FRAGRANCE | Serge Noire EDP by Serge Lutens is an exercise of balance among spices, incense, and wood

Serge Noire is a fairly old release from the house of Serge Lutens that I only recently got my nose on. Much like Baptême du Feu, Jeux de Peau, and many more, this fragrance only reinforces my love for this house, more so in regard to producing artistic fragrances that are definitely never run-of-the-mill. That said, they're never meant to be crowd-pleasers—and I'm more than fine with that.

The cooling sensation in the opening is marked by an abundance of cloves, carefully caressed by a wispy incense. The latter gives the cloves a different character, something a bit mysterious, differentiating itself from, say, Diptyque's Eau Lente, another clove bomb that I also adore. There's also a mild ambery sweetness working its way around, along with some cinnamon and hints of cumin-like spice. Yes, it's spicy although it's just about right for my taste. But if you're averse to spices in perfumery, you better approach this frag with caution, especially since on warmer days, the cumin tends to be a little more pronounced than it normally is.

The scent is underscored by a warm, woody accord, which helps in ushering in the gradual transition from cool and airy to warm and comforting. The latter stage sees most of the spices lift off, leaving behind an incense-smoked wood coated in mild ambery sweetness that stays on your skin for a few solid hours. Although it starts relatively strong, Serge Noire drastically loses power after an hour or two, teetering between moderate and soft territory. 

I see this more as a nighttime, cold-weather type of fragrance. However, it isn't a bad daytime choice either as long as it's not too hot outside. Heat ignites its spicy properties and with cumin on overdrive, it might be mistaken for BO. Otherwise, Serge Noire is a beautifully crafted display of spices, incense, and wood that is worth trying for the right person.