Chergui Serge Lutens for women and men

Incredible scent, silage, projection, longevity. Neighbor wanted name, pictures of bottle, etc. and will be buying it. Safe blind buy.

Chergui - a dry, hot wind coming from the Sahara Desert and blowing over Morocco. With a name like that, and the scentprofile of the fragrance, Serge Lutens pretty much pointed the way for us on how to interpret this perfume. It so happens that right now one of the most popular blockbuster movies is Dune Part Two and thats where my brain instantly jumped when i just sprayed this. The scent reminds me of many elements from the movie, namely: the thumpers the Fremen used to call the giant sandworms, the actual spice that is so coveted, the sepia colors and the desert landscapes.

The fragrance starts with a hum of spice, a mellow and warm spicy calmness. After the opening, im picking up on the resinous and ambery bedrock that the fragrance sits upon. It is a combination of amber, sandalwood, incense and iris...all of them powdery/creamy notes, joined by the honey which brings even more thickness, as usual, but thankfully it doesn't reach sticky levels as honey sometimes does in other fragrances. The tobacco and hay adds flavour but this needs a few sprays to bloom. The quality of the composition needs no mentioning, it all feels natural, smooth and polished.

Compared to Grand Soir, this is a more dusty and spicy amber. Compared to Naxos and Red Tobacco this is a calm and meditative honey and tobacco, way way less brash then both. Chergui feels like an ACTUAL middle eastern scent rather then "inspired by" the Middle East.

I mentioned the thumpers from Dune earlier because just as those devices used a deep and resonating pulse to attract the sandworms, that is how these type of fragrances behave on my skin aswell. In a very calm, mellow and profound manner. Chergui is not a loud "airhorn" blasting off the skin, its rather like a deep and resonating chant coming from a monk's temple, or if i were to bring up Dune yet again, think of the Sardaukar chanting.

Personally, i confess that as im testing more and more fragrances, i noticed that olfactively i like sharper, more clearcut scents that are more pronounced. Having said that, i carry alot of respect for scents like this (ambery, resinous, warm spicy fragrances) but its a different kind of appreciation on my part. To make an analogy, visually you might better appreciate the aesthetics of a beautifully designed modern building but looking upon a church or a cathedral will bring out another kind of solemn appreciation. If you are a religious person that is.

Its not a summer or warm weather fragrance. A bit too dense for that. However, being a rather shy fragrance, atleast judging from my first impressions, im curious if it can whitstand negative temperatures and because it doesn't diffuse so agressively, it might work in autumn and spring. I recommending testing the fragrance beforehand because its for a relatively mature crowd.

Dry and warm, I get flavoured pipe tobacco and old fashioned talcum powder.
I like it but it's weirdly smells like roasted peanuts.

it sits in this space where it feels like a dandy masculine or a butch femme.

Chergui
This was I believe my second or third SL fragrance. As you can see by my wall, they aren’t even all up there, but I absolutely love this house and the noses who’ve worked there in the past. I don’t know how it’s gonna be now, but it was awesome.
This fragrance perfectly straddles the line between male and female. Perfectly unisex.
If you’re a woman who Is daring with fragrance.
This is such a fantastic scent. The first time I smelled it, I thought it was revolting. I guess it just needed a little air because I fell in love with it almost immediately after that it was so unusual and especially on a woman.
my mother smelled it and she had to have a bottle when we went to France! Take my word for it don’t buy it in France, lol but they do use little origami papers for their samplings is a beautiful Store.
There’s just something about this one that always makes me come back to it. I love it in cold weather I think for the tobacco that was offputting at first but for me, this is definitely a
4.5 Out of 5
So unusual. A little challenging at first. blissful on the dry down.

The one note that really stands out is the hay. Yuk. Big pass for me.

Warm, smoky, bold but sweet in the Time. I love Chergui, forever. Tobacco and honey are really well balanced.
Sexy, calm. Beautiful.

This fragrance exudes exceptional quality with its dark, rich aroma, distinct from Tobacco Vanille and even darker than Herod. While it may not appeal to everyone—I myself was initially unsure about it—it has grown on me to the point where I'm considering investing in a full bottle.

Was so excited for this but unfortunately I cannot get past the opening metallic twinge that appears on me. Additionally, the note that is new to me is only the hay and idk if this is the culprit here or something else, but something about this reminds me of cockroach spray. I grew up living in SEA and I promise it is all I can think about :( takes quite a while to dry down but even then remains reminiscent of it. I’m so upset because everyone else’s experience sound great and I love serge lutens otherwise

Love me some Chergui- I have black and white label. The black is yum, but the white is exquisite- why on earth would they change it....

I adore the scent of this fragrance. It's reminiscent of tobacco drying in a barn, with a cozy dry down of amber.

However, I wish its performance on my skin was better.

Overall, I'd rate it 7 out of 10.

Man.. this is something else.

This fragrance is very manly.. i cant imagine when or how a woman can wear this.

First 2 hours you get hay,amber,tobacco and honey
2-5 hours you get incense and sandalwood.
5-10 hours you get A LOT of rose,musk and iris.

For now this is my signature but im interested in other serge lutens fragrances, the notes excite me.

Smell- 10/10
Longevity- 8/10
Performance- 5/10

NOT BLIND BUY SAFE

I only have a sample of this, so I know to give it a couple of tries and let it sit a while. The first try was really metallic and dry. Now, it has a gorgeously tobacco-y, amber-y, sandalwood-y depth I was hoping for. I think it's wonderfully unisex and have no trouble wearing it as a woman. I wanted something on the hot and dry side to layer with sweeter scents in fall and winter and this would do nicely. You can see why it's named for a wind blowing over Morocco. Not a terrible price point for a layering juice, either but wearing it on its own is lovely, too.

UPDATE: I layered this with my dupe of Baccarat Rouge. Heaven.

Wow, I really like this! I don’t think it’s particularly masculine at all but unisex bc I’m finding it quite easy to wear! I got 3 decants from this brand and it’s my first time trying them but won’t be my last. I’ve tried 2 out of 3 and both have been lovely!

For me, the best tobacco scent. A legend. Don' t buy TF vanilla tobacco till you try this one.

This is a sweet hay and amber first before it is a tobacco fragrance. The tobacco is a light fresh blond unlit cigarette. An elegant light and sweet tobacco, which I can appreciate, but I prefer heavy boozy, spicy, thick tobacco so it isn’t exactly what I usually look for.

I like it more on the dry down when the hay relaxes a bit. If you like Naxos and think hay sounds nice this might be up your alley.

Chergui (pronounced SHER-GI) by Serge Lutens

Opening has strong incense and hay notes which give it a cold, metallic initial feel. Depending on how warm the air is, these notes may linger or even dominate the whole opening up to mid and base drydown, or in warmer weather quickly give way to the warmer, sweeter notes (Iris, rose, musk).
Drydown goes into the fresh tobacco leaf - it is more vegetal, and not at all "ashtray" tobacco, which makes it a very good pair with the fresh, floral honey note and rose.

While the opening is bold, strong and projecting, towards the drydown the scent withdraws much closer to the skin.

Performance is i would say, while dependent on personal skin chemistry and air temperature, average to below average - this is a very natural scent, with no trace of the typical synthetic aroma chemicals that are usually used to boost performance in modern perfumery. The upside to this is great natural smelling notes, with the obvious downside of weaker performance, that is not usually associated with the scent profile.

Price for me was beyond great - got a 50ml tester for about 50 euro. And the quality i get from it is incomparable to the modern designer "elixir" craze and their outrageous asking prices.

This is, in the end, beautiful, artistic perfumery - bold, uncompromising and not afraid to turn some less experienced noses away.

Was wondering about that "hay" note when I first heard about Chergui. It kept popping up as a recommendation on Fragrantica based on stuff I already enjoy. So, I thought, why not give it a sniff? Instantly fell in love. And that hay? Yeah, I totally got it, but it's not your average barnyard smell. It's like a fancy, upscale and luxurious version of hay.

Chergui has this vintage vibe without feeling old-fashioned. It's classy but not stuffy, you know? It's got this sweet, tobacco-amber thing going on that's just right—definitely not overpowering, but it sticks around for a while. It reminded me of Lagerfeld Classic, but like a modernized, updated, and niche take on it. And more unisex.
A real hidden treasure in the fragrance world, if you ask me.

The Amber note in Chergui reminds me of the Amber used in Grand Soir by MFK. Opulent, spicy, luxurious very rich with oriental quality.
Take this Amber and add dry spices.
Dry, spicy, opulent. As grand soir this is not for everyone and this is not suited for all occasion.
Leans Masculine in my opinion. I can see a wealthy charismatic man smoking a cigar in a luxurious bar. (Tommy Shelby would rock this)

This was the first time to try Chergui as a 'perfume' in around 10 or 11 years, I was still in Kwai Chung last time I got to try it, as my 5 ml Surrender to Chance (literally 'Evaporate to Chance') sample evaporated, leaving a 1 or 2 ml sludge of essential oil with NO sprayability, basically an attar of Chergui.
The tobacco is MUCH tamer in the perfume version, and the honey is subdued, but I imagine the sludge I've been smearing this last decade has matured in a different way to the alcohol base version.
Aaanyway, this is mostly amber, an Amber Loup amber, with a slight tinge of Nag Champa incense about it, pleasant, but not mind blowing.
Folded into Ustfur, with chamomile and milk, OMG yes...

I had Chergui 15 years ago, I bought a new bottle this year. Wonderful : ambry, tobacco scent, with hay, rose and a creamy/milky honey to smooth everything out, all notes are very well balanced.
Absolute stunner of a fragrance, and quite unique.
Just dont overspray, it can be nauseating - max 3sprays.
Longevity is still very good (sept 2023 batch) : 8 hours.

They made this last only 2 hrs on purpose because otherwise it would be perfect and nobody would ever buy anything else. They were holding sir Christopher Sheldrake at gunpoint

I was lucky enough to purchase a lot of vintage surge lutens- all partial bottles. I tested Chergui first. Of course I find it to be beautiful and mesmerizing. It’s not a very loud fragrance but I kept getting wafts of it throughout the evening. I smell mostly the Iris and coumarin- in the dry down it smells a lot like 2002 Dior addict. I thought I was crazy but others smell it to. I only have about 10mls of the vintage left and I immediately found the oldest bottle at the most affordable price I could afford because this is a masterpiece.

