use a lattice of vetiver roots in enclosing pads of evaporative coolers. As the water dripped on the pads the fan would blow in cool air and the whole house was fragrant with Vetiver. Dark damp earthy and root-like comes to mind with Encre Noire.

Every now and again I keep coming back to this scent as it has my childhood memories stored in it. Lalique created a masterpiece starting from the packaging to the bottle and scent itself. A niche-like quality from start to finish at a very reasonable price.

This starts out dark mysterious earthy scent with a character of inkiness. Then it remains fairly linear with the vetiver note for the majority of its life and then mixes in with a deep woody dry down.

A must have for all the vetiver lovers and collectors. Should try before you buy as it initially doesn't seem like any other citrus fresh fragrances at the department stores. EN has a way of revealing its true nature in small doses. Will always be by my side when I want to take a trip down memory lane.

Since this is invariably compared to Chanel's Sycomore, let me state unequivocally that this is the better of the two. Not all ideas are improved by refinement. Think of what happens to pop tunes when they are fully orchestrated and turned into muzak. EN is an earthy four-note tune that gets those four notes just exactly right the way Ray Davies got that perfect guitar riff when he wrote "You Really Got Me." Cypress and cashmere wood perfectly complement the vetiver to create that sumi ink accord that Lalique so brilliantly exploited in the packaging. The only downside to this perfume (which I can wear anytime, anywhere by varying levels of application) is that it tends to reduce everything else in one's scent wardrobe to distant next best.

if i had to choose one fragrance to choose n be happy for the rest of my life, it would be just this.
nothing has n nothing will, ever come close to this genius of a perfume. TAKE A BOW, ENCRE NOIRE.

I'm new to this amazing place, although I have been enchanted/enthralled with scent my whole life. Being a HippiePunkQueerBabyBoomer I was resistant to "commercial" scent(wearing natural oils only,patchouli aka " Moose In Heat" in particular)until my early 30s when I had an epiphany while killing time browsing the Men's Cologne counter at Nordies. That epiphany was Guerlaine's Vetiver. Never in my life had I smelled anything like it and I think I might have swooned just a bit: I know I forked over my credit card without a second thought. G's Vetiver was my gateway drug and also an excellent indicator of what direction my scent lust would take. While I can now appreciate many many fine scent creations, when it comes to what I will wear, it is ALL about the spices,woods and wonderfully weird things (like that hint of gasoline in the original Farenheit),the more extreme the better. Ah,which brings me to(Men's)Encre Noire. It is one of the 4 most perfect,hypnotic,addictive colognes I have encountered and a must-have ,so much so that I'm already buying all I can afford against the terrible day it's discontinued. It was a blind buy totally inspired by what I had read here and I thank all of you who offered opinions for that inspiration. I'm a night owl by nature, and Encre Noire to me is the very essence of everything I love about the night- darkness,magic,fever dreams,wild alchemy,deep peace and stillness. I've just begun discovering how it works for me but it's definitely surrounding and spellcasting for a good 8-10 hours,longer than anything else in my small collection save that Peak Of the Perfumer's Art Balenciaga Pour Homme. I haven't floated it past any friends/lovers yet but I already know this will be a " love it/hate it " fragrance and I'm prepared to give the " love it " voters some extra affection and respect. Sorry for such a long first review but I'm in a cloud of Encre Noire as I type and frankly,it's got me high. Oh..the other 3 of my 4 Celestial Scents are Farenheit(original and Absolute) Balenciaga Pour Homme and my first love, Guerlaine's Vetiver(original and now Extreme ).

Dark, mysterious, confident, sexy is what I describe this fragrance. The wood and earthy notes is in your face its like wood soaked in mud I mean that in a very good way. When I smell it I imagine my self in a dark forest raining with big trees all around stepping in mud. This is for the mature man no doubt about it not for teens. I suggest to be easy on the sprayer because it is very strong solid release from lalique I love it. Not your mainstream scent you will definitely be asked what are you wearing?
Longevity 8/10 7 to 10 hrs
Sillage 8/10 does project for a good 4 to 5 hrs depending on how much you spray
Uniqueness 10/10
Over all smell 9/10
Price vs quality 10/10 you can basically find it online for cheap
Versatility cold weather day or night

EN is a true original that always stands out. It's both woody and smokey. Not very common in my large southern city, one reason why I enjoy it so much

Rohitjacob1, it reminds you so much of TDH which, btw, is wretched, because it's the only other fragrance, other than Molecule 1, of course, to contain even nearly as much, cheap, foul, disgusting, synthetic, Iso E Super, the ultimate modern fragrance filler (killer?). If that's your bag, man, please, by all means, enjoy! :)

I really like this scent. Its smokey, firey, woodsy, musky and has a nice sweetness to it for me.

Its kind of dark and mysterious and masculine and alluring. But for me there is a purity about it, its not dark in a lusty or gothic way, it just has that unknown quality to it.

I love wearing it just so I can smell it myself! hehe.. Thumbs up..

All I can say is" Its different". I could wear this at work at night all summer and all winter. Amazing projection and longevity on my skin. Reminds me a bit of TDH minus the orangy notes

Just got a sample of this and I can say I'm allready in love. Dark and mysterious pretty much sums this fragrance up, a perfect manly man smell.

Encre Noire. Black Ink. Ok, I get it. After the initial blast of cypress this does smell dark, oily, dirty and inky. Smoky like charcoal, not tobacco. There's also some animalic musk swirling around in the background.

Mysterious, mystical! LOVE.

just blind bought this stuff,and start to sniff.
what all i get is,it's a bit similar to TERRE D'HERMES but it ain't got kinda like BITTER/DIRTY ORANGE like TDH has

This is beautifully masculine. Simple and clean, but somehow still earthy. The cypress and cashmere make the scent almost spicey/peppery. A really incredible scent.

Update--May 6: I have been wearing this more and it has difinitely earned a permenant spot on my most favored list. This seems likely to become an enduring classic. It is one of the best men's fragrance ever. I can't praise this enough.

It's funny how we percieve scents in a different way. Encre Noire for me is just proper and it mixes very well with my own skin so I can wear it night or day, if it suits the moment. Also, it is so clean, refined that I don't think it would offend anyone. Of course I wouldn't wear it for work, not because it doesn't feel right but it would be a waste of such magnificent clean austere scent in an everyday setting.But Encre Noire makes you feel you are in a special occasion just by wearing it. I doubt very much other more expensive scents can be better than EN. One may not like it as one has the right not to.

Vetiver in a dark mood. Strong and dry. Not easy to wear to work. Works best in winter this one.

Mysterious, mystical smell of velvety ashes and old books that envelopes you like bathing in ink. While this is the greatest asset to this divine creation, it is also its detractor. Where can you go smelling like an enigma from a 16th century cathedral full of gathering blue shadows? You would have to reaaaaallly be the right person to pull this off... Maybe a tall, aristocratic looking person with black hair and pale skin, who never leaves their house unless they're wearing their old suit. For personal enjoyment though, this is delightful.
Scent: 9
Projection: 8
Longevity: 8
Versatility: WTF

Smelled on a paper strip: I like it, it's promising, but I need to smell it on skin.

Smelled on skin: I like it! The vetiver makes its appearance after an hour or so really strongly. It's a nice scent. I may buy it.

Wife: "It's okay." "Smells like ashtrays."

BOUGHT IT: It's wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I love the smoky beginning that transitions into vetiver. And yes, it can smell a bit inky - or is that merely the power of suggestion? Others have called it mysterious, and I guess it is. It smells a bit antique to me, like an old wooden object with a history.

Name, scent, bottle - a triumph!

This looks like a single note fragrance where vetiver is dominant. In the first 10 minutes of the spray I smell burnt rubber and wood together and there is no clue of what is going to come and stay! After like 10-15 minutes, the earthy smoky vetiver starts it journey which last for 6-8 hours. The projection is also very good for the first 4-5 hours.

In India vetiver or Khus attar is used mostly in summers. Vetiver has a cooling effect on the body. I use it mostly in the summers.

Truly one of the best vetiver based fragrances. The price is great, the longevity great, sillage great, and I love the smell. An earthy vetiver that even has a 'wet' smell to it, and just a hint of smoke that adds a ton of character. In cooler weather you can wear it anywhere anytime. Can still be worn in warmer months, but you would need to save it for nice dinners and upscale events. Cool spring nights works great too.

My sample of Encre Noire was really off and that's why it smelt so sweet, perhaps. Finally got a big lovely 100ml bottle and I like it very much but there is a BUT, it is so close to Guerlain Vetiver Extreme that it serves as a reasuring scent to how much the Guerlain's cologne is really a great one in fact. The main difference between them is that EN doesn't give that barbershop feeling like GVE does. EN is drier, also, so I think it would in fact suit more the evening/darkness. Well, as GVE might get out of touch at any time, I am glad I've got EN as well just he same.
PS.: I bought a kit and at the back of the box it says Eau de Parfum. Does anyone know anything about that, please?

It's My Signature, I'm not afraid to use this at Summer time, Amazing Longevity ,Deep Wood Dark Smoky Shows Darkness Personality - The Sceent is Like Church Burned to The Ground & pope francis Was Inside. R.I.P. My Rating 10/10

Very simplistic fragrance. Easily can be mistaken for a niche fragrance because of how unique it is. The scent is a mix of a campfire and ink and doesn't really change from opening to dry down. Great fragrance.

I can´t find any similarity to Gucci Pour Homme (which is as well as Encre Noire one of my favorites). It is very unique.

And the name perfectly fits. Encre Noire.. Black ink. It´s something inky in it. And it´s very dark. Mysterious.
The earthy, dry, woody scent with prominent vetiver.

So this fits quite well to my style. Black ist my color in clothes. Sometimes accentuated with purple, blue or green.

I wear this scent in winter as well as in summer, spring and autumn. But I do think, the best season to wear it is autumn. It somehow relates to the dying and rotting leaves. Which almost makes it even more gothic then the color and the name ;)
But it implicates a promise of new life in it, something green that stands appart from the death of autumn.

I spray it on the skin as well as on my clothes (where it lasts much longer).

I don't think I can add much to the on-the-money review by 'au naturale' below (read his review - it is detailed and accurate), except to say that the bottle itself is excellent - heavy and classy with a real wood cap. Encre Noir is my favorite dark rooty vetiver. Somewhat to my surprise it turns out that my daughter loves it too and I am getting her a bottle.

It's the mystery inside a bottle ! In drydown is like a gate for other dimension open. Extremely well made and intrigant fragrance..

I feared this would be too masculine for even me, a woman that LOVES dark, smoky forest fragrances, but alas, it's wonderful! It is certainly masculine, but not in a Polo Ralph Lauren kind of way; instead, it's just dark. Don't be surprised if someone asks what's burning when you're wearing this, as this is a forest fire in a bottle!

This is a dirty, masculine vetiver/wood fragrance. At first I thought that the vetiver would be too dirty but it actually straddles the line of being overly dirty without crossing into that territory. This fragrance has excellent longevity, projection, and silage.

This is very similar to Sycamore but more raw and unrefined which I like better. Sycamore is more metro sexual while Encre Noire is unabashedly masculine and raw. If you don't like vetiver stay away from this scent!

Really really looove it
My dad gave it to me and i'm falling in love at the first sniff. I'm addicted to this scent and i can't stop sniff on my wrist when i wear this perfume.
The scent is so relaxing, clean, light, and a little bit soapy.
It last all day looong. Even after i take a bath, the scent is still linger on my body.

I purchased this on a blind buy due to its note breakdown and the outstanding reviews. I must say I COULD NOT BE MORE IMPRESSED. This is a niche quality fragrance. Plain and simple. It is so rich and earthy, definitely gives off the "ink" vibe that others have reviewed for the first hour or so. I am absolutely in love with this fragrance; divine and intoxicating. If you are a vetiver lover DO NOT PASS THIS UP. It projects very well and will last at least 8 hours. I find this works best for formal events during the fall/winter seasons. Absolutely a godsend, enough said.

This stuff is awesome :) My most complimented fragrance.

This one is a marterpiece without any dude.
10/10

WOW...Encre Noire is absolutely AMAZING!!!!! As soon as I sprayed it on my skin a full blast of Cypress mixed with Vetiver come together for a rich woodsy scent!!!. It dries back beautifully maintaining a consistently well balanced aroma, I slowly start to pick up the aroma of musk which elevates it to a GREAT masculine cologne. What I love about this cologne is the simplicity using only 4 ingredients which comes together..A MASTERPIECE. I have tried many colognes, there is only a hand full of men's cologne which I would rate as my top 5...This is most definitely one of five!!
Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver and Guerlain's Vetiver are both excellent cologne's. The addition of Cypress combined with Cashmere Wood gives Encre Noire a spicy scent, a dark mysteries cologne enhance the word Noire = dark. I could wear this during the day and it makes for a very sophisticated evening cologne.
There is nothing that could be done to make this a better cologne.
9 - longevity
10 - sillage
10 - scent.
Encre Noire is SPECTACULAR....

This is the first fragrance I blind bought after joining here and starting to read reviews. It turned out just as I expected it: a great fragrance. Modern but very earthy and woodsy, different but not in your face avant garde. Very pleasant for fall and winter.

Perfect if you're, like me, looking for a scent that's "darker" without being cloying. Fresh and mysterious. I really love it.

I am a novice with fragrances but I enjoy and appreciate these wonderful olfactory attractions.

Encre Noire to a newbie might smell like broken carrots on wet soil after a rain, somewhere in the middle of a forest. At certain moments, you might get an inky vibe that comes and goes, and it feels like a drastic change in the scent when it comes.

This brings back memories of my father taking me along to a library in the mid 90s; walking into the building from a stormy day, then I smell the strong scent of type writer ink and the carbon paper, the old books on the old wooden shelves, and the lights are dimmed.

Yes, I can definitely wear this when I go to a library or anytime when I'm reading. I could also wear this scent to a religious ceremony where there is incense because to me, the smell of this fragrance and the incense brings me into an uplifting mood.

I can see my self wearing this anytime in the year, but I would limit the # of sprays. Here's what works for me:
2 sprays on chest during summer
2-3 sprays on chest during spring
3-4 sprays on chest during fall
4 sprays on chest during winter

I don't apply to the neck because I am typically around a lot of people when I go out and this fragrance may not be enjoyed the first time it's smelled, or ever lol (my mom likes it, but my little siblings hate it (age 19 & 22).

People won't even think it's a fragrance at first, most won't even know what it is! and I was scared that this would be a sweet fragrance with chocolate or tobacco-y, but it's not! the only sweetness I smelled was a carroty sweet, but even that has woody notes.

8/10, I blind-bought this.

Whoa. This one is a masterpiece. Written with big M.

At first, I didn't like it at all. All I could get from it was smoke. 3 hours of smokey something and that was it.

But my nose started to differentiate smells. And... Wow, smell of Encre Noire also changed. Now, to me, smell of this juice is a smell of ink. Black ink, I swear!

And of course it is very long lasting, it gets quite close to skin though. However, during the first 2 hours, after 5 hard sprays, projection of this is big. Then it gets closer and closer to skin. Its longevity impresses me - usually 12 hours. I'm serious. This beast lasts on me and lasts.

I like it and it's worth to be in my collection. Plus it's quite cheap in my country.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful scent <3 !! It smells woody, dry and warm, natural, unusual and veeery long, at least on me! And there's not a hint of any flower, only superb woods! Bliss!!

I will definitely wear this soother frequently!! Ecstatic!!

What?? It's for men?!?!
Well, i'm a girl and i hope there will be some guy out there who won't mind my wearing it, for i cannot resist it!!

Encre Noire.
Dry.
Earthy.
Serene.
Dusty.
Smoky.

This is a scent that would almost fly under the radar of having applied a fragrance.
There is nothing fresh, floral, sweet, gourmand, aquatic, spicy, or particularly loud about this.
Though I am aware it contains a synthetic or 2 (Iso E Super, Cashmeran, etc.), this is a very natural-smelling scent. Natural in the sense that it does not scream "HEY! I AM WEARING COLOGNE" (ahem...see 1 Million)

It conjures the vision of a rugged gentleman in a wool suit , reading a leather-bound book in a library, while chewing on a licorice root.
Different things spark my interest when it comes to a fragrance. Overall there is something that must be unique, or endearing about the ones I enjoy greatly.

