Encre Noire EDT by Lalique

 

 Encre Noire is an award-winning creation by Nathalie Lorson and in my opinion a masterpiece. With the introduction of ball-point pens, typewriters, printers, computers, email, sms, photoshop, facebook and twitter, black inkpots have disappeared from mainstream communication. I remembered preparing ink using an inkstick for calligraphy and being fascinated by its intense darkness and rich earthy aroma but I never mastered calligraphy for I was never the patient one. Possessing this handsome heavy bottle is a reminder of the black-ink days.

Encre Noire captured the essence of zen calligraphy. It is a soft, airy, meditative stroke of a brush dipped in vetiver, cypress, grapefruit, musk and cashmeran. The top note reveals a quiet cypress forest at dawn sweetened by morning dew leading to a well executed vetiver heart that is linear, leathery, smoky and earthy without excessive nuttiness. The clean dirt note in patchouli contributes to the realistic ink accord. Drydown is musky with cashmeran (IFF) and sweet with amber, and woody like oud.

This is a very personal fragrance as its sillage is not roaring but it envelopes the wearer in an aura of unassuming elegance. Apart from wearing it, I also find this most appropriate for scenting writing paper.

Rating: *****

No. 1

I've been meaning to write about fragrances for years. This is probably the longest I've procrastinated with something but I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps it is a fear of lack of knowledge. So tonight, after running out of ethyl alcohol and glassware, I decided to birth this page.

How long I'll last? We'll see.

For now, to grace this page, I present you my maiden review.

Hermèssence Vétiver Tonka by Hermès

I've had the Hermèssence range for almost 3 years now. I fell in love with Brin de Réglisse and was very partial to Rose Ikebana, Ambre Narguilé and Osmanthe Yunnan but Vétiver Tonka missed my attention. It was always the inconspicuous one. Yesterday, I decided to revisit the range and thought I'd give VT another go.


VT was created by Jean Claude Ellena and is true to his minimalistic, translucent style in the Hermèssence collection. Indubitably the work of a master, Ellena was able to create simplicity in complexity and contrasts. VT is fresh but warm, juicy but dry, smoky but clean. It opens with fresh bergamot and green tea and the top is light and aquatic. Vetiver and dried fruits enter next and bring in depth and roundness. The hay-like tonka and tobacco accord supports the composition with broom flower peeking in and out. The fragrance is sweet but its neither heavy nor excessive, but instead, very well-balanced.

This is definitely a morning fragrance for the cool but sunny days. Summer fragrances have a tendency to smell cheap and/or one dimensional so if you are looking for a little more sophistication and don't mind the extra dollars, VT should go on the shopping list. Considering this is not a perfume with expensive florals and coumarin is cheap as, you are really paying the extras for skills and of course, the brand. 

Rating: ***1/2