This is an enchanting tobacco, hay and rose perfume. I have been wishing to try it for the longest time, and while I imagined it might be a heavy, blazing tobacco like that in Tobacolor, Opus XVI Royal Tobacco or Smoking Hot, in reality it's much tamer, sweet and herbaceous. Those fragrances smell like decadent nights spent in dark bars, swaying in a haze of cigarettes and sweet whisky, while Chergui smells like running through sunlit fields in the last days of summer, over dry, chocolatey soil, flowers and grass turning golden, wisps of smoke from distant fires tinting the evening a shade darker.

Absolutely awful.

It's hard to describe but it's like you made a blend of baby diapers, cumin and vanilla.

It basically smells like very creamy and sweet baby wipes, with a hint of some cumin-like spice.

یک عدد نسخه قدیمی قبل از رفرموله شدن موجوده پلمپ و آکبند
اگر کسی مایل هست پیغام بده لطفا

I overdosed on Chergui and the immediate effect was of a smothering spice bomb.

Surely, this is a far more subtle fragrance than that and it deserves time and space to be appreciated.

But even one hour in, I was still struggling to do so: 'Too powdery, too musky ... and where's the tobacco note?'

Three hours later, just a faint whiff of tobacco ...or honey ...or something sweet, close to the skin, that convinces me that Chergui is not for me.

The SEXIEST fragrance for men.

I can’t keep my hands off my husband when he’s wearing this.

An absolute masterpiece.

100/10

Definitely the most handsome tobacco fragrance, I get TF Tobacco Vanille vibe from it, but at much better quality.

Serge Lutens Chergui (2001) - clary sage amber - #christophersheldrake starts the perfume with an overdose of Clary sage - mentholated, aromatic, earthy. Together with Immortelle and Hay create this Tobacco like accord that is quite unique, even with countless similar perfumes created. As it develops, I get whiffs of Incense, dark Ciste Labdanum, and Amber making it brooding and richly nuanced. Honey is also an interesting addition giving it an animalic touch, turning a seemingly room ambient scent to something a human could wear. All this as it remains balanced, elegant and opulent.

This is... strange. But good. But strange. I first tried this in a stuffy, overcrowded Harrods perfume hall where all the fragrances had blinded my senses and I wanted so desperately to escape. I could barely even get anything from this save for the faintest honey note. I left the hall after spraying some on my wrist and decided to let it sit. Ten minutes later, powdery. Reminded me of a vintage blush. Twenty minutes later, still powdery but there's finally a bit of tobacco there, though it's barely noticeable. An hour later, it finally settled into a strange blend of powdery rose, honey, and tobacco. I don't get much hay. It gave me the image of a winter evening; you're applying makeup backstage in preparation for a 1920s jazz performance, and all your colleagues are chatting and smoking around you. Flapper costumes. Not exactly what I was looking for, but nice. I bought it anyway.

One day later and I'm not sure if I regret it... the scent continues to perplex me. It's like it can't decide on what it wants to be. When I first applied it this morning I was disappointed. It was nowhere near as nice as the day before and I was worried the perfume hall had temporarily rendered me tasteless. Half an hour later, I'm starting to like it again. The tobacco is way stronger and the perfume is far spicier than the day before. Still powdery, but also spicy. I like it but I'm not sure if I love it. Oh well.

As a general note, I find the longevity of this to be quite poor compared to other Serge Lutens perfumes I own. A shame.

یه عطر بی نظیر که هیچ وقت قدیمی نمی شه
تنباکویی که به زیبایی دوی بستری از آمبر نشسته و بسیار با کانسپتش همخونی داره

10
از
10

Smells like Moroccan Oil Hair treatment.
This perfume, to me, is basically powdery. argan oil with a hint of tobacco in the beginning.
Could also be described as a fancy pants foot powder.
After all the hype, I was so unimpressed, I returned my bottle.

✨

Beautiful!

Such a beautiful soft amber opening that turns into honey. Later, it lingers as gentle vanilla. The 'hay' element feels like sun drenched dune grass. Nothing about this is a blast, no sticky, toothsome gourmands, just lovely, sophisticated twists and turns. Unisex, definitely.

Chergui is definitely one the best releases from Serge Lutens. A beautiful rose, hay and tobacco fragrance which oozes class. The fragrance is very soft and powdery. Longevity is great too, I can smell it the next morning on my neck.

Smells great; however, the longevity totally sucks - 2 hours tops. 6.5/10.

Beautiful scent! Perfect for cold season. Powdery, warm, intense. Very unique and balanced, definitely one of a kind

Received a sample of this today can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get this one.

Absolute masterpiece 10/10.

Mysterious yet inviting. A little sweeter than I expected from the notes, but the honey still steers away from being overpoweringly sweet. Actually I don't find Chergui overpowering at all. Faintly resembles the EDT version of Volutes from Diptyque, but more smoky and complex to my nose. I find this much less linear when comparing the two.

I get tobacco (which I'm a sucker for) and honey from the top. There is incense to give the tobacco smoky kick. Strangely clean for what this is, I suspect it's from the mixture of hay and sandalwood. This has a beautiful blend of subtle iris with a faint rose on my skin.

Nothing feels out of place here and yet there's something different about it making it mysterious. I find something very friendly in nature to it making it inviting. The notes are contrasted and organized while being performed to perfection. All the notes serve a purpose.

Masterful.

Just a beautiful fragrance!🥰

As for the old batches pre-buyout, one of the absolute best fragrances of all time. As for the new? I’ve heard a powder hay bomb lacking the complexity of the old.

this one is just so unique to me. it's dark but not in an overpowering way, balanced with a bit of powderiness. i'm not usually crazy for amber spicy scents but the notes here are both delicate and sober... the projection isn't crazy, which to my sense plays into its restrained quality. it's myserious but well-behaved and one of the most unisex scents i've tried

Leather, dark chocolate, red wine, a whiff of maple syrup, and the dryness of amber and hay. This would be the perfect scent for a dinner party on a snowy evening. Unfortunately, I live in LA and attend very few dinner parties. I do pull it out when I need something atmospheric for movie night: Chergui pairs perfectly with Bogart and Bacall. Serge Lutens is a genius, but while this may be one of his more wearable masterpieces, it isn't a masterpiece that's practical for me to wear regularly.

Does anyone see a similarity to Coromandel by Chanel? Granted I’m smelling Dua’s dupe for it but a lot of ppl said it was spot on. And to my nose it definitely reminds me of coromandel. Still smells pretty amazing! I grabbed the dua one because it mimics the original formulation and a lot of ppl don’t like the reformulated Chergui.

Magnificent parfume. But very situational. I can't imagine wearing it on a daily basis. The scent itself is very heavy, dark, sweet and smoky. Smells like a hookah lounge in a gothic cathedral.

This one belongs in the niche hall of fame. Legendary juice.

i dont usually reach for this one as often anymore. i wore this a lot years ago in highschool when i thought i was interesting and different for not wearing bath and body works sprays. this one stays close to my heart though. sweet ish, but more powdery than a heady sweet. a little bit more like incense, but more deep and ambery. i like it more on my skin than on my clothes. i appreciate chergui a lot

[Chergui]
⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️

A custard vanilla and suede. I can’t offer anything new to the widespread praise of this perfume as all possible bases have been covered. It is absolutely wonderful.

Lovely and comforting scent. It just disappears and becomes a skin scent too fast. I find myself re applying through out the day.

Hay, amber, sweet honey, tobacco, powdery, woody.

عطر قوي جدا جدا في البداية يسبب العطاس وحكة في الاف ثم يبرد فيصبح جميل يميل للانثى

This is soooo good! I’m in Paris for work (I know sounds pretentious) but I went to SL store with the intention of buying MKK … but I sprayed Chergui and my colleagues and the store clerk were fascinated by it and so I am. The honey and tobacco along with a sweet fruit (does it smell like cherry?) it’s to die for. And it’s not powdery on me so I bought a bottle of this and one of ginger something , can’t remember the name but I loved it. As for MKK while I love it it’s so similar to Kiehls that I don’t buy it :(

I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately on my skin rose dominates… like it literally punches me in the nose as if I’ve stuck my face in to a freshly bloomed rose bush. Then it gets to a rosey honey tobacco blob. It’s an easy autumn/winter wear, but I dislike rose dominant frags and the honey combo irritates me additionally getting closer to headache inducing. I had to double check If I haven’t sprayed by accident La fille de Berlin which again has a prominent rose but darker.

Another masterpiece from Serge Lutens. I don't know how perfumers make something smell hot and dry, but that is what I smell here. Casablanca from Swiss Arabian smells hot and dry as well. With Chergui- I smell the hot and dry desert, and the honey tobacco and spices. It is such a lovely spicy scent I can wear it to bed in the winter because it comforts me. I love unisex fragrances and this is absolutely unisex. I smell sweet and spicy honey, that hot air (so odd- the hay maybe?), fresh hay, and a solid helping of musk. This is my fifth Serge Lutens and I love them all, and all are so incredibly different.

An intense frag! Very powder-y, and i love that - but its a little bit too intense for me. The tobacco & muskiness is coming through, and there's a little bit of sweetness hidden in there too. It reminds of a hot summer evening, of unexpected encounters and perhaps new friendships.

This is my personality in a bottle, This is one of my favorite fragrances of all time. I own so many fragrances and I always love to discover fragrances, but nothing beat this in my heart.
This is a real charismatic scent it’s reminds me of the old Parisian arts.
I love my Chergui but sadly you will never be my signature scent because fragrances are memories for me and I want you for the magical lovely ones, to love you more and more...
To describe how much I love you, sometimes I feel I don’t want any one to wear or have you because I’m jealous Chergui.

This was a love at first sniff for me. I get black tea, rose hip, just a hint of tobacco and some honeyed herbs.
Beautiful complicated scent. I can't believe it took me so long to discover it. Totally unisex, office friendly, any occasion friendly. Purchased a bottle immediately.

I'm disappointed with this scent even though I've heard a lot of positive reviews. Not for me

A gorgeous perfume. For the quality it has, the price is excellent. I can't describe specific notes, but the scent is captivating. Good longevity and sillage. For me, it's versatile, but calls for more formal wear. Overall rating 9/10.

Complex AF. More than any other perfume I own, this one changes the longer you wear it. The first 45 minutes are raw, funky and masculine with smoke, musky amber and tobacco dominant in a way that I don't dislike, but find hard to be at ease with. Then it settles into a warm, grassy, honeyed floral that is comforting yet still retains an edge to it before becoming powdery. I'm still getting to know Chergui, and haven't figured out if I like it or not. I strongly suspect that the way it challenges me will draw me in over time, and that's a very respectable thing to have accomplished in a fragrance.

