Chergui Serge Lutens for women and men

I'm fairly new to the wonderful and exiting world of niche perfumery, and I certainly don't have the knowledge and eloquence of some of the reviewers here, but this is how Chergui engages with me. I have been wearing Chergui for two days now to try and really explore and experience it. I find that it does take some time for my skin to develop a relationship with a fragrance. This is so lovely. I find the initial burst almost citrussy and slightly green. (Maybe this is the Iris?) I'm not a big fan of either of these in large doses, but here it is so beautifully woven and quickly draws you in. This soon leads to the buttery honey and amber. It is sweet, but smokily so. It conjurs in my mind warm, liquid treacle or hot sweet tea without milk. Its very comforting and warming. Then it settles and it finally reveals it's such a little minx. It feels like being cocooned in the softest of fur, which is warm, luxurious,and sensual. It becomes a creamy, woody rose. It's delicous yet not gourmand. It sits very close to my skin but how it lasts. This is so sexy, and so elegantly beautiful. It exudes glamour and femininity. If a man wore it, I think I would swoon with passion.....you guessed, I love it!!

Very nice fragrance. I smell the honey, tobacco and the hay sugar. It's subtle but still very noticable. When I smell it, I think of the countryside, not really a maroccan wind blowing or something, but being in a field with lots of flowers, animals and the sun. Very calming fragrance. I needed that today.

Chergui de Serge Lutens, que gozada de perfume, un oriental cuya fórmula no tiene demasiados ingrendientes pero que combinados con gran maestría dotan a este oriental ahumado gourmand de una complejidad que llama la atención, eso sí una complejidad que gusta a la primera olida y una complejidad llevadera. Unos de los orientales mas exquisitos y bien balanceados que olido junto con Boucheron pour homme de Jaipur otro oriental magistralmente balanceado entre las especias, flores y maderas, como curiosidad Chergui tiene algunos dejos que recuerda a Jaipur,eso sí Jaipur carece de la nota de tabaco y miel tan característica de Chergui.

This fragrance is gorgeous. At first spray I could not detect the notes but after 30 minutes I got a beautiful creamy honey, tobacco scent with a hint of rose filtering through. This scent continued to change over the next few hours. The composition continuted to change and the drydown was similar to bvlgari black but more elegant. Has anyone else thought that? Great lasting power. Definitely on my list to purchase.

The Quality of ingredients are very good in this perfume, they are all natural. The scent itself wasn't as good as I expected.On my skin, all i get is spice (cinnamon). This scene is most definite on the feminine
side.It reminds me of some kind of cookie with cinnamon.

Don't enjoy smelling this on myself but if I had a lover and they wore it,I would eat them up.end of

Similar to Dior Addict, minus the initial knockout blast of blackberry-mandarin. A flat, blandly sweet vanillic-incense scent lacking much of the expected complexity, dry heat, or spice.

Polite sillage, good lasting power, and would not be amiss in an office setting.

Sweet and smokey scent. Well blended. Sits close to the skin, but last easily 8+ hours. Quality juice. On my to buy list. 9/10.

Is it wrong to dislike Chergui? It is such a huge "cult" favorite, and I could not wait to try it. Unfortunately, I think I am allergic to it. I sneezed incessantly from the moment I applied to the moment I scrubbed. It was the first of a handful of Serge Lutens I tried recently, and I am just not impressed with the line, which is disappointing because it is like the holy grail of the perfume world. Considering how pricey the full bottles are, though, it may be a blessing that I am not head-over-heels obsessed with them!

So this was my first experience with the house of Serge Lutens. I first got a whiff of this back two years ago when I saw a review for it on Youtube. I happened to go to Barney's and alas there it was, gorgeous bottle sitting next to the Frederric Malle line. Well I smelled it, liked it a lot but two years ago wouldn't think about dreaming about paying so much for a small bottle of perfume (I have now payed significantly more for the same 1.7 from the infamous Kilian line).

Fast forward two years, my tastes in fragrances have evolved much like my taste in fashion, wine and what I would consider a steak! I wanted to add something from the house of Serge Lutens and it was a boxing match between Chergui and Sultan. Chergui won.

On to the fragrance. If you are looking for a dominate tobacco scent avoid this one. If you despise sweet scents (very sweet, not candy but more syrupy)then avoid this scent. However if the notes listed and combined intrigue you then give this one a try. Others talk about its syrupiness and it feels like it when you wear it. This is honey dominated, with a stroke of tobacco and amber, maybe a tinge of sandlewood (don't look for it to be a major player). I get no rose, no orris (Iris?) and though many talk about the incense, it is so sweetened and tamed that only comes off as a smokey amber.

As for longevity it goes for days, as for projection it gives you a bunch in your bubble but won't intrude on others (spaying under the shirt will give you a nice experience for yourself and anyone in your sphere)it has small sillage but for some reason it is a big scent. Can get cloying if oversprayed (though again won't suffocate anyone but yourself)yet 4-5 sprays won't kill you.

Overall this is a top notch, heavy and provactive fragrance. I can see why people want to avoid those reasons caused me to pursue it and purchase it. I wear it in the office, to parties and can't wait to the summer to put on two sprays and see how it performs. It does have a Tobacco Vanille, Pure Havane feel to it just much heavier and more syrupy. Could come off as feminine but I enjoy sweet frags. Sorry for the long review but wanted to give this one its due.

