Arabie by Serge Lutens

Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Mandarin Peel, Fig, Dates, Cumin, Nutmeg, Clove, Balsamic Resins, Tonka Bean, Benzoin, Myrrh.

I'll give the Serge props for being one ballsy perfumer. Look at the spice-fest this scent stands to be. Not many Houses would have the audacity to brew a concoction like this. I mean really.....where does something like this fit in?

The first few wearings of Arabie, I kept wondering if Aedes hadn't sent me the wrong sample because what I smelled and what I read did not jive. The "descriptions" are literally all over the map on this one and my review certainly isn't going to help matters. Arabie has 2 distinct phases on my skin and both are far removed from each other. Arabie begins its spicy and eclectic journey travelling from the east and ends rather comfortably in the land where the sun sets.

One aspect I experience in Arabie that I haven't heard discussed is a leather quality. It transpires in the first half of all the wearings. I'm inclined to think the ratios of Peel, Cumin, Clove and Fig somehow result in this leathery spice that appears within a minute of application. It's not what I expected and it's somewhat quirky and enjoyable. I assumed ( incorrectly ) that I'd be steamrolled by spice and smell like Christmas time inside an Indian restaurant. No doubt the spice is evident, but so is leather, tartness and an undercurrent of wood. This opening is indicative of Serge and his willingness to be unique....or strange.....

While the formative stage of Arabie is energetic, it evolves beyond the spice and incrementally develops a more relaxed and sensual nature. Gone are the pronounced spices and replaced with a slightly smoky oriental finish that's still accented by a soft cumin-clove combination. As weird as that sounds, it smells rather good and at least on me, Arabie ends much better than it started. That's not to say the beginning was unpleasant, because it wasn't.

The drydown and beyond affords me what I can only describe as a resin-labdanum being in the mix. This is complimented by woods and the still-going spiciness that is the soul of Arabie. Yet another eccentric and surprising recipe from Dr. Strangelove  himself.

Sillage is very acceptable and longevity is approximately 6 hours plus on me, with a residual skin scent lasting until the next day. Thumbs up from Aromi for Arabie by Serge Lutens and a very strong recommendation to sample before purchase.