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

I acquired from Lutens their set of wax samples, which I have tested from time to time. Chergui was one that I enjoyed and it struck me as smooth, sensual and sophisticated with a well-rounded tobacco note. So when opportunity came to purchase a bottle I did so. Unfortunately, in the liquid fragrance the tobacco was more potent, a tad bitter and clashed with the smoothness around it. I learned a valuable lesson for myself: don’t buy a Lutens on the basis of a wax sample. Test the actual liquid before buying.

Does anyone else go to a dentist who uses a cleansing tooth paste which smells of Chergui? That's about all I get from this, which develops into that scent melded with cinnamon. Under all this is the treacly Lutens structure which quite frankly is just too damn sweet for this lad.
Admittedly, I am trying this from a Perfumed Court decant, and not the original bottle, but I'm willing to bet the source is pure.
That being the case, I'm glad this has its adherents; I am not one of them. This is one of three scents I've worn (Polo Blue and Montale Cuir d'Arabie the others) where I've actually had to wash them off lest there be imminent sickness.
Blind buyers beware: do not be lulled into the fantasia of hay, tobacco, and amber, thinking this a lost city of El Dorado. Try before you buy, unless you want an olfactory hallucination of dental fillings by Dr. Resnick.

I tried several of the Luten scents and just cannot wear them.
They all come off as cheap Wizard air deodorizer on me.
So overwhelming that I got a headache and nausea like I do with Poison.

I might get a lot of heat for this, but I just can't stand Chergui. After 2 tries, I've had more than enough of its overpowering syrupy-sweet smell. I like gourmands and sweet fragrances, but this is just too sweet in the wrong way. Not only is Chergui more syrupy than maple syrup from Montreal, but it makes me think of a middle aged bohemian woman (which is not what I'd like to smell like, considering I'm a 22 year old male).
Balance out the syrup, and this would be more classy and wearable - otherwise, I'm sorry to say "Bleeccchh."

5/10

I must say that even the best of reviews of this fragrance make it sound like exactly the kind of nauseating mess I try to avoid. This artificial, cloying amber/vanilla era actually closes up my throat sometimes. Thank you for helping me avoid this collision.

Such a clash of notes, I can't figure it out, is it cosy or nauseating? Warm, sweet notes like honey, musk and amber collide with a watery coolness reminiscent of cucumber and schampoo. Weird. The sweet/sour/watery mustiness of it smells close to rottening. And above it all a nice, dry, smoky hint of incense.
I'm sorry, but I just can't take the clash between gourmand sweet and watery "fresh", between warm and cool, I find it sickening.