Chergui feels surprisingly conformist and mainstream, and dare I say it, at times even a little anonymous. A veritable cavalcade of spices is hurled at me from the outset, but no single noteworthy accord is ever produced. Dry, spicy and even a little flat, it does soften and improve in time – but it’s more pleasing than enchanting. Even though it continues to improve well into the base, I find myself largely unmoved. It is a pleasant, tidily executed oriental, but in the end I will struggle to remember much of the experience

A truly elegant concoction. I'm a big fan of tobacco, and although I tend to like it stronger than this, I completely understand the composition here. It's swimmingly done. The honey tempers the tobacco perfectly. If I were heading out to a suit-and-tie type business meeting (they're few and far between for me - for better or for worse!) and one of my various 'pushy' scents weren't going to be appropriate, this is absolutely something I'd reach for. My decant should last me years at the rate I am generally required/asked to be 'elegant' though :-) .

Chergui is a balmy,tobacco-honey combination,strong and alluring.It is quite sweet and addictive.I am not very fond of tobacco in general so it's not really ''my thing''.For those who like tobacco,it's one of the best choices.It is mysterious,dark but to me something's missing.It's the delightful,luminous opening..Lasting power is very good.Sillage too.

The drydown of Chergui smells exactly like Yves Rocher's Délires d'Automne.
I still have the YR perfume (which had been my autumn signature for years) and am therefore able to compare.
Sorry this is no proper review, but this might be interesting to those who love Délires d'Automne.

The beginning is quite salty, probably because of amber and tobacco?!)
Then the base - it reminds me L de Lempicka, really! The same woody-spicy-vanilla, on my skin at least.
Also it reminds me Rochas Absolu a lot)
That's good perfume, but not my favourite from monsieur Lutens.

Chergui is a wonderful interpretation of a hot wind from Morocco. It`s a creation that gives me the opportunity to experience a scent on a new level.
It`s warm and somehow dry, sweet and spicey notes are in a perfect balance. I thought it would be more stronger, because most of Lutens scents are speaking loud, but Chergui instead prefers to whisper an ancient arabic poem on my skin.
Sweet hay, tobacco leaf, incence accords and balsamic honey are creating a mystic exotic blend...To combine these notes so well must be a work of a genius. It seems I become more and more addicted to creations of Mr. Sheldrake. I also love Datura Noir, but that`s another story.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Ignore the soap & bug spray blast on first application...in 30seconds you are going to be transported on a goose-down duvet to a simply heavenly place.

Serene, smooth, creamy & laced with all the best notes. It is as if Chergui has been hewn from a single block of the palest, smoothest, creamiest, honeyed wood. Carved by an old master who taps his pipe & stuffs it full of honeyed tobacco as he regards his handy work.

Every corner has been lovingly rounded & carefully sanded. The timber isn't polished it is left bare & velvety to the touch - the raw, resinous scent releases under the warm caress of a hand.

The wood has been burnt into with a hot-poker to create intricate designs - the sweet smoky patterns hover above the balsamic base. Dry, but not raspy. This scent is silky all the way.

Once the block has been shaped the craftsman surveys his work. A lovers' chair with a fine suede seat. Built with love for love. Time to cuddle up & enjoy it with an old peat whisky.

Chergui has nods to wonderful, smokey skin scents like Barbara Bui & soft putty-suede scents like Jacomo Arts No 2 but in Chergui they are amped up to a meatier level. Much better. The pale sandalwood & almond-milk note is thoroughly enjoyable. Very natural. Sweet, but not sickly. Rich, yet mid-weight, Dry as a bone & smooth as silk.

Oh - I do like Chergui. I like it a lot.

Love at first sniff! I don't wear it out very often. For me it's a comfort scent that I enjoy at home. I love to put it on before I go to sleep.

This is the perfume I ware the most of my wardrobe.
I love the leather, the warmth, the luxurious scent. it smells like the warm wind tossing the sweet flowers, the sand, the trees and the animals. I love the sensation of movement it has. It makes me feel alive and sharpen my mind.

Unique, intensive scent of tobacco, incense and honey. I like it but not for a full bottle for I'm not often in a mood to wear this and feel completely comfortable. It is loud and provocating, self confident smell. But still contains too much incense for me. The fragrance is original interesting, rich and deep for sure. I'm glad I've tested it. Wonderful sillage, longevity is 9 hours plus and it lasts even longer if sprayed on fabric. Very noticeable.

Gorgeous and interesting, for oriental fans, something off the beaten path.

And I don't think I've ever seen such a huge variety of opinions as there is on this one! Holy cow! I am very surprised especially by a few of the descriptions. I don't smell roses or soap or metal or Addict. I just get warm, sweet, earthy, exotic oriental.

Edit: I DO smell the resemblence to Addict now, after spraying on quite a bit and after several hours, I guess after the top notes faded a little.

2nd Edit: I take back what I said before, it doesn't remind me of Addict anymore. I sprayed one on each wrist to compare and realized I would never make any connection between the two if no one had suggested there was one to begin with. Maybe it's because I've experienced more scents in this general category now that I am better at discerning differences between them. All I know is, whatever accords are dominant in Chergui, that give it its unique soul, are not the same as what is dominant in Addict. It's apples and oranges.

Different. Very different. Sometimes it is wonderful and other times I can't scrub it off fast enough. Lots of honey, which is what I think is what turns me off sometimes. I don't really get the leatheriness or tobacco, which I wanted, but instead more honey and hay, with an almost-gourmand feel. I think it is a really great and interesting scent, but it's not really something I would, wear except at home, for my own enjoyment, when I'm in the mood for something different. I find this to be a fall/winter scent.

