Chergui by Serge Lutens

Did you see the Dollar trilogy? This scent instantly brings to mind Clint from ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. It makes me want to mount my horse, tuck a Colt into my belt and ride off into the sunset under the far western sun. It is one of the finest fragrances I have tried in a long time.

My second experience with Serge Lutens and the best so far. Chergui is a scorching Saharan wind, yet it doesn’t give a sensation of dryness like Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Marocain; for me, it is sweeter without being cloying. It is a very balanced oriental. While other SL fragrances are unique but seem designed to scent the home, this is the most versatile I have tried. It looks better on cold days and the longevity is above average.

The fragrance is lovely, there’s no doubt about that. It’s similar to Aramis Tobacco but a bit stronger and sweeter with a better body… However, as often happens with niche scents, the longevity is questionable. I’m not sure if 6 hours counts as moderate, as the trail is quite soft and discreet; I barely detect it after six hours before it vanishes completely by seven. It leaves much to be desired, even with five sprays. The scent is completely linear, but after two hours it fades almost to skin-level where you can hardly perceive what you’ve applied. Please note this is a decant of the formula prior to the current minimalist bottle. SCENT: 9/10 LONGEVITY: 5/10 TRAIL: 3/10 VALUE: 4. The performance is rather poor for the cost, even on sale, so it doesn’t convince me. What a pity, perhaps it’s just my skin 🙁

The scent we wear becomes our distinctive feature often how we are recognised and remembered. It is also essential to note that the same fragrance on different people is unlikely to be identical; depending on skin type the perfume will undergo notable changes. There are fragrances that denote significant unconventional personality and require time to be understood because they are not easy to grasp. I have been smelling this proposal all day to understand it as it did not win me over at first much like Ambre Sultan. One must acknowledge that Chergui by Serge Lutens becomes one with the person wearing it: we are literally dressed in the harmony of essences leaving a unique mark. The opening is a slightly earthy dense amber that has not yet revealed its resinous side which will emerge later. The tobacco is noticeable within minutes and the result on my skin is something with a peculiar semi-sweet tone. There is a spicy aspect to Chergui that integrates the opening very well. It is like a soft spice and its presence starts to be felt around 20-30 minutes after the first sprays. Quite dense for the first hour it is a melancholic and serious fragrance yet soft and cheerful like a caress and intimate (I wish it were more potent) like a breath upon the skin.

I’ve had the fortune to try, though not wear, a wide spectrum of designer and niche fragrances with prominent tobacco. Among them Herod, Pure Havane, Tobacco Vanille… Most have bitter and sour-sweet nuances. In Chergui, the sour-sweet is present, and if I were to elaborate further, I’d say ‘liqueur-like’. It’s a scent of immense richness. It has no unusual notes or excessive quantity, but it has depth. It smells as if we’d steeped tobacco leaves in a tropical liqueur. Yes, frankly, I detect nuances of coconut. It’s an exquisite perfumer’s creation and in my opinion the most accomplished work by Serge Lutens and the most wearable. The curious thing is its notable longevity but moderate projection and sillage; perhaps it’s my pH. Clearly it’s ideal for cold climates and special occasions.

Initially tobacco, hay, and incense, followed by iris and sandalwood which give a powdery, creamy touch to that dark base. Gradually honey emerges, neither cloying nor animalistic, and by the end it dominates the tobacco. It starts dry and masculine, finishing sweet, creamy, and slightly feminine, yet remains unisex. Performance is inconsistent: sometimes it lasts a day, other times it fades quickly, but generally it’s good. Projection is moderate. Ideal for cold weather. It’s elegant, suitable for any occasion (except sport), and not prohibitively expensive. I have it in my collection despite rumours of reformulation; you have to take a risk. My bottle isn’t the original, but I don’t complain: it’s a top scent.

Chergui is excellent; the well-made tobacco blended with honey and amber are the notes I notice most. It’s rounded off with rose, iris, and sandalwood, fitting within that typical sweet aura of Lutens. The scent is superb and doesn’t smell chemical. I’m not sure if it’s been reformulated, but longevity and trail are moderate; perhaps something is missing. I have the full bottle and enjoy it immensely. It’s a benchmark for sweet tobacco, more complex than Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford (which I believe has been reformulated) and is much cheaper. Note: I’m only comparing sweet tobacco as they are different perfumes. Based on a 2017 bottle.

Chergui is excellent; the tobacco is very well rendered, perfectly blended with honey and amber, the notes I notice most. It’s rounded off with rose, iris and a sandalwood base, all within that typical sweet aura of Lutens. The scent is superb and here the aroma-chemists don’t sing. I’m not sure if it’s been reformulated; its performance has moderate longevity and sillage; perhaps it’s missing something there. I have a full bottle and enjoy it immensely. I believe it’s a benchmark for sweet tobacco fragrances. More complex than Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford (that one does seem reformulated) and at a better price. (Note: I’m comparing only the sweet tobacco aspect; they are distinct fragrances). Note: Based on a bottle from 2017.

