The Perfume Library

Ambre sultan (Eau de Parfum)

7.9

Serge Lutens · 1993

Sweet · Spicy · Woody

Eau de Parfum

Serge Lutens Ambre sultan Eau de Parfum is a sweet, spicy and resinous unisex scent built on amber, patchouli and vanilla, suited to autumn and winter evenings. It lasts strongly and projects well. Most voters pick autumn and winter, and very few choose summer. It is favoured most for evenings and nights out, though it also works for leisure. Voters read it as more masculine than feminine, with a classic character coming through as well. The scent moves as a single warm, dense block. Amber and vanilla bring the sweetness, while patchouli adds a woody, smoky depth. Spice and resin temper the sweetness and pull it towards a dry, oriental feel. Adopt' Ambre Talisman and Hermès L'Ambre des Merveilles have a close profile.

Five o'clock au gingembre

7.9

Serge Lutens · 2008

Fresh · Citrus · Sweet

Serge Lutens Five o'clock au gingembre is a unisex scent led by candied ginger, bergamot and spices, fresh at first yet sweet. The citrus brightness of bergamot meets the sweetness of candied ginger, while the spices add a warm, slightly smoky layer on top. Beyond fresh and citrus, the accords include gourmand, spicy, woody and resinous sides, and the scent leans at times toward an oriental warmth. Most voters pick fall and winter, with spring not far behind; summer is the least chosen season. It sits close to evening, leisure and daily wear. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Masculine and feminine votes are almost even, so it reads as truly unisex. Monsoon Monsoon and Fueguia 1833 Caravana have a close profile.

Un bois vanille

7.5

Serge Lutens · 2003

Sweet · Gourmand · Spicy

Serge Lutens Un bois vanille is a sweet, gourmand unisex scent that most voters place in fall and winter, for evenings and nights out. Its longevity and sillage are both rated good, and most voters pick the cooler seasons over spring and summer. Voters read it as more feminine, though it is presented as unisex. Mexican vanilla forms the backbone; sandalwood gives it a woody base, while liquorice adds a spicy, slightly smoky edge. The overall impression is sweet, creamy and powdery, with an oriental warmth.

Fille en aiguilles

8.2

Serge Lutens · 2009

Green · Fruity · Sweet

Féminité du bois

7.7

Serge Lutens · 2009

Floral · Fruity · Sweet

Serge Lutens Féminité du bois is a unisex scent that leans towards autumn and winter, pairing plum and cedarwood with floral notes. It lasts well and projects at a moderate level. Most voters pick fall and winter, spring comes next, and summer trails far behind. Evening, leisure and daytime wear are about equally likely. Voters most often call it feminine, though a good number find it masculine. The notes read as one whole rather than in stages: fruity plum, floral notes and cedarwood. Floral, fruity and sweet accords lead, while spicy, woody, powdery and resinous sides soften and deepen the sweetness. Serge Lutens Bois et fruits has a close profile.

La Fille de Berlin (Eau de Parfum)

7.6

Serge Lutens · 2012

Fresh · Floral · Fruity

Eau de Parfum

Santal majuscule

7.7

Serge Lutens · 2012

Floral · Sweet · Gourmand

Serge Lutens Santal majuscule is a sweet, woody unisex scent that suits fall and winter evenings. Sandalwood, cocoa and Turkish rose read as a single piece. Floral and gourmand accords run throughout, spicy and oriental tones add depth to the sweetness, and the woody side keeps it balanced. Longevity is good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick fall and winter; evenings and nights out lead, though it also works for leisure. Masculine and feminine votes are equal, so it sits comfortably on either side. Dior Santal Noir and Estēe Lauder Desert Eden have a close profile.