A month later:
This has become my favorite perfume. The different notes that emerge can fit so many different moods, seasons, and times of day. It's comforting, it's edgy, it plays with gender and style. The scent feels personal and helps me feel grounded when I'm feeling unsure, which is one of the things I love about fragrance. Signature scent? Maybe...

Resinous, powdery like fine, hot sand, sweet like dried cherry soda on the lips, and faintly smokey, Chergui is a decently complex yet very smooth fragrance. Despite the heavy notes I listed, there is a cleanliness to it, it's not dirty or erotic per se. Rather than outright sex, it evokes a more restrained, mysterious sensuality, like someone who looks elegant and clean but feels hot to the touch.

Like others have mentioned, its projection is muted; I've enjoyed it on myself but haven't received compliments on it from friends or strangers. It's perfectly unisex in the sense that it won't smell masculine on a woman or feminine on a man. Perfect for a warm, windy night just as summer releases its grip or, of course, a cold day or night.

Chergui opens with a coumarinic hay with honeyish sweetness and light ambery tones. Hay had always struck me as dry, and combined with ambery resin I can see the analogy of a desert wind.

However the honey note only renders an olfactive "sticky" texture, and gives the whole thing an impression of sticky, wet ambery hay. It does have moments of beauty, and I can see why it's so well liked. It is an art piece. I can imagine it being cozy, warm and comforting. It has very modest projection, so it is very much a personal fragrance.

Just make sure not to believe th youtube parrots and instagram accounts who claim this is a "tobacco honey" fragrance.

On paper:
Hmmm. This is lovely.
I'm getting lots of iris, some rose, some hay, some honey, very light and airy tobacco. Some incense to round it off. I don't get powder or smoke. May be later.

Sharp Iris made me sneeze. Nice. The blend feels all natural and identifiable.
I'm loving this!
Totally unisex, fresh, sweet, grounded, exciting, intriguing yet soothing blend.

On skin: it turns too sweet for me. Also the soapy sandalwood and rose accord seems out of place. It's a no for me.

If you are looking for a sweet, honey, cherry tobacco, this is NOT that...at all. This is very strange. I really don't know what to say other than it was absolutely not what I imagined it would be, having heard about this over the years, and watching so many reviews. There is an accord here that is so overpowering - I'm guessing it's the hay. I definitely get a powdery dried weeds/grass/hay, and a medicinal note along with it. Just NOT what I want to smell like and very removed from the notes. THIS is niche perfumery. There is NOTHING mainstream, universal, or easily likeable about this.

I am surprised nobody (well, I have not read all comments) has noticed that when this dries down, it becomes very similar to Dior's Feve Delicieuse. VERY.

Several years ago when I heard Cubaknow's wifey say with such conviction that she loved Chergui, I blind-bought a tester to save some cash. That woman didn't steer me wrong with her words. I was amazed. This is such a complex, delightful fragrance. Daring nose required, because I could see many people hating it.

I dislike powdery nose feels in general, but Chergui has a good one. It's not dusty or nose-filling. I find it just an artful composition. Opens sweet and smells like honey, new tobacco, smoke, powder...it's an olfactory story for sure. This ain't your crazy Montale or Mancera fragrance that makes you question their existence.

I recommend you sample Chergui if you want a fragrance that you can smell for hours and still discover new nuances. I barely use my 50ml bottle, because it's such a special scent to me. I mostly wear it at home, because I find it cozy and soothing.

It also has like a baby powder scent to it somewhere in between the other notes. That's one of my favorite smells ever, because it takes me back to my babyhood, so Chergui smelling similar in the background is a bonus to me.

The rare times I wear it in church, I get sniffed a lot by my brethren, he-he. People seem to like it on me. This is truly a unisex fragrance, and smells sexy and mysterious despite what I said about it having a baby powder scent to it. It works in the composition. Its not that it sticks out.

Shergui is a famous fragrance in perfume history. It's an oriental fragrance and one of the first fragrances that used a tobacco and honey combination. Another interesting note here is hay which gives a rural character to the fragrance. I personaly like the honey accord a lot. Honey is rich, complex, slightly animalic, and not too sweet like the fruity or gourmand accords.
The tobacco-honey and tobacco-hay combination is a source of inspiration for many fragrances. The fragrance is sitting on a very soft musk and sandalwood. To me, the fragrance is better for older people.

7.5/10

A woman who doesn’t have to carry her own lighter, men and butch dykes alike flock to duel for the honor to light her cigarette.

Not as deep and rich as my decant sadly. Seems the amber and maybe the honey has been toned down. Maybe a touch less Iris too, although it’s still powdery. Hopefully leaving it in my closest for a few months will help.

Lutens Chergui is a smooth, powdery, rich, warm honeyed tobacco with an ambery fougere base. If that wasn't praise enough, the note of 'hay' gives this fragrance a level of distinction afforded to few, the scent is completely unique. Dry, herbal, grassy, it truly breathes life into the 'tobacco' accord. This is the only tobacco fragrance I've tested that actually brings to mind the aroma of dried tobacco leaves.

Due to the high concentration of naturals in this fragrance, spraying can stain fabric, and the scent is heavier, more dense, a lot less legible. It has some progression to it, but it's not easy for me to relay. The top and heart notes showcase the florals, aromatic touches, and honey, with the base being a dense blend of sweet ambers, warm musks, sandalwood, and tonka.

The fougere DNA might feel more masculine to some, but Chergui reminds me of many mid-century unisex options. Anyone could wear it, but whether you find it more masc/femme will come down to your scent perception and individual skin chemistry. My perception of this scent changes with the humidity and the season.

This is an interesting one. Rather sweet and yet dry. Impressive longevity. Retains its opening notes throughout, so totally linear. The silage is just right also: that is to say it will project out beyond your personal space but not in an embarrassing or clumsy way. It is, instead, both refined and elegant.

Definitely a fragrance to wear for “going out”, though. I love smelling it on myself throughout the evening but I find that I get rather sick of it upon waking next morning and it’s still going strong. Too much of a good thing, perhaps. Definitely NOT a morning or office scent!

I have 4 formulas of Chergui, 2001(green juice), 2011, 2015, 2020(black label).
I can clearly see the trend of the reformulation, besides toning down its intensity, Its syrupiness that I like is all the way declining, to the point the 2020 formula almost has no syrupiness, entirely taken over by incense and tobacco, dry and flat.

The difference between the 2011 and 2015 is very much noticeable but it is not as big comparing to the 2020. I mean comparing to formula 2020, even the 2015 formula smells amazing. Let me put it this way, The original formula 2001-2002 green juice is like IMAX 8k Atoms with full impact, the 2011 is like normal cinema experience, the 2015 is like big screen home cinema with surround sound. the 2020 will be like watching the same movie on your phone. Not bad, still the same movie, but very different experience.

side note: I can sniff my wrist sprayed Chergui for as long as I want when it's formula 2001/2011/2015. But I can't do this with the formula 2020, it gives me a hint of nausea that makes me stop. I'm not really sure why, my guess is this new formula 2020 contains larger portion of synthetic ingredients than the old formulas.

I got a vintage year 2016 batch YEG31 X bottle to sell, new and sealed. Contact me if you want it and you can also buy it on eBay (milia972). Worldwide shipment.

I live at the boarder of Provence. It's 38°C outside, dry as it can be, Mistral is blowing. This is to me the exact purpose of Chergui.

The beauty of the spices, the burning wood and the powdery amber flow from my shirt around in the air, making Chergui alive...

Powder and Spice.

I found the notes to be non-reflective of the scent. Chergui is powdery, probably from the iris/musk/hay combo, with minimal iris lipstickiness. There is a moderate touch of spice from the incense and sandalwood, with slight rosiness. The honey and amber add an ambery depth to the scent with some sweetness.

Soft, powdery, musky, warm spicy, lightly sweet.

It reminds me a lot of Frederic Malle's Musc Ravageur. Similar scent profile (musky, warm spicy, lightly sweet).

Of note, the honey note here is not very photorealistic like the honey note in, say, Zoologist Bee. That is a good thing here as it suits Chergui's overall scent better.

A mature, masculine, cool weather wear.

"Like"

This is my second review for this perfume. First one was made 7 years ago and since I was not experienced in perfumery as much as I am today I was not able to estimate full bouquet and aspects of this fragrance. 7 years ago I had been finding this scent ordinary amber and even boring. Today I can say that it is beautiful mix of dry hay, medicinal herbs and amber with the touch of sweetness that is not cloying or nauseous. I would describe the sweet accord as liquorish-honey-carrot combo that both gives this scent softness and air. Also this perfume has creamy undertones that makes it comfortable for everyday wear and for all occasions. I guess perfume won’t disturb or irritate people next to its owner cause it feels that projection is closer that arm length (but not close to skin). Hopefully I will find good price for 50ml cause I feel that I need it for my collection 😋

Unless you put on a tiny amount, this scent is too heavy for warm weather. I mostly got honey, sandalwood, and tobacco when I wore it. I got ten hours of wear time from just a few sprays. I wound up liking this more than I thought, since tobacco doesn’t always smell good on my skin. I wouldn’t mind trying it again sometime in the future.

Has this been reformulated?
My decant has more depth than the bottle I just bought.
Love the composition. Can’t agree with the “old house/people”-smell.
It’s a round agreeable smell with just right amount spices without being boring or simple.

Man o man I keep coming back to this one. Such a beautiful, sensual powdery tobacco. There's really nothing else like it on the market. Normally I don't like powdery scents, but this is gorgeous. I spray it on before bedtime and sleep like Rip van Winkle. Absolutely love this gem. So soothing....👌

I really don't get why this perfume is so loved...I think it smells like the house of an really old couple that smoke inside and don't clean that often..you know, that have bonbons fuzzy with dust. It's powdery, heavy, spicy, smokey and "old". I had a bottle some years ago but gave it away cause I found it to be just awful.

Generic rubbish compared to what it was,I feel sorry for the people raving about the reformulated Chergui,they probably haven’t smelt a decent fragrance

It smells very luxurious. Like how an Arabian prince's room would smell like, a room with dark wood furniture and maroon velvets.

I love it a lot but it's not an everyday scent. It requires a very specific mood. I think it only works for winter, otherwise it'd be too much. Weirdly, it might work in a very dry summer day as well.

