# Mercedes-Benz — Mercedes-Benz Select Night

> Mercedes-Benz Select Night is a 2019 spicy-sweet oriental EDP by Olivier Cresp - the darker, "night" counterpart to 2018's Aventus-leaning Mercedes-Benz Select - built as a deliberate fusion of a wood

## Essence
Mercedes-Benz Select Night is a 2019 spicy-sweet oriental EDP by Olivier Cresp - the darker, "night" counterpart to 2018's Aventus-leaning Mercedes-Benz Select - built as a deliberate fusion of a woody fougere structure with a sweet vanilla-spice oriental. Its claim to fame in wearers is being a far cheaper, creamier cousin to Tom Ford Noir Extreme: a lavender-and-cardamom-lifted, vanilla-sandalwood comfort scent that punches above its budget designer price. Per the official Mercedes-Benz Parfums product page, Cresp "went for duality, combining the charm of a Woody Fougere with the sensuality of an Oriental." It's a sleeper hit - underrated, well-blended, and inexpensive - that gained traction largely through enthusiast and YouTube word of mouth.
## Scent Profile
It opens bright and aromatic: a herbal lavender with cardamom and bergamot giving an initial fougere-like, slightly fresh lift that some perceive as sweet "dried fruit." The lavender largely burns off within about half an hour, and the composition settles into its core - a warm, powdery-creamy sweetness over woods. Orange blossom adds a soft floral roundness, while guaiac wood and cedar bring a smoky-dry woody spine. The base is the heart of its appeal: a creamy vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli accord that reads as smooth, slightly powdery, and gently spiced - "spiced cider" or "root beer with creaminess" in various reviewers' terms. The signature accord is creamy vanilla-and-cardamom over smoky woods. Perceptible throughout: lavender (early), cardamom, vanilla, woods. More submerged: orange blossom and patchouli, which support rather than lead. It's largely linear after the lavender fades. Caveat: the Noir Extreme comparison is real but inexact - reviewers note Select Night lacks TFNE's prominent kulfi/rose facet, is "brighter up top," less sweet to some and "too sweet" to others, and a few get a "shaving cream" masculine facet instead.
## Performance
Performance is widely rated good-for-the-price but not beast-mode. The dominant pattern: strong, sometimes "quite strong" sillage in the first one-to-two hours (one wearers noted projection that "can cut through the cold like butter"), then a settling into a milder but respectable close bubble. Longevity reports cluster around 6-9 hours, with documented coverage's own summary citing 6-8 hours; a minority get only ~6 hours and a close-to-skin scent after two hours, so projection is the weaker axis. It is described as having "a small scent bubble just around the wearer" by some and "addictive and luxurious but quite strong" by others - chemistry- and quantity-dependent, with owners noting it rewards an extra spray. Best in cold weather and at night, where the creamy-spicy warmth blooms.
## Wearing Context
A cold-weather, evening, and date-night fragrance first - "dark, perfect for a night out or a date, works best in colder temps," as wearers summarizes, ideal for autumn and winter. That said, several reviewers find it balanced and "office-safe" enough for daytime and even all-settings wear, since the projection is moderate and the profile is pleasant rather than aggressive. Social-perception skew is sophisticated, "grown up," and seductive; it draws strong reactions from partners in several anecdotes and is repeatedly called sexy and compliment-getting. Marketed masculine, but multiple women reviewers find it wearable and unisex-leaning given its sweet-creamy character.
## Comparisons & DNA
The defining comparison is Tom Ford Noir Extreme - so prevalent that a documented coverage forum thread pits Select Night against Armaf Odyssey as the better Noir Extreme alternative, with users concluding Select Night is "a decent imitation... not a clone but the vibe is there," brighter on top and less creamy/rose-driven than TFNE. Some go further ("this is what TFNE wishes it was"); others insist it smells "nothing like" the original Noir Extreme. Additional wearers comparisons: Spicebomb / Spicebomb Extreme (shared spice DNA, different proportions), JPG Le Male Le Parfum, and one reviewer's left-field Strellson D'strict call. Within the house, it's tied by DNA and perfumer to the rest of Cresp's Mercedes-Benz work (Club Black is the most-cited internal favorite/sibling). As perfumer context, Cresp's Mercedes-Benz relationship is long-running, and he has openly discussed his "minimalist," ingredient-led approach for the house.
## Reception
Reception is quietly enthusiastic and value-driven. Across wear reports it's repeatedly tagged "underrated by miles," a "hidden gem," and "another sleeper hit from Mercedes-Benz," with praise for its creamy, "smells expensive," wearable character and strong price-to-quality ratio. Criticism is mild and mostly about (a) the inexact and possibly overhyped Noir Extreme comparison and (b) projection that fades to a skin scent faster than some want; a few find it too sweet. There's also a notable meta-thread of skepticism: at least one reviewer suspects the unusually high ratings reflect coordinated YouTube influencer hype ("foul play"), naming the frequency with which it lands on "fragrance for life" lists. (No whitelisted major-source critic review was located.) Polarization is low - most who try it like it; the debate is about whether the hype and the TFNE framing are overdone. Blind-buy verdict: a low-risk yes for a budget sweet-spicy fall/winter scent, especially if you want Noir Extreme's vibe without the price, as long as you don't expect a 1:1 clone or monster projection.
## Versions & Reformulation
Single composition, no known reformulations. It is a "Night" companion to the original Mercedes-Benz Select (2018) rather than a reformulation of it - the two are different fragrances (the original is a fresh-fruity woody chypre; Select Night is the spicy-sweet oriental). Note one packaging/shipping caveat from buyers: at least two Amazon/Joma purchasers reported receiving Mercedes-Benz Ultimate instead of Select Night by mistake, so verify the bottle on arrival.
## Acquisition Notes
Marketed by INCC Parfums and available as 50ml and 100ml EDP from August 2019. Pricing is a core selling point: wearers purchase reports range from roughly €30 to about $44-48 for a 100ml (including discounted tester bottles), making it one of the better value-for-money picks in its lane. It is generally still findable through discounters and online channels, though some European buyers note spottier availability. The flacon mimics a late-90s Mercedes automatic gear-shift lever - a frequent point of delight - and comes in darker glass than the original Select. No widespread counterfeit or batch-code issues are documented; the main acquisition risk flagged by buyers is receiving the wrong Mercedes-Benz scent from careless sellers.
## Notable Facts & Lore
- The signature lore is the perfumer's own positioning: Cresp describes Select Night as a study in duality - woody fougere meets oriental - and is quoted on the official Mercedes-Benz Parfums page saying, "I wanted to create a sensual and mysterious scent.
- The very essence of seduction.
- " (Olivier Cresp, Firmenich).
- The bottle's gear-shifter homage ties the scent explicitly to Mercedes-Benz's automotive identity.
- Beyond that, its notability is its grassroots "underrated sleeper / budget Noir Extreme" reputation, amplified by major-source YouTube influencer coverage - which itself became a minor controversy, with some wearers members openly questioning whether the scent's high regard was organically earned or hype-driven.
- No mainstream celebrity or viral moment attaches to it.