Having discovered that Serge Lutens is extremely generous with samples, I've requested a few. I originally got Chergui, in sample atomizer, on a card.
This time, I requested and received Borneo 1834 and Muscs Kublai Khan. They were in small samples, with those tiny plastic sticks that you more or less wipe the fragrance on with, handwritten...obviously Lutens goes out of their way to send you samples, which i find to be excellent service.
Borneo 1834:
1st smelling: The initial application to me was...not shock, but it took me back a little. I smelled a massive dose of patchouli, but in the background there was raw cocoa powder, as if you got the cocoa before anything is added.
2nd time: The two blended more this time, and it reminded me of Cocoa Mulch. My parents once bought a bunch of mulch with cocoa in it and I loved the smell of it. It reminded me exactly of that, an earthy cocoa. There really isn't much more too it, its pretty linear, but in this case linear is good.
It reminds me of Ice*Men, as if the nutmeg of ice*men was replaced with a raw cocoa note
Kublai Khan:
1st and 2nd: I honestly laughed at what this smelled like. I'd heard numerous times that this is absolutely vile...Well at first sniff it was an extremely warm (emphasis on warm), gorgeous floral . It gave way to a somewhat dirty, floral with a vague hint of petroleum...Its the bitter-like smell of petroleum meets a garden with rich earth in it. The drydown is sex+musk+floral. Its supposed to be the smell of sex, and it certainly has elements of this, buts its not a raunchy smell, its actually really pleasant. I feel like I may buy a bottle of this when I'm in my later 20's, early 30's, as long as it is available. Smelling it this very second, i get hints of spices along with the musk, florals, dirty accord and "eau de sex". I'm really considering a bottle of this in the future
EDIT: I just checked out the notes for Kublai Khan and its got rose in it, no wonder im a sucker for it. I absolutely love rose, especially the bulgarian rose of fragrances like Hane Mori
This time, I requested and received Borneo 1834 and Muscs Kublai Khan. They were in small samples, with those tiny plastic sticks that you more or less wipe the fragrance on with, handwritten...obviously Lutens goes out of their way to send you samples, which i find to be excellent service.
Borneo 1834:
1st smelling: The initial application to me was...not shock, but it took me back a little. I smelled a massive dose of patchouli, but in the background there was raw cocoa powder, as if you got the cocoa before anything is added.
2nd time: The two blended more this time, and it reminded me of Cocoa Mulch. My parents once bought a bunch of mulch with cocoa in it and I loved the smell of it. It reminded me exactly of that, an earthy cocoa. There really isn't much more too it, its pretty linear, but in this case linear is good.
It reminds me of Ice*Men, as if the nutmeg of ice*men was replaced with a raw cocoa note
Kublai Khan:
1st and 2nd: I honestly laughed at what this smelled like. I'd heard numerous times that this is absolutely vile...Well at first sniff it was an extremely warm (emphasis on warm), gorgeous floral . It gave way to a somewhat dirty, floral with a vague hint of petroleum...Its the bitter-like smell of petroleum meets a garden with rich earth in it. The drydown is sex+musk+floral. Its supposed to be the smell of sex, and it certainly has elements of this, buts its not a raunchy smell, its actually really pleasant. I feel like I may buy a bottle of this when I'm in my later 20's, early 30's, as long as it is available. Smelling it this very second, i get hints of spices along with the musk, florals, dirty accord and "eau de sex". I'm really considering a bottle of this in the future
EDIT: I just checked out the notes for Kublai Khan and its got rose in it, no wonder im a sucker for it. I absolutely love rose, especially the bulgarian rose of fragrances like Hane Mori