Encre Noir is unique in a minimalist sense. Strictly business.
This is a linear scent, so do not expect a wide range of notes playing tag with each other. That is okay, because what this juice delivers is a sobering dose of earthy Vetiver. Within the note of Vetiver itself, there is a myriad of complexity which is downright pleasing. This speaks to high-quality tastes, and a refined demeanor. This speaks to those who appreciate the rewards of tireless work. This fragrance says " I am not afraid to get my hands dirty". This fragrance dispenses with the frivolities and gets to the point.

Not green/grassy, or wet/grassy, in any sense, this frag instead is brown/grassy, toasted/grassy. A full aroma similar to something refined or malted.
There is a slight Licorice note present for the first 20 minutes or so, but this fades into a Vetiver backdrop. There is also a Cypress note present which lends some sharpness to the composition, but make no mistake, this is a Vetiver scent.

I find it hard to visualize someone under 25 being able to appreciate this one. This is a fragrance that someone who can discern and appreciate a fine single-malt scotch would enjoy.

This can be used on any occasion where the mood is subdued or professional. Not a club or party scent....unless it is a Country Club, or political party.

Longevity is great, but it is a bit of a skin scent after @ an hour.

This one is very heat-reactive, so easy on the Summer sprays, but this cuts through the winter chill quite nicely.

If you are a fan of austere scents, this is an absolute must-buy.


4.7/5 in my book -love it.

Blind bought this and I don't know what to think about it. It is definitely different from anything else in my collection. Dry woody smell that is interesting but can't get a full wearing because of the weather. This cologne is a winter frag only!!!!!! I couldn't see anybody wanting to wear this in any kind of heat.

I have a sample of EN and for me it is not dark at all, it smells very sweety violet to me, I know sounds strange. What exactly one measn by " more smokey " ? a very smoky fragrance but in anohter direction altogether, more church like, inocent sacrifice sort of vibe, is Oscar for Men, Oscar de la Renta. There is pepper, incense and f ir resin enough to make me want more and that's why I am trying to get some Hermes Rocabar. Again, O for Men nowadays smells like temple, like a lost and forbidden place few will comtemplate.

I'm still loving this! Not too much more to add to other reviews other than these; On me, this is not as 'black' or deep as I had anticipated, but is is warm. I too get a good dose of smokey vetiver and wood with a VERY slight pepperiness... classy frag!

After 15 minutes or so I get what I can only describe as a slightly 'nutty' note... only when my nose is right up to my skin, and it doesn't last more than a few minutes. Anyone else getting this, or has something from yesterday (Commes des Garcons 2) 'reactivated' itself and mixed despite a couple of showers in the mean time?!

Encre Noir + incense = ?

For some reason, I still want a more 'incensy' note from this, and think it would sit nicely with this scent. Anyone know of anything that might meet my olfactory needs?

As a side issue... why is the pour elle version so totally different to this? It irritates me that fragrances are launched, marketed and branded similarly when they are so very different.

Encre Noire, when roughly translated, means black ink. I would agree that this fragrance does indeed smell 'inky'. The dominant note that lends Encre Noire this quality is vetiver.

Vetiver is a fairly masculine smelling accord. It has a dry, salty, smoky and grassy feel. A very unique ingredient that can either be loved or hated. The vetiver is quite thick and strong in this fragrance, so I guess a healthy appreciation of it is required.

Whenever I choose to don a vetiver scent, I usually reach for the fresh, crisp and summery types. It's for that reason that I'll leave Encre Noire for the menfolk. It has an interesting richness, which I assume comes from the cypress.

Towards the heart and drydown, Encre Noire actually begins to smell quite spicy. I wouldn't be surprised if black pepper was one of the hidden notes in this composition.

I can imagine Encre Noire being worn by a sophisticated man, in an expensive tuxedo, puffing away on a Cuban cigar. But all that of course is just my imagination running away with me. If you don't own a fancy tuxedo, don't fret, you can still wear Encre Noire. I would recommend this fragrance to any man that desires something a little different, something you won't find on the best seller's shelf of the department store.

the opening and top notes are awesome i get a smoky cedar scent but after a couple hours i get a sort of bitter sour citrus like lemon rind, its not unpleasant just something i have never smelled in a edt before. is it just my nose or are other people geting that same note too?

Wow!! This fragrance by Lalique is absolutely elegance at it's best. I smell the vetiver which I love and the musk. It smells very masculine and seductive. This is one scent I will have on top of my list from now on.

My all time favourite perfume... Loved it

اگر بدنبال واژه خوشبو میگردید این ادکلنی نیست که شما را راضی کند،ولی متفاوت و خاص ترین بویی است که میتوانید با خود داشته باشید.
لالیک سیاه ،بویی چوبی مطلق که پیش از لانچ شدنش فکر نکنم پیش از ان هیچ برندی به این خوبی رایحه چوب را ساخته باشد.تلخ،خشک و بی روح.با این ادکلن دنبال جذب دیگران نباشید چون کاملا بی روح و خشک و جدی است.مناسب برای فصول سرد و فضای رسمی .پخش بو و ماندگاری فوق العاده بالایی دارد.حتما قبل از خرید تست کنید.چون این یک ادکلن بسیار خاص است که همه کس نمیتوانند از ان خوششان بیاید.من نمیپسندم.
ماندگاری:10/10
پخش بو:10/10
ارزش خرید: کاملا بستگی به سلیقه افراد
متفاوت بودن:10/10
درمجموع:6/10

After long consideration I have found that I do like this, but I don't love it. Its dark character doesn't make it suitable for everyday wear, but it can be worn on rainy days or at night.

I will try Patxaran's tip on spraying this in the air and walking through it.
/edit: this actually worked! I need to keep more distance with this one when spraying.

Very earthy, very smoky. Reminds me very much of a campfire. It's sexy in an unusual, outdoorsy way. Just please don't make the mistake of wearing it on a hot day--it's perfect for fall evenings, or on a cold, rainy day!

It definitely has a burnt wood smell and I'm a big fan of that. It reminds me a lot of Fireside Intense by the Sonoma Scent Studio and it has a lot in common with the current formulation of Ralph Lauren's Polo.

I'd wear this practically anytime but for those of you who are more observant about wearing colognes at specific times, such as seasons, this is excellent for the fall and winter as well as rainy days.

A keeper.

Just got this brand new in the mail about 20 minutes ago...
At first spray I hated it. It is VERY black burned wood right off the bat. After wearing it for about 15 minutes it cools down to a fairly intense vetiver. I think a vetiver lover will like this.
On a side note, I dont get the "ink" smell (atleast yet), which I am thinking is a good thing!

UPDATE: The drydown is dark and dry. Not my style. I will stick to Creed Original Vetiver!

If anybody wants this 3.4oz 99.9% with box Personal Message me for swap

Just a tiny update to my previous review. Someone here on Fragrantica suggested Encre Noire is a match made in heaven for a rainy day. So, today I looked out of the window and remembered it.... I couldn't agree more. I also applied EN slightly differently. My bottle seems to "squirt" rather than spray unless I go for a full on big push on the sprayer. Therefore I tried spraying and walking through the mist. The result is a much warmer scent, whereas punctual application smells rather "sharp". Today I am falling even more in love with this. As I walked outside in the rain I caught whiffs of something really earthy, woody, almost like dark chocolate in a way. If you want to like this scent but struggle a bit, then do try it in rainy weather and watch how you apply as well.

smells divine. lasts forever, can still smell it on my clothes the next day. very dark, woodsy, wonderful stuff.

i'm in love!!!... its so powerful that if the man wears this around me, i wouldn't care what kind man he really is. well, almost:). beautiful, rich yet soft woodiness. deep, velvety, completely enchanting....

and until i can enjoy it on someone next to me, i'll wear it myself. i'm a woman and i think a woman can pull it off although it's very masculine scent. encre noir just misses this sickening vanilla and head-acheing metallic note masculine frags suggested for women very often have. love love love.

Encre Noire is the reason why I am in love with fragrances. Every now and then you discover wonderful beauties which have been there for ages, and to the "explorer" it is all new and amazing, like finding a brand new Continent. I have ordered a sample of this magnificent scent and it is presently hypnotising me directly from my wrist. I am a girl. I want this fragrance. The 1ml sample I have is not going to quench my thirst of Encre Noire. It is sexy in a way which grabs your mind, not just your senses. I want to wear this. I can only imagine the devastating effects it would have on the right man. Women would look at him and feel mesmerised. It is a meditation scent. Your mind travels far away to distant landscapes. You just want to inhale this woody masterpiece. I have a special relation with cypress, but vetiver never grabbed me like this... I am in love with it. It starts dark and smoky, the smokiness fades away in a few minutes and leaves you with this enticing note.. It's as dark as a vampire... and it makes you want to be bitten on the neck. So, so, so sensual.

This smells like the ink that Plato used to write his "Allegory of the Cave." Many reviewers have noted the inky quality. This is ink used to write about something as important as freedom and perception and reality. And it's ink that smells old and fresh, like it's been kept inside the very cave it created.

I can sense all four notes but I can't smell them. Maybe the vetiver and cypress a bit but not in isolation. Many frags are impressionistic, right? To me, this one is an abstraction. It "represents" while retaining its elements as near-secrets.

I have a .17oz sample and am going to buy a FB because it's _W_.

It's linear on me. Average sillage; above average longevity. I will wear this to work when there's thinking to be done.

Scent: 9/10
Sillage: 5/10
Longevity: 8/10

Subtly woodsy. Maybe there's something wrong with my nose but, for me, this turns into a dusky parma violet. Either I'm a freak with a bizarre sense of smell or it's actually transcendental and the perfume companies need to sign my nose up fast!!
Anyway - it's a funny blend this, there's a 'warm' aura to this fume that, after wearing it for a day and sniffing and vacillating between neutrality/like/dislike, I've realised I can't really tolerate.
I actually ended up trying to scrub it off but it wouldn't go!
I can't place what the 'warm' note or combo could be, hmm, hard to explain. I'm thinking that it's also in the 'female' frags Kenzo Flower or one of the Lancome Miracle offshoots I smelled on someone once. Very floral and 'mumsy'.
Anyway, not for me. I was kindly given a sample of this and shall be passing it on sometime.

Elegant bottle, elegant scent, I am so sorry I did not purchase it when it was still easily avaialble here in France. Very classy and timeless.

A rich, sweet coniferous scent made crisp and green by the vetiver. I can't detect the musk, or the cashmere synthetic, but to me that's a good thing.

It's not a complex or layered blend, but it's pleasant and masculine, a rare pine scent that doesn't smell like disinfectant, and comes at a great price compared to the Creeds I usually go for.

This was a blind buy for me based on Fragrantica recommendations, and I'm happy.

نمیدونم چی شد یهو این عطر سر زبونا افتاد بوی چوب و ماندگاری بالا و پخش بوی خوب و از همه مهمتر گرم بودن اون اما بعد از مدتی از کیفیت اون خیلی کم شد مخصوصا زمانی که
rio کپی برابر اصل اونو تولید کرد
اما اصلش هنوز بوش راضیتون میکنه
خیلی طوفانی و پر هیاهو امد و خیلی زود هم از دور کنار رفت اما طرف دار های خودشو داره ارزش خرید اگه برای اولین بار را نداره
به جاش wood بخرین .

I was looking for the best deep, smoky, dark and mysterious perfume. I smelt many that fit this description, but I knew that I was searching for something else, something even deeper, even smokier and even darker.

I found it last night: I went to the mall, and, as always, I stopped at the perfumery shop. Portugal doesn't have as much choice as other countries have, so there are many well-known perfumes that I've never smelt. One of those was Lalique Encre Noire.

So, when I saw it there, I was just so excited: I immediatly, without smelling it in the atomizer or in the paper, put it in my neck and arm, and I left the store.

I was absoluely astonished by it: I finally discovered what I was looking for.

This is just beautiful and evocative. I was transported to a dark, wet forest, at night. It makes me think in enigmatic fairy tales.

The vetiver here, is definitely the most noticeable note, it smells literally like smoke (in a great way, though).

For those who like vetiver, this is simply a must.

It has great projection, and its longevity is also great, it lasted 8h on me, which is really good, since my skin "eats" the perfume, very few really last on me.

So, all this to say that I've found one of my favorites ever, and if you have the opportunity to smell it, do it, try it, you won't regret, although I admit it may be controversial.

Lalique, thank you for this one (and many more).

Nathalie Lorson,would you like to marry me?

When I sniffed Encre Noire,automatically I imagined me in a dark forest,entering in a wood house forgotten in the middle of the forest. It´s raining outside and the night is coming....This is the feeling I have when I feel Encre Noire.
Any occasions,anytime,anywhere!

Must buy for vetiver lovers!

A masterpiece scent in a masterpiece bottle.

Having owned and used this for 6 months, I can say confidently that I do not understand it. Perhaps the genius that so many describe is too subtle for me, but I am left with a nothingness when I wear it.

In no way a criticism, it just doesn't work for me, which is upsetting as I am generally a fan of the vetivers.

The opening to this is straight cedar but than its changes to this peppery note a lot like marc jacobs bang. thas all i could think about wen.i kept smelling my arm. its well made marc jacobs dnt see what all the hype is about it being a masterpiece or w.e but nontheless it is a good frag espicially for the price.

Purchased after reading and watching a couple reviews. Really happy to have found this guy. Encre Noire was one of my first blind buys and I was expecting a older man's musky scent. Was pleasantly surprised at the first try and I now wear this as a change of pace fragarance in the winter, fall, and spring.
Encre Noire reminds me to the T of two things. A cedar closet (which I have in my basement and love having to go into) and a pile of fresh wood chips that are in a pile on a summer evening. Anyone who has seen wood chips steam after a hot summer day know exactly what I mean. It is a great scent that brings me back to clearing home lots when I was younger. Love this smell.

I purchased this from my old stomping ground; Colonial Drug in Cambridge, MA. I was initially drawn to the bottle and so I tested it. The initial note drew me in which smelled like a burnt grass. I didn't even bother to allow the frag to drydown properly before I slapped my $$ down to purchase. I am wearing it today and I am enjoying it. On my skin it becomes a little peppermint-y before it begins that lovely musky, woody skin scent. Very nice.

Woody dark vetyver. It s woodness character not like Gucci Ph, resemble to Esencia. You can easily detect the soft ink, what a original note. Good choice when u are undecided. Manly but compatible with both casual and formal wearing. Moderate projection and a little more lasting. Compliments from both males and females. In addition I love wearing EN when it s raining.

This has become one of my favorites. Although it's quite different from average scent I haven't come across anyone who has not liked it. People tend to find it intriguing. Lasts a whole day.

A strikingly potent vetiver. Because of it's focused nature, I'd imagine it would be good for layering, though vetiver lovers may like it on it's own. A bit strong for me though.

PURELY KHUS....
Love This Juice

Nothing special at first, but in drydown something special happen. It's like magic, fragrance become difficult to describe and the smell addictive... It's amazing!

Depending on the person I think Encre Noire for Men is a wonderful unisex fragrance it depends on the body chemistry and knowing how to ware it. I'm a women all I need is just little touches because it's the good stuff, so a little goes a long way.

It's a required taste, it's a pure refined formula. I don't have to re-apply this fragrance all day long. This is such a mystical perfume. When applied appropriately...on my skin it totally captivates me. I immediately smell the aroma of all basenotes at once playing back and forth that flow in complete harmony with each other, it's bewitching and very satisfying to my senses, and smells good & mellow on my skin. On my skin there's such an awesome easy going organic earthy smell about it thats blended with hints of sweetness that exudes a passionate velvet musky-vertiver-tender wet woods incorporated into a distinct fragrance of "Ink." Yes, on my skin the ink is vivid, but not intrusive, the total dry down is something unique & beautiful. The little square black bottle Encre Noire comes in immediately reminded me of an ink well bottle. This is a well orchestrated fragrance that is meant for the elite crowd. I think of log cabins in the woods, little black dresses, jet setting, or drop top benzes.

Before our computers, ipads, tweeter, texting, emails and all that jazz...there was "Ink & Paper," and the familiar smell that came along with it. Remember... perfume evokes memories, and for me Encre Noire brings back memories of all sorts of things of years gone by that involved writing, journalism, writing those endless pages of school book reports, writing inside my daily diaries, writing grocery lists & hanging them on the frig, love letters, writing & sending monthly letters, taking notes in board meetings, shorthand, memories of television news reporters with those little pads & ink pens taking notes, policemen writing tickets.

