Resinous woods

For the last few years, I've been reading raving reviews for Encre Noire, but I'm not one to blind buy and couldn't get my hands on any samples or sniff any testers. Finally, last year, I got a sample for L'Extrême flanker, and at least now I can have some sort of opinion on one of the fragrances.

And I'd say the hype is quite warranted. This particular flanker promises us more vetiver and more wood than the original. It doesn't mention much the strong resinous quality this perfume has that seems to differ it greatly from the other flanker. And this part is definitely worth lauding, as it adds a lot to the overall experience.

In general, it starts fresh and green, slowly descending into dense vetivery woods with a slight hint of frankincense and elemi resin. It's bold, beautiful with a hint of furniture polish in a drydown. A good vetiver scent, but not my favourite despite everything. It's a bit lacking in a longevity department for my taste, but my skin "eats" perfume, so experiences may differ. Compared to the original Encre Noire, this version is less musty and wet, a bit drier, and, sadly, a bit more devoid of character.

I rather like the scent and would definitely recommend it as an inexpensive, full-bodied vetiver perfume. It's pleasant, cosy, and naturalistic, giving a beautiful walk-in-the-woods in a bottle. It's not the very best thing there is, but it's definitely a very good perfume worth having.