Lutens Sarrasins Review

"Comparisons with the earlier A la Nuit are inevitable, but Sarrasins is its own scent. It is a less voluptuous, less indolic jasmine, and altogether more reserved maybe even severe. I almost immediately get a very green and somehow austere jasmine out of Sarrasins. I also smell some hay and the merest touch of camphor or menthol. The camphor remains in the background, but it does put a cool edge on the central jasmine. Though I dont find any actual tea in Sarrasins, it does leave an impression of green tea with jasmine.

Sarrasins continues in its green jasmine groove for some time, gradually growing sweeter and smoother as it develops. Then at length the floral accord sharpens, and in so doing begins to lead the scent in a new direction. Having grown sweeter, Sarrasins now becomes somewhat hard-edged as well, and then remains comparatively cool and aloof throughout its lifespan. Part of this increasing sharpness may be due to the spicy carnation middle note.

Sarrasins doesnt so much alter as fade during its drydown. It clings stubbornly to its jasmine and reveals only a hint of sweet, powdery musk and creamy woods. I get nothing animalic, and certainly no civet or castoreum in the base. Its also completely free of the sweet, syrupy base accord thats common to many Sheldrake-Lutens fragrances. When applied very liberally, Sarrasins reveals some darker, leathery overtones, and more vanilla or coumarin in its base, but on the whole its a simple scent, and a remarkably straightforward one coming from the house that brought us Muscs Koublai Khan, Ambre Sultan and Tubereuse Criminelle.

In fact, with its camphorous, medicinal edge, Sarrasins could be taken as an attempt to do for jasmine what Tubereuse Criminelle does for tuberose. If thats the case, Sheldrake and Lutens have either miscalculated or lost their nerve, for Sarrasins is a far less challenging scent. If anything, its a sibling to Un Lys, or even Gris Clair, which are likewise crisp and clear. At no point does Sarrasins become thick or heady, and it wears quite close to the skin. I think ubuandibme is accurate in describing it as "sheer" and transparent, qualities that Sheldrake and Lutens have rarely achieved during their partnership. It conspicuously lacks the near-hallucinatory accuracy of Un Lys or Sa Majeste la Rose. In all of these respects it smells more like something L'Artisan Parfumeur or Hermessence would do than what's expected out of Serge Lutens. Its limited projection and unusually crisp, green-tinted floral character make Sarrasins a safer scent than A la Nuit (or many other jasmines for that matter,) and I think it will work well for either gender.

Sarrasins is labeled as an eau de parfum, but on my skin at least, its a surprisingly mild scent. The lasting power is only fair maybe about five hours. My verdict? An easy-wear jasmine, but so far it doesn't bowl me over."