Powdery enough to set my makeup

Chergui is so beautiful. I can’t believe how much I love it. I’m planning a yard sale to fund a 100 ml bottle. I love the honey, amber, powder, and velvety, subtle tobacco. I love it for having no vanilla. I love it for the restrained genius of the formulation and perfect blending. Truly a masterpiece. It was 86 degrees today in the humid Deep South when I applied Chergui - it was sublime all day. I feel enveloped in a beautiful cloud every time I wear it. There’s absolutely nothing like it.

Another legendary perfume from the Serge Lutens classic line. Tobacco, hay, and honey is an archetypal combo. If you are lucky and use high-grade materials (as in here) you'll get all the nice variations and complexity of the notes and of the accord. Sweet, herbaceous, balsamic tones ranging from whiskey to caramel. Sheldrake's masterful rendition follows a classical oriental form (characteristic of this great House) and avoids the infusion of overt woody touches which make many tobacco perfumes rather flagrantly "masculine". He relies instead on a soft backbone of almond powdery notes in the dry down which extend the originality. Chergui is an exemplar of the imperishable cherry tobacco perfume. Cordial and discreet and totally wearable.

I think this scent leans feminine. To me, this is a powdery scent that someone would wear if they wanted to have that honey and tobacco vibe but didn't want it to lean masculine. My wife said it smelled like an old woman's spicey powder. To my nose, this is what youth dew and TF TV would smell like if you went light on both.

This fragrance really mutates and shifts over time with the dry down. But no matter where it is in the mutation, I can smell some similarities with encre noir, in that there is a pronounced spiciness. I generally don’t like powdery notes, but it really softens the tobacco. The honey in the background adds sweetness to this dry composition. I love this scent. It’s sophisticated and mature but has its own edge.

This is a sexy lady or man that smokes clove cigarettes and wears all black. Standing outside the bar or lounge or club looking mysterious.
Deep resinous sweetness honeyed tobacco. Very unisex.
You have to like sweet to like this imo.

I can easily see why people love Chergui. Smooth and well blended. Unisex. Adequate performance.

I would love to love this perfume.

So much sweetness, tobacco and honey notes made me nauseous to be honest. Maybe it was related to the season I was using it, but I couldn't tolerate it.

this smells like the warm embrace of a very sexy 42 year old man during a cold sunset in the middle of winter while cry, cry by mazzy star plays in the background. this is extremely comforting. it’s super sophisticated and mature in the best way. the tobacco is very dry and green in this subtle spicy green pepper type of manner. the incense is blended with the hay and musk to sort of give it this hazy overtone that has the subtle hint of sweetness from the honey and amber. there is a floral powdery background from the rose and iris that kind of rounds out the whole fragrance beautifully. i find the scent shifts and changes alot each time you take a sniff. the dry down after half an hour is definitely my favorite part, it gets even sweeter and more of that caramelized honey aspect comes out. one of my favorites in my collection and definitely a classic for a reason. i find myself craving this scent and spraying it on to go to bed just cuz its so good.

Wayyy too mature for me. Beautiful, but not just yet for me personally. I'd say the youngest female who could pull this off would be in her early 40s and powerful. More masculine leaning for sure.
Edit: I sometimes opt for a small spritz just to smell it, as it's so breathtakingly deep and empowering. I'm thinking about gifting my dad a bottle, I'd love to associate him with this scent.

This is such an intriguing amazing perfume. It mesmerises me and plays with my head. The texture of Cherqui is soft, balsamic and creamy. Not lactonic creamy but suntan oily lotion cream. It feels like a warm flow on my skin with honey, tobacco and a light resin. The dry down is spicy, magical and sweet. This is not an easy fragrance but I cannot find any off-putting notes. It's just unique. It's Chergui. I can't find anymore words. Just love for this masterpiece.

Most recent sample seemed more transparent tobacco than the ambered honey I tried a couple years ago

Really wanted to like this, I bought a sample last year and have tried it on and off. Keeps just devolving into a headache-inducing tobacco sledghammer that burns my nose. On others it smells amazing though, so it must just be my skin chemistry!

I love to wear this in spring on rainy days and it smells and feels amazing. Especially when you get caught in the rain.

Chergui is a masterpiece. the journey it takes you on through the the top to the dry down is wonderful. Im not a huge tobacco guy but the tobacco done in this is masterful. 10/10 fragrance. Smells like a artistic prodigy who has an insane studio in a basement in paris that is loaded to the 9s with every cool nic nac known to man, incense burning, ciggaretes being smoked, etc. MASTERPIECE
btw, layer this with oud for greatness. Chergui fills in the lack of warmth and sweetness in OFG (its there in ofg,just not that much in my opinion.)
But yeah, if you layer this with ofg, you get the spicy and oud-y notes, and then you get that beautiful warmth and yummy sweetness from chergui. Its beautiful.

This is such a nice scent. Mellows out to a soft, sweet amber tobacco.

Beautiful fragrance, now if I could only find a vintage batch of Chergui. I find the newer formula is weaker and doesn’t last. Even my 2019 bottle is weak. If anyone has an older bottle to sell, message me.

This was one of the first niches I tried and my first tobacco fragrance. The combination of warm tobacco and cool iris won me over immediately. It reminds me of cola or root beer, not in how it smells so much as the contrast between the warm spicy herbs and the cool, refreshing impact it has on the nose. But like those drinks, it won't slake your thirst, just make you want more.

I still love it, though not quite as much, and not to the extent of other Serge Lutens masterpieces. It feels watery and flatter now, and I don't know if that's because of reformulations or my expanded palate. Maybe someday there with be an extrait or intense version.

My partner bought this for himself a couple of months ago, the other day I walked passed him and was captivated by the beautiful aroma ! Lo and behold he was wearing this I said “wow, you spell amazing” He wasn’t too sure about it as he felt it leaned a little bit, too feminine on him. And he gave it to me so obviously I am over the moon 🥰This truly is a stunning tobacco scent . And only now have I just looked at the notes and send me the note sound like it should be a gourmand but to me it doesn’t pull as gourmand it smoky inscnse it’s just heavily

Chergui is the first niche fragrance that I have. It's smooth yet complex. It's sweet ambery, tobaccoey, smokey with a touch of floral aspect. It's thick and heavy perform like a beast but at the same time don't have the versatility. Even for a night time, it's a bit hard to find when to wear Chergui. IMHO, Chergui is only for formal occasion. Beside that versatility problem, this is still an amazing scent. Love it!

This is NOT my typical style of perfume but I have to say I adore this scent! There are a few distinct facets here- leathery, powdery, sweet, dry- all separately identifiable but equally important to the fragrance as a whole. If Tobacco is normally not your thing I still suggest you try Chergui, it is more than the sum of its parts and may surprise you!

I will say I find that this dries very sweet, like a marshmallow! Not as noticeable in the silage but a bit saccharine when you smell your skin up close. Very pretty anyway though, unique I think!

Can't stand this smell on myself. The notes look like everything I was looking for, however in reality the honey note with the prominent powderiness makes it lean very feminine imo.
Gave it to my girlfriend and I absolutely love it on her.

I did not expect it to smell the way it does.
When I saw the notes of tobacco, amber, and honey, I thought I knew what to expect.
It is definitely spicy, but not peppery/stingy-spicy. It is more smooth/soft/wet/medicinal-spicy.
Almost reminds me a little of cough syrup.
Even if they are not listed as notes, I feel like it has some cherry or plum in it.
The incense is not smoky, it is more like if you were to smell an unburnt incense stick.
I can also smell something else going on, which I think can be attributed to the hay.
Very interesting and quite unlike any fragrance I have smelt before. I find it comforting. 7,5/10.

Tobacco, amber, and honey, are my favorite combination. Great for cold weather, cozy and comforting. Long lasting, and I love the smell of amber.

Chergui really took its time to grow on me. I blind bought a bottle a couple of months ago and at first I wasn't impressed. I kept going back to try it every now and then. I now love this fragrance. I'm not sure if the bottle needed to macerate and mature or if it's really an acquired taste but I find it addictive now. It's one of those fragrances I spray randomly out of my collection just to sit and smell the nuances of the fragrance. It's not the type of fragrance I would wear out everyday or for compliments,this is a personal scent for me. It is very romantic and my wife likes it but it's not one of those date night fragrances you would wear out to a regular date. This is more of a very formal type romantic fragrances. To me personally it's something I wear for myself to enjoy. If you buy a bottle or try a sample and don't like it at first keep trying it out,I am glad I didn't just write it off on first impression.

To me, this is in the same genre as TF Noir extreme. This is all what i wanted tf noir extreme to be and wasn't. It's similar to TF (this is the first thought i had on initial spray) but it's obvious to me that there was more effort/creativity put into it. It has this beautiful resionus/minty accord that i love and a subtle sweetness that makes it unisex. There's a hint of incense that hovers over the whole composition but it doesn't become the main player (I'm not very fond of incense). Im beginning to explore tobacco accords and this one is definitely a love (tried tobacco vanille and wasn't impressed enough to get a fb 🥺).

If there really are tobacco and honey notes in this- or incense, rose, or sandalwood, for that matter- they live and die in the first few seconds for me. The initial spray is sweet, exotic, and delicious, and definitely "wow"s me. But literal seconds later, all that is gone and all I can smell is an extremely powdery musk with a lot of hay in it. I would go so far as to call it a powder BOMB in fact. Early on, while the sweetness is still fading, it reminds me of Evening In Paris, but very quickly it loses most of that sweetness. On paper the hay note came through ridiculously strongly, and on skin it's still pretty prominent- a gourmand for horses and cows, indeed! Tons of powder, tons of hay, and some musk. That's all I get. (To be perfectly honest, once this settles down it reminds me a lot of Kitten Fur by Demeter plus a lot of HAY!) It's not a bad scent, but it's not for me; I'm looking for tobacco fragrances, and I just can't describe Chergui that way.

Vanilla powder sweet tobacco .. i found Shalimar to be more attractive .. this one is great too both have the same vibes
Worth it
7.8/10

I was really excited for this one, the notes looked right up my alley. On paper this was a really special sweet tobacco balanced with plenty of sweet honey and smokey incense. On my skin, it opens with an absurd amount of powder, strong and cough-inducing. This cloying quality carries over to the tobacco heart note, like a sad blunt put out in the dregs of a cheap, too-sweet whiskey. The tobacco note is really lovely but the accompanying powder, honey, and hay add interest but not likeability.

