Ombre Noire

So we come to the fifth of the five Lalique reviews in this series and the first that isn't technically an Encre Noire flanker, but in my opinion may as well be. Ombre Noire was released in 2017 and this time it is the turn of Karine Dubreuil-Sereni on nose duties to deliver. Like the other four, this was a total blind buy and I deliberately didnt look at a lot of reviews for it online before I tried it on skin so I could make my own judgements. The immediate reaction on spraying was that this is a radically different beast to any of the Encre Noires and is not enjoyable at all for the first four or five minutes. I really, really wasn't sure on this in the opening and couldn't for the life of me see how it would or could ever be something I'd ever wear.

Absolute stunning fragrance for the price. Warm, spicy, sweet but not cloying or gourmand. Perfect for fall/winter or a special occasion. I love the Lalique brand - Have Encre Noire and L'Extreme and the Lion and the Horse ones - all great for the price. I also love this perfumer - she also did Lalique Oriental Zinc and Chypre Silver, as well as the terrific L'Occitane Eau de Baux - if you smell Eau de Baux, Oriental Zinc and this, you definitely get a similar vibe. I've had it on for 12 hours and I still smell it, so not sure what the performance issues are with the other commenters - but scents tend to last quite a long time on me (one of the reasons I don't wear some of the stronger niche scents, Haltane lasts through 2 - 3 showers on my skin)....

You have just finished brushing your teeth. You reach into your pocket and pull out the last cigarette from the pack. Its an expensive, good quality straight. You hold it to your nose and inhale the dry, raisiny tobacco that is rolled up inside. Now is not the time to smoke it. The red cedar panelling of the room is like nothing you've seen before, but it does have a certain vintage charm. You shrug it off and leave. As you make your way downstairs, you notice a rather suave gentleman in a finely tailored suit holding a frosted tumbler of Covoissier on the rocks. It is a mirror. The man is you. And it is time to introduce yourself to the party.

I love Lalique and most of their offerings, as it's means usually quality and uniqueness. In this case it was a bit too much uniqueness for me lol. This was a blind buy and although I enjoy some aspects of it, there are other aspects that throw me off. It's very niche. Overall it's a like and not a love. Would I buy it again in hindsight, probably no, only because I would have to be in a specific mood to wear it and have the right occasion. It's not very versatile for me personally, but if you want to try something different definitely try it out, just sample it first, who knows it might be perfect for you.

This is an incredibly warm and charming fragrance for men. It’s Office appropriate. It is Guy’s night out at the pub. It is sitting by the fire pit holding your lady to keep her warm. There is nothing harsh or loud or brash about it. This is not for hype beasts or peacocking. It’s a quietly confident and inviting gentleman. It is smooth and well balanced and the boozy notes are comforting and high class all the way. Like other Lalique fragrances, this is damn good and a bargain. It hits the nose with the type of sophistication you expect from a bottle costing four times more. Get it while you still can.