I was all set to mow through a pile of samples today, when what should show up at my door but my order of Lalique Encre Noire.
First off, this thing is heavy -- it's two ounces of eau de parfum in what feels like a five pound box . . . and the glossy box is, of course, ridiculously nice, as is the inky black crystal bottle. I mean, it's not like I would have expected anything less from Lalique, but it certainly does amp up the expectations for the juice itself.
And the juice doesn't disappoint. It's an earthy vetiver, utilizing both Bourbon and Haitian grasses for added depth, then mixing them up with cypress and cashmere woods, plus some deep, rich musk. There's no honey or orange blossoms, vanilla or tonka beans, and the fragrance is fairly straight-forward about its intentions right out of the bottle -- yet for an ingredient list so full of dry woods and earthy roots, Encre Noire speaks softly and holds itself close to the skin, qualities I admire in a scent.
Nothing worse than wearing a foghorn.
Below are photos of the bottle. The bottle is said to have been inspired by a 1913 Lalique ink pot (the fragrance itself has a dark, inky quality to its overall character), and is handblown black crystal. The cap is made out of Wenge, a dense, coarsely grained African hardwood, and it fits neatly over a ground glass stopper.
***BTW: I ordered the Encre Noire from Aedes de Venustas in New York. I didn't ask for any samples but they included a generous helping of them anyway, which I thought was very nice of them.
8 Comments
Hooray! Another beautiful, tantalizing unveiling. Thank you.
(But hey...where is the stopper???) ;) :)
said:
I know! I thought about that after I'd already put the bottle and the camera away. I'll have to drag it back out today and try and get a decent shot of the stopper.
(Note: Photo added this morning -- I realized I already had a photo of the bottle with the cap off to show the round glass stopper top)
Oh yay! I'm glad you're enjoying it. Is that not the best package porn or what? :-)
said:
Dear lord, tell me about it! I was not expecting it to be so . . . beautiful.
I guess that's really the only word that fits. I mean, it's Lalique, and I know their reputation, but the heft of the box, the quality of the bottle, the colors, the wood, the way it all matched up with the expert craftsmanship of the fragrance itself . . . I was a little blown away.
Ah...thing of beauty, pieces and entire. I can almost reach in and feel the heft.
said:
You aint just whistlin' Dixie -- I put the darn thing on the bathroom scale and it weighed 2.8 pounds!
That's 2 ounces of liquid volume, 44.6 ounces of container and box. My Clive Christian X for Men, which comes in a similar sized box and jar, clocks in at only half the weight (1.4 pounds).
Heft, indeed.
This perfume sounds lovely and mysterious, so I think the packaging probably fits it perfectly. And as you said, one wouldn't expect any less of Lalique. They've been creating beautiful art (in scent and glass) for quite some time! Have you ever seen any of their antique glassware? I work for a site called Positively Cleveland, and right now we're getting the word out about an upcoming at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It's called "Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique", and will feature exquisite examples of each artist's work. If you get a chance the exhibit is well worth a trip to see these beautiful treasures in person. You can find more information at http://www.clevelandblings.com.
I hope I haven't overstepped my bounds by leaving this comment. I'm just trying to get the word out about this amazing exhibit so as many people as possible can have the experience of seeing this art with their own eyes. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to E-Mail me. I'd love to hear from you :)
Cary A. Andrews
Positively Cleveland
cary.a.andrews@gmail.com
said:
Cary -- thanks for stopping by and providing info on the Lalique exhibit. Anyone who appreciates fine perfume knows of Lalique and the beautiful bottles they create, so the exhibit information provided goes well with the above post.
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