Chergui achieves the same time, the exotic and elegant. A delicious honey with a powerfull tobacco, it is mingled with incense and a background with floral and woody tones, subtle, but make a sensational and linear oriental composition. Masterpiece!

Just not for me. I am left out , again.

Opening was a nose curling , sickly sweet, spiced rotten rose, so extreme and intense this fragrance still scares me. Lots of powder too, rose powder.

Sadly, yet again I get all the good stuff- beautiful, sensual honeyed tobacco way too late in the scents life. And the rose never quite dissipates.

When you're paying £60+ for 50ml, you need it to be good from 0 seconds after you apply, not 6 hours.

2/5.

Chergui, Chergui... I've taken 3 months since I got this blind to figure out what to say... I've passed through different stages: from amazement at first to disappointment later... and now I just think this is a very intense perfume, very interesting depending on when you use it (I agree with a few people who say the best of Chergui is shown in summer time if you only apply a tiny bit of it) and definitely not an easy one to use by a guy. I find that if used in the wrong occasion Chergui is simply too old ladyish and cloyingly sweet to the point of feeling awkward. Much more difficult than its cousin Prada pour homme which surprisingly seems sooo masculine compared to this lol. Chergui is not feminine in the early stage when the tobacco and spices show a versatile allure. And let me add: when just applied this is just a piece or art. If it just stayed so throughout...
I see myself looking for Chergui when I want to call for attention and create a somehow confusing vibe around... Chergui is definitely an attention getter and it is addictive but both aren't always good adjectives since you may get a bit of a headache if you smell it continuously around. I'd advice you to use it when you move from one place to another, on the street or a party where you won't stay in the same place. Otherwise it might create a sickening atmosphere to those around.
I can't believe some people mention this is so masculine since it actually smells rather closer to Samsara than to tobacco scents for men. I have no problems with genders when it comes to perfume but this is definitely a hard one to wear if over applied or at the wrong place... it turns truly annoying.
I congratulate Serge for this since it is very well done (albeit not that original after all)and confirm what others have mentioned: good sillage and eternal longevity. Just expected it to be edgier and more versatile. Well well, my expectations = my problems.

For a long time – ever since working with a genuine eccentric whose problem-solving walks along the riverbank could be traced several minutes afterwards, by following the scent of cherry tobacco – I've been snuffling about for a 'flavoured' pipe tobacco scent that 1) has the potential to be feminine, and 2) is relatively easy on the leather. Two candidates were often suggested: Venezia by Laura Biagotti (cherry pipe tobacco), and Chergui (honey/vanilla cure).

Chergui is a refined tobacco scent, slightly spicy and fairly dry by Lutens standards. In order to achieve the famed hay note, it contains such an obviously generous dose of coumarin that I don't apply it to my bare skin, only to clothing; coumarin is a has a slightly dodgy reputation as a sensitiser, and I wish to continue enjoying perfume.

The interesting thing is that Chergui has taught me that great refinement is not always what I want in a scent. If you wish to be wrapped in the scent of honey-cured tobacco much more cheaply, and with far less finesse, you can do worse than the oil-based 'Infinite Sky Montana' by Possets: straight to the point and is more vampy and raspy than Chergui, which sometimes reminds me of a gentleman's club (this is the second Lutens perfume that has conjured up a completely different image for me than that suggested by the exotic name).

Could I actually prefer a body oil, handily supplied in a brown 5ml bottle with a home-printed label, to a famous modern masterpiece? It would appear so; I'm easy prey to the smell of 'flavoured' fruit or vanilla tobaccos, and since they're not particularly expensive luxuries, neither is my favoured perfume equivalent. But if you yearn for a more 'gentleman's club' pipe tobacco, Chergui is unlikely to disappoint.

This quite quickly fascinated me; the fragrance opened deep, rich and spicy, and remained that way throughout. There was incense and mystery in this, and it was a definite wrist-sniffer as the day wore one. At the latest stage, I found a sweetness that I did not expect, that was a bit cloying for me. This scent reminded me of the arabian nights; warm, sexy, mysterious and alluring.

This is one of those few scents that on first sniff you go "OH!". Strangely enough, Chergui is what I had hoped Boxeuses would be like.

Chergui starts with a deep spicy honey-tobacco with the spectre of something dark in the background. I found amusing that the reviewer before me mentioned Chergui coming off more leathery on men, and as apparently I have a more masculine skin chemistry despite my girly bits that's what I get--leather. The leather is sweet though, but it's still a bit of a dirty wild child, like Cuir de Russie's raven-haired little sister in a dark purple fitted biker jacket rather than CdR's prim leather gloves. The honey is sweet without being cloying, the tobacco also sweet and with a mild spiciness I've yet to experience in another perfume. The rose is dark and voluptuous, and with the musk, sandalwood and spices rounding everything out Chergui is sweet, spicy, yet foreboding.

I can't help but think but think of the aforementioned biker-leather wearer rocking out to some Joan Jett or Halestorm before going off to hunt some male prey. Definitely a scent to go kick ass and take names--the innocent and pure need not apply.

I'm in love with this scent...As a bellydancer, I was attracted by the name as well as the description. Bought a full bottle just on speculation, and have no regrets. It's complex, mysterious, sexy, and exotic in a way that transcends cliche.

