Eau de Parfum

How can one attend the coronation of Satan without ever once having tasted sin? Oud and labdanum come together to create a diabolical and sumptuous veil of indulgence and remorse for a first transgression.

La Couche du Diable (translation: The Devil’s Bedsheets) opens with a cinnamon-boozy accord pierced by rushes of citrus. As the fragrance dries, a metallic, almost blood-like tang emerges as the amber, labdanum and woods begin to take center stage, turning it warmer and more austere. The oud in this fragrance performs as a shadow on the skin, drawing attention, by contrast, to the spicy figures in the foreground. The composition as a whole flits from one “sin” to another while staying true to its amber-spiced core, with notes of flowers, citrus fruits and woods coming and going as they please. Mercurial and evolving, at times La Couche du Diable seems to hint at middle eastern perfumery, while remaining firmly planted within the west.

The longevity here is strong, but sillage stays close to the skin — quite appropriate, since only the “chosen” will get to smell it. And smell it you must, not only to experience truly daring perfumery, but also to understand the plethora of feelings this concoction evokes.

NOTES

labdanum
wood accord
agarwood (oud)
amber
cinnamon
saffron
orange
tangerine
rose
musk

NOSE — Christopher Sheldrake

France, 2019

About Serge Lutens