Edit: still definitely a more powdery take on tobacco, but after a few wears I also get the sparkle of warm spice. This is one that will definitely improve with age.

Probably an unpopular opinion but to me Chergui is prettiest on a warm summer night (it could be just me!). Chergui isn’t a beast and is never cloying (again could be just me, I use it moderately). The lovely syrupy sweetness is so balanced hence so alluring I can never stop smelling my wrists when I’m wearing it.

Tobacco, amber and some spicy sweetness. This is a massive fragrance and might not be the best for the office. Definitely a fragrance for winter/fall. It is pretty unique but not for everyone. It leans masculine but could likely be worn by any gender.

Idk, I can't say it's bad, but definitely not for me. Very pungent, mostly manly, gives me a lot of bath gel vibes, and just a little bit of sweetness. I expected more from this fragrance, since it's so popular.

The vibe of the bottle (actually the entire SL brand really) and the colour gave me classic Hong Kong zombie horror movie vibes, and I was right.

Have never been a fan of incense or tobacco smell but the incense notes in Chergui truly is remarkable. A perfect mix of religious piety and sinful lust.

9.5/10

One of my blind buy mistakes based off other fraghead descriptions.
This fragrance is extremely pungent in the opening and to my nose I get a smell that reminds me of a heavy cherry cough syrup with baby powder poured on top.
I honestly don’t get anything close to smelling tobacco, hay or honey.
The powdery vibe remains throughout the fragrance but tones down slightly with some smokiness from the incense.
I always think of fragrances as timeless and ageless, but to my nose, this scent feels dated to a particular era, the old school.
Not a bad thing at all.

I dont care about sillage in fragrances but this like a beast on me.I can be recognized by this scent wherever I pass and it's really nice.it's like my second signature fragrance.gosh i can't imagine myself without it

below a guy wrote that this smell and hay will please horses and cows I speak for my horses; I hope so they love dude 😂

I've had Chergui on my shelf for years and my "shelf" has gotten very out of hand and as a result I've neglected Chergui for a few years now. I have the "old" bottle and the liquid has turned nearly black. I must have worn it for a bit because there is a good dent but the juice has darkened so much it looks like spilled ink when I spray it on my skin. The last memory I have of wearing this is on a very cold but bright day, the sillage of unlit tobacco, green hay, golden honey and vanilla powder blooming into the crisp air. Why I put it away for so long I have no idea.

It's funny that this scent is named after an Eastern wind that blows through Morocco. Chergui is firmly in the fall and cold weather category for me, but now that I'm reacquainted with the scent I think I was relying on my impression of the top notes a bit too much. Once the strong, textured tobacco, honey, and incense wears down it turns into a quite comforting scent of iris, rose, hay, vanilla, and honeyed incense and amber on a bed of plush musk. It's extremely comforting and chic. I could see how some could see this as too powdery but I find it rather well blended. I still prefer to wear it in the cooler temperatures but once you get to the dry down it would work in all seasons as it's not strong or overpowering.

I like rediscovering my perfumes like this. What a good day for Chergui.

Too powdery for a man.

One of the best tobacco frangrances out there. A must own.

My experience is a lot like Macabra_Cadabra's. This smells old fashioned and powdery, and not in a charming way. The notes had me imagining a dreamy autumn scent, full of warmth and gentle sweetness. Instead it's like opening an old lady's medicine cabinet and getting a noseful of face powder and band-aids. Finally at the one-two hour mark a very powdery amber comes through. It's not worth waiting for that, though. There are better ambers out there.

If you’re ever curious how a Hay note in a fragrance smells I’d say this is the one to try. A lot of hay and some honey. I’d imagine that horses and cows would find this scent to be quite a gourmand. If there is tobacco in here it’s drowned out by hay honey and some powder. Compared to other Honey bombs like Back to Black one in which I also get no tobacco this isn’t even a particularly nice honey note, It may be how it blends with the hay. As the hay smell settles it’s fairly pleasant and dries down nicely. Still My least favorite Lutens so far. 2.5/5

Bleeeech. Over-the-top baby powder to open, then amber comes in. It's heavy and old-ladyish and get-it-off-me NOW. If you're looking for honey, keep looking (I recommend Habibi's Honeyed Tobacco Oud). Learn from my mistake and don't blind buy this one. If anyone wants a 75% full bottle, LMK.

This wasn’t at all what I was expecting. On me, the top notes are very public restroom wafer, then sweet baby powder, followed by a strong amber/benzoin, honey, sandalwood, incense with a hint of tobacco. but hey, maybe it’ll grow on me…

I honestly expected this to be a gourmand fragrance. Something strong for fall/winter times, but it is so musky/powdery and has too much similarity with JPG Fleur du Male (2007). I think I will pass this on to some sporty male in my family because even though I love unisex and male parfumes, this just isn't it.

I get a honey tobacco soup that lasts for 12 hours. Smells like something’s missing from this. Pretty disappointed so far considering it’s prominence among tobacco fragrances. Not working for me so far.

I love this perfume. My favorite perfume so different and warm. I loved it from the first time I smelled it.

I didn't expect Chergui to smell like this, mainly because the notes portray a very dense and heavy composition, full of amber honey tobacco smoke powdery notes etc. To my nose it isn't like that at all, instead it is a very fresh and ethereal take on the sweet powdery iris woody tobacco combo.

I am aware this has been reformulated many times, and to my nose it currently comes across more like an iris fragrance rather than a heavy smoky tobacco scent, therefore I also don't see the comparison to any of the Tom Ford Tobacco offerings or other tobaccos on the market, except of Diptyque Volutes.
The top note is a clear iris accord to me of the Dior Homme Intense type, fine powdery and expansive and airy with a certain minty quality running through it bringing a good amount of freshness through the formula. Underneath I immediately get heaps of tonka/coumarin, which smells sweet and vanillic but with a certain leathery darkness to it immediately evoking unlit tobacco leaves, but also a sweet bundle of hay.
Surprisingly I don't get a very clear honey note, none of the animalic urinous touches typical to honey, instead more of a syrupy sweetness as part of the powdery iris accord. There is also a subtle spice undercurrent running through.

All in all it is very nice. Speaking purely about the latest formulation, I feel it is clearly eclipsed by Diptyque Volutes, which feels denser, more tobacco heavy, more realistic in the honey and cinnamon. I don't recommend Chergui as a tobacco fragrance, but if you are looking for a sweet powdery spicy oriental, this is an excellent place to start.

Edit: definitely completely unisex, because of the cosmetic powdery facets.

I believe this has been heavily reformulated. It is not poorer in quality. It just is different, and less unique as it was 5 years ago.
It used to be more spicy, with cinnamon.

Now it is somewhat of a Tom Ford "Tobacco Oud" clone, heavy on labdanum/ amber.
I don't really get any tobacco here. I get some sandalwood and a hay note, with a dash of honey.
So it reminds me a little of Diptyque Volutes edt.

Too bad, it used to be about the best Lutens fragrance.
I blind bought this, and regret it some. Because it has lost its uniqueness. It still is warm, and pleasant. It has very good quality notes. It smells natural. You can spray very liberally, and it gets better that way.

Upon the initial blast, I thought “this is way too powdery.” Then after 20 minutes or so, i thought “this leans way too feminine for me”, then a little later it was “this is way to sweet.”
Then, after an hour or so, “this is nice, but way too subtle, too subdued, approachable even,” I was, for whatever reason, expecting some strange challenging beast, not for the uninitiated.
Then, an hour and a half or so in… the most amazing, realistic sweetened tobacco! Yes, its subtle, but it’s highly nuanced. Ultimately It just makes me think of a high quality, naturally complex tobacco. With a little added sweetness. So then once you start really appreciating it you realize how beautiful and claming it is, and somehow just slightly off-kilter.
It still does feel safer and more crowd pleasing than I was expecting, which is my only lasting critique.
They hay note is there in the background (it made me think of the hay/stable note in Lalique Equus actually), especially earlier on, but that fades into the more tobacco dominant scent as it progresses.

Second wearing, I sprayed it right before my girlfriend came home, and as soon as she walked in the door she said “you smell delicious,” so it passes that test.
Also, absolutely a great value at the prices on discounters.
Still, it just feels kind of safe/mass-appealing/not all that unique to me.

This is the scent of my autumn this year. It reminds me of a warm and sunny October day, with its colorful falling leaves and golden light that create a unique and cozy aesthetic.
Chergui is a sweet perfume with prominent notes of tobacco, honey and incense. It’s slightly spicy and definitely warm, and the longevity to me is great (8-10 hours and even more on clothes). I prefer it on clothes as on my skin, I get too much incense, but it is much lighter when you wear it outside.
This is my first bottle from Serge Lutens and I simply love the aesthetic. I am 100% sure this is not my last one :)

A posh, spicy dusty, sweet (extremely classy sweetness) oriental, mixed with iris to give it sort of a powdery feel. Unique, and better than most of the sweet stuff out there. I would pick this any day over tobacco vanille, any kilian fragrance, or any winter fragrance. Complex and never boring, or annoying. One of the most stylish and special scents i've ever come across.

Beautiful opening, but then I start to get a strong sour pickle smell, both on skin and on paper. Would be such a great scent otherwise. I agree with one of the reviews below that the saltiness kind of ruins it. I think that I would still enjoy it on someone else though!

I wasn't sure how I'd ilke the hay note in this, but got a sample and turns out the dry hay note adds an interesting twist that I quite enjoy. On me this is a powdery, sweet, and soft spicy tobacco amber. I dig lavender, but I don't get lavender from this, but I do get the iris and rose that softens this up enough to be more unisex. Good fragrance, and superb quality as usual from Serge Lutens. I find that this feels more like a special occasion fragrance and not a daily driver or signature scent.

Scent: 3.5/5
Longevity: 4/5
Sillage: 3/5

Chergui is a sweet, surprisingly powdery tobacco scent with a nice amber base. Inspired by the dry wind that comes from the Sahara, it is evocative of its theme - dry, woody and spicy in addition to the smoky amber. The lavender note of the opening is a surprising addition, and one I'm not convinced by, but Chergui is a modern classic for a reason.

Chergui opens with an aromatic lavender note, realistic and reasonably strong. After it subsides somewhat, the sweet, smoky tobacco emerges early on, and a salty amber base develops in the background. This amber-tobacco accord forms the crux of this scent. The hay note enhances the tobacco nicely, and some soft, sweet spices add warmth. It is not very floral, but some powdery rose is evident as it develops.