Ink has played a very intergral part/role in our lives, and I remember the presence of it's smell/odor & the accomplishments that came along from writing with ink. I went through tons of BIC Ball Point Pens and Fountain Pens, I could never keep enough ink cartridges. I'm an artist, I've drawn dozens of ink drawings/sketches. I remember the ballpoint pens after writing with them for long periods of time the ink would eventually leak onto my fingertips (the awesome dent it left on my middle finger) and would leave ink blotches on my paper or sometimes ink would leak inside my purse if I forgot to put the cap on, or retract the pen. I remember sometimes the fountain pens would overflow and make a mess and the peculiar smell the ink left behind. It's so funny how fragrance can frame some people's life, I just happen to love perfume, scents, aromas, and I am sooo grateful that I have a nose-sensory and body chemistry that is compatible for it.

I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I had a sample mailed to me. I usually hate these kind of fragrances -- sharp, vetiver-y, woodsy smells -- they make me think of nondescript old-school colognes. This is different, though. I think it's because it smells very natural and has really great balance going on. It's very strong, though, so beware!

Just bought it today and fell in love with the first sniff I took of the atomizer. Cant wait to take it out on a test drive in the morning and also see how it layers with my dior homme intense....

After a couple of hours of thinking about the opening notes (which I thought I had been smelling since my childhood) I finally figured out what it was and the answer was in the native Indian fruit called "JAMUN". It exactly smells like jamun and that smell stays till the base of the fragrance. I was amazed how much it smelled like Jamuns (not their tree or roots but exactly like the fruit)... :( pity how much has the western world been missing on the beauty of the east, specially in the wide variety of fragrances available here.

P.S I think that the jamun note is the one which everyone thinks of as the ink note, having said that it reminds me how the fruit is of darkish purple colour and its juice turns the consumers teeth and tongue purple. So I think that might solve the ink note mystery.

Another faithful blind buy based on reviews... hmmm. I am suprised how everyone keeps going on about the ink - I keep sniffing and can't find it! There is more ink-ish scent in my E45 body lotion than in this (ink lovers take note). But no problem, what intrigues me is the smokey wood here. I am getting memories of the mediterranean and small villages where people heat with wood fires. Very cosy. The smokey aspect disappears after a while to settle for an all round woody background feel. I can see myself being tempted to layer this. As it happened, I tested Tocade on my other wrist and ended up smelling both wrists together... (the result of which somehow reminded me of Onde Mystere). A huge contrast but maybe this is what I need to make this ink work for me.
Update: I am totally blown away how long this lasts on my skin. Eventually I did catch a bit of ink with this. At the very end, the fragrance looped back to a fresher woody note, I think it is the vetiver going strong here. I look forward to trying this in spring or summer.

I just got this and at first spray thought "damn, there goes my blind buy success streak". But then something magical began to take place. This to me needs at least 30min on my skin to settle down for that sharp burnt wood to release it's grip and let the Vetiver and musk shine through like a newlywed couple being driven away in their cashmere wood carriage. The streak is alive and well.

I tried it because of the reviews on this site and I am very impressed. I am a woman but I wear men's scents occassionally and this could definately be unisex. In the beginning it smells very fresh and almost herbal but even then I could smell a bit of vetiver. As it dries down, you get stronger vetiver note, intermingled with musk and woods. It also gets a bit more sweet as it dries down(although its not a sweet scent). The dry down is very musky and woodsy, and very unique. Its dark, elegant and seductive. For some reason, it has very "Middle Eastern" feel to me. I can definately see this scent not being liked by everyone, and I don't think this is a safe blind buy. My hubby didn't care for this at all, but I love it and its going on my want list.

Didn't like at first but wait for it, wait for it, there it is, mmmmmmmm.

Go Lalique, go go
Go Lalique, go goo
Go Lalique, go gooo

Smells like Hermes Terre ? I had this one long time ago and it was a blind buy , a super regret ! It turns way too dusty after half an hour . Annoying to those around me , and offensives to a degree. Won't even think of re-buying this dust blower .

The first time I smelled this, I didn't really like it. There was something in there I did not like. But I decided to give it another try and now I really like it! I can see how it would remind some people of Kenzo Air, which also has Iso E Super.

Long story short, I should most definitely add this to my collection! Smells like earthy, dark wood.

This is strange and somewhat disturbing.

It makes me feel like it's the middle of the day, but the sky is dark, and I'm standing on a leather couch in a cold, dark room with black wallpaper, looking at a tall victorian gate in the distance.

If there would be people living in this place, they would be wearing Encre Noire along with black, elegant dresses, cold, calculating gazes and intimidating smiles, welcoming you, drawing you in, despite yourself.

this is the best fragrance that ever made on earth.
You can wear it in every season, it's the god's perfume.

To me it's a more wearable version of Sycomore. It seems smoother to me somehow. It gives me that same smoky, romantic feeling though.

I have mixed views on this one. It starts with a sharp woody citrus vetiver which is pretty similar to Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver. So far so good.

But after a couple of hours it gets darker and the "ink" note appears. While its not offensive or overpowering, it's just not for me.

Encre Noire can easily be overpowering if over applied. But with a light application it can actually be quite elegant, while still retaining its dark and mysterious notes. It is very different from anything else I use, which is why it is perhaps one of my all time favorites.

nice earthy vetiver in the opening, than it become a smokey/dark burned wood. very nice scent for the colder days. longevity is ok , sillage just moderate

i give it an 8.5

Dark, mysterious and lovely. I wear this for myself. Makes me feel warm and safe. Lasts all day on you. Try it if you can.

Perfect scent.
Thin and elegant woods.
I do not know anything.
The scent of vetiver is somewhat reminiscent of the same Grey Vetiver Tom Ford.
I used it at night and during the day the scent was still on my skin, incredible lasting power.

I rank him so;
Smell: 10/10
Projection: 10/10
Longevity: 1000/10

As soon as I smelled this today I said "Vetivert" and that is essentially the power note in this fragrance. Considering I wear vetivert oil by itself all the time because I love it so much, I thought it would be unwise to spend so much on a bottle of Encre Noire as the other notes aren't powerful enough to transform this from the main vetivert note. Of course it is absolutely fantastic either way, deep and earthy just the way I like it. The lady said everyone who smells it loves it and that it was great for night mainly... but my love for vetivert is an all day, anytime affair.

Simply simple
I mean simple life high thinking
Dark, deep, aesome fragrance

What a difference between a concentrated close up spray and a further back misted spray on this one. It's like it's not even the same stuff. I'm in the misted category on this one. It's a lot less overwelming and earthy that way. The wood comes out more.

People shoud better watch the pyramid! They would understand that encre noire is not a "black fragrance" in the usual acception of the word... Here, I think "black" means mysterious and class, something earthy, woody and aromatic, like in the depht of an undiscovered forest.
"Ma seule étoile est morte
Et mon luth constellé porte
le soleil noir de la mélancolie."

I don't understand the hype around this fragrance ! I smelled it and it is not dark at all and not heavy !! It was not what i have expected it to be,after so many reviews! I was a complete dissapointment!

yaa i know this is for man but..i loove how it smelled from my husband skin :") so i try to spray it once on me. aiii, cannot hold it. doesn't work for me at all although all those element;cypress, vetiver & cashmere wood, sound so tempting. so I said to my husband, please, use this for me honey :p

well, when I try it in shop first impression was not so good, but after one hour .. omg ... What can I say, that was 4 or 5 years ago and since then this is olways my first choice. I can't remmember how many times I bought it since then. Really unique and great fragance.

In one word, this is the Goddess of all fragrances in this world. Enough said.

Do not judged this one..wait until it settle down. From there you will discover the most precious scent that probably you've never smelt before.. one of the best i've got.. a must have. Well done LALIQUE!

@Hossein : Happy friend!

Standing in the middle of a dark, foggy forest at night. Not a lovely beautiful wonderland forest, all clean and open, but one full of brambles and branches and thorns. So strong you might feel trapped.

Cypress, vertiver, woods. I also smell something inky and something that feels to me like moist earth. This feels very natural, very true to life.

This is a very smoky, strong, romantic fragrance. It is very masculine, to me, but I think a woman could wear it too, but I think it would take a certain kind of person to pull this off. Regardless, don't expect everyone to like this!

The best vetiver Colonge I have used after Tom fords grey vetiver. A bit over powering but the dry tone is the one should smell like in winters

I love this juice. It lasts on my skin 12+ hours. The dry down is lovely. In my top 10.
Many compliments.

Received a whole education on Vetivers at the Neiman's fragrance counter while being introduced to this one.

It's definitely smokey, dark, and inky to me. Must have patience and be in the mood as it wears nicely with time.

There's understated power here. I had a woman cutting my hair swoon over me because the fragrance reminded her of a former boyfriend. For the record, I look nothing like the former boyfriend and I'm not usually swoon-worthy, so...such is the power of fragrance. Or memory.

I can appreciate it, but not for everyday, and not for every occasion.

You know when you´re happy just to have a masterpiece? That´s how I feel. A raw, dark, crispy and earthy vetiver.

Open fields with dewey woods, spring heat... That was my first impression...
As the vapor lingered, there was a slight reminiscense of woodsy bug spray in the air.

Second impression, after spraying and smelling a half hour later; deep cypress, delicious vetiver and now I understand what I had detected earlier was the deep earthy outdoors.... I would definately say it's a masculine scent, and I wear many a men's frag. but this is quite the powerhouse of woody, dark wet earthy scents. No matter who wears it though, I can't seem to peel my nose away from it.......

Once upon a time...%) Only for suit, ONLY!!!

a masterpiece. Lasts long, very strong and masculine. Works perfectly for business meetings and a bit less with the opposite sex. (My wife and most of my female friends find it a bit too strong)... Still I find it a very fascinating scent, far different from most commercial brands...

I love it, This woody fragrance is so elegant when embedded in my body

I wouldn't say I disliked it but after trying it at Neiman Marcus, I couldn't see what all the fuss is about. I've heard people liken it to a church mass, ink, etc. For me it was more like standing in a very dark, deep coniferous forest after midnight. It was dark, very very dark. It was not for me. I'm not calling it bad but I would advise those who are curious to find some way to try it first.

Beautiful multi-faced unisex scent. Sometimes Encre Noir reminds me of ink and paper and radiates the aura of austerity and contemplation, other days it smells more like an old church – incense, cold stone, panels made from redwood and dust makes a perfect composition of melancholy and calmness. Sometimes musk takes over and it becomes sweeter and softer and warmer, very much like a skin scent. I am a woman and wear it proudly; my husband wears it proudly as well. And another thing – it goes very well with cigarette smoke:)

a masterpiece of classines..first line forever!

Perfection in perfumery. A liquid work of art. The diamond among all men's fragrances. Stupendous!!! Amazingly affordable!!!

Cant wait to get this.. Thanks to all the reviewers.

I love it, i´m a lady, and i buy it today, i can say this is an Unisex fragance..yeah! Wood everywere...i feel like i´m in the forest when i smell it.

This is a marvelous, elegant scent on a man, but it is quite sexy on a woman too. On a woman's skin, no one would guess it to be a male fragrance, rather a very sultry and mysterious woody oriental. So to the women who love this scent, don't be afraid to wear it! This fragrance is very, very popular in some Arabian countries and both men and women wear it. Having lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for awhile, I've smelled it on many local men and a few women too, at work, in the malls, etc. Before I knew about Encre Noire I used to think it must be some highly expensive Arabian perfume, but it was a 30 dollar bottle of Encre Noire all along! I was over-the-moon when I finally discovered it :D The quality of this fragrance is astounding for its cheap price tag. Like I said in a previous review, I've been buying it up in bottles for my fiancee, brother, and future father in law, and now I will be getting one for myself very soon! It will go perfectly with a little black dress and smoldering eyes ;)

i love it,men use it !!! :)

KIDA2010 nailed it.

I just wanted to add that sycamore smells way more refined and elegant than encre noire. I also feel longevity is way better with Sycamore.

I love this fragrance and highly recommend men to use it !!!

master piece! very woody and warm.love it.

it's classic! different!! always loving the woodsy and citrus feel.....am wearing it for the very first time and it's great!!!!

longevity is superbab!
sillage is fantastic
projectile is good|!!!

i like!!

In my opinion, this is the God Father of all Vetiver fragrances. It's raw, natural, spicy and sexy. I've tried other expensive vetivers like Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver and Sycomore but Encre Noire (EN) is much more rugged and robust, much better longevity/sillage and affordable. EN reacts incredibly well with my skin and manages to stay for 8+ hours (longevity) and as a result I get loads of compliments from the opposites sex. I wake up the next day and I can still smell this sexy beast on my skin (longevity). ER also projects well in a moderate manner and not so much in your face (sillage).
This is a well thought out piece of perfection and it suits people from all ages. I agree in the sense that ER suits colder weather but that doesn't stop me from applying it in warm temperatures.
You don't see many fragrances these days with such class and complexity as ER. 10/10 without a doubt

My girlfriend is getting me this for christmas, can not wait! I'm relatively new to fragrances and this will be my first scent that concentrates on the vetiver note. Very excited.
----------------------------------
This is amazing.

EXACTLY! like Chanel Sycomore PERIOD CASE CLOSED. I dont get how dumb was I to spend $200 on a bottle of Sycomore and on ebay, you can spend as low as $30 on a 100ml bottle for encre noire (no offense to the Sycomore owners)

Now to the scent, this is smokey,peppery, green kind of similar to wet grass after the rain, polished and elegant.

What more can i say!

UPDATE:
As for Sillage it is extremely poor, once sprayed it screams Vetiver then after a couple of minutes if subsides,calms down however you do still smell it, very close to the skin type of scent, i was shocked since its composition is very aggressive, i did experience the same issue with Sycomore but not as bad as Encre Noire (i am not that regretful since i bought for a good price not to be sad about) I still love it but im disapointed with the projection (some people might disagree with me on that topic, but this is how its portrayed on me_

I find Encre Noire extremely similar to other vetivers on the market. If anything, it's a bit more complex and heavier, and more carefully blended, of course. That "bit more" really sets it apart!

Personally I find it very irritant during the day, because it smells a bit resinous and caustic. I can't explain it very well, it just gives me a terrible headache and I get this resinous sticky feeling inside my nostrils. EN has cypress/juniper notes too, maybe that's what gives me this bad sensation.

When I wear it at night, however, there's an earthy/mineral nuance and Encre Noire gets somehow softer, more rounded, more tame. Very classy and masculine.

Good to wear on a date with women over thirty.

This is one fragrance that I wish I could get my nose on! It pops up as "people who like this also like" in a vast many of the scents I own and adore. From what I understand, though, I loathe fragrances containing disproportionately high amounts of ISO E Super (i.e. Terre D' Hermes, Voyage D'Hermes etc.) as they all start to smell like funk to me after a very short while on my skin and I've heard from a friend that he absolutely LOVED this one at first, but after about two weeks it made him feel quite sick to his stomach, so much so that he can no longer wear it. Damn you, small-ass city where I live! I'd blind buy this guy in a heart-beat if I didn't fully realise that it's comprised of 40% IES!

Just for the record this pretty much does smell about 95% like chanel's sycomore.
I own both and all chanel does is add that sexy more refined touch.
Its a great different fragrance but kinda suited to more random events than daily things. Its great in the autumn!
Fairly linear and muted smelling, doesnt have any edge of classic citrus openings which i love about it as they all get a bit boring.
Its not as smokey as some people say i think, just dirty raw vetiver. :D

obra de arte em estado líquido!

Il mio preferito. l'unico e irraggiungibile

Esta fragnacia me fascina.

Empieza oliendo a ciprés. Es como estar en un claustro o monasterio medieval, con su silencio... relajante.

Después se torna en un aroma penetrante de vetiver, como si estuvieramos dando un paseo por un campo o un prado abierto un domingo por la tarde.

Y al final es salado. Como si nos hubiésemos bañado en el mar.

Te proporciona un viaje único. Único.

*********

I love this fragrance.

It starts smelling of Cypress. It's like being in a cloister medieval monastery, with its silence, meditación... relaxing.

Then becomes an scent of deep vetiver, as if we were taking a walk by a field or a meadow open a Sunday afternoon.