It goes on sharp, with sparky spice notes & a hint of desert herbs and woods, and is quite masculine in the first stage. This is very transient, only lasting a few minutes; on me, it dries down to woods---especially sandal--- and spice with an evolving honey, incense, and tobacco middle stage that opens up tremendously, acquiring a creaminess and depth, as well as a little growl from amber and musk in the base. I can only faintly detect the rose, but it's in there; it seems to come out a bit more when warm. All sense of masculinity has vanished---this is a seriously sensual and feminine scent, though not a typically femme scent at all. And it's definitely a winner on men as well...It smells completely different on them--- more of a leather note comes up---and utterly enticing.

Chergui is yet another Lutens masterpiece that I have fallen in love with at the first sniff...

At first, it bears a striking resemblance to a fresh apple pie- but not so gourmand, it's heavy with spices (like a few other reviewers, I definitely can smell cinnamon and was surprised not to find it among the notes), and honey. It's rich and sweet, thick, strong and delicate at the same time. There is also tobacco, and sandalwood in the background.

And it's addictive. It mesmerises from the first second and I suppose I must have looked a bit silly with my nose glued to my wrist on my way back home on the train.

I can't blame Serge Lutens for moving to Morocco if this is where he finds inspirations for such fragrances.

when i first see serge lutens stand in the perfums shop i run too smell chergui because of all positive review.
I will add of all those positive a new one !
I am shoked that there is no cinnamon in the notes because it smell exactly like cinnamon at the beginning and nothing else !
After a while u can feel that it became more sweet and that's the honey effect.
I noticed that it's more masuline in the begining and has touch of unisex in middle and base.
In the middle after a long time i smell amber cinnamon and honey mix.
It's a great winter special occasion night for older gentelman .
A great calm classy relaxing fragrance with personnality!
Best part of chergui is :longevity i bet that it will last 10+hours with great projection.
A truly masterpiece!

Semplicemente una meraviglia. Non riesco a descriverlo nella sua trasformazione, nel suo essere, assolutamente da provare. Un capolavoro del maestro Lutens!!!

Oh my! My nostrils have been waiting an entire life time to experience, no, EXPERIENCE, this glorious creation.

Mere words cannot describe the ecstasy of total surrender into this surreal and yet equitably real landscape.

Other reviewers have succeeded in describing the notes so please look below for a rational description as I'm not capable of such a task at present.

Perhaps in a few days time when the euphoria wears off (as if!) I may try to do this work of art some justice?

Now, where was I...? Oh yes, miles away...

please dont insult this scent comparing it to Dior Addict

An explosive combo of honey / amber accompanied by notes of tobacco. Simply sensational! I finally found the perfect scent for occasions that require a suit and tie, and are not very formal.

It is not a projection monster but the longevity exceeds 20 hours on my skin.
To conclude: it was worth every penny. I really recommend everyone to at least try this piece of art.

Chergui is hot, smoky, dry, sweet, exotic, like a door to a different world with whirling sands in the winds and an almighty sun. And it lasts long as well - after its desert devils have danced all evening around me, in the morning I am still enveloped in a soft veil of tender warmth.

I agree with Kchild - you absolutely must try it in summer (1-2 dabs are enough for me), it's then when Chergui reveals all its magic, and it's comforting caress comes to life! And yes, it does remind me of Addict a bit (particularly DA's drydown, without DA's salty, dark freshness), but it's this one that I find addictive, whereas Addict I can't wear.

Melia, I agree totally with you. Chergui is like the niche interpretation of Dior Addict. Although I find Chergui to be better and smoother than DA, I won't be getting a FB anytime soon, I still have some DA left. The honey, tobacco and ambernotes really stand out on my skin while the sillage is moderate, and longevity is pretty good, 5-6 hours.

An extremely sensual and also balanced interpretation of Morroco: rose, cedar, incense and iris. While it is minimalistic, it manages to evoke the orient without having too many notes "fighting" inside. It is like a wind in the desert. Splendid. Another great masterpiece from Serge Lutens. After discovering Serge Lutens, Montale or even Comptoir Sud Pacifique you cannot apreciate anymore the "designer fragrances". Most of them smell cheap and "unfinished" afterwards. And I'm not considering lasting power and sillage. ( Serge Lutens perfumes' last, but not excessively so- exception
Arabie).

Hmm.. There are a lot of long and detailed reviews, I'll keep it short:

The dark brown liquid produces an initial blast of Chrismas holiday on my skin. They don't seem to be in the notes, but I do smell very cozy nutmeg and cinnamon... Bit like a Chrismas gingerbread-cookie. The drydown is somewhat more masculine and dark, so unisex it is! Still very sexy for both sexes. Longlivety and sillage are great like we would expect from SL.

edit: now I know! Chergui is a bit like the niche and unisex take/interpretation on Dior Addict.

Chergui, you have mesmerised me! You eloped me, dressed in your Eastern costume on a camel, and took me to places far and magical. Yes, initial medicinal notes may hinder a bit the way to an AMAZING dark brown dry down, deep syrupy sweet and sticky, balanced with smoke and with a touch of spice. So sensual! It feels as the print of a woman's perfume on a man's skin, after spending the night together. Therefore, it quite defies gender. Many fragrances have tried to impress with musk and spices, but their effect has been fleeting, and finally I had to get away from them. Chergui has managed to keep me in his tent... how long for? Let's say that longevity is what gives this powerful dry down the chance to shine all day!

Edit: the most prominent note right now is Frankincense, and not incense as listed above; I got a Frankincense Extrait de Parfum from Dubai and they smell really close (Chergui more musky and tamed).

