Tubéreuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens

Totally worth the wait ...

Four years ago I developed an immense urge to sample Fracas, the yardstick by which all other Tuberose fragrances seem to be measured. Some internet investigation revealed the existence of a few modern interpretations of this note, this being one of them.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't even manage to procure a sample of Tubéreuse Criminelle ... it was shrouded in the mystery and exclusivity of the 'bell jar' line and only available at the boutique in Paris. I eventually gave up and consoled myself with pursuing other Tuberose avenues until I heard a few months ago that it had finally become available in the export line and would soon be arriving at my local niche perfumery. I finally had the chance to try and buy two days ago ...

To be quite honest, when a fragrance is as hyped up as this one I am generally let down when I get to smell it. Not exactly a disappointment, I do find Tubéreuse Criminelle to be less than what I was expecting, but also my very first Lutens acquisition ... which is quite groundbreaking, at least for me. I have bemoaned the fact that many from this house are reminiscent of 'unwashed armpit', containing too much cumin and other odiferous materials that have done little to enchant me.

Tubéreuse Criminelle's mentholated opening blast can be a little eye-watering ... but it is absolutely unique! Fresh and bracing, it had me salivating for the emergence of my all time favorite note in perfumery. When the Tuberose does arrive, she is heralded by her compatriots in arms ... a gorgeous Orange Blossom and a deep Jasmine! In actual fact, I was quite unprepared for the rather heavy indoles almost overwhelmingly apparent here. Just short of 'poopy' smelling I was delighted by this unexpected turn of events. Hints of spice lift and brighten a Tuberose that seems to be in the fullness of her lifecycle ... there is a weightiness here that is very appealing ... a creamy, dense feeling ... as if a lei of these flowers had been placed around one's neck. The eventual Musk/Vanilla exit holds close to the skin and perpetuates the lush, creamy aspect of this fragrance.

A huge disappointment for me is that on skin alone, I only get about 4 hours of longevity from this creation. I took the advice of some very learned fragrance community friends and applied it to my clothes yesterday too. This extended the lifespan a further 3 hours or so, but when I wear something like Carnal Flower, just the fragrant residue of my shirts being in contact with my body radiates until they are washed. I have to put my shirt from yesterday to my nose to catch any traces of Tubéreuse Criminelle.

Tubéreuse Criminelle, for me at least, is not the powerhouse that some experience. It is, however, a beautifully unique take on Tuberose ... and one that I am thrilled to finally own!!

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Silver by Etienne Aigner

Basil, Bergamot, Green Notes, Juniper Berry, Lemon. Carnation, Cedar, Cinnamon, Jasmine, Patchouli, Pine Needle. Castoreum, Labdanum, Leather, Moss and Musk. 1984 brought us yet another terrific and underrated masculine. Etienne Aigner's Silver is ( of course ) under the radar and mostly disregarded by the fragrance community at large. I have no answers for this other than possibly bad timing and marketing mistakes. It could also be that Silver is sophisticated and long lasting without the bombastic qualities that were inherent in many releases of that particular time period. It may have slipped by unnoticed. Silver opens as an extremely smooth ( and I mean smooth ) rendition of herbs and dominant basil set atop a light citric accord. It leans green like you would expect, but this is not a conventional aroma of green. This has a low center of gravity and within a minute or two, an elegant moss begins its journey from the base to incorporate itself into the opening. Silv...

sherapopOctober 28, 2012 at 9:00 AM
So there you go: all it really took was tuberose to hook you and le grand Serge up! (-;
RolaOctober 28, 2012 at 11:24 AM
I have been getting a little tired of Fracas, maybe it is the peach or pear note that I am not fond of. Carnal Flower is on my list to get!
UnknownOctober 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Rola, as much as I love Fracas it can get a little wearying ... Carnal Flower is amazing ... I definitely recommend it :).

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