And at the end it is salted. As if we had been swimming in the sea.

It gives you a unique journey. Unique.

the best fragrance ever....10/10

For a lady that loves wood scents, this is absolutely perfect. An especially wonderful fragrance for the fall and winter months. It has such a well balanced projection, not too obtrusive, yet noticable enough that is not considered a fragrance that is only close to the skin. I think this should be considered unisex rather than an exclusively male scent. It is perfect for either gender.

MASTERPIECE .........No comment

Very tamed even in high humidity. I tried it on my skin and fell in love----I am a lady by the way. I bought it for someone really special and I am glad he gave it a try. It's a highly cerebral fragrance but is something that is really special given the right chemistry.
Projection is amazing----a good giant spritz at the nape is the way to do it. Love it on my man. Amazing stuff!

My husband says it smells like Elephant Musc, and he definitely knows elephant musc cause he used to work in the Circus.

I tried this perfume on my self and on my husband and it kind of stinks every time, I guess I'm not into the elephant smell like everyone else is.

Definitely 'inky' when you first put it on, even somewhat unpleasant. This quickly fades in the first few minutes and the layers of the composition divide and begin to sing softly but with conviction of wet earth and svelte woods. The cypress doesn't get as much attention as the exquisite vetivers within and its a rather nice expression of evergreen. The scent isn't rough at all. It's smooth as silk.

Throughout there's a pervasive accord that I can only imagine as being a bit like lipstick or candle wax in nature. Some might like that, some might not. Encre Noire certainly doesn't come across as a proper cologne to say the least. I wouldn't say it is really formal. Rather, its just sorta weird worn as cologne.

Apparently this contains both Haitian and Bourbon vetiver. The vetiver notes are excellent. Oh man are they something special. I have sniffed a few niche takes on vetiver themed fragrances and not one beat this. I find vetiver very calming and comforting and I like to use this to relax around the house.

The longevity is very good and all the warnings about it being to loud are unwarranted. You could easily get away with a few sprays on a cool day.

It's hard to suggest this as a blind buy due to its enigmatic nature as a cologne. If you aren't a fan of vetiver you might be unimpressed. But I love this stuff. Thumbs up!

A very classy, distinguished scent. For the majority of us, especially younger men below 30, it's not an easy scent to pull off for most occasions. It's too sweet and formal, a very intensive, deep vetiver scent, smoky and sweet. It lacks ruggedness and is too refined to wear in most occasions. But this scent will make you appear richer, more mature and more sophisticated than you really are. I really love the smell of EN, but I don't see myself wearing it any other occasion other than formal events, like a fancy dinner, weddings or important corporate events. It doesn't feel right without a suit. Still, I highly recommend. It is top quality stuff at a very good price, and you will be getting plenty of compliments left and right. Superb projection and longevity. My father has his own bottle too, being an older gentleman, it seems to suit him better as an everyday scent.

This is certainly one you should not rush to form an opinion on. I tried it having read good things and to say it was a bit of a letdown is an understatement. However I tried a couple more times and only now am I starting to understand it.

EN doesn't shout about how wonderful it or it's wearer is, indeed it almost makes you work to fully appreciate it. Although in my mind it is not particularly complex, it does take quite a lot of thought to figure it out. To me is an austere fragrance, one for extremely high level or formal situations. It is not a fragrance to relax with.

I am developing an appreciation for the Vetivers and this one ranks with the best. It is very much a vetiver yet somehow manages to me quite distinct from the other offerings.

I don't know what my final opinion will be on this because I don't fully understand it yet. It seems a pretty clever composition so far though.

Edit: I need to emphasise the importance of trying this on your skin. On paper it is nondescript and empty.

Fantastic fragrance! Reminds a lot Terre d'Hermes minus the citrus note... A raw earth scent, worth be in everybody wardrobe! But be warned: this is potent stuff, extreme sillage and a projection beast... So hold the trigger while applying it and be happy. You will be using the one of those fragrances that can be named a MASTERPIECE

Very disappointed at first, but I allowed Encre Noire some time to impress thinking it may just need to settle and I might get used to it. I wasn't disappointed, I now absolutely love it. Very nice, very dark and rather intense - possibly best for business meetings, dates, lusty evenings. I found it layered particularly well with Terre D'Hermes.

One you may have to give a chance but won't regret.

dark, warm and elegant...love this scent

Timeless, refined, alluring, mystical, dark, elegant, masculine...all words that describe Encre Noir. This is definitely a night-time fragrance. Smells unique, expensive and exclusive. It starts off with a fresh and watery feel, but after the while, the bitter-sweet, dry scent of burnt woods and vetiver start to intensify, and it begins to consume your senses. A scent for grown men of all ages that's best saved for formal or semi-formal occasions. It goes perfectly with a suit and a debonair attitude. Sillage can be anywhere from discrete to overpowering depending on how much you spray on, and it has excellent longevity too. The best part is that it's budget-friendly, you get so much more than what you pay for! I just bought a couple bottles for my fiancee and his dad, and I'll be getting one for my brother as well. A real gem of a fragrance.

very nice .. i like it

Really nice

Dark, mysterious, smoky, dry. IMHO not suitable for daytime wear. Not for summertime. Excellent for tarot readings. Best to be worn evening/nighttime. 8/10

A high quality vetiver-based scent. This is well worth the price, but if you are willing to spend $100 instead of $50, you can get Chanel Sycomore which is very similar, but MUCH better overall.

This is not very versatile. It is a scent that is formal, not too youth-friendly, and not good for the summer. Chances are, between its high projection and its low versatility, you won't be able to use an entire bottle in even ten years.

Judging by the reviews...I must get some of this...........?

One of the best vetiver on the market.

AMAf@#kinZING fragrance. its a winner all the way. even if one wanted to, cudnt find any negative in this masterpiece. the initialwiff to the dry-down. from its longevity to its sillage... so beautiful n original.
if u dnt own one... GET IT TODAY. NOW!!!!

Wearing such a gorgeous composition means not caring about compliments or if people will notice, for me it’s about me. Yes, you can wear it with black tie, but you can also wear it if you are staying home alone or if you are going to a piano concert by yourself.
When I discovered EN, the other senses stopped for a moment. There’s no big spectacular opening, it is so smooth and develops into a nice trip trough my memories… kissing a beautiful girl in that cabin in the mountains, playing with the wooden chess of my beloved aunt, the pipe of my grandfather…
___
Usar una composición de tal belleza significa que no te importan los cumplidos o si la gente lo notará, para mí, se trata de mí. Sí, puedes usarlo vestido de etiqueta, pero también si te quedarás solo en casa o si vas a un concierto de piano sin compañía.
Cuando descubrí EN, los otros sentidos se detuvieron un momento. No tiene una gran apertura espectacular, es tan discreta, pero se desarrolla en un agradable viaje por mis recuerdos... besar a una hermosa mujer en aquella cabaña en las montañas, jugar con el ajedrez de madera de mi querida tía, la pipa del abuelo...

چوبی. عطری کاملا مردانه که درونش زیاد از نرمی خبری نیست. پخش بو و دوام فوق العاده دارد. من که زیاد نپسندیدم .نه اینکه بد باشم.بخاطری که سخت پسندم. همیشه فکر میکنم بوی فلفل میده.خوشبو زیاد نیست اما خاص است.
5.8/10

Sycomore's poor cousin? I dont think so. For me, EN is better. Also, much cheaper. It's darker than Sycomore and has a better lasting power. The best vetiver scent that i've ever tried.

Here a little word from an 28 years old man :

A dark vetiver frag that take me back to the younger wild imagination where i stand in front of thousand peoples on a huge stage with a black custome as a lead guitarist Gothic Metal Band on a full moon night...
Yeah thats the feeling...
Its dark and yet produce a beautiful symphony..

I tried 3 times before i got full bottle... at that times i feel this frag gonna be a skin scent but the dark scent keep me coming back... in the end i determined to buy a full bottle and yeah i dont have any regret left now...
9/10

Update:
I spray it at 8 AM and at about 5.30 PM my friend(average people) asked me "That's a good Perfume you have there! What is it? How much is it?"

Suppose what your faith has said is essentially correct. Suppose there is a universal mind controlling everything, a god willing the behaviour of every subatomic particle. Well, every particle has an anti-particle, its mirror image, its negative side. Maybe this universal mind resides in the mirror image instead of in our universe as we wanted to believe. Maybe he's anti-god, bringing darkness instead of light.
Prince of Darkness.
what can i say?this masterpiece is my second skin untill the end of my cursed life!

I really didn't like the tester I got in the post. Reading such positive reviews about it, maybe I had an off sample? Or maybe I just don't particularly like strong vetiver notes, as I felt similarly about Sycomore.

I just can't see what others find so appealing and enticing about it. It smelt like paint stripper to me and I had to wash it off after a couple of hours... a very dark, extremely dry and strident scent, I thought....

i love this fragrance. i bout it for my man but I freely wear it myself also.

Fir thouse who say it is warm fragrance for winter or only suitable for black tie event - I do not agree. it is very beautifull combination or pure raw materials. i enjoy it's zingy cypress note for hot summer day and feel refreshed through calm greeness of vetyver. however, I love this scent in winter for equally warming, comforting qualities.

Overall I think it is very well balanced fragrance as many other Lalique creations which I love.( Price is good for quality as well. )

A nice woodsy frag,that smells warm and inviting,just got a bottle today, will wear in the winter time which is suitable for this type of scent, a much lighter version of gucci homme to me!

This is a fragrance that I greatly respect, however it is not something I enjoyed or would want to wear.

What this has in uniqueness, it lacks in versatility. Young people under 25 probably won't like this. This won't wear well in warm or hot weather. This is very grim, solemn and formal. This is for a wedding or black-tie event or an executive business meeting. On most occasions, this isn't fitting because it is not very casual.

This is not your feel-good compliment-getter like Armani Code. This is more of a work of art, one that takes patience to appreciate.

A serious collector may like this, but the average person probably won't want to buy or wear this.

In the end, this is niche quality at designer price, however the moral of the story is to never blind buy something just because it has an overwhelmingly positive amount of reviews.

Try this before you buy it.

Strong and quite warm fragrance. Reminds me of smoke and a bit leather smell.
Dark wet, slightly burnt wood. But despite it's smokeyness, it's a ' clear' and 'straight' smell.

Was a blind trade for me, it's rather strong, but i'm more than pleased with it.

a composed, insightful, wise guy. he's got it all and could be powerful but he chooses a reclusive solitary life. he is confident but he's down to earth. he only smiles when he feels like it. he is independent, he knows what he wants and he makes his own decision.

encre noir
lalique

poetic, heartbreakingly beautiful.
10/10

-Mr. Almond-

Dense burnt forest. So natural..it reminds me of smoke coming out of burning vetiver. I moslty think of ashes, woods, pot fire which we use in wibters here in kashmir. I havnt smell anything lyk this b4 and in my opinion u will not get the vetiver done better then this. A must have for evry vetiver chauvinust. I will give it 10/10.

I have wanted to try this forever & thanks to a generous sample from lovely SparkleGoth I have it. And it was worth the wait. This is a very simple and very elegant perfume. Unlike other reviewers I don't find it to be a powerhouse, it stays close to the skin on me & I doubt others could even smell it It's dark, dry & grey...rather similar in a way to Serge Lutens' Gris Clair which is sharper and more lavender-y. It's to be worn when you are in the mood for contemplation. EN is rounded, smooth, gentle, subtle... it has all the good qualities one could want in a perfume. Yes, unisex, definitely. I will have to try the Pour Femme version, but I could easily wear this one all day and not get bored. The similarity to Chanel's Sycomore is also there, but again EN is a more gentle version. This is indeed a pleasure to test & possibly bottle-worthy for me.
10/10.

Edit: After a couple of hours this gets a distinct hay smell.

A simple, straightforward, statement-making, crude, iso e super overload fragrance, with obvious vetiver. If you wear fragrances to impress others, you might think this outstanding (literally), depending upon the people and the kind of impression you want to make. For those who want a "sinus rocket" experience, this may work well for you. If you are like me, and prefer complex, balanced fragrances that have at least some softness and subtlety to them, I doubt you will like this one. If you like the idea of this but want something a bit softer and more subtle, try Kenzo Homme Boisee, which also has a clear vetiver note, but I'd go with Paradoxe by Pierre Cardin, which dries down to a dry, bitter, peppery/leathery incense without a "chemical" feel to it, though that is closer to Yatagan than to EN. So don't think you have to deal with iso e super for this kind of idea; that's just a trend these days, for some reason that makes no sense to me (other than it's a cheap chemical so costs are kept down).

The first time i smelled this one i wanted to shed a tear it was so amazing..a scent that brings back great memories ...it feels like its almost like a vaction in a bottle..this is paradise in a bottle..but its a dark, maybe even sinister paradise..only a real man can pull off this one..so please if your a average weiner dont wear out the scent of champions.

ok, after reading everything I say even two words: very nice vetiver, soft that it is never too wet or too dry. A good dose of Iso and Super Magic makes cashmere wood, licorice, and finally the cypress moss. About me, Edt lasts only two hours. EDP perfect. Competes (and wins) with niche perfumes. Underestimated. Perfect for a sophisticated man or women who do not smell like grass in spring!

Choosing scents is a funny old game. I've just come away from writing that I can't wear Gris Clair by Serge Lutens - a unisex deep spicy *lavender* - because it's too masculine, yet here I am happily wearing Encre Noir, marketed as a men's fragrance. Go figure.

Certainly not the smell of Darth Vader. It´s too elegant for that, actually it´s pure elegance, pure elegant wood, nothing more, nothing less other than that. Beautiful in its own way, not for everyone, noone seems impressed by this one, it wasn´t created to impress, I reckon. My one and only problem with this perfume, as with almost any perfume except for a few, it´s not strong enough. And wood is strong. It wouldn´t have to be anything like in the 80s, I don´t mean a powerhouse. It´s just way too elegant. Or cheap made, I don´t know. Wood is strong and cypress is sublime, never dark, we shouldn´t be calling this fragrance a dark or goth fragrance. Elegance should never be a paradox.

I love and hate this scent. Let me explain: I had to get this cause Im a fragrance lover, I cant stop smelling it and even smelling the bottle cap. I have 50 fragrances in my collection & everytime I pass by I have to take a whiff of this one. This is such a strange yet unique scent. No other like it. And I love it for that. So dark and noir-like. But, I also hate it because i cant wear it as much as I would like to because i dont feel confident in it. Fragrances smell great on me so its not that this smells worse on my skin, it still smells the same from the cap yet its not a scent people can identify with or please their senses. Its very oud like, green. Almost futuristic but earthy, rugged yet smooth. Its not for everyone and i dont get compliments wearing it and i do with every other fragrance. The main problem with this is when it dries (even though this may destroy peoples good feelings on this), it smells just like bug spray. And if you think that and smell it on someone then you end up recalling that it does smell like bug spray and you end up steering clear from this. But if i dont tell you about the bug like spray then you may find this woody and enjoyable for the very select few that are into non ordinary scents. I still like this fragrance and i dont know why maybe cause im into oriental, woody, spicy and dark earthy scents i guess. Ive only met one person who wore this and he was from Dubai. And he walked by me and i stopped him and said is that lalique your wearing? He was shocked and said "Yes, no one ever mentions what I have on and I love it but didnt think anyone would ever knwwo what this fragrance is". I love this fragrance & all i wanted was to smell dark and mysterious and different which was what made me buy this fragrance. while the bottle alone is what attracted me to it. When i wore this, one woman told me i smelled like i was cleaning my house or if i worked in killing rodents or work with chemicals and that got to me :(
I immediately came on here to see what everyone was reviewing and I saw two other posts about it smelling like bug spray. So im not alone in this sadly. But i still put it on with a "i dont care what people think" confident attitude :) I just hope im wearing this around the right people and have more females like that female reviewer that smells this and imagines her man coming out of the dark woods smelling like this and is seduced by :)

you know this fragance it's top-notch when everybody complements it (men and women) and you can't never get enough of it. Not matter how many other scents you have, you always come back to it. Smoky, woody, elegance in abottle.

smokey wood in a bottle. reminds me of the lapsang soughing tea. slightly smoked pinewood with some sweet accords of florals and maybe a tiny, tiny bit of oud cambodi?

