Serge Noire (2008)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Being an incense freak, I approached Serge Noir expecting a mysterious and gothic concotion of resinous notes and dry woods but all I got was a strong camphoraceous vibe and cloves laying on harsh cedarwood. Incense is detectable in the heart but it's overwhelmed by an overpowering medicinal vibe. Cloves are definitely too prominent and while I'm usually addicted to cedarwood I find it somehow disturbing in this composition (I guess it's because of the cloves that enhances its harshness). And yes, it's like going to the dentist.

24th September, 2011.

I got a 15ML sample of this when I purchased the very lovely Fille En Aiguilles. I must say I don't like it at all. When I first put it on it smelled overwhelmingly of cloves and bubble gum blended with public toilets and body odour. The body odour smell dissipates quickly leaving a clove, amber, bubblegum and public toilet miasma. It reminds me of Charrogne by Etat Libre d'Orange but with a clove note. Definitely will not purchase this one!

7th June, 2011.

This stuff is like a walk through a dirty alley in the middle of the night. OMG..I hated it but am certain to apply it again because I have to know if what I THOUGHT I smelled is what I actually smelled. I hadn't yet showered, it was hot....basically I just have to know.

This is in your face, raw, dirty and ready for a fight. Definitely not for me ( at least I don't think ) but I can see where there would be a very small minority of the perfume population that would appreciate it.

11th May, 2011.

Sacré bleu, Serge!
Why did you market this horror?

The top notes are almost passable, insofar as they don't contain the trademark Lutens fruitcake accord, but soon enough it develops into something that redefines noire in French as "Yuck!" instead of black, ne'st-ce pas?

Some reviewers mentioned clove. If so it's perverted beyond recognition. I can, on occasion, enjoy a well made powerhouse clove bomb like Jacomo de Jacomo ( 1980's of course) but what's going on here? Perhaps ashes of clove mixed with something putrid.

Well, it's not the worst frag of all time; that dubious honor belongs to Insensé Ultramarine by Givenchy but perhaps among the three worst niche scents, ever.

Will I ever find Lutens I like besides the " hippie oil " (Luca Turin's phrase) of the barbarically sensual Muscs Koublaï Khän?

By now, I doubt it.

25th April, 2011.

Hmm. I smell.... chapstick. Wet, unscented, classic chapstick. Laying under the waxy membrane is a peppery, flower scent that is pushing up and trying to be heard. Some days the pepper and flowers are more pronounced.

I definitely enjoy this smell, although it is unique and strange.

30th March, 2011.

Strong, brilliant and warm. This is my first niche perfume and I'm not sure I will ever need others.

14th March, 2011.