Chergui (2001)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

I'm jealous of those who experience discernible spices in this because that is what I was expecting, and sort of hoping for. But from start to finish, Chergui is silky and smooth on me, rich, enveloping, and initially a bit powdery. Though not at all the experience I'd set myself up for, Chergui has done anything but dissappoint me. Though the fragrance itself is a dark rich brown, I see it in my mind's eye as more of a light cream/tan. There's something luxuriously rich in Chergui, like the sensation of milky tea with honey and vanilla, and this dense, creamy sweetness is the element that intensifies the most on me as I wear it. It is one of those non-gourmand delights which make my mouth water without necessarily conjuring images of dessert. I think the dry sweetness of hay and tobacco mixed with the luscious creaminess of iris and amber is very alluring but has me wondering what this has to do with hot spicy wind gusts. Whatever the case, Chergui, gently intense, rich without being stifling, threw me for a loop. It is fantastically delicious but perhaps not in the way you might have been expecting.

Chergui oh..chergui..im in love with this...imagine a 1000 tea leaves placed over each other with lime skin placed in between every 200 of these leaves..throw in a good measure of hay and slightly dry tobacco leaves...now place a wheathered genuine leather saddle on each side like sandwich, it may be worn out in the sun, but it's authentic leather...now place all this in between steel weights a ton each and crush em up...what do you get? juice first, but then oil..every last drop of life, every last drop of life left poured into a bottle and sold at $140 for a 50 ml...do you think it's overpriced...? does anyone still think Serge lutens is an overrated brand? hell no...what an experience this has been...get your bottle while it lasts...this ones not to be missed.

this one will never try to please, its there to give the user an ethreal experience. an experience of another place..a place one has never been. smoky green at first with a sultry leather/tobaco mids & with one of most divine amber and animalic musk notes ever. is it wearable? sweet Jesus! Yes! it's as classy as it gets. fans on leather, dont miss this one.

Chergui resonates with me on several levels; it is a scent which offers the wearer, if your body chemistry so allows, the chance to experience a completely unbiquitous experience. From the warmth of the hay and the amber to the sweetness of the honey, the creamy texture of the iris and the mellow sting of the leather; this perfume invites you to make a Middle Eastern memory and for those who are familiar with the region, the reproduction of that region's sensuality is astounding.

Despite not being able to remain faithful to one fragrance, Chergui is and always will be my big love, the warm, strong arms of a cashmere sage, forever protecting me from the eye of the Mistral.....

Rousse’s bigger brother; thinks it’s tough but is no more than Chief Constable of midWales [ for US readers = sheriff of a suburb of Seattle]. You can still detect the Lutens sweet accord at the root of it all and the freckles are just as visible as in Rousse though it has coconut and cumin matting on its chest in a frail attempt at bristles; it has less of a story to tell than Rousse and once it’s got started it just stands in the corner, sweating a bit at the armpits, talking about leather and how the freemasons do excellent charity work.

i want to delete this but it won't let me.

Rich, creamy, woody, heavy on the amber. I was told that I'd like this scent if I enjoyed the amber of ck Obsession. Well, I do enjoy the opening of Chergui but it feels like it fades quickly. At it's base, it's certainly a Lutens scent as I've felt like I've worn it before (I've tried many other Lutens and I like this). For me, this house has it's huge ups and downs but never a so-so scent. While classy, this one doesn't do it for me. Great for a romantic cool fall winter evening with a beautiful lady.