Apple pie and leather, amped up variation of the EDP.
Doing a long-overdue proper sampling of Marc-Antoine Barrois B683 Extrait, the follow up to the original B683 EDP, both of which remain available (the Extrait does not replace the EDP, in other words), which is great, since, while having some similarities, there are some notable differences. The EDP has all the makings of a modern take on a men’s signature scent, and I love it for that. The Extrait has a significant amount of shared DNA with the EDP, but the Extrait has a couple of aspects that are more accentuated.
Overall it a slightly spicy, sweet, woody mix that feels like a cross between apple pie and leather, with notes of pepper, violet leaf, oud, vanilla, cumin, and green apple. And it’s specifically the aspects of leather and apple that are more prominent than in the EDP, which is a little milder and more of a fresh/spicy mix (still with pepper and other spices, but more so blended with woods).
As expected, Extrait is denser and higher-performing than the EDP, and, in line with the notes, makes it a better fit for cooler weather and nighttime than the EDP, even though the EDP is almost perfectly versatile, itself.
Overall, like the EDP, B683 Extrait is outstanding, combining modern sensibilities with something classic and grounded. It has the effect of being provocative and new while still having comforting attributes, and being highly useful, even if not quite the jack-of-all-trades that the EDP is.
B683 Extrait is sold at various great boutiques like Perfumology and Luckyscent (I got my sample from Perfumology), and is available in a single bottle size, $330 for 50ml, to the EDP’s $210/115 for 100/30ml.
