First Impressions – Initio – Narcotic Delight

First Impressions – Initio – Narcotic Delight – INITIO Parfums Privés (Initio), purveyors of perfumes promoting performance and projection, are back with another scent bomb. Despite the brand being a darling of YouTubers and the like, I’ve yet to find one I would ever consider adding to my collection. I’m not in the target demographic, I don’t think. I usually run the other way whenever I see a perfume that values performance and projection over anything else. Generally, they lack subtlety and nuance. It’s certainly the case with their latest, Narcotic Delight.

The opening, though, took me a little by surprise. Rather than erring on the sweet side, a dose of nose-tingling spicy black pepper tickles the senses. It’s only a momentary reprieve, however. Before long, the cherry, tobacco, vanilla, and cognac notes amp up, bringing the Initio power game into focus. In sporting terms, Initio fragrances are steroid-fueled muscle-bound power sprinters designed with the endurance of a marathon runner. But they’re forever angry, lack personality, and would probably scoff at the kid asking for an autograph in the bleachers.

But power and endurance should make for the perfect scent, right? Well, not when it smells cheap, loud, harsh, and cloying. Indeed, nothing about Narcotic Delight smells especially lavish, and once everything strips away to reveal the woody amber base, I could be in the deodorant aisle of my local supermarket. And it happens quickly with the woody amber material droning incessantly for hours. It’s like the perfume equivalent of one of those loud Ed Hardy tees. Most of the Initio scents I’ve tried rely too heavily on the cheap-smelling aroma chemicals. It doesn’t smell like 450 dollars worth of scent. Put a decimal point between the 4 and 5, and it’d be closer to the mark.

Before the woody ambers spike up, cherry and cognac dominate, with the cognac eventually winning. The boozy fruits sit over a base of tobacco and vanilla. Cherry scents rarely work for me – too sweet and redolent of cough syrup. In the case of Narcotic Delight, I don’t think of medicine, but the sweetness gets me. There are a few cherry perfumes I enjoy, though. Close Up from Olfactive Studio is richer and darker, and its rose/amber finish is far superior to Narcotic Delight’s conclusion. Another alternative is Guerlain’s La Petite Robe Noire, which is cheaper and smells far better.

Streets ahead on the boozy side of things are Mugler’s Pure Malt and Lubin’s Idole, and if you’re looking for a good cognac scent, I’d direct you to Frapin’s malty, peppery, plum-infused delight, Bonne Chauffe. Other things I thought of when wearing Narcotic Delight were Angels’ Share from Kilian and Ambre Narguile from Hermes. Narcotic Delight doesn’t win the head-to-head battle against any of these perfumes.

Narcotic Delight forms part of a quintet of perfumes called the “Carnal Blend.” From that collection, it’s most similar (not a clone, though) in structure to Side Effect – boozy and sweet with the finesse of a jackhammer. Interestingly, most perfumes in the collection use Hedione – the soft-smelling green jasmine-like synthetic. It’s present in Narcotic Delight but doesn’t soften anything, and I can’t pick it up. Does the overdose of Hedione stimulate the senses, as Initio claims? Not if we can’t smell it for all the other harshness, I say. In keeping with the moniker on the bottle and the press material, including jasmine absolute would presumably have added a more sensual, muskier effect to the composition. As it is, I find nothing narcotic or delightful about this Initio.

Have you found an Initio you enjoy? Have you tried their latest delight? I know there are many fans of the brand. What is it you like about them?

Note: First image from Initio. All other images are my own. My impressions of Narcotic Delight are based on a sample I received for free from a department store.