To buy Chene or not to buy Chene?

**Hyde65** · 2nd December 2007, 06:09 PM

I see that Barney's carries this. I'm not sure if it can be purchased elsewhere. While I'm thinking of it, can Chergui be purchased anywhere other than directly from Serge Lutens? Thanks.

**Prince Barry** · 2nd December 2007, 06:22 PM

Chene is this year's autumnal limited edition export scent.

Chergui is available here in the UK....

http://www.escentual.com/cgi-bin/Esc.../Catalog/10107

**GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR** · 2nd December 2007, 06:37 PM

It's available as a limited edition export. One shipment and that's it. If it's a popular one like Fumerie Turque or Chergui, it'll be bought out shortly, and then you'd be paying $150+ for a new one on ebay. Or if it's less popular you might still find it at a few retailers for the next couple of years.

If you can get Chergui at cost from exscentual do so!

Originally Posted by Hyde65

I see that Barney's carries this. I'm not sure if it can be purchased elsewhere. While I'm thinking of it, can Chergui be purchased anywhere other than directly from Serge Lutens? Thanks.

**Lady_in_Black** · 2nd December 2007, 06:38 PM

Yes, it's there, Prince, but if you try to purchase you'll see a message that it's out of stock. I had to buy my replacement bottle in Paris...
I hope that Chene will be showing up quickly over here. Can't wait to smell it

**Prince Barry** · 2nd December 2007, 06:40 PM

Thanks LiB. I only looked, I didn't bother clicking on the buy button.

**the non blonde** · 2nd December 2007, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Hyde65

I see that Barney's carries this. I'm not sure if it can be purchased elsewhere. While I'm thinking of it, can Chergui be purchased anywhere other than directly from Serge Lutens? Thanks.

Chergui (and Fumerie Turque) are both still available from Barneys. I got mine at the NYC store a couple of months ago and saw they are still there when I went to buy Chene. You can't order them online, but you can give them a call and buy over the phone (same goes for the two other exclusives at Bergdorf.

**paintrman** · 2nd December 2007, 09:01 PM

Chene is a very interesting scent. It smells like a woodworker's shop. I smell sawdust and tree sap. Actually, this smells like a freshly cut plank of wood. This is a must have!

**phibess** · 2nd December 2007, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by paintrman

Chene is a very interesting scent. It smells like a woodworker's shop. I smell sawdust and tree sap. Actually, this smells like a freshly cut plank of wood. This is a must have!

That is my problem with Chene. I could see it/use it as a pleasant room fragrance but not sure I want to smell like my Martin acoustic guitar.

**Kevin Guyer** · 2nd December 2007, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by phibess

That is my problem with Chene. I could see it/use it as a pleasant room fragrance but not sure I want to smell like my Martin acoustic guitar.

I agree, while I admire the artistry, I'm not sure if smelling like a plank of wood is so interesting. To me, Miel de Bois is the keeper.

**Louslice** · 3rd December 2007, 03:41 AM

If you love woods, as I do, then Chene is a dream scent. If you do not love woods, especially oak, I would pass on it. It isn't a one-dimensional scent, but it is an exploration of a theme, and there is no doubt who is the star.

Off-Scenter · 3rd December 2007, 05:26 AM

I bought a bottle of Chene after wearing a sample for just one day. I don't normally do such things, but this scent really works for me. It's raw, potent, and individual, and its not the sweet, sticky dessert I get from Arabie, Miel de Bois, Un Bois Vanille, Datura Noir, Chergui, Rousse, or any number of other Lutens scents. I certainly advocate sampling the stuff while it's still available in the North American market.

**Magnifiscent** · 3rd December 2007, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Lady_in_Black

Yes, it's there, Prince, but if you try to purchase you'll see a message that it's out of stock. I had to buy my replacement bottle in Paris...
I hope that Chene will be showing up quickly over here. Can't wait to smell it

I bought my belly bottle of Chêne in Paris the last year and luv it.
Btw, Lady in Black, I don't know where are you located but Chêne seems to be widely available at Rinascente in Milan...

**Lady_in_Black** · 3rd December 2007, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Magnifiscent

Btw, Lady in Black, I don't know where are you located but Chêne seems to be widely available at Rinascente in Milan...

Wow, Mags, thanks for the heads up! That's where I am located also

, although it's a store I usually avoid.

**Buzzlepuff** · 3rd December 2007, 02:18 PM

Re: To buy Chene or not to buy Chene?

I also recommend you sample it. I have a bottle and wear it occasionally - especially good in cool weather. Chene is such a warm and sensuous wood fragrance but I am surprised that I get bored with it easily. Is it too much of a good thing? It starts out so warm and rich and stays that way all through. But I miss more development in the fragrance. I wish it turned into a leather at the drydown - it needs some development to be used more often. As it is, the fragrance is a wonderful wood harmony with little development. But, sometimes this is exactly what is needed.

**thebeck** · 3rd December 2007, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by Louslice

If you love woods, as I do, then Chene is a dream scent. If you do not love woods, especially oak, I would pass on it. It isn't a one-dimensional scent, but it is an exploration of a theme, and there is no doubt who is the star.

Ditto your thoughts. Sometimes just smelling like wood is fun.

**mikeperez23** · 3rd December 2007, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by paintrman

Chene is a very interesting scent. It smells like a woodworker's shop. I smell sawdust and tree sap. Actually, this smells like a freshly cut plank of wood. This is a must have!

Ever since I have joined Basenotes I have been looking for a scent like this. A few reviews (and posts) led me to believe that I could find my holy grail 'plank-o-wood' in Sequoia by CdG, Bois du Portugal by Creed and Cedre by Serge. Well, I didn't. Neither of those scents smell like a plank of wood to me (although Sequoia smells wonderful on my boyfriend so I own this, but it aint 'plank-o-wood'-y).

So, Cedre has gotten my attention.

**Trebor** · 3rd December 2007, 11:33 PM

Chene is certainly an interesting scent but the boozy note (probably tree sap) ruins it for me. Actually, a few nights ago, I ended up dancing with this woman who was more drunk than I initially thought - she completely reeked of rum and coke, which I found an absolute turn-off! Wearing Chene would leave me smelling like a drunkard (but instead of rum and coke, I'd be smelling of rum and wood).

**fenton_t_fox** · 4th December 2007, 10:20 PM

As stated by other people this is pretty much all about wood(oak) but it is absolutely brilliant for taking the sweetness out of other Lutens fragrances particularly chergui which it layers superbly with and i've also good good results layering it with Montale's Attar and Domenico Caraceni's 1913 edt in fact i would say that it adds a bit more weight to most fragrances of the spicey rose type.