Not for the crowd only for fragrance lovers... Best black frag I have smelled...

This is my LOVE to all my life!

Vetiver Godliness...

To my nose, no other fragrance in my collection ever provoked such a unique emotional reaction. It blew my face off! The vetiver in this...ineffable.

For having only four notes...I'm nothing short of awe struck.

There's also an ink accord in this that is just, oh so dark and gloomy, untouched! Natural!

Find it. Test It. Buy it. Cherish It. If Appollo chose to wear a scent, it would be this...hands down.

In another wearing where I was sufficiently hydrated I also got the following out-of nowhere commercial image:

A beautiful moonlit mountain valley river shored with cypress trees streams along a modern modular cabin.

A beautiful blonde woman sits by a warm fire wearing a light gray burnout poncho.
She yawns and stretches just as she starts to hear noises in the woods. She never stirs, but she gets up casually and puts out the fire with a small can of ink.
As she steps back and watches the smoke integrate upward, she crosses her hands and faces the woods, in the direction of the noise, and waits.
As the noise increases, we hear the yelps, groans, growls, and howls of a dangerous animal.
Yet the woman squints into the sounds direction and maintains her ground.
The noises stop abruptly...SILENCE.
A beautiful smile starts to slowly appear on her face and she's happy.
She looks on as her man comes out from the darkness of the woods.
As he approaches, she closes the gap.
They meet halfway with a throbbing kiss.
Yeah....Don't ask. Vivid Imagery to boot.

Elegant, dark vetiver; slightly smoky, very woody with a subdued spicy, almost peppery edge. The warm smoothness of cashmere wood in the base balances the composition beautifully. Evidently an evening scent, Encre Noir is refined and intense, yet remains soft and comfortable-versatile enough for warmer weather also.

This was a surprising scent. It's such a dry woody scent. It's dark but not in the sense of "dark" dark but from the dryness. Some one said "warm inviting" and I see some warmth but it's not very inviting as it's so dry. It has aloof and mysterious vibe yet still approachable. I don't get the incense either as it's not powdery at all. It's just beautiful woodsy cypress scent that stays throughout the development. Not my cup of tea as I'm not manly enough to sport such a beautiful dry wood scent but I would not hesitate to recommend it to classy person who can pull of black suit even on casual evenings.

i must be crazy, but somebody caught a marijuana scent in this one? Drydown smelled like hemp to me

I'm supprised how homogenic most of the reviews are:)
As a big fan of EN, could not find better words to describe it, nice to shere similar feelings and perceptions.
Dark, woody, spicy, profound... I see resemblance to Terre d'hermes.
Both male scents, as a women I love to wear.

Day 6 of wearing EN and I'm falling for it even more! To me, it's the closest a perfume comes close to Black Truffle...

En is sex in a bottle!

Someone already wrote that this is a dark and humid scent. Like a cave in a forest or a big house that has not been inhabited for many years. And this is what I felt when I smelled this perfume. Very green and dark fragrance that makes me feel sad as soon as I smell it. I love the bottle and when I saw it,it I was almost about to buy without trying, it's a bottle so beautiful!. But when I tried it I suddenly felt down.

A "grey and dull" fragrance. This perfume automatically reminded me those stories from Edgar Allan Poe or the European writers from Romanticism like Lord Byron. I imagined myself near a swampy lake on a full moon night smelling the scent of night flowers that merges with the earth. I don't like what this fragrance reminded me.

It reminds me of a humid, dark and cool cave deep in the forest. This is a very unique scent and I can't think of anything that smells like this.

Sweet, spicy and A touch stronger in the beginning. It has it's own character, introduces its with an aristocratic air and than gets comfortably, elegantly smooth. I don't know of anyone who does not appreciate this fragrance...men or women... Its a winner!

I don't buy fragrances to please others as much as I do to please myself. Just bought it today, largely based on the overwhelming reviews. I don't know if EN will sit well with many others around me because it smells very different from any synthetic crap out there, but it smells to me nothing less than a classic!

Obvious comparison to other vetiver infused perfumes is inevitable so here goes-
- Creed Vetiver is crap; it smells like a cheap Indian soap called Medimix. Off-putting!
- Terre de Hermes is brilliant, but it's more earthy and citrusy than EN. Love it!
- Guerlain Vetiver is the closest that smells like EN, but again, it's more citrusy and sunny. Loved it until they started selling the watered-down version.

Guerlain Vetiver and EN are two sides of a coin - one bright & cheery; other dark and brooding. One might not know what everyone means by 'dark' but when they smell EN, they will!

I imagine a b/w noir film, a murder mystery thriller, which might not please everyone, but they can't help being seduced by it. I can't emphasize enough on how sexy EN is.

EN is my dark little secret...

Overall: 4.7

5 Nose-gasm
4 Awsome sauce!
3 Good but not exciting enough
2 Meh!
1 Hell to the no!

With all the glowing reviews, I was really looking forward to getting a sample of this stuff in the mail. Well, I've tried it a couple times and, call me crazy, but this is not an easy-to-wear scent. Personally, I find it too sharp and too green. It's almost sour smelling, and that doesn't work well on my skin. I may be in the minority here, but, hey, you want to hear from both sides when you're weighing your options!

That's such an intoxicating smell! A friend came to my office wearing EN and I fell in love from the very first sniff. Even when he left I could feel the smell lingering for hours. It's definitely not for the faint of heart! The bottle is gorgeous and in full harmony with the masterpiece inside. The fragrance is deep, dark and masculine. It's earthy and leathery, bold and mysterious! Smells so strong and so... warm and cuddly and sexy. Strongly recommended!

Encre Noire is one of very few fragrances that blew me away straight from begining. If you are not familiar with vetiver note it may be shock for you too because Encre Noire is all about vetiver.

Opening is sharp, dry, earthy, green and dark. Like when you put your nose deep into forest soil after rain. Over time scent became bit softer,bit sweeter (maybe combo of iso e super + cashmeer wood) and less dark but it still remains green and earthy.

It is definitely one of most unique fragrances I ever smelled. Vetiver is kinda challenging note so I am suprised that people around me (family and especially girlfriend) like it as much as I do. I own just small decant and next time I will look probably for slightly brigher vetiver but Encre Noire is must try for every fragrance lover. Longevity is excellent (10-16 hours) and sillage is above average. Big bottle is cheap and will last you forever. Do not overspray!

Overall 9/10 from me.

10 Masterpiece
9 Impressive
8 Excellent
7 Very good
6 Above average
5 Average

Smoky, earthy and sharp opening. The dry-down is mostly vetiver root. I get the smell of an old book. Very good for formal occasions. If you like Guerlain Vetiver, you'll probably love this scent.

Deep and rich vetiver with a soft floral. A main stay in my collection. Love this one

Scents like these are hard to find out here. After searching thoroughly, I grabbed the only bottle available. A blind purchase based on the reviews here.

Verdict: IMHO many of the positive reviewers were spot-on. Thank you very much. EN is very long lasting, quite strong and the scent maintains its integrity even on very hot days. Many mainstream scents disintegrate in the heat. The dry down is slightly darker but similar to Lacoste's "Land" which is also "impossible" to find these days. Overall EN leaves a pleasant trail for your admirers to enjoy after you've gone

If pure vetiver oil is like a stroll in a deep, rooty green forest with heavy shade, Encre Noire is like a drive though said forest, window down, cool breeze at your face.

Fresh and clean, yet earthy, this is a fantastic scent. The cypress adds the briskness and openness of the top of the trees, while the vetiver brings you down to the wet earthy roots, all from the safety and comfort of your S-Class.

Breathe deeply.

There seems to be a general consensus that Encre Noire and Chanel's Sycomore have extremely much in common. I totally agree, but they are also very different. As diorshowman has pointed out earlier, their relationship can be compared to Cool Water vs. Green Irish Tweed. Most people will easily recognize the latter as the most exclusive – and certainly the most expensive. But it is still very much up to your own personal taste which one you actually prefer.

After having enjoyed EN during almost two years I finally got the chance to sample the hard-to-get Sycomore in Chanel’s famous Paris shop in 31 Rue Cambon. First impression was ”This is just Encre Noire – what’s the point?”. But after an hour I realized that the feeling was very different in spite of the similar basic idea.

Encre Noire is dark, brooding, earthy, masculine, and very linear. Sycomore is warmer, friendlier, more anisic, unisex, shimmering, and with much more development along the way, unquestionably due to more exclusive ingredients.

I decided to buy Sycomore in spite of the rather hefty price tag, and the two scents will now be my trustful companions for years to come. EN will remain one of my winter favorites, when I want to make the best of gloom and snow. Sycomore will be for whenever I want that little extra treat for myself (and my wife can use it too).

If you want to enjoy a very clean, dark and modern vetiver – and still at a modest price – Encre Noire is a safe buy. And by the way: The bottle is a work of art. Worth half the price in itself.

Carrots in a dark, wet wood. It's a great scent in mass market. It can be a niche perfume, cause not look like all of this watery s.it available in perfumeries. Great longevity, a little bit less power. But not for me. I feel only carrots.

Is this only for the guys? I know it's got that Super e Iso in it so it must be awesome. I have Encre Noir pour Elle version and it's one of my faces. Would it be too much for a female to wear? Thoughts?

Sorry, to go against the grain here folks. You know when you hear so many good things about a fragrance that you really want it to live up to the almost universal approval evidenced on sites such as these? I was that guy. Needless to say, in reality I found this scent to be overpowering, heavy and unattractive in equal measure. Too much Vetiver, too much, too much, too much of all of its ingredients. An absence of balance, light and shade. The scent of Bella Lugosi no doubt. That said, before I rile the haters, if this scent is everything you've ever wanted and more, then good luck to you, just not for me!

Encre Noire is one of the best out there and i have tried them all. Buy it, use it and you wont be disappointed. Many compliments are guaranteed. It s almost a niche fragrance though.

By far this is the best vetiver based fragrance for me.
Very dark and smoky vetiver with woods and some sweetness of musk.
It's simple but at the same time very complex and balanced.
Great projection and longevity with this fragrance.
The only bad thing about this fragrance is, it's very common in my country!
When fall and winter comes, almost everybody wear this fragrance! :(
بهترین عطر بر پایه وتیور یا همون خس خس که تاحالا بو کردم
بوی بسیار تاریک و سنگینی داره
رایحه اون ترکیب چند نوع وتیور خاص هست به همراه چند نوع چوب و کمی مشک که اونو کمی شیرین و بالانس میکنه
پخش بو و ماندگاری بسیار خوبی داره
تنها بدی که داره اینه که تو پاییز و زمستون تقریبا همه مردم لالیک مشکی استفاده میکنن
با دوستانی که میگن عطر خوبی بود اما الان دیگه نیست کاملا مخالفم و واقعا براشون متاسفم که همچین تفکری دارن
اینکه این عطر عامیانه شده چیزی از ارزش این عطر کم نمیکنه.
این عطر هنوز هم یه کار بسیار با کیفیت و شاهکار، با قیمت عالی در نوع خودش هست
هر چند خود من هم تو محیطهای عمومی کمتر از این عطر استفاده میکنم اما به طور حتم این عطر جزو 10 عطر برتر زندگی من هست و خواهد بود

Always heard about it but i didn't test it till now.
Like i imagined , the root earthy dry mature quality expensive unique vetiver.
Vetiver dominate all the other ingredients by far.
Same genre of guerlain vetiver , tom ford grey vetiver.
Now i can understand why people love it :D.
Very nice but i'll stick with my grey vetiver , this is mature for my age.
Great for fall, winter and spring,this is would be heaven in a spring rainy day.
Longevity and projection seems good.
I'm really liken it!

Thank the heavens for Lalique and Encre Noir!

A while ago, I bought a decant of Armani's Prive Bois d'Encens, and fell in love with its deep woody incense. It was a moment I dreaded, because of its exclusivity and drastic cost. But, my appreciation for it was so great that I would indeed commit both funds and time to getting more in my hands, to be a special occassion wear.

Now, lo and behold I find Encre Noir, a fragrance of a similar makeup and approach. Rich, woody, mostly linear, and persistant. Readily available. A mere fraction of the price! A bit more assertive to Bois d'Encens' refined subtlety, but hitting the same personal sweet-spot.

Lorson's composition for Lalique starts off with a burst of green/resnious cypress mixed with the Bourbon and Haitian vetiver heart of the thing, resulting in a blend that gives the fragrance its name - Black Ink. The cypress and vetiver conspire to produce that boiled-linseed smell of old printers' ink, mixed with the woody base. As Encre Noir settles in, the cypress shifts to the background where it sits along with the cashmere wood as a foundation for the vetiver, which exhibits in its woody, earthy best here. The musk is not discernable as a scent component, per se, but acts to fix the woods and greens into a linear, incense-laden heart that last for hours. The dry down tails off into wood shavings and cedar, an aroma which can be discerned into the next day.

If you like woody, dark, sensual, deep fragrances, you need this in your collection. Now.

The smell of DARTH VADER !

this perfume is the best in all i've used. it gets many attention and lingers for many days on my clothes and my skin too

This is AWESOME! It smells very distinctly of a dark inky vetiver. The cashmere wood and cypress come into play during the drydown but still keeping the vetiver going strong. I get an extreme longevity with the 3.3 oz so I don't know why some people don't, maybe a bad batch. I can shower and this fragrance will still be slightly noticible. It's also a very intense scent so apply conservatively (2 sprays on neck). I could make it my signature frag but it doesn't seem to be a casual type. It can, however, be worn during all seasons. It has been compared by a friend of mine to a Guerlin vetiver fragrance he has. Definitely a niche quality scent for a suprisingly cheap price.

longevity - 9/10
silage - 9.5/10
scent - 9/10

Guys, guys, guys, you can call yourself professor of all scents but let me remind you all that this is all about people's choices and we all like different things. For you this perfume might smell like dirt or just awful but for me and many other people it s a masterpiece. Please stop judging other people for their choices

I love it in a man :-))))

yippy kay-yee :-) i got a big bottle!

Its Strong,bold & woody.
Imagine
: the" Lord of the Rings The two Towers" The last march of the ents the scene where the big tree's stand up and walk...before they stand up their roots come out of the earth to grow legs...the mud and woord together with the power of this imagination...

To totally get how this masterpiece smells like
imagine this :

Take some liquorice wood (sweetwood) some dry vetiver, dry cashmere wood and cypress al dried to bone, poor raw alcohol on it and set it on fire till it burns and when its burns real good poor a big bucket of ink on it to put the fire out... now smell the smothering dense smoke coming from this substance. thats lalique encre noir!
Im a true fan!

Not sure if this reference will resonate with anyone, but it reminds me of a Chinese Herb shop. Perhaps there is some angelica in this juice? Does anyone else detect that?

absolutely gorgeous however doesn't last long on my skin... it evaporates almost immediately on me. i wonder if others have had this experience? very much like ford's 'tuscan leather' - which is perhaps what i should have investetd in in the first palce.

Encre Noire is a nicely composed vetiver that I don't wear any more. It has balance and treats the vetiver honestly, focusing on the woody/cedar tones. It has a well-defined linear feel. You know, it's the sort of linear fragrance that rotates through its range of notes rather than simply having one tone, only louder at the beginning.

But I don't wear it. Along with a few other perfumes from its general era it has come to read as a treatise on Iso-E Super. So many perfumes started seeming like they shared the same trajectory, the same qualities or tones. Suspicious, I bought some Iso-E Super. Bingo. Mystery solved.

It wouldn't be so bad if these perfumes simply had a note or range of notes in common. The problem is that Iso-E Super is known more for its qualities and the olfactory textures it imparts rather than how it smells (although there's that, too.) Worst case scenario for Encre Noire is that I just don't want to wear it any more. A better case for me, but possibly worse for the producers, are those perfumes that I had admired but would no longer consider buying. Examples: l'Artisan's Timbuktu or Ormonde Jayne Woman. Somewhere in between are the fragrances that I never wanted but now recognize as simply belonging to the Iso-E Super genre, eg. Terre d'Hermes.

The above perfumes do all share that woody, turpentine/cedar scent of Iso-E Super, but it is the pervasiveness, that seeping quality, the almost ultrasonic background tone that turns me off. The code-word for this characteristic in perfume criticism is "radiant" and I now cringe when I read the word.