Fleurs d'oranger

7.5

Serge Lutens · 1995

Fresh · Citrus · Floral

Serge Lutens Fleurs d'oranger is a fresh, floral scent that sets orange blossom beside white rose and Egyptian jasmine, with a sweet, lightly spicy edge. Its longevity is rated strong and its sillage good. Most voters pick spring and summer, with fall close behind and winter well back. It is worn for leisure and daily use as readily as for evenings out. Most votes call it feminine, though it is described as unisex. Three floral notes, orange blossom, white rose and Egyptian jasmine, carry the whole composition. Citrus and fresh accents brighten the flowers, while fruity and sweet tones soften them and a spicy accord keeps the sweetness in check. Harry Lehmann Neroli and Benchaâbane Fleur d'Oranger have a close profile.

Gris clair... (2006)

7.6

Serge Lutens · 2006

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens Gris clair... is a fresh, powdery and faintly smoky unisex scent built around lavender, iris and frankincense. Lavender brings a fresh, green lift that meets the powdery floral side of iris, while frankincense adds a smoky shadow. Amber and tonka bean pull the scent towards a soft sweetness, and dry woods tie it back to a woody dryness. Longevity is rated strong and sillage moderate. Most voters pick autumn and spring, and it is worn for leisure, daily use and the office. Votes split between masculine and feminine, so it reads as truly unisex. Gris clair... has been discontinued, and Serge Lutens Gris clair... (2019) has a close profile.

Datura noir (Eau de Parfum)

7.6

Serge Lutens · 2001

Floral · Fruity · Sweet

Eau de Parfum

L'orpheline

7.7

Serge Lutens · 2014

Fresh · Spicy · Woody

Arabie

7.4

Serge Lutens · 2000

Fruity · Sweet · Gourmand

Serge Lutens Arabie is a warm, sweet unisex scent led by sandalwood, benzoin and dried fig, with spice, resin and smoke woven through. It is rated strong for longevity and good for sillage. Most voters pick winter and fall, and it suits evenings and nights out best. Masculine and feminine votes sit close together, so it reads as genuinely in between. The fruity, gourmand side comes from dried fig, date and candied mandarin peel, sharpened by cumin, nutmeg and clove into a spicy warmth. Underneath, sandalwood, cedar, tobacco, labdanum and myrrh form a woody, resinous, smoky base. The result is a sweet oriental with real weight.

L'Eau Serge Lutens

7.0

Serge Lutens · 2010

Fresh · Citrus · Floral

Serge Lutens L'Eau Serge Lutens is a unisex fragrance built on citrus fruits, peppermint and magnolia, with a fresh, aquatic and green character. Most voters pick spring and summer for it, and it leans towards daily wear, leisure and the office, with evening and night out well behind. Longevity and sillage are moderate, so it stays close to the skin and leaves a quiet trail. Votes split almost evenly between feminine and masculine, which makes it a scent that sits in the middle rather than pulling either way. Citrus fruits and peppermint bring the coolness, while clary sage pushes it towards a lightly spicy, green tone. Magnolia and musk add a soft, powdery floral side, and the aldehydes and ozone give it a clean, slightly synthetic brightness.

Nuit de cellophane

7.2

Serge Lutens · 2009

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens Nuit de cellophane is a fresh, green floral that pairs jasmine with mandarin orange, an unisex scent that suits easy daytime wear. Jasmine, mandarin orange and Chinese osmanthus sit together here. The floral side leads, while the mandarin adds a sweet, fruity lift. Green and spicy touches stay in the background, and powdery and woody accents soften the whole. Longevity is good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick spring, followed by fall and summer, and it leans towards leisure and daily wear. About half of voters read it as feminine, though it works as an unisex scent. Its profile is close to Acqua di Parma Gelsomino Nobile and Salvatore Ferragamo F for Fascinating.

Cèdre

7.4

Serge Lutens · 2005

Floral · Sweet · Spicy

Serge Lutens Cèdre is a sweet, resinous unisex scent that warms cedarwood with cinnamon and clove, while tuberose adds a soft floral edge to the woody base. Cedarwood, cinnamon and clove build a spicy, woody frame. Amber and musk sweeten and round it out, and tuberose brings a floral note. The oriental and animal accords stay in the background, leaving a warm, dense impression. Its longevity is rated strong and its sillage good. Most voters pick fall and winter, and see it as an evening or night-out scent. Votes split almost evenly between feminine and masculine. Xerjoff Alexandria II and Serge Lutens Tubéreuse criminelle have a close profile.

