Reviews of Encens et Lavande (1996)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

On me, the opening is incense, cold and dark. Tarry notes have a dreaded bottom-of-a-cold ashtray effect, but thankfully that doesn't last too long. Dry herbs bring a measure of relief in the heart; effect at this point is almost medicinal. Lavender is the last note to fully emerge. It's odd: I know that the concept of "masculine" and "feminine" scents is largely subjective, and I've never thought of lavender as a masculine scent before. Lavender essential oil was one of my favorite scents to wear long before I was ever interested in perfume as such. But the lavender here is strongly masculine in my mind, even as it gets sweeter and sweeter. This impression is so strong that when I sniff it I almost feel as if a stranger were standing behind me -- a man whose scent is much too sweet. Very odd. I will re-test this one, but right now I can't see myself every feeling comfortable in it. It's interesting though, and I respect it.

Lavander at the top, absolutely gorgeous and true. Dries down to a simple, dry, incense. This one is plain and simple, which makes it wearable - but a little boring too...thumbs up, but just barely.

Exactly what it says on the label - a simple, dry, transparent accord of lavender and frankincense - Encens et Lavande finds Christopher Sheldrake dabbling in Bertrand Duchaufour’s métier. It’s certainly unlike almost anything else in the Serge Lutens lineup. Absent are the candied fruit, syrupy amber, and deep spices that define so much of the Lutens/Sheldrake oeuvre. And where the other Serge Lutens lavender, Gris Clair, is cold, stark, astringent, and even moderately confrontational, Encens et Lavande is warm, soft, and comforting. The only ornaments on Encens et Lavande’s spare frame are a brisk and short-lived lemon top note and base notes of powdery woods and very dry vanilla underpinning the frankincense during the drydown.

Simple as the composition is, its progress from opening to drydown is very much linear. Encens et Lavande endures for several hours on the skin, though its sillage and projection are relatively moderate – especially by the bold standards of this house. In its lean profile and modest weight Encens et Lavande stakes out new territory for Serge Lutens as a brand. On the other hand, it doesn’t necessarily extend the realm of incense or lavender fragrances in any exciting directions. Next to Gris Clair or Vero Kern’s peculiar Kiki, Encens et Lavande is an unadventurous lavender, and next to compositions like Dzongkha, Black Tourmaline, L’Homme Sage, Jubilation XXV, or Zagorsk, its incense is just, well, plain. It’s nice, but I don’t think it’s worth a trip to Paris.

Each of the star ingredients in Encens et Lavande are associated with creating calm or center to one degree or another and the pairing of the two is a wonderful effect. Extremely simple, exquisitely balanced, this fragrance seems to create its own space, one of contemplation and relaxation, and every time I wear it I'm inspired to breathe deeply and just chill out.

An incense lavender. This is the worlds best lavender scent! I love it. Very medicinal fresh young green lavender in the opening that stays present throughout the progression of the scent. Following the fresh piney lavender is a smokey incense that is a cool grey stone smokey incense. A perfect combination of smokey old stone incense with bits of fresh green lavender sprounting up all around it. My highest recommendation.

A soapy, musty, powdery old fashioned lavender that lacks any real punch (unlike the edgy and moody Gris Clair). I kept expecting incense galore, but have gotten only hints of it (mixed with a strong powdery vibe) in the warm drydown.

Great longevity? Yes. Quality of lavender itself? Superb -- as to be expected. Drydown? Pleasant enough, granted. All in all, i have to give this one kudos for quality, if nothing else. Still, Gris Clair is by FAR the better of the two lavender frags, and Encens et Lavande, IMHO, lacks the "oomph" it needs to merit its high price tag.

As a pure scent, unattached to any specific male body--namely mine--this is a lovely fragrance: an herbaceous lavender anchored by a haunting incense that lasts and lasts. It does indeed evoke oak pews and worn limestone floors and hushed introspection. It is both sober and sensual, the church of Holy Week, not the church of the June bride, more funeral than christening. It reminds me of a maiden aunt of 30 years ago who lived alone in an 1850s house with push-button light switches and photos of relatives so long dead she didn't know who they were. Gothic, beautiful, addicting, a little fey, and please, ladies only.

