Niche Perfume - Cedre by Serge Lutens
Try this Rich Fragrance by One of the World's Best Perfumers
Nov 3, 2009
Top perfumer Serge Lutens has long been intrigued by the scent of cedarwood, and uses it extensively in his work. He plays homage to it in this beautiful fragrance.
Review of Cedre by Serge LutensCedre is based around two notes: Cedar of Lebanon and Abyssinian tuberose. Woody, masculine cedar often grounds and strengthens florals, and it certainly does so here in combination with voluptuous tuberose. Extreme femininity meets extreme masculinity, and the end result is richly erotic.
Cedarwood also softens the spicy notes of the scent, giving them a smoky feel. Indeed, the impression is of wood being burnt very slowly, very sensually - like coming across a smouldering fire in the heart of a forest in the dead of night. It is certainly a languorous perfume to be savoured over time.
The Use of Cedar in Perfume
Cedar is a variable scent, ranging from dry to sweetly resinous. It has a protective, warm, enveloping quality which lends itself to a broad range of uses: according to Bois de Jasmin's Note of the Week: Cedarwood, it 'rounds out the sharpness of spice and incense notes, grounds sentimental florals and adds interest to more transparent codes without compromising their clarity.' Overall, it acts as a balancer.
The highly prized Cedar of Lebanon oil is quite rare, as the tree has become endangered. Fortunately, there are other sources of cedar which are more freely available.
Cedar has a long and important history. According to online retailers Holistic Shop, it was honoured by many ancient cultures. Egyptians used it extensively, most notably in embalming (mummification) and even in papyrus leaves to protect against insects. Native American Indians used it for respiratory infections, and as an aid to entering other spiritual realms. It is also used for both medicinal and meditational purposes in Tibetan Buddhism.
About the Perfumer Serge Lutens
Serge Lutens is one of the world's most respected perfumers, highly regarded for his innovative fragrances which combine notes in unusual ways. He has a particular affinity for Morocco, which awakened his love of perfume in the late 1960s. A polymath, he is also a noted artist, photographer and interior designer, amongst other things. His bestselling fragrance is Ambre Sultan.
Other Cedar-Based FragrancesCedarwood is used in several Serge Lutens fragrances, and is favourite of Christopher Sheldrake, who worked with the perfumer until recently. Of particular note is the musky Femininite du Bois, which combines cedar with notes including plum and honey.
It is also found in Chanel's spicy, leathery Cuir de Russie, and Parfums Caron's distinctive Tabac Blond.
Sources / Further Reading:
- Holistic Shop website - see link in text.
- Note of the Week: Cedarwood (Bois de Jasmin, 18th July 2005) - see link in text.
- Serge Lutens Interview: All my Perfumes are Sixty-Six Years Old (Bois de Jasmin, 5th January 2009)
 |
