Sleek Suede, from Yves Saint Laurent was released in 2017. The perfumer behind this creation is Mathilde Bijaoui. It has the top notes of Cacao Pod, Cloves, Incense, Nutmeg, and Pepper, middle notes of Agarwood (Oud) and Cedarwood, and base notes of Labdanum, Patchouli, Tobacco, Vanilla, and Woody Notes.
Okay so this is nothing short of fantastic! I'm pretty sure this one didn't exist in the old style bottles, or I'd have tried it for sure. Anyway I have now and the opening is sumptuous as hell, a chocolate accord which feels rounded and deeper than a poof of cacao. It's warm, sort of musky, sweet and creamy but not too much so and has a bitterness delivered by the finest dark chocolate. What is apparent is a kind of coffee note too, in fact I'd say the sense of coffee liqueur is there from the get go. Could even be tonka in here too? I've no doubt that patchouli is adding to both the effect of chocolate and a natural smooth earthiness, with a peppery, smoke from what can only be described as an incense accord. Then the base is woody as anything and this 'Oud noir' that is mentioned on the little card I also sprayed and put in my pocket, is responsible for this opulent, leathery, spiced wood smell. I don't know the origin of the 'oud' and frankly I don't care, Sleek suede is a knockout regardless. The best part about this fragrance is that it's not a gourmand in the sense of it existing to emulate food or just be a 'smell' of the sake of it. Sleek suede feels like perfume, rather than an attempt to have a 'foodie' one in the line. I love Indy perfumers don't get me wrong, and much of the time have a bias towards them for the creativity and lack of regard for the so called 'rules'. However, some perfumes have that, 'I trained in Grasse' sort of feel, a kind of untouchable, jus ne sais que. The sort of subtlety that makes you marvel at it. Sleek suede is one of those, sadly it's quite pricey or I'd want a bottle and I'd prioritise it too. I wasn't looking for a gourmand but this one found me in the middle of summer, I love it!