This is a mood scent. I've been trying describe how the lavander is soapy, yet isn't, in my comments when I finally realized it could be the incense. It's an old fashioned, bone dry, traditional incense. It smells clear yet dusty, like a 600 year old carefully tended church, open to receive respectful tourists on a summer afternoon. Blended evenly with straightforward lavander. The idea I get most from this scent is that I seldom spend enough time being quiet and absently melancholy enough to mellow out and appreciate it. I also get a masculine sharpness. Vetivers often prejudice me the same way. I can't divine whether it's the lavander or the incense carrying the masculine edge. Lavander is the usual suspect for soapy-sharp, but having bought some craft-made incense sticks at an art and wine fest, I've discerned my notion of a 'gourmet head shop' vibe. Anyway, almost as soon as I decide "dang soapy lavender!," I notice there's black pepper tossing in its own vibration, and green sage. And so here is the difference between thumbs up and neutral. I don't love it. But this clever fragrance presents itself assertively with only few, basic, brilliantly well chosen notes. It comes on strong and edgy, but with main elements that are typically soothing and traditional. It establishes certain presence with certain grace. I'd love to bump into someone who can can pull this off, and I admit I'm not one.

looks like I'm the rain on this parade....

First off, I won't say that EeL is bad. Starts out a fairly straightforward lavender: nice enough. The drydown comes in, and yeah it's a bit incense-y... but sorta smells like a Bulgari aquatic at this point. Overall, not one of those treacly affairs that Sheldrake/ Lutens churns out by the gallon.

So, I've got to ask people this: Has anyone tried a lavender essential oil? I have yet to find a fragrance that can come close to a few different varieties I've owned.

Would I pay the premium price for this fragrance? Not a chance. Thumb sideways as it isn't awful, just mediocre in an echelon where that isn't warranted

Starts with a very pure lavender and transitions gradually into a very pure incense, with nothing else detectable (to me) to interfere. The incense in particular is remarkably faithful to that used at High Mass in my Catholic church. It's a brilliant pairing. I think it might appeal more to fans of incense than of lavender (with Gris Clair a better pick for lavender lovers). A quiet, stately and dignified scent. One of my favourites of the exclusive line.

This is pure comfort in a bottle - absolution and tranquillity rolled into one delightful package. The colour purple sings out like an angelic treble chorister in a huge gothic cathedral.The hypnotic lavender blends so softly with the slightly smoky incense and leaves me reeling like a bee satiated with pollen.
Wear this to bed and you will sleep like a baby!

Notes: Lavender, Amber, Incense, Sage

If like me you are wary of the sometimes scarily oriental fragrances that Mr. Sheldrake puts out, dont worry. Encens et Lavande (EL), like Iris Silver Mist, is one of those atypical Serge Lutens fragrances and is better for it.

Lavender and incense play a big part in EL. The lavender isn't sharp and piercing like as in Caron Pour homme, and lends a cool and fresh angle to the waves of smokiness brought on by the incense. Theres are hints of some herbal elements in the composition but they are very much subdued by the dominant lavender-incense accord. EL goes quiet within minutes of application, and its no sillage monster like other SL creations. Longevity is good (approx. 6 hours).

EL is a refined, sophisticated fragrance which showcases an excellent lavender note supported by beautifully rendered incense. EL isn't as pure and grand as Creed Royal Scottish Lavender (the best lavender out there), and isn't as playful and fresh as Acqua Di Parma Lavanda Tonica. In some ways, EL smells dark to me. A charming handsome man who's also a silent killer. Wear Lavanda Tonica to office, and reserve EL for close intimate settings.

Having "taste-tested" a number of Serge Lutens fragrances (and others), this is my cool-weather lavendar delight and companion to DelRae's "Eau Illuminee," which is such joy in warm weather when more floral notes are needed. The incense element in "Encens et Lavnade" is the most accurate I've come across, without being overpoweringly smoky.

This is the dark sister of Gris Clair, and both are wonderful lavender scents and musts for lavender fans. The lavender is never overwhelmed by the incense and woods, but becomes a deep, hypnotic shade of indigo. Brings out the calming, meditative side of the herb, while at the same time it is quite lush.

The name says it all - lavender and incense. Straightforward, especially for a Lutens scent, but in no way boring. It is all the things the other reviewers said: calming, introspective, mystical, and intoxicating, as well as a little avant-garde. Every time I wear this, I enjoy it more for its lean, and to my nose, masculine, scent.

Encens et Lavande is one of those scents that smell like history: like a church, an archive, an old library or a museum. I would describe it as ashes and lavender. A whiff of the past. I find it very calming, introspective and meditative. Lavender in its finest form.

Encens et Lavande is one of the five "Les Eaux Anciennes" by Serge Lutens described as "memories of the 7th sense".