Supposed to be a somewhat love / hate scent.  I loved it from the first sniff.
I bought this because.............<br /><br />1.) It gets a lot of reviews on YouTube and Lalique seems to get a lot of respect as a company.<br />2.) It's supposed to be a good example of a Vetiver fragrance<br />3.) Vetiver seems to be a big category for men's fragrances.<br />4.) As a newcomer to men's fragrances, I had no idea what Vetiver actually smelled like.<br />5.) This stuff is widely discounted and it seemed like a low risk option to learn about Vetiver and answer some of my questions.<br /><br />So how does it smell?  Great!  I loved it from the first moment of the first spray through the dry down right up until it disappeared on my skin.<br /><br />Reviewers use words like "dark, brooding, mysterious, and serious" to describe this.  I don't get any of that.  It just smells good.  It makes me happy.  No, it's not a light citrus smell for summer days.  It's a heavier, richer smell that's probably better for an evening out.<br /><br />Personally I find this a lot like the Dolce & Gabbana The One EDP I also bought.  The smell is totally different but with both these fragrances.........<br />1.) I just liked the smell from the first moment.<br />2.) The concentration is Eau De Parfum for both.<br />3.) The longevity, projection, and sillage seems similar.<br /><br />And speaking of performance, this is NOT "beast mode" stuff.  It's more subtle.  And as a newcomer I'm learning that can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the circumstances when you're wearing it.  But for the most part, subtle is safer and understated is the classier way to go.  So for both the D&G The One EDP and this Encre Noir A L'Extreme these impress me as grown up fragrances that come off as sophisticated scents for grown men who wear suits for a living.  I think this would be out of place on a guy in torn jeans, sneakers, and a tee shirt.<br /><br />So performance..........<br />Longevity - I find it's gone in about 5-6 hours.  That's fine.  I can always respray if I want.<br />Projection - Maybe arm's length at most.  That's OK.  It's not "in your face", it's subtle.  Someone needs to be within 3 feet to really pick upon it.  If you respray after a few hours you won't offend people.<br />Sillage - Again modest.  I really don't see you offending a room full of people as you walk through and leave them choking and gagging.<br />Uniqueness - This is not your typical men's cologne smell in my limited experience.  It's different.  It may get people thinking / wondering about what that smell is.  In a good way.<br />Compliments -  I've only asked one woman what she thought and I was surprised that she really liked it.  A good start.<br /><br />Personally, I think this lives up to the reviews and the hype.  if this is what a good Vetiver cologne smells like, I like it.  I haven't tried the original Encre Noir or the Sport version.  This L'Extreme version was recommended as the best and most wearable choice and I'm happy I gave it a shot.<br /><br />Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 stars