Clair de musc

7.1

Serge Lutens · 2003

Fresh · Floral · Sweet

Serge noire

7.5

Serge Lutens · 2008

Spicy · Woody · Oriental

Daim blond

7.4

Serge Lutens · 2004

Floral · Fruity · Sweet

Muscs Koublaï Khän

7.6

Serge Lutens · 1998

Floral · Sweet · Spicy

Serge Lutens Muscs Koublaï Khän is a sweet, animalic scent, floral, spicy and powdery over a warm oriental base, suited to evenings and the colder months, for men and women alike. Rose and ambrette give it a floral start, while civet, castoreum and musk add an animalic, leathery weight. Patchouli and labdanum bring an earthy, resinous depth, and vanilla and beeswax soften and sweeten the whole. Longevity is rated strong and sillage good. Most voters pick winter and fall, and it is worn mostly for evenings and nights out. More voters call it masculine than feminine, yet the feminine vote is sizeable, so it sits comfortably on either. Taif Al-Emarat UAE Oud and Ambregris Ambre & Diamant Noir have a close profile.

La Religieuse

7.2

Serge Lutens · 2015

Fresh · Floral · Sweet

Serge Lutens La Religieuse is a unisex floral built on jasmine, frankincense and bergamot, with a fresh start that carries a smoky, powdery side. Jasmine leads the scent as a whole, while frankincense adds a smoky, spicy depth and bergamot lightens that weight with a fresh touch. Sweet, creamy and powdery facets round off the flower, and an animal trace stays in the background. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick spring and fall, and it leans towards daily wear and leisure. Nearly half of voters read it as feminine, though it is classed as unisex. Diptyque Opsis and Yves Saint Laurent Nu (Eau de Toilette) have a close profile.

Vétiver oriental

7.9

Serge Lutens · 2004

Green · Sweet · Spicy

Serge Lutens Vétiver oriental is a unisex scent that softens the green, earthy side of vetiver with the sweet, resinous warmth of amber, labdanum and chocolate. Vetiver and gaiac wood build a woody frame, deepened by sandalwood and underwood. Plant juice and moss add a damp, green note, while iris and musk bring a powdery softness. Spicy, oriental tones blend with the sweetness of chocolate and amber. Most voters pick autumn and winter, and evening and night out lead the occasions. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Voters read it as more masculine, though a fair share call it feminine. Penhaligon's Marylebone Wood and Histoires de Parfums Ambre 114 have a close profile.

À la nuit

7.2

Serge Lutens · 2000

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens À la nuit is a floral unisex scent that suits evenings and nights out, with jasmine and white honey meeting clove. The scent reads as one whole: jasmine sits in a fresh, green floral setting, white honey adds sweetness and an oriental warmth, and clove draws a spicy edge. The animal accord gives it a slightly darker undertone. Its longevity is rated strong and its sillage good. Most voters pick spring, then fall and summer, while winter trails behind. Half of the voters find it feminine, and some call it classic. Fueguia 1833 Metáfora and Serge Lutens Sa majesté la rose have a close profile.

Bornéo 1834

7.6

Serge Lutens · 2005

Sweet · Gourmand · Spicy

Serge Lutens Bornéo 1834 is a sweet, spicy and smoky unisex scent built around camphor, cardamom, cocoa and patchouli. Camphor and cardamom bring a cool, spiced edge at first. Cocoa adds a gourmand softness, while patchouli and labdanum lay down an earthy, resinous, woody base. White blossoms and galbanum stay in the background, leaving a sweet but dark, oriental character. Longevity is rated strong and sillage good. Most voters pick fall and winter, and it leans towards evenings and nights out. More voters call it masculine than feminine, though a fair share find it feminine. Perris Monte Carlo Patchouli Nosy Be and Lubin Akkad have a close profile.

Jeux de peau

6.6

Serge Lutens · 2011

Fruity · Sweet · Gourmand