Chergui is the Arabic name for a south wind from Morocco, hot and dry from the Sahara. That’s why it represents this fragrance. It has hay, tobacco, honey, iris, sandalwood, musk, incense, and rose. At first it smells scandalously like Dior’s Feve Delicieuse, but like the wind, much drier. Very creamy due to the iris, but the magic appears at two hours. A beautiful dry-down that moves away from Feve to become something super sexy with fresh tobacco and hay. Unisex? Maybe. I’d like to smell it on a woman, but I feel it’s more masculine. Flawless performance of over 10 hours and projecting well for half that time. Would I buy a full bottle? I don’t think so. 20ml are sufficient for a long time.

Serge Lutens’ orientals are my favourites. Amouage has good acceptance with oriental scents of enormous quality but they seem monotonous to me, too incense-heavy. In contrast, Lutens has greater variety. In Chergui, if I had to summarise, the amber, honey, sandalwood, and tobacco would stand out. It seemed quite original in aroma and what it evokes, that warm Sahara wind. The only obstacle is that it doesn’t persist much on my skin, but otherwise it’s a high-class fragrance. Better for cold temperatures.

What a pity I can’t share with the forum. I had so many expectations and it was a bucket of cold water, a disappointment that passed when I opened Arabie (speechless). I felt nothing sweet, just sandalwood and iris; a perfume without trail, that doesn’t evolve, the same from the spray to 2 or 3 hours. Pleasant for personal enjoyment, I don’t deny those who smell it notice, but nothing more. No oriental passed my nose, I was left wanting more tobacco. Quite the opposite with Arabie, which makes you want to drink it. In its final phase only a hint of hay is noticeable, simple and common. I don’t deny the quality, but for me it was much noise and few nuts. What I do criticise is the box and bottle, they could be better. Anyway, I’m glad many enjoyed it, but for me it was disappointing, a shame.

One of the finest spiced oriental fragrances I have ever tried. The opening is sweet without being cloying, featuring honey and tobacco that briefly reminded me of dried dates. After four hours, the tobacco remains, though the sweetness has receded. By eight hours, one of the most natural incense notes I have ever experienced, with hints of rose and iris. At ten hours, a high-quality sandalwood with a touch of musk and a long-lasting finish. A beautiful scent for a cold winter; cosy and warm. The trail is moderate, though it could become heavy after three or four hours with a little more application. Longevity clearly exceeds twelve hours. Ideal for winter or cold climates, with nocturnal potential, but best in areas with low pollution; perfect for a quiet evening.

Chergui is a complex way to understand a simply wonderful perfume. The soft tobacco penetrates intimately into your nose. The blend with amber and incense notes complements that sweet, smoky aroma. The honey wraps around these opening notes, giving it a unique character. It is a niche perfume that feels like a silk glove for your senses… sweet at moments with smoky touches and its characteristic tobacco. I recommend it for autumn, winter, and breezy spring nights, to leave that trail of this wonderful EDP. 8/10. Greetings.

Chergui by Serge Lutens has become one of the most successful perfumes (according to Fragrantica), and not because of advertising campaigns, but because it is one of those magnificent fragrances that make you feel special and fall in love at first sniff. Furthermore, its quality-to-price ratio and distribution have aided its popularity. It is very sweet but nothing cloying; it revolves around the fusion of tobacco and honey. It opens with a dry, masculine tobacco that initially seems destined to clash with such sweet honey, but as they say, friction breeds affection, and very quickly it becomes an exquisite blend. As the hours pass, the tobacco recedes and the honey and incense become more noticeable. It is very long-lasting; with two or three applications you get ten hours of pleasure with good sillage. It is totally unisex and suits both men and women equally well.

Give me a hug! The opening is very sweet and strong (if you do not like sweetness, you will find it cloying). It smells of tobacco as if you had walked into a cigar shop, with a touch of wood, incense, and honey. All these notes are dominant from start to finish (a linear fragrance). It is a warm, confident, and very cosy aroma. I loved it at first! Is it dated? Somewhat, but in a positive sense. We usually associate dated with boring, but in this case, Chergui is classic: whoever wears it projects warmth, tranquility, good taste, and security. It does not smell synthetic; on the contrary. You immediately realise you have a great niche perfume. It is only available in 1.7 oz/50 ml and no more is needed. It comes with an atomiser and a splash (in case someone wants to waste this beautiful liquid). It is unisex, though a woman with sufficient confidence could pull it off. Although it seems more masculine due to the tobacco. Ideal for semi-formal and casual use in cold climates, which is when Chergui shines, and mild ones, although that would be risky. For over 25s, not for teenagers. With lasting longevity and moderate projection (two sprays are sufficient). I was pleasantly surprised by Chergui. And you?