There are some magnificient reviews on this so I'm just going to give it a bit of a different take.

I'm revisiting this after a long sebatical and it's stunning. Sometimes Uncle Serge goes a little too crazy w/the spices for me but that's not the case here.

I can understand everyone's instinct to wear this one in the cooler months but in fact~Chergui blooms in the heat. She becomes all of the things she was born to be when she warms up.

First off~I can't take my nose from my wrist. She develops confidently knowing that she was made by a master. She leans heavily on that knowledge and goes from "glory to glory" as it were. I can understand all of the prose written about her because she is definately evocative. I feel differently when I wear her. Like I have a secret that's showing slightly.

Chergui is a modern classic to my nose and w/my chemistry. She's a dry, honeyed, smokey wonder and will illicit questions about the person wearing her. Not about their sanity or taste......more along the lines of "Who is this? This person may not be who I thought they were".

Marlene Dietrich would have worn this fragrance perfectly. Unisex only until you put it on.When my Husband wears it it's decidedly masculine. When I wear it~incredibly feminine.

Find some heat and put some Chergui on. You'll never look at each other the same way again.....

The opening of Chergui is a bit rough around the edges and is very medicinal. Not until the drydown does the sweetest come into play and the fragrances becomes much smoother.Chergui is much more enjoyable, I think,if it is smelled at a distance...it leaves an amazing scent trail. But if you put your nose directly to the area in which you sprayed, it can be very repulsive. It is a very unique fragrance, and one that will confuse anyone who have been only smelling designer fragrances all their life. Chergui, and all of Luten's fragrances, aren't just perfumes, they are compositions, each which tells a story.

Longevity:A
Projection:B-
Uniqueness:A+
Versatility:B
OVERALL: A-

Douche Meter: 1/5*

*check out my profile to see what the douche meter is

magnifique parfum!!!!....rien a dire....la onts'ont fou du siage ou longivite!!!.....l'odeur l'odeur!!!!
ol interpret bien son nom....chergui (vent de l'est!!!)

I'm not good at finding individual notes in a perfume. I think I detect the hay in this one, as well as the amber and that is all. What I do know, is that I find the result sweet, sultry and unique; there is no perfume that smells like this one. It is also heady, long lasting and enveloping with quite good sillage.

The question is do I like it? Well, the best I can say is that it's not bad and it lasts a lot. And I like the way my clothes smell after I have worn this. But this is not a perfume that steals my heart or that I'll try to replace as soon as my bottle is over (if ever). I certainly appreciate its uniqueness, but in the end, it's a little sweeter than I usually like. Besides, it reminds me of a hot, Louisiana evening breeze, rather than a desert wind. I swear, I can almost detect the swamps, the heady flowers, even the music of New Orleans in that smell. And surprisingly, it's more sophisticated and elegant than sexy. Not my kind of scent but definitely one worth trying.

Hi.

CHERGUI is intoxicating and summons your inner passion for love life and intimacy.i would say mysterious because several persons I've talked to can not figure out the notes just smelling it. This is such an awesome oriental scent.it is heavy but such a lovely scent.

Spicy,Strong,Seductive,Sweet,Warm, Gorgeous,Expensive and Rich.strong,spicy and masculine opening but a base of Musk,Amber and sandalwood are Feminine and Immensely Sensual.this is absolutely warm and cozy fragrance,something you want to snuggle into on a cold evening like a big,fluffy cable-knit sweater.

CHERGUI is not for those who prefer soft and inoffensive scent.It is suitable for a Night out on the town.totally if you want to stand out in a crowd by your scent,this is the fragrance to wear.definitely for WINTER.


Sillage?Ok.

Longevity?Good on my skin.

7.5/10

The first time I smelled this fragrance I fell in love with it. The sweet smell of honey and a hint of hay just give a feeling of luxury. Unless you try this and smell it you will understand what I mean

This is far too strong on me - I just get a heavy dose of amber and incense.

This is often listed as one of the best scents by Lutens while IMO it's really nothing special. Smoky-Tobacco, Honey (a lot), Amber, Sandalwood...averything is so perfect, like a good student's creation. You can find the recipe for this one in the "Young Perfumer Manual", page 34, paragraph "Oriental Spicy Fragrance". Just kidding, but really nothing special to my nose.

Rating: 5-5.5/10

I don't find anything really unique or "odd" about this scent. It smells like tobacco vanilla baby wipes. A similar scent in many respects would be Versace's Dreamer but I don't think this is as good. Save your money.

Stunning, and utterly unique!!

If you don't like the first sniff, just wait until the drydown!! This is definitely one of the best oriental spicy since Opium!

Intense, smoky-intoxicating, dark, misterious, spicy, musky - vanilla. It's addictive, I can't keep my nose away from it!

Chergui's Sillage is moderate and longevity is excellent.

I almost hate myself for writing this. I so wanted to fall in love with Chergui, that I still can't fully comprehend why on earth it failed me so wickedly.

Alas. The first time I tried it on I almost cried out in dismay. Surely, there's been some mistake! Someone must have mixed my samples up or something... No no no no... this can't be THE Chergui! It simply can't be Sharqui, the demonic wind sweeping the hot sands of Moroccan desert. If there absolutely needs to exist a geografical reference, it's much more of the opposite. Maybe, a snowed-in tiny cottage somewhere in Norway or Iceland, the kind with a fireplace that must be kept lit at all times, and walls panelled with unfinished pine.