I own a few a few other Iso-E Super-heavy scents (Lutens's Feminite du Bois, CDG's 2 Man) and enjoy them, so it can't be just the aromachemical alone that bothers me. Perhaps a particular use of it. Poor Encre Noire. It's certainly not the worst use of Iso-E Super, maybe just one of the more egregious, and likely just the last straw.

Il vetiver - e quale Vetiver!- è il padrone incontrastato, ma la partenza fresca al cipresso fa la grande differenza fra tutti gli altri!
Portabilissimo anche in estate con il finale legnoso/aromatico.
Misterioso, elegante, estremamente mascolino, raffinato.
Peccato che in EDT non dura molto: su di me... forse 5 ore solamente.
Appena mi finisce, subito lo ricompro!

To each it's own. Take some dry grass, mix it with dry woods, burn it to ashes........and then let a little bit of rain over it so the ashes kind of mix with the earth. Now smell it while is still damp, and some smoke is still coming out.......and that is how this smells. Unique and very well configure...just not my style.

got a tester from the perfumed court , excellent vetiver scent but it also reminds me of a camp fire that was put out the night before, you get that really woody smoky musky smell along with the vetiver , it is appealing no doubt and i would say sexy type of smell...possibly a woman would want to bet close to you..i am not sure if i love it as much as other vetivers but i like it.. and would have this one..probably more of a fall/winter type..

Lalique Encre Noir is quality for sure. It is a very dirty vetiver/woody scent and is potent. The cool thing about this fragrance is that the smell never really changes. It has an almost inky undertone but in a good way and if you put maybe 2-3 sprays on you will be complimented. I am very suprised it doesnt sell for much more. If you like earthy vetiver scents, this one is a must to check out.

longevity- 9

sillage- 8

scent- 9

I fell in love with it immediately having smelt the dark smell.
However, thanks to the niche that I didn't bought it blindly but kept on smelling it on my way back. It would have rather been my favorite, provided that it had at least a few inches projection. I can't event smell it from a distance of 2 inches. What the hell lalique? Please refine it so we can give it a green.

On a soft note, if anyone knows of, refer me a perfume exactly the same top and mid notes but with some sillage and projection. I don't mind if it remains for a few hours.

In a nut shell it smells exactly like dirt. Why anyone would call this a master piece is beyond me. I am a fragrance lover with over 50 quality bottles so i know how to appreciate unique fragrances but i don't want to smell like dirt!

Arbre Amer, thanks for the quick respond .I totally agree with you and what you`v mentioned . so bad that the fragrance you fell in love with it it`s not exist anymore and that`s big disappointment from laligue house the fragrance samples should be the same as the regular bottles. why on earth the changed the content ? if that was true I`ll not buy it anymore cause it`s almost different fragrance .!

@noor85, I had a similar problem recently. My latest acquisition is not like the previous bottle I had. Much more fleeting, no sillage and a very noticeable dissonance between musky and woody notes. The EdT seems to fall apart as it progresses in the drydown to settle to a musk with some originality but not comparable to the deep earthy-minty notes of the previous samples I had. This fragrance is not as popular as to justify fakes and my bottle has no indication of forgery so this leads me to believe there is a reformulation. Perhaps there was some tree-moss in the old one. Also I've read somewhere that they changed the vetiver used as the current one is more readily available.

need explanation please !!! i bought sample of it, it was 0.15 oz from amazon .the projection was awesome with long long lasting and the vetiver note was so deep . then i bought 3.3 oz bottle from amazon as well i feel like the smell is little different and it has poor projection and poor longevity only 3 hours ,but the bottle seems like authentic and the store has so many positive feedback.im so disappointed

First, my perspective is that of a Hawaii Vetiver farmer, who anticipates and relishes the bold release of fragrance as a row of Vetiver is harvested. I've observed that the fragYou will be mistaken to believe that all Vetiver smells the same. To my nose, Haitian and Hawaiian Vetiver are smoky, rounder and sweeter/greener; Indonesian Vetiver is earthy/dirty/burnt, with weighty notes of burned tobacco, and; Vetiver from Reunion/Bourbon Islands is linear, pungent, and acrid. Encre Noir is formulated with Bourbon Vetiver, unmistakably brash, linear and offensive. Jacques Polge's original Sycomore was a beautiful Haitian Vetiver fragrance, remarkably true to this warm, complex essence (Vetiver essential oil is one of the most complex, containing more than 42 different components. If you warm a drop or two of Vetiver EO by rubbing it briskly between your hands, it will release a highly aromatic, satisfying, and long-lasting fragrance). By the time I'd decided to buy it--and did--Sycomore had been reformulated as a Bourbon Vetiver-based juice. Now I'm stuck with two full bottles of Bourbon Vetiver-based fragrances!! You've undoubtedly noticed that the overwhelming majority of Vetiver fragrances opens with a citrus accord. However, even a citrus opening cannot soften or distract from a razor-sharp Bourbon Vetiver blast. Sorry, but Encre Noire--and the new Sycomore--are simply nasty.

I have tried both the Men's version and the Woman's version. They both are amazing, but for me the Encre Noire pour Elle is more complex and satisfying. Elle has Rose. I'm a big fan of Tom Ford's Noir de Noir, which explains my attraction to Encre Noire.

Its got such a wonderful mysterious quality, that I only use it as a night scent, love it when I wear black shirts.

My first and favorite vetiver based fragrance(not that I smelled others and didn't like it). Maybe the most mysterious fragrance that I ever smelled it, Encre Noire makes you come back for one more sniff no matter what.

Since I'm bad with dissecating the notes and thereby explaining the fragrance, I'll just paint the figure of where I am "transported" when using Encre Noire(I might sound nuts but here we go): Tim Burton 1989 Gotham City, yes you read right, I do get that vibe of dark woods,damp and wet journal feel, but I have more of a urban association with Encre Noire(due to me wearing in São Paulo, Brazil). Just like Gotham, Encre Noire is the darkest in its category, misterious in all forms and captivating in it's scope(female's absolutely loves this, which is weird for a vetiver based fragrance). This is something I can imagine Bruce Wayne wearing for one of the donation parties he is used to host, and you might smell it in Batman after the signal appears in the sky.
Encre Noire lasts in me at least 12 hours and it does projects quite good with me due to having musk in its composition.
10/10

wow.. wut can i say... 1 of the best perfumes ever, although it took me some time to notice that. a really unique piece of art and indescribable. longevity is infinity.

longevity 9.5/10
sillage 9.5/10
scent 9.5/10

a stunning bottle..combines with a beautiful scent.. this is between Guerlain vetiver n Terre d'hermes ..

A masterpiece...enigmatic, elegant, unique.Pure music for the senses.

This is a very interesting scent. I made the mistake of reading some of the reviews before I applied it, so the "toner cartridge" comment stuck with me and I did think Encre Noire smelled a little like that. I also get a little bit of "natural" bug spray and a slightly musky lemon. It sort of reminds me of being in the barn in the summer with the odor of horse fly spray and wood shavings and hay. And maybe someone lit up a joint back in one of the empty stalls :) Those scents probably don't seem like what most people would like to wear, but I find the combination somewhat pleasant on my skin. Not sure this would be an ideal perfume for a romantic evening. BTW, I'm female. I think this would be awesome on a man. Maybe on a certain farmer I like...

Think a lot about this one ( read: i've tried it several times) hmmm... it's interesting, characteristic scent but i'm indifferent about this one. I've try to like it but just can't. It's dry, woody (as i like) perfume but all in all it realy smells like an ink... and ink isn't the smell from my dreams.

Really unique scent but it lacks a lil bit of sweetnes for me..

This one certainly is a hit. Those like myself who have been woven into the fascination and obsession of finding THAT scent which is different and makes a statement should find homage in Encre Noir.
Intriguing, addictive, bold...

It's really very similar to Kenzo Air, not so refreshing and light as the last one, but more long lasting. Fans of discontinued Kenzo Air will appreciate it, despite of it's not so cool and "airy", it's like stronger and a little bit darker version of Kenzo Air.

Another thing is it doesn't develop too much, I mean it's almost the same at the beginning and at the end, so you either like it from the very beginning to the end, or hate it from the beginning to the and, because it doesn't change a lot.

Personally I enjoy it and I'm glad that I finally have found substitution for the unforgivable Kenzo Air, not so great but still very good and more long lasting!!!

I got it for my husband. We both love it! Very unusual, unique, very sensual, spicy, and intriguing! Mmmm... and so dark!

Speaking of Iso E Super, Lalique ENCRE NOIRE appears to contain quite a bit of the magical molecule, but before you get to that big projection, very longlasting drydown, you must contend with the opening.

To me, more than ink, ENCRE NOIRE evokes memories of the somewhat strange smell of toner cartridges. Now, to some people that may sound like a real turn-off, but to those such as myself who always loved the scent of gasoline coming out of the nozzle at the pump and also that of freshly printed glossy-paged books, it's not really bad at all and even possesses an inexplicable attractive power. In fact, I can see why this fragrance has garnered such a loyal following: the opening "inky" odor may actually be as addictive as is sniffing glue! From there, the Iso E Super-saturated vetiver arrives on the scene and since it, too, appears to be addictive, well, there you have it: double addiction potential!

I myself find ENCRE NOIRE interesting, but I do believe that my cells would recoil were I to don this composition except very infrequently. Now and then for the novelty, yes. But it could never be a part of a regular rotation for me, and I definitely understand why some people have been lamenting the fantastic popularity of this creation. I could see it getting old very quickly, say, if all of my colleagues wore it to work. The longevity and projection verge on obnoxious, if overapplied, as some people probably do...

Je t'aime pour toujours ENCRE NOIRE pour homme. I love everything about this fragrance. Brilliant, calming and different. I will always have this bottle in my collection. This has officially put Guerlain Vétiver down one score. Lalique tu es superbe. Woody at it's best.

Took one sniff and could not move. Thank you to Natalie Lorson for having the chutzpah (and Lalique for accepting her bid!) to go so dark and so... ...base note heavy. This fragrance is calming and grounding. It's heaven. I was wandering around all day thinking 'gosh, someone smells great'. Then I realized it was me. My husband loves it, too, on me and on him. Good, clean, floor-of-the-forest, fragrance.

I have worn this dark wonder for a couple of days and will venture a review. It starts of with a heady aroma of cypress and vetiver which projects like a madman on a rampage, but after about 10 minutes or so it starts to linger closer to the skin. The scent morphs from a cypress/vetiver to a very smokey, earthen vetiver scent. It remains this way for about 4-6 hours before drying down into a soft, musky woodscent (which I assume is the cashmere coming to play after the big bully vetiver decides to take a break). This seems to stay for hours on end, but only as a very quiet skinscent. I can see the linkage to ink (which is likely a psych-out from the bottle) and to things related to a library/books/dustiness. I find this quite similar to He Wood Rocky Mountain with less dewey freshness and more thickness from the type of vetiver used in this concoction. It is a must buy for anyone looking for a casual yet sophisticated vetiver/wood scent of fantastic quality (I don't smell a bit of synthetics in here) and a great price! I give this a mysterious 9 out of 10!

Amaizing composition and unique fragrance. Not for everyone, may be for matured and successful. This reminds my childhood. Me and my wife love this.

I read the reviews and almost blind bought it.I purchased a sample and i literally said "here it is".My initial spray had me puzzled,no sweet cloying,flirty,cheery notes.This scent told me to shut up,don't smile and stay focused.I did so.I pick up smokey vetiver .The dry down is dark,serious and mature.It is beautiful.

@gn2244712: when culture and individual history meet perfumes and fragrances!
I found such reactions in many posts about Comme des Garçons, Heeley Esprit du Tigre, Lutens Serge Noire...
Very interesting to understand why we like or dislike scents.

The initial notes of this dark beauty, though sweeter by comparison, recalls Ungaro III, (older & newer formulations), which seems more austere. I guess it's the vetiver, but something really reminds me of the old linament you can still find on the shelves, Absorbine Junior. It contains, among other ingredients, wormwood extract, camphor, iodine, absinthium oil, echinacea, and thymol. I'm thinking some similar combination may exist in Encre Noir. I also get a slight hint of that bright smokey woody incense in Timbuktu. Having said that, if you like that scent (& I do), this could be a worthy addition to your collection. If you don't like it that much, you could at least use it to clear that stuffy nose this winter... or ease those aching joints.

I love it : deep, dark, and enigmatic like a cypress forest, far away from urban crowds... Perfect for an introspective quest, looking after essence of things.
Class and distinction, at the opposite of candy scents...
Not for funny time, because of its quasi-mystic side!
To Kentabatinga, I don't find it smells like Déclaration : those fragrances are very different!

Very good but extremely dry. What a beautiful flacon!

I don't know what it is about this fragrance, it is very unique. NOT for everybody. I get mixed compliments. Some love it & some hate it. One person told me a smell like bug spray(Never a good thing). But I dont know what it is about it, the bottle is VERY attractive and masculine. The name as well is intriguing. The smell from the bottle, sprayer itself & first 10 min is amazing (which is what drew me in to purchase it without knowing what notes and drydowns smell like after) though it does not stay that way after those initial 10 min :( The scent becomes unpleasant for a bit then after 2 hours or so its a nice inviting masculine warm scent that lingers on the skin even after shower. "NOT" for day time use or summer. Not for young guys or boys. Better on specific formal nights and during winter. During those unpleasant times where the fragrance is not at its best....it smells like an abandoned home after the rain, a burned home or even some metal. Possibly the cashmere wood and vetiver had something to do with that. I can smell the vetiver in it. Its not citrusy. There is no citris nor fruit or floral in it. The amount of vetiver mixing with cypress or cashmere is responsible for the strange smell that receives mixed reviews. There is nothing soft nor feminine about this. Strictly a man scent. It has its unique moment but if your looking for something similar thats better that still has that dark intriguing brooding masculine scent...get He Wood (any of the 4), Bvlgari Black, Tom Ford wood related scents, Cartier declaration essence, Comme de garcon Seqouia or Jo Malone Oud (probably best). There is another that is amazing "Odin 04 petrana" The bottle looks like Enre noir by Lalique.

I've added this to my 5 favourite fragrances but I can't say this was a love at first sniff.
Encre Noire is so different, original, elegant and high quality that I must start this review by saying this is a piece of art. I tried this on the store 5 times before purchasing since although I was always amazed by its features, doubted "isn't this for older men?" "doesn't it smell a bit strange and hard to know when to use it?" etc. But I had to have it you know... it came to my mind several times and then I went for it. I reckon this isn't a cozy scent. It is cold, high class and distant... misterious and dark. It doesn't invite you to hug the person wearing it... neither recalls a former romance... but it is so captivating that it succeeds in creating a charming atmosphere. I've used it only for nights out and some hot afternoons (the lemony end is soooo refreshing!!!)and I always come back home saying: Why does this perfume create such a craze? women can't stop mentioning its charm, men can't keep their distance and beg me to give away the secret... but only you fragrantic chums and I know what this is... Black Ink and its spell.

this one rocks u know why it has very complicated phases of scent so it starts absolutely woody then it calms down and after it turns somehow citrusy in a very alluring manner its drydows resembles versace eu fraiche

Dark, green, peppery, just imagine wet foreast in autumn, sunlight get through the trees warming up the moss, very charismatic, mysterious scent. No for blind buy. I don't get similarity whit Terre, Rush, Narciso for Him,CdG 2 Man, Gucci PH or Tumulte. . This is beyond compare whit anything i know.



longevity 9/10
sillage 8/10
scent 9/10

i totally had no idea on how this perfume smells like but based from the reviews that i've read it's really a must to have, so i bought one and wow! no regrets at all! longevity is excellent and you wouldn't smell any synthetic stuff in it.. i so love it! :)

The first time I wore this fragrance I was so impressive with its uniqueness , but this feeling faded away over the next three or four times I wore .

Too spicy (to my nose ) , bitter and offensive .

My wife smelt dust and dirty grass when I wore this one for her BD party ! , never had any compliments wearing it , and had a headache each time I sniff it .

I agree that it does smell different , but not satisfying tho .

Who would have thought that after the release of YSL L'Homme someone would still come up with something original and inspiring (that was not a compliment to the house of YSL), as in this case? And to use just four notes and to create such an absolute beauty is really beyond my capacity of comprehension. A big BRAVO to Madame Lorson for giving us one of the best things around.

very unusual, very dry, very masculin and already a classic!