Incense enhances the smokiness of the tobacco as it progresses on my skin - soft, but church-like, and honey adds rich sweetness to the drydown. The honeyed incense accord is an inspired progression of the sweet tobacco accord at the heart, making for a richer effect during the drydown stage. It becomes woody and musky as it fades, with the amber accord mellowing into a sweet skin scent with a hint of spice. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting.

Perfectly unisex, this is an interesting take on a spicy-amber scent featuring sweet tobacco and florals. Surprisingly powdery, it is fits its theme remarkably well without being a cliché. Personally, I would have preferred less lavender in the opening, but a great scent regardless. Autumnal vibes in a bottle, it is ideal for cold weather. Classic in style with some unexpected facets, this is another creative gem from Serge Lutens. 4/5.

In brief, this profile, sweet tobacco, has been done much better with Naxos and Side Effect. Pleasant enough, but not best in class.

It’s still ahead of Herod and on par with Spicebomb Extreme.

8/10

The saltiness from amber makes it bad. It would have been interesting otherwise.

It is true: there is lavender in this. As a lavender perfume, I love it. As a tobacco one, I prefer Volutes.

When I first tried this it was a big love. I went through a decant and after that I bought a 50ml. Over time, and after smelling and buying more fragrances this has fallen completely out of rotation for me. I still think it is lovely, but just a little too powdery and nice for my personality. I swapped it away.

Re-sniffing after a few years via a sample. Middle age male, upper-moderate frag experience level.

Positive and negative:

I had to scroll quite a ways down to find others who experienced the lavender. When you don't like a note...lol...you know when you're smelling it.

So the opening and most of the life of it over six hours for me (test strip in my room) is that of a powdery and dusty lavender, the lavender's "sweetness" being the sweet part, very little tobacco.

That sums it up.

I'm a big tobacco fan, but have never liked lavender, so it's not something I'd wear or reach for as a room scent again in the near future, maybe a few years down the line.

It has an "old" and nostalgic vibe for me, I wouldn't say in a bad way at all; I can see where people get a sense of comfort from it.

And lastly, for me, it has a distinctly feminine vibe, much more so than I expected. I was immediately reminded of any Chanel product...I have no idea why. And fwiw, I'm all about unisex, I have no problem wearing natural florals for example as a fairly masculine male.

So overall, the lavender-ish aspect makes it a "no" for me, simply because that note makes me sick.

But I can understand people liking the scent, it is well crafted/blended, for me more linear than dynamic. Def heavy on the powder, have to be a powder fan to be into this.

Interesting and I'd mark it middle to upper level quality, a bit over-rated and over-hyped. I wouldn't get this if you're looking for a tobacco-forward scent.

The name is perfect to portray the juice inside, unstoppable like a hot firey wind from the desert. A super popular gem, with over 9.300 votes on Fragrantica and still manage to get 4.25 score.

For me it is a perfect blends of amber spicy genre. Right amout of smoke from incense and unique nuance of hay. Sweetness from honey and tobacco leafs, and floral facets from iris and rose. Sandalwood and musk also creatw a steady and creamy body on the dry down.

The performance is stunning, more than 9 hours on my skin, with huge projection, a typical of filled-the-room fragrance.

A complete package and masterpiece from perfumer Christopher Sheldrake.

Fall & winter spicy tobacco scent... such a masterpiece !

Got a sample of this from Serge Lutens' website. I have to say that I gave this a lot of chance, but it is not for me. If you have a relative that smokes a pipe or a scented cigar of some sort then you have smelled most of Chergui before. I feel like I smell like a men's sports bar in the 80's when I wear this... if you have no prior associations of smoking relatives then go for it.

Oddly enough... the incensey powdery bit does remind me of Cacharel's Lou Lou.

I keep coming back to this. Every time I test other spicy Ambers they lean too grandpa-ish (old man, golf cap, drives a buick). They smell like pure tobacco. They smell like old spice. Or otherwise they just smell like a cotton candy sugar scrub. Etc etc etc.

Chergui opens with spicy chai and sweet tobacco notes. It dries down to almost a milky-honeyed-waxy-hay on me. It isn't powdery. It's so inviting and comforting. The sweetness is subtle and natural, as grass and flowers are sweet, as autumn woods are sweet. There is the echo of fading greenness to the hay even, the way there is with dying grasses this time of year. The people who keep bringing up sweet hay and tobacco leaves drying in a barn absolutely are not kidding. It is not spun sugar. It is not cloying. It is not candy. It is Chergui. I think this is going to become my autumn winter signature.

I’ve come back to do another review of this! I’ve fallen completely in love with Chergui! It’s warm, autumnal spice with a cosy glowing bonfire! It’s gone from being ‘meh’ to ‘WOWZER’.
If you’re in any doubt about this fragrance keep with it because you will love it ❤️

I sampled Chergui and L'Air du Desert Marocain (Tauer), both of which are fragrances inspired by air/wind of north African region. I would describe Chergui as how the air smells during the day and L'Air du Desert Marocain as the air at night.
Chergui is a powdery, honeyed tobacco. The warm wind blows dusty hay and sticky honey into your face, you are standing under the burning sun, trying to breathe in more air but couldn't.
Soft and unisex. A safe tobacco scent which is just too powdery for my liking.

I bought this as a blind buy. I can honestly say I wouldn’t have bought it had a tested it. However, it’s certainly not a bad fragrance. In fact when I wear it I kinda like it. I’d say it’s an autumnal fragrance that reminds me of a foggy morning right after bonfire night! The hay, amber, tobacco leaf and incense really comes through.
I’m not disappointed by this fragrance. I was attracted to this because of its honey notes as I like sweeter fragrances. It’s not one I’d buy again but it’s not in my ‘give away’ box either. Definitely a keeper and I’m hoping it grows on me!

This reminds me a lot of Fève Délicieuse from Dior.

My first experience with Serge Lutens Chergui back in 2014 opened my eyes in way of what can be achieved with perfumery.

Until that year, the majority of my perfume collection consisted of designer perfumes mainly. To say that smelling this Serge Lutens perfume was a turning point in my fragrance hobby would be an understatement.

TOP NOTES
Chergui opens up with subtle citruses that quickly transform into a dry rose along with slightly carnal honey, and tonka bean.

There is no other fragrance on the market that smells like this, especially when it’s all about the quality. Even with the reformulated version, the construction and the ingredients are up to the level.

HEART NOTES
To my nose, the full power of woody, oriental, and slightly musky/medicinal undertones bloom to their full potential in heart. The warmth of resins, and aromatic nature of tobacco transport the wearer to the colder months of the year, maybe even to the Christmas holidays without getting too sweet.

BASE NOTES
The ghost note of this fragrance which many have avoided mentioning is the tonka bean that anyone slightly experienced with perfumery will imidate detect from the first spray.

Thankfully, this note doesn’t go too sweet and boosts up the sandalwood in the base. The honey and the musk fade, but are still present while the tobacco settles into the vanillic amber which is the same one used in Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan and Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Grand Soir.

Read the full review on scentgrail.com

My second review after having the scent for a few months.
I still am in love with it, and there is no “but”. I rarely wear sweet fragrances but this one is an exception (also not too sweet).
Wearing it is an experience because the first whiff is sweet, shortly after you notice the powder and before it gets too much again there is a bozy smoky darkness to wrap up the “cycle”. So the scent feels like a complete short olfactory trip. Every whiff engages me in its phases. On me, 4 sprays perform >11 hours, with projection!

The person wearing this would smell luxurious and mysterious. They pull you in with their initial sweet innocent looks, but you get a vibe of darkness in the background! So you think “huh, there is more into this”! Which I find it perfect for dates!

All in all, an absolute love!

I love the way this smells. Like tobacco hanging in a barn drying with a dry down of cozy ambers.

I wish this perfume performed better on my skin.

7/10

This was a blind buy and I was so impressed I love the smell I will buy more perfumes by Serge Lutens this was the first one I tried. I love it.

Rich, warm honey with grassy hay notes and a warm, somewhat vanillic drydown

Easily in my Top Five Fragrances of all time -- right up there with pre-reformulation Antaeus (Chanel) and Musc Ravageur (Malle)

I don't normally like tobacco heavy fragrances, but I don't actually GET much tobacco from this, at least not tobacco like I've smelled it before, so I was surprised to find enjoyed it a lot. Fwiw, Volutes, which a lot of people find similar, does give me a lot of tobacco and I dislike it for this reason. To me, this is all about hay and honey.
Unfortunately, my sample feels very watered down, and I have to spray 2x more than I normally do - I haven't had this issue from other Lutens or other tobacco scents. I'm guessing this scent is a victim of reformulation. I would buy it if it were stronger.

ambery leather / incense.

Chergui is sweet, powdery, spicy as well as tobacco-infused fragrance. This is so addictive, boozy, cozy, wearable and more of a masculine fragrance. But I believe strong women can also wear it pretty well. It's more of a perfume for the colder nights. I'm getting rich, sensuous and luxury vibes when I wear it. Also pretty good silage and longevity

I wasn't sure about this when I first tried it, but when I tried it again in colder weather... wow. It's smoky, similar to the smoke of Jazz Club, which must be the tobacco. However, unlike Jazz Club, it's not overpowering. The smoke is paired with the sweetness of honey and spices that remind me of Chai tea - cinnamon? cloves? cardamom? Totally unisex and incredibly long-lasting, Chergui is great; well-worth the price, in my opinion.

Among the legends of autumn

Serge Lutens Chergui is one of the representative perfumes of the house and I add, at least for me it is a jacket tailored to wear the most comfortable in autumn. It has all the attributes of a warm, slightly melancholic scent, a breeze of yesterdays memories.

Chergui is not a perfume that highlights the note of tobacco, iris or amber. But you can talk about this perfume in accords, which is why Serge Lutens is not known for polishing certain notes but rather for his artistic criteria. Tobacco, hay and incense make me think of the dry leaves on the asphalt. Try to crush a few leaves in your fist and put them on your nose. You'll notice what I'm talking about.


That dry, dusty, smoky smell is rounded with honey and amber. Even your nose is bitten by a boozy aroma, a little alcoholic touch, although I can't find any note of rum or other liqueur in the olfactory pyramid. So the scent becomes warm, slightly powdery, maybe from iris and sweet.