Chergui starts off on a boozy woody accord that promises an ethereal beauty but never delivers. The booze, most likely attributed to honey, dissipates all too soon and all we are left with is a chunk of fire wood. That's right. A good sturdy log, carried into the warmth of the room from the icy cold of outside. And so it sits there for hours, motionless, except for a very slow and gradual deterioration, upon which it turns into something camphoraceous.
I must admit, the sole fact that this change creeps up so quietly and subtly, probably speaks of great mastery. But there's nothing in this fragrance that could move me. Its mastery lies in science, not in art.

Every time I attempt to wear Chergui, soon enough comes an almost physical urge to cover it with something else, something that would breathe some life into it, or at least dab some color onto its lifeless frame.
I feel a great desire to give this catatonic fragrance a smack on the head or a long and hard shaking by the shoulders, in order to make it finally feel or do something.

I agree with what others wrote: it reminds of an aged nice man, and I'm fine with it. I can also smell the gourmandishness typical of Serge Lutens, much less prominent than in, say, Arabie, but of the same kind. It doesn't evoke the desert, as it is claimed on the ads, or anything mysterious or dangerous, and here's its major flaw: I can't imagine anyone feeling sexy wearing it, at all, so I can't see the point of buying it.
Perfumes can make me feel good if they can make me feel more attractive, even when I'm going to bed (alone) ;).
People who have a different idea of why wearing perfumes might love it at first sniff.

I've been testing this now for the second time. The first time, it couldn't captivate me, it was dull. It took me a while to re-test it.

It's warm and spicy in the opening, very comforting and perfect for winter.
I kept on thinking that I red a review a while ago that someone was recommanding this for a wedding day.
This absolutely does not fit for a wedding. I would say a funeral... .

It misses flowers or something fruity. Normally that can work perfectly, I'm thinking about Le Feu by Issey Miyake or Feminité du Bois or Tentation by Paloma Picasso, the spicy smell. But here I always tend to mix this up with i.e. Miss Dior Chérie or something else that is fruity because it's so plain.

All I smell after half an hour is incense. Although when I smell it close to my skin or on a piece of cloth, it's nicer, it's the air that it spreads that I don't like.

I really wanted to like this one.
Maybe I'm not the right person to wear it.
I always keep on thinking how I smell to others when this creeps even in my nose for hours. Maybe they think I come from church (and I NEVER go there!):)

I tried to like it, but to no avail. Chergui chokes me with the cloyingly sweet vanilla cloud that just doesn't go away for hours. It's the case when I actually regret that the lasting power is that good. I sprayed my wrist only (clever me!) but I tried to scrub it from me for hours, I used wet wipes, soap, and I still could smell this nauseating stink at the end of the day. Needless to say, the sweater had to be washed 2 times and I still could detect the faint notes of Chergui on it. I'm surprised that someone has only 4 hours of it....A headache in a bottle. Surprisingly, I just love Arabie and Ambre Sultan, and they are also quite sweet and complex scents. Well, I'll stick to them then.

I find this perfume kind of non-descript. I cant say if smells like this or that. Yes... I can pull out a few notes like the honey and tobacco. But still its not what I would call a tobbaco or honey scent. Its blended in such a way that there is not one note that I feel stands out above the rest.

Unfortunatly it doesnt stimulate my imagination, that it has done with so many others. Njdeb wrote a beautiful review of her scent journey with this.

All I can say about this perfume is that it smells thick, a bit sweet, and OK I do smell vanilla and Amber. Its like the amber and vanilla weaves everything together into a perfume that cant be compared or classified as anything that I have in my scent memory.

Overall I dont find this perfume odd. But I dont find it remarkable. I guess my life has never brought me to a place that I can have any sort of A-HA momment with this perfume.

Not much sillage, if any on my skin. Longevity is not impressive.

Ill have to update if I have any eurika momments with this one.

Updated to add: After wearing this perfume a few more times Im finding the lasting power great. Sometimes my skin needs time to adjust to a perfume, or maybe my nose needs time. Sillage is still close to my skin. Its a smooth vanilla amber fragrance with hints of smoky tobacco and honey. Im not picking up the hay note. Very well done.

This was very spicy and sweet. I got a heavy cinnamon note while wearing it. It had good enough sillage and the longevity was great. I didn't really "smell" any tobacco. Luckily for me, I happen to like cinnamon.

Beautiful, beautiful scent. Dry wood with spiced honey drizzled on top, then set aflame and allowed to burn down to a glowing ember. njdeb had it right when she compared it to glowing red embers. This is very aptly named, too - Chergui is a hot desert wind - that describes it very well.

This opens a little masculine on my skin but quickly moves into the feminine side of unisex - the dark, sweet and sexy feminine side. Absolutely beautiful in every way. If you like spicy orientals like Gucci Eau de Parfum or by Kilian's Back to Black, you will love this!

My only complaint about Chergui is the longevity. It lasts just under 4 hours on my skin. Now if I was paying $40 for a perfume, I would call that acceptable. But at SL prices, I would expect more. I'm still deciding if the beauty of it makes up for the lack of longevity.

One thing that I love about Serge Lutens scents is that so many of them paint a scene so vividly in my mind.

Chergui evokes the image of a ghosttown somewhere in the arid expanse of the American west, where a hot dry wind blows dust and tumbleweeds through deserted streets and abandoned buildings. I see this town at dusk, with the last remains of a blazing sunset. The feeling is eerie, but calm, and you can almost sense the life that used to inhabit the place.