Mmm Lalique Encre Noire! First of all I love the name as its sounds so seductive haha But this is a very dark, smoky, and woody fragrance thats perfect for the winter. As the smell evolved i got some flowery, sweet notes maybe the cashmere wood? which just made it pop...got lots of compliments from women! Smelled similar to Marc Jacobs Bang on the drydown but minus the peppper. This one is a winner and smells very expensive depsite the modest price tag!

An unusal, mysterious fragrance to begin with which becomes more common place in the drydown..

I applied 6 heavy sprays

0-10 mins - Magical, mysterious, withcraft, wow, different, woody, black, night time..... blue velvet. I loved the intial spray; a classic 10 minute moment in time. Just the unusal quality scent I like. On paper this is 90% the same smell as Verscace The Dreamer, but on my skin nothing really like that scent, perhaps maybe just 10% similarity

10 mins - 1 hours - Searching for more arm and that scent on it, but why am I searching? it should be searching and coming for me, but it isn't, its projection does not match the quality of the scent..

1-3 hours - Some projection at last, sometimes intermittent but i keep have to smell the place I sprayed on. The occassional projection lifts my spirits..

3-7 hours - Drydown and smelling my skin and the scent becomes less special and like others, very similar to Davidoff Adventure or Marc Jacobs Bang, but a little bit better than those. Very close to skin but there is still some projection which reminds me of the original deep noire smell, this scent seems to project when it wants to and not when you think it should..

I enjoyed my moment with this, especially the first 10 minutes which is stunning. I am still smelling my arm now, it was an experience though not one I would buy. But not for everyone, some may think horrid or mature

The best and most beautiful fragrance I've found until now. It is really niche perfume, deep, wet and so so beautifull. Just briliant.

my sister and two of my colleague women friends sniffed it, and they liked it much! They were asking me to buy it for them, even though I told them it's men perfume! Bravo!

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.

This fragrance has an opening recalling the aroma of abandoned houses where the wood has just taken a shower of rain. Very dark and mysterious smell also combined with a wet earth aspect.

After a few hours, we still have the aroma of vetiver but toned down, remembering somehow He Wood Rocky Mountain but without the floral notes. Anyway, an awesome fragrance!

I'm not big fan of this dark, strange scent, but my co-workers love it on me. All of them. All guys :)
One thing - this scent lasts 24 hours. I don't like it too much, but overall - tumb up! :)

My new favourite for rainy and cool Central European summer days: Smokey, mysterious, dark. Just as a good male scent should be.

another favourite after discovering perles de lalique.. I bought it for my husband but it is for me really. We both share it. love sensuality of this fragrance. For me it is what the fragrance should be about..

Very inviting! and long lasting..Starts off with a burst of Cypress/Pepper wood and drys down to vetiver/musk..A very original and remarkable scent..Simply stunning!..Cant get enough of this!

This is a brash, sinus-clearing vetiver. I totally agree with the Sycomore comparison, but I give this one high marks for it's lack of restraint and its economy compared with the Chanel frag.

Sometimes classic, sometimes nauseating. You really feel this scent on the back of your tongue and is not recommended to wear with a gin hangover.

my all time favorite and signature scent..
earthy, dark and classy one.. vetiver will shine over you..
reminds me of CdG Man 2 but should try before you buy..

Just bought 100ml of this liquid black polished chrome and i'm so in love with it.

The smokey incense drives me nuts, it's very mature and masculine, dark, sweet, sexy, i just love it, it's perfect.

10/10

This reminds of childhood when carbon paper was still in use and found everywhere.

This is a linear scent to me, just keeps on going like the Energizer Bunny.....straight line.........

It's a so-so fragrance for me, again it's like walking into a school supply room inky, dark and a muted one at that.

I wonder if Demeter has something like this, an ink fragrance?

I actually believe it smells a bit like TOM FORD's Grey Vetiver.

MASTERPIECE is not enough to classify ENCRE NOIRE.
BRAVO and Thanks very very much Madame Nathalie Lorson for having created ENCRE NOIRE.
A must have for all perfume lovers.

vetiver ! if u like vetiver go with this fragrance ! nice and class parfum for 36+ age .not for casual men .

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!

A very dry, dirty, and earthy vetiver over smoked woods (almost burnt) and very light musk. The top notes are a bit strong but after about two hours or so, it settles out leaving a bitter green, peppery, woody musk. Sillage is above average and longevity gives me about 6-8+ hours. It's very unique and extremely masculine! I truly can't see any female pulling this off or anyone with a less refined taste in fragrance. By no means is this a safe scent nor do I ever recall being complimented while wearing this. This isn't another run of the mill type deals, this is something that can only be appreciated by an older gentleman or a true lover of the art of perfumery. I also really like the bottle! Though the cubed, black stained glass bottle with the embossed wooden cap is simplistic, it firmly captures the whole aura of this fragrance. That is, sophistication and class, with the element of mystery added to whomever dawns this scent. This here is a true masterpiece in the art of perfumery!

The mix between vetiver and indian incense is really beautiful but I was excepting more sillage.
Reminds a little bit of M7 Fresh by Saint Laurent.
Beautiful perfume!

I bought this for my husband and it smells great on him. I wish there was a feminine one that smelled similar. I bought the L'Encre Noir for women but didn't like it and returned it. It just didn't give the same feel.

To me this smells like a lighter version of Chanel's Sycomore...i would have said Encre Noire is the EDT version of Chanel's Sycomore, but Sycomore is also an EDT as well. Compared to Sycomore, Encre Noire is less potent and less intense and is also less green. But like Sycomore, Encre Noire is earthy, dry and EXTREMELY luxurious and classy. Essentially Encre Noire is to Sycomore as Cool Water is to Green Irish Tweed and Rochas Man to New Haarlem, in that to the average lay person they will smell almost identical, but to the connisiuer the difference are there to be found.


Longevity:B+
Projection:B+
Uniqueness:A+
Versatility:B
OVERALL: A

A dark and smoky opening that reveals a bitter Vetiver heart on the long drydown. A good introduction to a Vetiver fragrance.

For those who love Sycomore Chanel - Encre Noir is a darker and stronger version, and much more affordable. I have both Sycomore and EN - Sycomore goes better in warm and humid weather, and EN - in autumn and cold spring days - the smokiness of EN wraps in a dark velvet blanket and stays with you for a long time. Both Sycomore and EN are probably the best avant-garde vetiver fragrances today, when Vetiver by Guerlain and Vetyver de Givenchy are must-have classics for vetiver-lovers.

Have it, wear it, LOVE it!! This is dry as a bone! Thanks for the suggesting it, michael:)

tried it 2 days ago i have to confess it is a wonderfull scent, special warm woody little bit oriental and masculin but i have at home Baldessarini Strictly Private and it is exactly the same but encre noire doesn`t have the spices like Pink pepper and others so you should compare which of them you like more

another scent which is similar to encre noire is Tom Vord Tobacco vanille (but very expensive and more vanille)

so you got to choose between these three
-TV Tobacco vanille- same one but with vanille
- Baldessarini Strictly Private - same one but with spices
- and finally encre noire without spices and vanille

all three are good !

This is my favourite woody aromatic fragrance. Truly beautiful on my skin. I receive compliments from men & women when wearing this & they have no idea it's a 'so-called' male perfume. I'm a lady,lol not that it should matter....... Btw when my husband occasionally wears & it is one of his favourites too, he indeed gets asked about whats smelling so wonderful on him. Now we don't wear it simultaneously & it really does not make me smell like a man to him becos it develops so amazingly different on my skin. My point is, wear what suits you & that will obviously vary for everyone. This fragrance is worth the test imo. Very earthy & warm. I absolutely Love it!

As a woman, by wearing this you're sort of flipping the world a finger (or at least you would be if this was louder and had less of a meditative quality). It is most definitely not sexy in the widely accepted sense of the word, epitomised by heavily photoshopped pictures of Giseles and Angelinas. And yet, it's a great fragrance for a woman who wants to wear something for herself, and maybe hide away a bit.
It's green, mossy and especially in the opening fairly sour. Almost too sour even, but fortunately this tends to subside. After about an hour, it gets more quiet and earthy, as if you'd come from smelling the bitter grass roots to the actual soil they grow from. Smokier and still present after a couple of hours, but not in a bothering way. Brilliant for a summer evening, particularly if you're spending it outdoors.

I wouldn't bother with the female version of this. I've tested it, it's nothing like this one and it seems to lack any trace of personality.

I was very disappointed after buying this one....and, as it turned out to be true for all of Lalique fragrances for men....at least on my skin...is that it barely lasts an hour after the application. That's why Lalique has a big no-no on my list.
Edit: mind you....the EN as well as WHITE smells great.

Awesome scent in an awesome bottle. Thanks Lalique.

High quality, classy, unique. Very earthy, the most earthy cologne I have smelled, but it is quite clean at the same time. A dark scent for the colder months.
An absolute masterpiece. This only works for a few occasions, so I do not wear it that much, but I spray this on my pillow at home because I like it so much.
Also good projection and longevity.

Refined, elegant, mature. A wood dark scent, with a distinguished vetiver, that makes the scent well balanced, very formal and for me, the best Lalique, a really masterpiece!

Excellent skin-close version of vetiver.
I only wish it had better projection, otherwise it is wonderful, calming, reserved, spiritual even!
Great for everybody, regardless of sex and age, who seeks something out of the ordinary and prefers natural scents.
It is my second favorite vetiver fragrance right after the unbeatable Guerlain Vetiver.
The bottle itself is a work of art.
Really recommended.

Encre Noire , mi primer perfume de lalique , un aroma unico amaderado , con proyección y buena fijación . lo recomiendo .

Like the bottle this is dark ,green,earthy,incense,brooding,sophisticated and mature; something that Tony Soprano would wear to church.The polar opposite of a fresh aquatic wish is why this is such a gem; tuck your shirt in and straiten up your shoulders when You wear this and enjoy.

One of the best Vetiver centred scent ever done:deep,brooding,sophisticated,elegant.
Cypress note is strong and add to the whole the dark-deep character.
If you are familiar with the ink fountain pen, you will feel an affinity with this fragrance: hence the ink bottle shape and his name.
A must for every Vetiver fan,it's a "plain" frag but a gorgeous one!
Sillage is medium,longevity six hours on me.

Well, where do I start ... Ah, yes. I have not had the opportunity to meet the Kenzo Air, but managed to get Kenzo Air Intense. They say that these two fragrances are the same, but the Intense is stronger. Anyway, Encre Noire, to me, is like the Kenzo Air Intense because of vetiver associated with woody notes. However, Encre Noire is more closed, more velvety, more refined, more elegant, more sophisticated and stronger. It has a smoky appearance, which reminds me of incense, although this is not part of its composition. Much less sweet than the Kenzo Air Intense, because it has a caramel note, and less open because the Intense in its composition the notes of bergamot and anise. The Encre Noire is more formal, and the Kenzo Air Intense is more casual. Encre Noire is a luxury. A great concept of sophisticated scent. Classic, chic, complex, daring, different and mysterious. A masterpiece. And that was ... Peace and Light to all!

Just received this in EDT form today. I want to wait to open it, the packaging itself is really rather classy with the strong black cube with a waistband of deep black accenting ther lines. I am waiting for my partner to return as she has a massive love for the cypress and vetiver tones. I think this is going to be a winner.....

Ok, now I have it and definitely a keeper. Deep, smokey, dark and fresh with the smell of autumn in a forest. Very masculine without being pungent and screaming about it. This one is definitely my new signature scent.

the opening is very sharp and mussy/moldy. Then it evolves to something really nice, but mild. It lasts a long time, but the moldy/mussy note is still detectable. I am on the verge of liking/disliking it.

Uber vetiver scent. The next best thing to vetiver oil. Sure, it's supposed to be for men, but, if you're a woman who likes vetiver, don't let that put you off. Simply don't overdo it, that's all. It's powerfully strong; one spritz is enough to last most of the day - or night. Spray a tiny (very tiny!) bit on your hairbrush and brush it through your hair. Fabulous.

This is a weird one. I had no idea what to expect from a “dark” scent, but I was hoping to partake in some kind of mysteriousness. I begun with a broken bottle -- the top came off, separated from the plunger. Fortunately, that was fixable, so I fished that out and applied the liquid to my somewhat pale body (it is hard to remain perfectly pale in Florida, but you get the picture).

It goes on S H A R P. As it settles, I detect new woods and loads of spices. Hanging in the background is something else that I can’t quite identify, something sweeter and a little bit heady. As the fumes rise, I find myself feeling mysterious, powerful yet challenging – it was like I had announced to the world that I was a riddle; could they solve me?

The silage is not offensive; when I was in the elevator, the scent was easily conquered by the aroma of sausages brought up from the cafeteria below, yet while I’m sitting in my cube, I can smell it all around me. So that’s cool.

Unfortunately, by 2 hours in, La Encre Noir develops into the putrid essence of bug spray. It’s a sharp, sickeningly sweet headache-inducing nastiness. Sigh. It shares this in common with CK One which also did the same thing. Unfortunately, it lasts forever -- coming and going with body heat, yet never dissipating. So I got a hint of mystery and the threat of headache and the pleasure of smelling like I had been doused in Roundup.

Its not just the best vetiver but one of the best fragrance ever created.
What it smells like, soak vetiver and cashmere wood with ink and throw it on fire.
Dark, mysterious and sublime.
Strong sillage and longeivity.
Scent score 10/10.

A great, clean vetiver with a dark twist. I find Encre Noir to have 3 quite distinct phases while keepeng the same characteristics throughout. The opening is potent, earthy, dark and a bit pungent, then it settles down to a mid phase where vetiver plays its main role with a transparent and clean intepretation. It's bold and somehow polite, clean but not affected and it still mantain the "dark nuance" that makes it so fascinating. In the final phase, the vetiver is enhanced in its licorice aspect and, together with musk and woody notes, give birth to a delighful drydown (assuming you don't mind a consistent dose of Iso E Super). A discreet scent, quite close to the skin but absolutely beautiful in all its parts, bottle included. Not as good as Sycomore but if you're on a limited budget this is a winner.

A crowdpleaser.

Rating: 8/10

Woody, smokey. One of the best vetivers out there. Great for winter. Very unique.

This fragrance is somehow both simple and mysterious - relaxing yet intriguing. The sharp, heady cyprus note bleeds into the various vetivers so smoothly that it's almost one scent. The Musk is always there, but it gets dirtier and earthier and more pronounced over time.

I can imagine a stroll into the evergreen woods on a crisp early-spring day, with snow still piled here and there, then as the walk becomes longer and the forest beckons us deeper, we begin to smell the true, dark heart of the wood.

People here have called it a warm scent, but I personally think there's too much evergreen for it to truly be all that warm. Perhaps it's just that the smell of such wood always reminds me of the chilly spring when trees start to melt out of the snow and their smells are free from the ice once again.

I should mention that the bottle is gorgeous. I work at an agency with a lot of designers and they all shit bricks when they saw it.

Markx, i join in your review.there is a medinical usages of vetiver(zizanioides,khus).i have red that vetiver oil has a natural anti-stress property which relaxes human nerve system like a therapy.and encre noir,terre d hermes,guerlain and other qualified brands have natural high quality.

Encre Noire is a deep relaxing mood in a bottle, imagine you come home after a long day outside then you decide to take a hot shower, relax and wear a nice relaxing perfume, this is where Encre Noire comes into play, also a great perfume before going to sleep, you will feel relaxed and happy.

one of the best "flimsy" vetiver base scent like terre dhermes (i have guerlain and it is little thick i think),it has good longlivity,but a little poor sillage in good longlivity.
yes it stays for all day on me but close to skin(not very).
when my body tempature heat up,it expose its elegant vetiver.

i need more sillage on dry skin.

Strong green mossy cypress at the top. Joined by a nice bitterness of clean vetiver. The overall feel is dark and woodsy like tree bark or wet wood logs. No sweetness added or any non-sense stuff. It's very straight forward actually. Lasting power is a bit weak, but I should have sprayed more. It also could have been "Woody Chypre", I think. It's not dry but kinda wet and heavy. It makes me think of Kenzo Air without sweetness and licorice. It's a manly man scent, and watch out for the woodpecker! because it's really woody.