Think of that feeling as you walk out of a bar full of drinks on old, dusty wooden shelves after a few hours of warming up. You get outside and a cold breeze blows a few dry leaves in your nose. Chergui is about that...

A day at the border between October and November when the warm days are interfere with the cold and rainy ones.

The performance of the perfume is good. It lasts on the skin for more than 6..7 hours and if you abuse it, maybe even better. You wouldn't mind anyway, being a pleasant and attractive perfume.

Chergui is without a doubt one of the legends of autumn. An invitation to a walk on leaves. Take it out of the box at the right moment and it will give you full experience, sensations that you may have thought you forgot.

Don't like this one very much, my favourite tobacco by Serge Lutens is Fumerie Turque, which is in my opinion much better than this and deserves the recognition that Chergui gets.

I love this one! It's a shame I don't give it much wear.
Powdery honeyed tobacco with woods. Smells really elegant, sexy and daring but not loud. Slightly subdued and mature.

-Black label formulation-

Chergui was gifted to me at the beginning of this year, and 28 perfumes later, it's still my favorite. It was my introduction into niche perfume, the dark juice was unlike anything I knew. When I first wore it, my family laughed and said I smelled like grandpa! Well, I kept wearing it, and the richness of the incense, spices and honeyed tobacco became clearer to me.

Chergui is dark and elegant, but I find it so comforting to be reminded of this sophistication, even when underdressed in the winter.

Perfectly unisex.

I smell the tobacco (leaves, not smoky tobacco) and spice in this and I think it's really beautiful. I like how it has this "dry" quality that reminds me of Baccarat 540. Almost dusty.

My only complaint for myself is that when it dries down it is primarily vanilla, and a bit oppressively so. I wish the spice quality was there a bit more in the drydown. But the vanilla is high quality and anyone who is fine with a pure vanilla scent will love it.

With my sample of this I get some clean musk at the opening and also lavender and leather. I've never smelt musk as a top note before and the lavender is an odd fit. I think the leather may be the hay. I barely notice the tobacco. It then settles to a pleasant dry powdery amber. It's well made, but lacks the operatic sweep I like in other amber perfumes – a bit office-safe, but perhaps that's a good thing to have in your amber arsenal.

There is something in this formula that causes an asthmatic allergic response in me, which borders on anaphylaxis. I suspect it is the tobacco, but I've tested other fragrances with that note and have not had the same response. Maybe it's the hay? Whatever it is, Chergui is a fragrance I have to steer clear of.

It’s good but not really an absolute love. Way too powdery. Wish there was more tobacco and honey presence, I nearly don’t detect them.

Like other reviewers warned, I am sorely disappointed with this one. It smells like a dark, unisex, expensive baby powder. The notes are just lost in this one.

Smells like sweet root-beer flavored baby powder. That being said, the iris flowers in my yard smell like root beer, so generously I could say the notes that stand out in this perfume are iris, powder, and honey.

Holy Smokin Tobacco Batman!

This is a masterpiece - dark, brooding, sexy. If Darth Vader was on a date with Padme, this is what he would wear. And I'm sure more Lukes and Leias would have followed.

Certified Banger.

10/10

If we talk about tobacco-amber fragrances, then Chergui will be the first among those worthy of mention. Dry, warm, almost not sweet, and saturated with balsamic and amber shades, it is like a hot desert wind rolling over yellow dunes. Honey here is rather herbal, spicy, hot — it organically integrates into the amber chord, complicates and colors it, but the main role is still given to tobacco. It is difficult to call it pipe or cigarette - it's abstract tobacco. But besides it, there are echoes of medicinal herbs dried in a wooden attic, a cosmetic musky shade, and even some deliberate masculinity.

When the ground around is covered with fallen leaves and frost, white as mold, the dry and hot wind Chergui picks up and takes it to the desert — contrary to the name, much south of the Moroccan one. With bright shades of rose and tobacco, as well as their transcendent contrast, the aroma resembles the Dead Valley in Namibia: the trees in it died from drought hundreds of years ago and are in natural conservation. The surreal landscape was featured in episodes of Tarsem Singh's visually perfect films — "The Cage" and "Outland." Chergui is also perfect — charred wood, hay covered in honey, and shimmering amber dunes.

Most people think of this as a fall or winter fragrance but weirdly I like it now in the spring. In the cool morning and cool nights of spring. I am getting tobacco and florals ( hence the Iris)right away, then it softens into a beautiful honeyed hay scent which I love! I’m a horse girl so I love the smell of hay!

Serge Lutens was my first introduction into niche fragrances so it always holds a place in my heart and I will always have this scent and others in my collection!!

Longevity is amazing and sillage is perfect it surrounds me and will definitely leave a trail. Unisex and smells amazing on everyone! Chergui, I love you 🥰

Smells very high quality, it's got a dark quality to it unlike tobacco vanille, and it is even darker than herod. I am not sure everyone would like it though, I didn't like it at first smell but now I am thinking about getting a full bottle.

to me on skin it's like a waxy honeycomb smell, almost like a plastic smell.
so basically on my skin I get the honey and iris. but on paper, I get the tobacco, amber and incense.
the smell on paper is what I want on my skin 😩

also I don't find much similarities to tobacco reserve.
TR is more aromatic, more herbaceous, thick and juicy.
like being in a thick dense jungle with humidity at 💯.
Chergui is a dry sweet amber (on my skin). I might try it on my clothes to see if I get the same smell as on the paper.
I have a feeling Chergui will have more similarities to Diptyque's valutes than TR.
valutes has been in my wanted list for year's, I think it might be time I pull the trigger on that one.

to finish it off, at the moment I'm leaning more towards tobacco reserve.

.... by the way Chergui smells amazing still.

this I just got and it was a FOMO buy.
it was sitting in my wishlist for years, then i noticed it was out of stock. they haven't restocked in months (all beauty and Serge's website)
but then I see they both restocked on a new bottle. (purple bottle) which is a 25ml "confit de parfum" and costs £100!!
so, doesn't look like that the tall bottles of Chergui is now discontinued?

I'm guessing there's some stock left of Amber Sultan at the moment, because same goes for AS. it comes in a 25ml bottle as well. the bottles look the same (purple) just with different label of course.

p.s
this possibility of discontinuation im speaking about is for UK

Warm spicy fragrance that stays most of the day. Moderate Sieage. This smells similar to tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford, but not exactly. I do think Tobacco Vanille is much better, but if you don't want to spend those coins get this.

I can't believe I'm going to be saying this.

I loved this fragrance. I bought a 5ml sample and at first sniff I immediately thought so highly of this that I added it to my Top 5 here on Fragrantica. It smelled so wonderful just as everyone says it does.

Well, today, that honeymoon phase ended. I sprayed it on and almost instantly I got this babies diaper aroma. I was very puzzled and caught off guard that just know at this moment I realized I associated this fragrance with a powdery babies diaper. I couldn't shake it. This powdery baby diaper smell was following everywhere to the point I scrubbed it off me. Later in the day I went back to the atomizer and smelled it and still powdery baby diapers.

Its a shame this didn't work out for me. Luckily I only bought a 5ml of it, that's why you test. I envy you all who are able to truly enjoy this fragrance. Perhaps today was just an outlier and I'll come back to this in the fall time and see how it goes then.

What a beautifully crafted unique tobacco scent. Chergui smells so different from every other tobacco fragrances I've tried. It's got depth and complexity, but definitely not as heavy as normal tobacco scents go, which tend to have a warm spicy vibe. The tobacco here is clean, sophisticated, dry, airy, but at the same time also slightly dark, earthy and mysterious. I love how the honey note sweetens up the tobacco, giving it a smooth and almost creamy finish. The hay note is by far the most interesting and is what gives fragrance its character. It's quite a natural and realistic interpretation, giving a fresh, cozy, grassy, calming effect. It also brings some contrast that keeps the sweetness in check, balancing an otherwise quite sweet fragrance. Sandalwood, iris add to the smoothness and brings a bit powdery vibes as the supporting notes, and incense adds a slightly dark, smokey touch to the tobacco.

Chergui smells incredibly high quality, very classy and refined, I can see an older gentleman with very good tastes rocking something like this. At the same time, the hay note gives it this other side which reminds me of some relaxing scenery of peaceful European country side if that makes sense. If you are a tobacco fragrance lover this is a must try.

Opening: 9.5/10
Dry down: 9.5/10
Uniqueness: 10/10
Versatility: 8/10
Presentation: 9.3/10
Sillage: 9/10
Longevity: 9.7/10
Sprays: 2-4
Season: Fall, winter, spring
Occasion: Signature, dress up, cozy

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

It seems to divide opinion, but to me this is outstanding.
I do think there is a problem with how it's categorized: spicy amber? I don't think it's that.
Also, the notes mentioned: Tobacco leaf, the photo used implies something else, but the leaf is in fact a green aromatic note with sweet undertone.
Another problem: Hay. But, which type of hay. 'Just been cut' is different to 'dried out'. To my nose it has a sort of oxygenated feel to it. Like clean air. I get this a lot in the drydown, which to me is the best part.

I have a deep respect for Chergui--it's unique and masterfully blended.

I do not like it.

There is something sweet and synthetic in the heart of this scent that instantly reminds me of my narcissistic mother. Plastic plants collecting dust. Cheap potpourri. The Soji Tabuchi powder room at night. Cleaning solution unsuccessfully attempting to cover the smell of sh*t in a doctor's office bathroom. A manufactured pleasantry thinly veiling deep, unspoken resentment. A lonely childhood.

Sigh, time to swap this out for something a little more comforting and hopeful...

I thought it would be sweet. Chergui really has that kind of desert and sandy mood, dry and bitter. A lot of tobacco and incense, it is the feeling of eating a mouth full of sand. The wind was not too hot, the vanilla popped out quickly, the wind suddenly slowed down, and under the blown sand, there was dense amber. Sweet but not greasy, well balanced. It is worthy of the first classics of the serge lutens brand.