If this aroma were a color, it would be red - burning embers, spices and hot baked earth. Honey and amber lend a golden sweetness that offers relief from the dry heat and almost desolate feeling of this scent.

Unlike some Lutens that I really admire but have trouble wearing (ie, Arabie and Douce Amere), I have no trouble with this one. It is a deep scent, but not overpowering and (perhaps owing to the musk) melds well with my skin. Just a beautiful perfume.

I had the chance to sample it, as opposed to many reviewers, nothing dry or tobacco-ey.

With me this is sweetish rose with musky sandalwood.

Is very feminine on my skin... the more I use it, the more I love it, if that was possible!

Chergui initially smelled like a calmer Hypnotic Poison on my skin( I detest hp) so i washed it off and voila! Now it smells like warm sandalwood- very nice.

i am a little surprised at the notes of this. i was sure there must be almonds. for a woman, i think it is dull. so many better options in my opinion. in fact, it reminds me a bit of both hanae mori and desire by alfred dunhill. on the right man, however, it could be very yummy.

Among Luten’s quite a number of half-surreal creatures, Chergui seems quite wearable to me. The fact that the Chergui or Sharqi is a desert wind, persistent, very dry and dusty, reminded me of the legend, how Cleopatra soaked the sails of her ship in myrrh (or jasmine) and burned incense to scent the air and seduce Marc Antony as her ship sailed into Tarsus.

Chergui is a part of the modern popular trend, composes a charming triangle of the scents that are quite similar in spicy base to my nose. Like pies of the same paste but with different filling. Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford is sweetish tobacco - tonka bean base with dreamy head in fluffy vanilla clouds, Chergui is sweetish tobacco- sandal wood base with more heavy ropy caramel lava, and Tonka by Esteban is sandal wood – tonka bean base with ginger filling, in other words, non-sweet fresher version of the above-mentioned, combining warmth with freshness. They are all unisex. To sum up, Tobacco Vanille is more charming, dreamy and fluffy; Chergui is more on the sultry, torrid side; Tonka is less emotional and more detached comparing to the two above. I can’t declare a mad love for any of the three but wouldn’t mind having them all in my collection.

Well, another high expectation that didn't end as envisioned.

Have had this on my forearm for a couple hours to give it plenty of time to develop. Doesn't look like it will be my cup of tea. It is definitely a "unisex" scent, and in my opinion more masculine than feminine. In fact, I am starting to think it would smell fantastic on my husband! It is obviously a wonderful, complex scent and Serge Lutens is indeed a master perfumer. However, this will only work for women who love the Oriental Spicy genre and don't mind the masculine overtones. As I am sniffing, the adjectives are: warm, dry/sweet, ambery, spicy and leathery. It is the spicy and leathery notes that make this too manly for my tastes. Definitely reminds me of Morocco and other exotic locales. Very sharp/outdoorsy at first, but then warms up nicely on drydown and is not overpowering. I am a floral girl through and through so this won't work for me!

Unlike many of the other more creative and educated reviewers on this website who do an AWESOME job of describing the notes and sillage of a particular fragrance, my only goal is to report MY particular experience and how it fits with the rest of my perfume wardrobe. If you find you and I like the same fragrances, then maybe my reviews will be helpful to you!

One thing I'm discovering is that I definitely have a fragrance profile which seems to be pretty consistent. While I used to like more "unisex" scents in my 20's, nowadays I am more comfortable and happy smelling decidedly feminine. So far, I am not finding that I like fragrances in the spicy oriental group at all, and tend to stay within the florals and chypre florals groups.

GORGEOUS! All that sweet tobacco goodness laced with honey, musk and the best rose my nose has smelled. It's so complex, so comforting, so cashmere sweater. Jesus christ I could bathe in this stuff if only my bankaccount would allow me :)

I bought a whole bottle of this, but I'm not sure I'll ever finish it. I'm mostly indifferent to it. It's a warm amber with plenty of tobacco that lasts a lot but always stays close to skin. Unfortunately, the notes of tobacco in this one are of wet, chewed tobacco, not the dry ethereal kind that I much prefer. I don't see myself wearing this a lot; I find it weird somehow but not as masculine as others do. At least it's not too sweet as I feared it would be, judging by some reviews, though it's definitely more sweet than dry and dusty like the desert wind. The reviews however are right about one thing: the more you put on, the more sour and foul it turns, so use with a light hand.
Note: I read somewhere, that there is a bottle with green juice (like mine and I bought this from a big department store, not the internet) that is likely a watered-down version and a bottle with brown juice which is the original, non-export version. Could this be the reason I didn't fall in love with it like everyone else or why it doesn't last all day?

Edited to add: In retrospect, there's too much rose in it and it's the rose along with the wet tobacco that create this cloying combination on my skin. Where tobacco scents are concerned, Fumerie Turque is my HG, but this one, though wearable, is not a perfume I'll replace when/if it's over.

Chergui—a dry, dusty desert wind, which blows hot in the summer and cold in the winter. To say that Chergui is an interesting fragrance would be an understatement. Its warm and spicy nature immediately reveals itself, capturing, even commanding my attention. The first impression is, indeed, of a breeze, hugging me gently. It is a soothing, but at the same time insistent embrace, and I find it impossible to ignore. I can feel the dark honey quite well; then it quickly melts into the notes of amber and aromatic, bitter-sweet tobacco. If there are any flowers here, they are rather subdued. True to its name, Chergui starts and remains exotic.