On my skin Encre Noir smells exactly like Sycomore from the Chanel Les Exclusifs line. I get the same soft but smokey Vetiver. I know vetiver and this one is very high quality. Encre Noir develops best on skin. I don't like it on paper or clothes. It's a big difference.

Reworking

---//

Presentation: 9/10
Uniqueness: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Longevity: 8/10
Projection: 9/10
Smell: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

...just finished one big bottle...and I want another one. And another one :)). Luv it!

@K1 Yeah the more I sniff at it, the more the dry down smells like Kyoto from Comme de Garcon's Incense Series.

Am I the only person who smells Lily of the Valley in this? Along with nail polish, pencil shavings and something metalic. I'm fairly new to Vetiver (except Guerlain's which I love) so if this is representative of the new trend which is Vetiver based fumes then I'm looking forward to exploring it.

I agree with the review which compared Encre Noire to a Comme de Garcon creation, I think there's a hint of Shiseido in there too, perhaps a Japanese influence overall, especially in the incense note which is not churchy or hippy at all.

to "alaaddin777" and any other who has problem with its lasting power.
1. Use shampoo and soap and any other bath products with bitter almond.
2. Wear on wool dress in winter.
3. Spray it in your hair if you would like to wear it in summer.

Japanese! A good word to describe Encre Noire which Hilaire describe in two comments above.

very good scent but poor sillage and longevity on my skin

I sampled this recently and found it to be a splendidly honest, strong and unyielding take of vetiver in an equally splendid bottle. Put simply, it started off smelling extremely similar to Kenzo Air (a vetiver interpretation which I like with its anise), and over several hours faded into something remarkably similar to the original Guerlain Vetiver that I proudly own with its lightly citrusy and tobacco background. EN is certainly a "must try" for those who love their vetiver scents.

Encre Noir is a mysterious, dark, sexy & distinct fragrance but for cooler days only... it projects well and have a good lasting capacity. It can easily be worn for both formal and romantic events but again its a big caution, and I am totally agreed with "miZZpuRRfect" review for summer usage.

my husbands signature for autumn/winter. it's very lovely, a true ladykiller. smooth and soft like dark velvet, warm sensual sexy, woody, earthy, musky, with a 'inky' edge. alluring and not offending. use sparingly, it will linger nicely more and more it mingels with your skin and bodychemistry. stays by your side the whole day and/or night long and will never let you down. great sillage!

just one notice: my husband wore it once on a hot summer day and it turned immediately sour and stinky on him - BAD ! be careful whith this stuff on hot weather ! keep it dark and cool, this stuff is expensive and it seems to be a little bit fragile to turn sour with warmth or heat (what is quite normal for perfumes, but this one maybe especially though).
bottle is just stunning!

i wish the lady-version was nice like this one, but it's not in any aspect. :((((

This perfume scents exactly as a niche one.
Pity that it became epidemic in my region, everyone has a bottle and also there are lots of fake ones.
"Black Ink" such a pretty name! It just reminds blackness.
Take a piece of bitter almond wood, burn it and when it became completely black but not about core, put it out in water. One hour later, smell it. That's Encre Noire! It emerges from a pure and immensely natural spirit in a luxurious way. Seems to say let's back to woods. It tries to detach us from our daily life but on the other hands it's one of the best for big cities. It arises against any impurity.
It's like an obscured object that fades in misty air of cold and dark forests, fade in black but you can feel its presence. Try it in rainy days! It explodes all noses, becomes extremely charming and captivating.
It's not sexy, instead presents immensely weird and attractive. I suggest it only in casuals and days and also outdoor. Doesn't support official or formal dresses. It's not serious; is elegant, delicate and fragile, but strong and unique like a thick tree deep into the dark wet woods.

longevity 8/10
sillage 10/10
scent 10/10

a really beautiful scent with great sillage and longevity is excellent abt 8 hrs on my skin with 1 shot only great fragrance for winter and only for formal event

very woody, agree with those who detect ink note, so strong, after 3-4 hours it becomes more better

longevity looks very good,
not recommended for blind buy, also not my type

مناسب برای زمستان با رایحه ای از چوب و درخت سرو با کلاس و تاثیر گذار
مردانه - خاص - گرم - پر انرژی و برای بعضی بدلیل داشتن بوی سرو مقداری غیر قابل تحمل البته برای کسانی که به بوهای سنگین حساس هستند اما روی هم رفته بعد از تست کردن آنرا باید خریداری کنید

High class suit and tie scent for the cold weather. One of the best Vetiver's out their. Has a niche quality for the price = $30-$60.

The most unfathomable scent my nose had ever come near. People are hailing it, though I personally don't see why. Not that it's bad, but I can't make a scent out of it. Perhaps the closest resemblance is the forest fire extinguished by the rain, or the rubber tyres on the fast lane. After testing it, I asked 2 of my friends to smell it, and they went, 'wtf is this?'

This is black in every sense of the word. Powerful and could easily offend anyone during the first 5 minutes after application

I'll buy it not because I like, but because nothing in the world smells like it !! and I know dead sure this WILL turn heads (or headaches)...

To best portray the scent, plz read Kastehelmi's review...

I actually bougth a full bottle of this amazing juice for my own use ,, i love it , very unusual MY QUESTION is : do anybody know if its possible to layer it with something sweet to make it feminine PLZ ???

Wow, you really smell like a peace of dark woody which have been in the water for a while. Very strong and linear in that sense. Kenzo Air and Paul Smith Story are like light versions of this perfume. Three heavy scents, each one on his own style: Narciso Rodriguez For Him, Lalique Encre Noire and Paco Rabbane Ultraviolet Man. I must admit, I would get Ultraviolet.

very woodsy,and elegant i love all the notes in this fragrance.i think lalique out did them selfs with this one.

Very woody, dark and mysterious.
Good for fall and winter.
And comes with the best bottle ever! Like an ink bottle with a wood cap.
Sillage is average and lasting is acceptable.
Fits mature man, 30+.

come on guys write in english please, because other people may want read your opinion too and i can write in my native language too. Piszcie po angielsku bo jak każdy będzie pisał w swoim języku to nikt się z nikim nie dogada. back to the fragrance it's dark, really I can smell ink in this, manly, not ordinary and really nice :)

Very luxurious fragrance. The opening is a little strong but the middle notes are delicious.

for some reason it makes me feel nauseous, especially in the opening. could be cypress.

I like it, I adore it
There's something really special about it's bitter-sour scent
Unfortunately my bf has'nt yet bought a single bottle of it !

Encre Noire is a perfect fragrance for me and only for me. It starts with smell of wet wood. Great, dark i warm scent. Little sweet but that is ok. I love ;-)

aM A girl and i've just got it .. love at 1st sniff ..

My way..Whenever i wear it,even strangers asked me: what is it? or:pls can you write its name in order to by it to my.. (boyfriend, husband..and so on).. Overspraynig considered nessesary

When i first smell this i felt EN is:
Familiar, Original, Natural, Forest, Fire, Rain, Wood,Black suit,Ink and Cypress.
some people may find it unwearable for some reason (it depends on the association they have with it), but im sure few people will hate it. the rating above shows the fact :) ....

I wanted it so much, that I decided t turna blind eye on the cypress note in it- and did my best to learn to like it. After several days I admit I have failed. The cypress is killing me, makes me nauseaous. Overall Encre Noire is a scent of the incense used to fume dead bodies during Catholic funerals in Poland, another association is smell of the church on Good Friday when lots of "incense!" is burned, plus the murky damp scent of old walls. This version has to go, but I will give the female onea try.

What a beast you are Encre Noir!

It smells like a tall, dark, handsome man who knocks you temporarily off your feet--he is elegant and intense, confident and mysterious....But then he opens his mouth, and smirks and kills his powerful aura with an all-encompassing essence of "macho".
As a handsome and unusual man he still captures a certain interest--or curiousity, but.....
Encre Noir--in my nose, an inky avant-garde woody fragrance that could be breathtaking in miniscule doses--really really miniscule doses! Anything more and this smells like vetiver went through a jungle battle and came out burning with pride. Needlesstosay, not for my skin.

I sniffed the paper strip and i got a deep burnt smoky woody smell. I fell in love with it instantly. However, when i sprayed it on my wrist, i smelled something totally different: strong mentholated spicy vetyver/woody notes. Now i'm even more intrigued. Btw, there's no sweetness going on in this scent.

This is a Dark Scent Not overpowering
Walking though a Dense forest at night
and smell the pine russles though the air the sweet scent of cypresses the Wet Earth Beneth you. Very Beautiful
Scent A Woman Can Pull off this Fragrance. And i'm Female.

I ADORIt is very mysterious, bright, dark and subtle at the same momment. It opens with oriental woody aromatic notes and then it gradually evolutes into sour vetiver fragrance i.e bright and calm simultaneously.It has very unique notes from top to base and one can definitely smell the transition of them, "omerpervaiz" u r absolutely right!!!

For me it is the best vetiver oriental scent out there with moderate sillage and longevity, perfect for anyone can be worn at any ocassion esp. at evening/night. But to me it is made for Romantic Mood and Intimate Momments.

A perfect name 'Encre noire' means 'Black Ink'in french, but let me clear that there are no Ink notes in it. A GREAT Bottle and Packaging too!!
E this unique fragrance!!!

I love this scent. I am a fan of vetiver and woodsy scents. This almost reminds me of the opening of Terre D'Hermes by Hermes. Overall a pleasant soothing scent that can be worn all year round. I give it 8/10 because of the nice vetiver.

Chicle gum or galipot.
All in all Gum (or resin)!
Oh yeah! Cypress gum!

Like you passed through the veins of a cypress tree, pine tree, or spruce pine tree!

Unusual and impressing.

Complicated combination of absolutely natural scents.

I like it ☺

Update: yes, everybody goes for it. It’s not special and unique anymore. I’ve got bored of it! Sorry!

این ادکلن هم که این روزها زیاد بوی اون رو می شنویم برای خودش یه سر سلسله به حساب میاد و خیلی ها دارن از اون تقلید می کنن
به نظر من خیلی بوی صمغ درخت کاج و سرو میده
اگه توی یه جنگل کاج بارون خورده قدم زده باشید احتمالاً به یاد بوی این عطر می افتین
یه مقدار بوی خشکی داره و یه عطر جدی به حساب میاد
برای محل کار مناسبه
عطر جالبیه، هر چند بعد از یک سال منو خسته کرد
این روزا همه مردا یکی یه دونه از این یا مشابه اش می خرن

Well, this one gave me the sensation of: “I have felt this scent before”.

It is the type of scent that pleases easily. It is sensual, dry, virile and elegant.

I think that the great goal of this scent is the Cashmere Wood, which makes it comfortable and noticeable.

After a while, I could identify the scents I think are similar to this one: Gucci Rush and Narciso for Him.

The bottle is simple, however very beautiful. It has a wonderful long lasting.

I love its darkness and robust comfort.
The closer...the better, feels like a very intimate friend, I even have "conversations" with this scent when wearing it. Memorable!

Encre Noire, what a perfume it is? Dark, Mysterious and Magnificient. Truly, a MASTERPIECE created by Nathalie Lorson for Lalique.

I usually say: "IF IN CREATION OF SOMETHING, THERE IS NO THOUGHT OF THE CREATOR. A CREATION IS DEFINITELY MADE BUT NOT A MASTERPIECE"
And i can surely say that Nathalie Lorson put her THOUGHT in creation of ENCRE NOIRE POUR HOMME.

Whenever i smell it, i feel like i am walking alone in the rainy forest with no one besides me, and sometimes i feel like i am walking in the holy streets of Arabia.

It is very mysterious, bright, dark and subtle at the same momment. It opens with oriental woody aromatic notes and then it gradually evolutes into sour vetiver fragrance i.e bright and calm simultaneously.It has very unique notes from top to base and one can definitely smell the transition of them.

For me it is the best vetiver oriental scent out there with moderate sillage and longevity, perfect for anyone can be worn at any ocassion esp. at evening/night. But to me it is made for Romantic Mood and Intimate Momments.

A perfect name 'Encre noire' means 'Black Ink'in french, but let me clear that there are no Ink notes in it. A GREAT Bottle and Packaging too!!

As a whole it is worth buying it. Surely it will not dissappoint you.
I would like to rate it Superb "9 out of 10"

Yeah, this is one of the better Vetivers out there, and probably one of the only ones that doesn't have "Vetiver" in its name! Funny, I don't find it as strong as others seem to...I think it's fairly subtle. Great bottle, too!

It's dark and at the same time light. It's simple, but powerful. As a believer in the power of plants, i have to admit that I felt clean and somehow protected by this great scent. It's like being emersed in a bathtub filled with all kinds of herbs... it's the best longevity I've ever seen, Just one sprya lasted 10+ hours on my arm, even after a shower.

I just got it....!
not sure about this scent .. usually a fragrance either grabs me and I love it ...and I MUST wear it .. others I despise and MUST WASH OFF... this one ....
I guess I have to let it sit .. and muse over it for awhile..
before I can really decide...do I want to keep it or sell it on ...

A unique smell which conjures a walk along a pathway leading up to a forest between rain fall...when the air is still moist and heavy with fog or mist ....
Dark, wet wood accompanied with dense green vegetation and perhaps a hint smoke.
You light your cigarette
and take pause and
take in the moment.

I've come across many men fragrances and I really don't know how I walked by this one (maybe because it's not so known here). Anyway, I was looking to 'take out the air' from my Terre d'Hermes bottle and the lady recommended me to also try Encre Noir. I was complete stunned by this magic and dark smell, which lasted on my wrist (only 1 spray!) more then 16 hours!. I can't compare it with something else because it's unique, surprising (you catch a musky vetiver sniff when you expect less) and mature. The black ink name fits it very well....needless to say that I went next day & bought a bottle.

Very unsual, woody, masculine perfume. I smell also the mastic resin although is not listed. For mature men, 35 and up. It reminds the gucci pour homme especially at the base notes but is more complex, delicious, attactive, sweeter and i other words, much better.

dark LONG LASTING seductive and deep SCENT OF ENCRE NOIRE. suppose, it is devoted for sophisticated taste

Feather light opening. Very refreshing to my nose, at the same time has the clean and dry woody feel. The heart of Encre Noire is to die for, just a hint of sweetness mingle with the dry-bitterness of crushed green leaves and some white sawdust. (anyone here like the smell sawdust or pencil shaving like me? :P) Actually, I’m not really a big fan of vetiver dominated scents, only reach for once in a blue moon if I really, really feel like. But this is clearly the one for me.

(I also like CdG Vettiveru, dry, cool and green. Both two have those traits in common but I found Vettiveru is sheerer on my skin.)

Very Comme des Garcons perfume style. Deep woody, dry incense. Very dark, style, masculin and daring. Beautiful bottle. But the longervity on me is not so good. I prefer CdG parfums.

First sniff does make me shocked and amaze me, reminds me of my childhood were i've used to play with a bottle of ink in my father's workdesk.. ...
and yes, the 'ink' note were the predominant 'note' from the opening to the drydown as for the bottle reflect the smell.
Though, it's quite boring for daily usage, not for everyone for sure. Great sillage, greater longevity.. ...

Aaahh this one was love at first sniff, I didn't even test anything else before purchasing Encre Noire.
When it comes to the notes, there is nothing "inky" about this one, on my skin that is. I'm sure that the most predominant note here is the cypress and the vetivers come close second, more woody-grassy than medicinal. I also get a hint of mastic resin, even though it's not listed above.
There is this beautiful cypress forest close to my town, with a long rocky path that goes through it. I know this might be a bit of a cheesy overstatement, but when I take a whiff of this perfume, I immediately think of that place and all its natural, beautiful smells.
All in all, it's appropriately long-lasting, won't offend anyone around you and is suitable for every occasion and age. Very classy and sophisticated scent, for someone that isn't looking for an ultra-commercial scent. Ah and don't forget about the minimal bottle and packaging!


PS: A woman can easily wear EN, provided she's not looking for something gourmand or flowery.

Quite remarkable. I don't think it is strong or anything like GpH. The wood is there but overpowered by a top note that can only be described as ink! Too bad it doesn't last long. The drydown reminds me of Kenzo Air! But still a unique fragrance!

Strong stuff!, similar to Comme Des Garcons MAN2 and Gucci Pour Homme(2003), very woody and not everone will like it, test before you buy

Compliments first day from people. A scent that draws you in.A dark but subtle warm inviting scent.