Got a bottle without sample 1st&this leans more masculine to me,maybe the sharpness&yet it remains unisex i feel,its very beautiful,just to me this is definitely how 🎄 christmas would smell if it had an actual scent,if i wore it... id only would wear in the winter...its dreamy inside a cabin ..with pine trees&how christmas would smell,not for me however...it for some reason reminds me of how a family christmas reunion would smell,pine tree,gifts,fire,cozy,a table of slightly sweet treats in the backround~strange~more like an old nostalgic memory of mine,sharpness tho ruins it for my taste tho as far as a fragrance,great creation enjoyed experience...gave my full bottle away to a male friend~ lasts decently

I usually don’t get swayed by hype especially from fragcom since most of the reviews are actually not sincere and free bottles seem to command the hype train
But this one was hyped before free bottles and now that I bought it I still can’t get it
It starts like joop homme I seriously don’t know where this coming from but after an hour or so it changes to something better and more interesting I still feel like I should test it more but so far it’s a “like” for me

It smells amazing! I love the camphor like medicinal note in the opening, and the dry down is very soothing. Would describe this as a cozy fragrance. I wish it was more of a beast so it could hold its own in winter, projection is very light but last a while and I can smell it for hours before it becomes a true skin scent. Wish I could have tried the old formulation, but am still very happy with it!

Sweet, powdery, spicy, and tobacco. All in one. Oh yes! That’s what makes it unisex. There is a masculine, cozy, warm, and addictive feel along with feminine delicacy and smoothness. This is most suitable for winter and fall with honey and woody notes. This is nice, a decent yet beautiful one that feels sensuous, deep, and kind of singing piece. There is Iris, hay sugar, incense, honey, amber, tobacco leaves, sandalwood, and musk in it. The opening is a kind of rosy honeydew with an iris that has nuances of violets and other floral notes. The heart is more of homey and tobacco with the creaminess and warmth of amber. This reminds me of Obsession by Calvin Klein, Bvlgari Black by Bvlgari, Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford. There is strength, elegance and seduction in it that is not just normal. There is a unique charm and beauty in this. Beauty at its best.

Oh, Chergui, you've been in my life for so long. I first was acquainted with it way back in 2008 during a visit to the Serge Lutens counter at Barney's in Boston. I had never heard of Serge Lutens until that day, and was drawn into the line immediately. The sales associate gave me a handful of samples (this, Ambre Sultan, Arabie, and Cedre) and my love affair began.

The sheer, luminous tobacco note that is in Chergui is only mildly sweet, touched with honey, and supported by a significant dose of hay absolute. Chergui is just as much a hay fragrance as it is tobacco, with warm, grassy, earthy, deep fruity elements of hay present. Iris is more evident in the heart, its dry, cool, silvery texture contrasting with the warmer notes. Everything is round and supple, few serrated edges save for a welcome suggestion of medicinal bitterness, just a subtle undertone. Over time it all settles into comforting, dusky, musky woodiness.

What's fascinating to me is how Chergui has found itself the standout from SL in the fragrance community, with many only familiar with the house through it. Indeed, Chergui is arguably another masterstroke from Christopher Sheldrake, but I invite those who are unfamiliar to explore others from the house (including the aforementioned). It remains one of my favorite houses, for nearly 14 years.

This one is a fairly unisex fragrance. To my nose it starts out ever so slightly masculine, strongly balsamic with not a lot of sweetness or florals. The drydown brings out the florals a bit more and it feels like it sweetens up and starts to lean a bit more feminine. Overall, quite unisex throughout.

The honey note is present but it's surprisingly not very sweet. The hay, honey, incense and tobacco blend together and create this almost sour balsamic smell. The florals are the only thing here that really add a dose of femininity to this fragrance.

This one is smooth, sophisticated and perfect for winter. Comforting and warm. The prominent balsamic vibe I get from this makes me think of Grand Soir.

This one is very well blended, I can see why there's hype around it. I like this scent profile but I'm still on the fence about loving this one, I'll need to give it a full wearing before I pass judgement.

It's savory, almost too savory for a woman, but the florals give it a slight feminine twist that might scare men away from wearing it. You really gotta be a perfume aficionado to enjoy this juice.

I should of listened to the few reviews that said this isn't a pure tobacco fragrance.

Upon initial spray, I get baby powder. Then I get the hay, which makes Cherugi smell fresh and dry, not "dirty" or "earthy" tobacco like I was expecting. Even the incense didn't add any sexy, musky smokiness. Actually, everything was so blended well together, I'm not sure if I pick up incense at all.

In the mid drydown, which is about 5 minutes in, the honey comes out, lathering the hay, making the dry tobacco sweet.

I also find this fragrance to be very light? It's not deep, cloying or dark (I was expecting dark) but clean and powder-fresh in a woodsy way. Since that's the case, I can see this being worn in the summer or spring (in my opinion) because it has a clean, dry & light vibe to it.

I was expecting this to be aromatic, but it's definitely not. It's a linear fragrance.

To my nose, overall, it smells of sweet, dry woods.
I'm disappointed that it wasn't what I expected, a deep, dark complex tobacco fragrance, but I do enjoy what Cherugi came out to be.

This is definitely a "comfort" scent, and not a compliment getter (to me) because it stays very close to the skin.

Anyway I definitely "like" this scent. 6/10 for me. Ill continue my hunt for a more complex and dark tobacco fragrance.

I am a bit shocked that I have yet to write a review of this masterpiece...

What started off as tiny, half mL sample has led to three full bottles (2 newer black labels and one older beige label), and I am in search of a fourth (beige, 3 palais version). If you have this version, please PM with pictures--I would swap very generously to obtain.

I find this scent to be insanely comforting and cuddly, which I was NOT expecting based on the note pyramid. Tobacco, honey and hay are cuddly?! I don't know how, I don't know why, but all I know is that I never want to be without this scent for the rest of my life. If I had to whittle my collection down to a mere 10 fragrances (heaven forbid), this would be in that Top 10.

If it's too spicy and masculine for you, then I suppose Volutes might be a softer, smoother and more feminine answer, but as for me, I am Team Chergui all the way, all day, every day. Easily my favorite Serge Lutens fragrance of all time.

people told me it was very sweet but i was hoping for sweeter.....this smells very dry to me which i don't like ...and soon after putting it on i can't smell it anymore

oh wow! i bought a decant sample of this and it is as heady, sweet and spicy as i had hoped. it's slightly boozy and feels like a warm embrace, a wave of sweet honey rushing over you and softening the spicy tobacco. it may be a bit too mature for my age, but i almost don't care. it's lovely! i want to wear it with my brown leather coat.
i find it to be a masculine scent with an underlying femininity, if you care about that kind of stuff (i don't). a wonderful scent to keep you warm on those cold, cold winter days :)

This is my second review ever so please bear with me.
I bought a decant of this just after a recommendation online and boy this is a good find. I know understand what people are talking about when they say they can feel the fragrance in the mouth. This is a warm, spicy and sweet fragrance that i can almost taste in the air. It is really weird. It reminds me of my great grandmas spice cabinet.

Even though i really enjoy this scent, i can never really wear it myself. Everyone literally thinks i smell like food. Sometimes i spray it in my room before i go to bed just to smell it a bit before i sleep.

Absolutely a 10/10! Just wish i could wear it without making everyone ask if have spilled something on me

Wood and spice, a little honey, and then tons of dry tobacco. Too much tobacco for me, but I can see this would be a favorite for anyone who likes their scent a little bolder, warmer, and darker. There’s a tiny background hint of coconutty Datura Noir as it approaches drydown, then warm spice again. It’s quite nice.

i always keep a distance with tobacco perfumes but so many pushed me to try “chergui” and there…love at first sight. There are good perfumes and there are great perfumes. Chergui belongs to the all time greats shelf. A very unique very neat scent. You can almost feel the hours that they have worked on this. Cause it is reaaly one of a kind. Tobacco softened with soft honey and a slight breeze of amber. Not overwhelming but striking. Chergui will allways be on my shelf. For sure

Much more masculine than unisex to my nose. The powder came through strong for me and the amber lagged creating a really disjointed powdery tobacco scent. Perhaps with time I would see the beauty in this as it is clearly well loved but it was not the right match for me.

Beautiful smell and very unique. Long lasting and projection is moderate but that’s ok with me. Would recommend if you like spicy tobacco smell like tobacco vanille or side effect, it’s don’t a dupe by any means but it’s in the same family has does kinda smell. Would recommend for sure

Smells good. Didn't quite hit in the direction I would ultimately like. The creaminess of the wood and hay combo smelled and felt more of a feminine vibe on my skin, so maybe I will buy it for my wife. It would be wonderful on a woman.

I got a decant of this because I've been searching high and low for a good clove note. The opening is very rich; tobacco, honey, and amber make a boozy trio that undeniably belong together. I /really/ love the middle notes because everything mellows out a bit. Definitely on the sexy - syrupy spectrum. Great longevity and sillage, a 7/10 overall because the opening is a little too strong (for me personally).

This is a MILF perfume. Mature, warm, and put together. At first I smelled shaving cream and I had tried Shalimar's Guerlain the day before and thought oh no, not again... but this only lasts about 15 minutes then it turns into a delicious warm amber and cigar smoke. It's well blended sweet, spicy, and powdery. I own Smoke by Urban Outfitters and find it to be similar enough (and only $20, what a steal) and maybe better suited for my age but when I'm older I would consider a bottle of this. I think it really leaves an impression.

Chergui is a star, medicinally green tobacco fermented in a spicily sweet & incense-y honey. Dark, lush, a little hazy, very sexy. Major scent trail and super long-lasting, a gem for autumn and winter.

Powdery, sweet and a bit spicy along with tobacco, Chergui is so wearable, cozy and totally masculine that fits so perfect for winter and fall. Wearing this makes me feel as if natural honey is flushed over me with lots of tobacco that surprisingly smells wonders, luxury and lots of elegance. There is hay sugar, rose, iris, incense, honey, amber, tobacco, sandalwood and musk in it. Opening gives the feel of rose honey down, iris which are not powdery but floral ones. Shortly, the heart overpowers with the creamy tobacco, honey aroma and amber warmth. This phase specifically reminds me of Dreamer from Versace. But this one is great tobacco and more lovely. Lastly in the dry down phase, it becomes soft, smooth and leathery due to the blend of sandalwood and incense with other notes. This one manages to be strong, elegant, different and super seductive at the same time. An all-time compliment getter. Grab it!

Sweet tobacco and amber on the opening, then the powder kicks in and it dries down to powdery iris and a smoky hay-like scent with spiced honey and warm amber underneath. A really wonderful spicy/sweet combo. Beautiful.

My current signature scent... It's winter time now in Spain and I am wearing Chergui as a cashmere shawl. Aristocratic, warm, delicious spicy, not too sweet, melancholic.. So well rounded and blended, it instantly makes me happy! An intelligent amber fragrance, a masterpiece...
Edit: Just bought a backup bottle, because it ages beautifully.