AKRO
INK

2022

PERFUMER
Olivier Cresp

Vetiver
Black Ink
Jasmine
Birch

Akro’s entire collection used to center around addiction (until they started being more commercial and thrown out the concept altogether around 2023), originally consisting of Awake (coffee), Dark (chocolate), Haze (cannabis), Smoke (cigarettes), Malt (alcohol) & Night (sex). In 2022 Ink (tattoos) was added to the list of vices. It also happens to be the one closest to myself, so I was very intrigued.

Straight from the opening it’s not as daring as some of the others in the line to me. To be honest, I could only wear Awake and Dark confidently, but Ink is next in line. It’s overall vibe is reminiscent of a darker, smokier Le Labo Santal 33, though others have also rightfully named Lalique Encre Noire as a reference point.

You get a fresh, but strong vetiver. It’s not as green as I was afraid it would be. To my nose, Ink is very industrial, cold and clinical, hence my connection to Santal 33. I get the vetiver, but it almost wears like a clean sharp cedarwood. The inky element is clearly there and it definitely reminds me of the smell after a tattoo session. It’s well-contained though; inky, slightly rubbery or suede-like (more so as it dries), but it doesn’t go too muddy, metallic or liquorice-like on my skin. Lastly, it’s floral. Jasmine is listed and to my nose it’s a musky floral, but never indolic.

Performance is moderate, which in this case helps a lot with keeping it wearable and versatile; for me Ink is easier to wear than Encre Noir is.

I also layered it with some rose (Matiere Premiere’s Radical Rose) and that works really well. I’m not really into layering, but I feel Ink could make a cool base for some experiments.

It’s not a scent I would ever pick out myself or choose as my favorite first impression in a store, but I enjoy wearing it much more than I expected and it stays on my mind. I can imagine developing that sort of addictive, maybe inexplicable, relationship with it that Akro set out to do with the concept.