Too sweet for me, but I agree that it's better than tobacco honey, as this one is more consistent, while it lacks the dazzling opening. I can't take the sweetness, otherwise I'd be able to take it more seriously.
I really do not have the words for how beautiful this is. It’s rich and luxurious without being …decadent…or heavy, yet it’s definitely not a “light” scent either. Really quite intoxicating. It smells foreign and familiar all at once; maybe if your idea of "exotic" is from the sumptuous illustrations in a well-worn book of fables from a far-away land. It's all lofty sandalwood, honeyed musks, and and liquid amber tea on me, and it makes me feel like a desert queen in a strange, dusty tale.
It's spectacular, BUT only in colder months. I tried it first in summer and it didn't impress me at all. Now, when the weather is more appropriate, I just... fell in love with it. The incense is way more prominent on my skin, honey is also very detectable as a top note. It's slightly sweet, slightly burnt hay, slightly powdery. Amazing combination, somehow reminds me of childhood.
Upon looking at the notes of Chergui, you would expect a sweet, warm and cosy scent. When in actual fact, Chergui is far fresher and brighter than I was expecting. I don’t love it as much as I thought I would, but I suppose the scent I’m smelling is far beyond what I had pictured - I do find I am enjoying it the more I smell it. The official Serge Lutens website lists the notes as Immortelle, Russian Leather and Hay. These are what speak to me the most. Having smelled imortelle in its natural form not too long ago, this scent instantly takes me back to that moment - it’s incredibly dry, soft and slightly grassy, with these facets elevated with the inclusion of hay and tobacco. There is a warmth on the base from the leather, amber and a touch of sweet honey - but this is subtle. Overall Chergui is a strangely dry and vegetal scent, reminiscent of the smell of Mediterranean vegetation in the wilderness. As I said it’s a lot fresher and lighter than I expected initially, but I’ve really grown to appreciate the simplistic beauty of immortelle and hay together, there’s nothing else in my collection which smells quite like it.
Interesting that i find this to be quite similar to hugo boss deep red but no one else has mentioned it. Ofcourse deep red is more powdery and feminine but i do find some extreme similarities between the 2, i just can't place it though🤔. This as a stand alone is very nice. The drydown is very powdery however which may deter some guys. Okay so the drydown between this and hugo boss deep red are practically identical!!!!, it's nuts. Deep red came out back in 2001 and is a female fragrance.
Well this is a big hitter from Serge Lutens and I'm yet to review it but as we come into the colder months this juice is essential. I remember being stuck between this and five o'clock au gingembre for my warming winter fragrance from Serge Lutens and this lost out...just. However, going back for another sniff I've realized (and I'm trying to tell my wallet) there's room for both of them in my life. I believe this one to be a better seller and more popular than FO'CAG and at the time I favoured the underdog. In hindsight they're both amazing!!! Sweet, creamy, tobacco and sandalwood with the warmth of amber & honey plus sweet spice of incense. All this creating a boozy warming feel...it's adorable and nothing over powering anything else. Expertly blended genius from Serge Lutens a house that produce consistently outstanding fragrances.