Cuir de Russie

Honey & warm sweet Leather... gorgeous!! L.T. Piver is a very old French perfume house comparable to Guerlain in that it served the Royalty of France in the 18th & 19th Centuries. The perfume Cuir was inspired by the French fascination with all things coming from Russia and the East, this included the smell of "Russian Leather" or " Cuir de Russie " made famous by Chanel and previously Guerlain . This is the smell of "Cossack" boots, which were meant for horseback riding, and in which birch tar was used to give the leather a less "animalic" smell. This is such a beauty for me because it has an unusual combination of honey & leather, followed by warm spices, oakmoss, amber, woods and resins... what more could you ask for? In fact, every time I spray this it makes me smile! Such a warm and happy vibe! The honey note is done very tastefully and is sweet but also dark and spicy at the same time. The whole fragrance actually reminds me of hot black tea with honey and spices... as I sometimes drink tea without milk and just with cloves and cinnamon, and sweetened with either sugar or honey! I can imagine a scene in old Russia of a noble soldier who is returning home after a long journey with his horse tired from riding many dangerous miles through forest and snow... he reaches a typical wooden house not far from the forest which is warm and has a fire... and on the fire there is hot tea waiting ready for him, and maybe some meat, bread and honey for him to eat after his long and exhausting journey. It is the smell of warm, genuine hospitality and human comfort against the bitter cold of nature outside. To me this is the perfect winter fragrance but could be worn on formal occasions at other times of the year. The whole fragrance has a "refined" and "classic" quality which is good for many different occasions. I'm grateful to the person who allowed me to sample this because without it I probably wouldn't have discovered this perfume house on my own! I'm very grateful to them! I'm recommending this one to all who love the smell of warm, winter spices and honey, with a touch of leather. I'm very impressed by this creation from L.T. Piver ., and will try more from them in future... well done!

I was looking to add to my wardrobe of leathery frags and thought this will be a nice addition.I am not really a super fan of leather as I find them not versatile enough for me.with that in mind I picked this out of all the L.T. Piver scents to be my first try from this house. I have got to agree with the previous reviewer that the spices and honey are very prominent here.you get a blast of this blend in the nostrils on first spray.I actually find it very boozy at this point but it's not off-putting at all.you pull back but at the same time you know you want more so you press again and again taking it all in.you wonder where and when this will live up to its classification and I must admit I find it hard to detect leather here which incidentally should be what this is all about.It keeps its citrusy-fruity-spicy-nutty(from the unlisted Hawthorns) combo going for a while.with time the sharpness fades along with the projection as the scent becomes a very close-to-skin scent and on my skin this is after the 6 hour mark.for that reason I will not regard this as long lasting.but anyway that depends on ones skin and amount of spray.I dont do more than 3 sprays on any fragrance anyway to avoid offence. Given its nature I will consider this as woody spicy and advice if anyone is looking to this for a leather frag then please look elsewhere.you will however be rewarded with some sweet,woody and spicy fragrance which is totally suitable for fall and winter.you can cosy up to bed with this,very addictive too. I cannot tell what the original smelled like as this has been adapted to meet current market trends so if anyone has the vintage bottle they can share with us how it differs from this.my guess is from the point of view of leather it will be the same but I may be wrong here.you will get complimented when you wear this and will fit a mature man perfectly. the packaging is exquisite,bottle beautiful even if its not the most original you will have seen. the only other fragrance that comes to mind when I wear this is Burberry London Special Edition for men 2008. I was disappointed with this at first but wound up with a treasure.talk of serendipity!!!

With an bright, aldehydic, honeyed opening with suggestions of tobacco, one would be mistaken that this modern version of Cuir de Russie would be a lighthearted, even spineless affair. On the contrary, this delightfully wispy announcement is deceptive. A minute or two in, as the sharp citrusy, almost detergent-like aldehydes settle, the dry tobacco effect is eclipsed by something similar to that of birch leaves, as if stepping into a Norwegian sauna, twiggy, green and warm, with a hot cup of herbal tea on the side. The dry down is the real showstopper though: the honey warms up a bit, and a soft, smoky, musky leather comes to the surface, with hints of styrax and even facets of lit frankincense resin. This is what we call a winter warmer. Now mind you, this is something that can be had quite affordably depending upon where you are in the world, but I am impressed that in spite of Piver's perceived "fall from grace" that a number of their scents still have their spirit and core intact, including their Cuir de Russie. Being that it has herbaceous, aromatic, and even incense elements to it, do not expect it to be comparable to others of its genre. The smokiness is subdued and tranquil, the leather is beautifully introverted, but overall, its thoroughly impressive and compelling. This is one of the best blind buys I've had.

Cuir de Russie is a name which has become synonymous with the inimitable Chanel release in 1924, and so L.T. Piver had some big boots to fill by releasing a scent of the same name just 15 years later. Whilst I don’t think it competes with the Chanel, it’s undoubtedly a gorgeous and enigmatic take on leather at a much more affordable price. The leather here is rather rugged, not clean cut and dressed up with orris and jasmine like the Chanel, it’s deep and rich - rough around the edges. An array of dry woods, bay leaf and soft spices compliment the dominating citrus notes, which provide a pronounced rindy bitterness. This is a far more masculine take on the idea of a Russian leather, lacking the delicate impression of florals to make it pretty. I really like this actually; it doesn’t blow me away but considering the price I think it’s great. I’ll definitely pick up a bottle at some point, as I think it’s worth having in the collection as a good reference leather.

Outstanding, and what a surprise, this vintage version of the lotion was an instant love The leather here has a real presence, as if it had just been prepared, it smells new but it is softened by the citrus fruits and the honey which unifies it. The spices give it a more interesting dimension and a mysterious aspect. It is a very well orchestrated perfume, perfectly harmonious! I love it but it is close to the skin, it is a lotion after all ... but whoever shares the scent of your skin will be just as happy as you! You might as well apply it to clothes, for variations with other fragrances to add a leather facet! Spring and all cold seasons or even summer evenings will be perfect for this one!