Chergui is, in a way, a scent of contrasts, where the combination of sweet and bitter notes provokes the senses. Although it is a rich, fairly “deep” fragrance, I wouldn’t necessarily call it “loud.” Like other Serge Lutens’ creations, it tends to stay close to the skin.

Something in it reminds me of an impressionist’s landscape—brightly-hued compositions, but delivered with soft brush strokes, without strong, definitive lines. It’s certainly worth trying by anyone liking spicy, moderately sweet fragrances (I wouldn't call it gourmand, though). It has excellent longevity on me.

I got this scent without testing it first. I love it. It's a little heavy. Just a spay or so will do you for hours.

I get mostly a warm amber. To me this is a classic oriental scent. Great for fall too.

Smokey vanilla-amber rose is how I would describe this. It's intense, at least to begin with. It's sweet as well,and its kind of powdery too (the amber, I guess). I can see why alot of people like this, and after i first tried it I was gonna get the FB straightaway, but Ive decided I need to drain my sample first and then if I still like it enough, Ill buy it.

Somewhere in South-Morocco.

Moveless, milky-foggy dimness, a ballet performance begins in a man's imagination only: slowly start the little cyclones, as if djinns - only just broken out from the hot bottle - would dance.

The hot, burning, red sand moves, a dance begins, as when a curtain rolls up, the hot east wind of the desert revives, it brings thousand wafts, far resins, flavours, as if this turmoil would be going until the sky and would bring some world forgotten for a long time down from there.

This swirl lasts until a lot, the little djinns hang on at each other, the music gets stronger, the hot wind breaks in, diffuses the honey, the smell of the musk, the leather and the incense, the smell of the pipe tobacco, the amber, the rose, the sandalwood.

The tall, black haired man sits on the terrace of his cottage in Morocco, smokes cigars and dreams.

He dreams, that he should bottle this, the desert storm overflew from its deep movelessness, the dance of the djinns, the diversified fragrance cavalcade.

He bottled it. He also bottled a lot other fragrances, but this had been one of his masterpiece.

At first I could not smell it at all. then some strange scent emerged (bug spray) and I was ready to give up.

After some minutes a lovely smell emerged from my skin and I fell for it.
An intimate scent full of sweet nuances that conveyed a sense of cozyness and intimacy. If a man wore this I think I would be glued to his skin and smell.

Very challenging..Almost unbereable to wear but after few days it just clicked and I´m in love.

This is one heavenly elixir. An extraordinarily beautiful meld of incense, honey, musk and leather with hints of sandalwood, amber, dry tobacco and a wisp of smoke. And the sillage is gorgeous...it simply illuminates. I discovered I prefer to dab Chergui onto my skin though. When sprayed, it can be a bit too much.. An unfortunate bug spray or repellent mixed with a petrol note (a hint of Bvlgari Black, which isn't a bad thing, as I get a hint of it when dabbed) emanates from my skin and stays there quite a while. It's still lovely, and these notes aren't totally offensive as they help in making this Chergui what it is, but the true art of the fragrance takes a little longer to emerge. When dabbed, the divine honey, musk, incense and leather notes come out instantly.

PS: Another interesting discovery was that if I do decide to spray intead of dab, I apply some Mara Fox Love Potion perfume (which is heavy on the honey) and it softens the bug spray effect straight away and really brings out the sweet honey notes. Perfect for when I'm in the mood for a more syrupy sweetness than the dry sweetness that Chergui becomes.

Hmm. I like the dry down far more than the top notes, which come across as synthetic, almost metallic, to me...on some level a bit like Comme Des Garcons perfumes, with their ubiquitous tinny edge.

Then the notes roll into a blend of roasted nuts, tobacco and sugar, warm, non challenging, inoffensive, a gourmand that isn't about making one smell like mama's cooking or a boiled sweet. It's a scent that grows on you and it's pleasant enough. I would say of all the SL fragrances I've tried on my skin,this is the nearest to a mainstream bearable-wearable, which is to say that no-one will choke and say 'How disgusting,' but no-one will remark upon it or remember it either. I require more wow factor in my fragrances.

Really nice, but almost too strong and has a soapy edge that's odd for the listed notes.

Definitely a sensual unisex fabulous scent. printed words can not give enough enthusiasm to the description of this perfect frag.

It starts with fresh black tea leaves, lime rind, hot sun, leather... crushed and producing the finest droplets of elixir. Additionally, one particular note that I hesitate to even mention, as it's an over-used note in recent years that now carries an unfortunate juvenile stigma: There is a sugar in the drydown - one that is quite stately, grown up and magnificent.

It's a sugar that would make a little kid frown. This is no pixie stix, but a raw, wild sugar crystallized on rough frame screens set out in that same hot Moroccan sun drying the leather. "hay sugar"? Turbinado? Jaggery? call it what you will, this is big kid stuff.

My husband and I had to get one bottle each - and he bickers that even that is not enough. The remarkable part here - he has normally worn only novelty gourmands till now; Demeter's Hot Fudge Brownie and Dulce de Leche, Luna's Wookie's Cookie and the like. What does this have to do with Chergui? Only that it's sugar can not go unmentioned, that sweet grounding note can not be under-emphasized.

This scent, for all the leather, is just so very edible. A sparkling but deep-colored summer quencher that you simply could gulp down by the pitcher, yet you also want to savor each sip. A fragrance fit for hot weather, while never becoming frivolous. A heavy, rough sugar that says "adults only."

An absolute dream of a scent. One of the very best.