Cuir Mauresque

Intrigue may not be on the menu for the average perfume wearer, and Cuir Mauresque has a ton of it, in manner that may make some recoil but for an adventurous few, would have them swooning. Others who've reviewed it have asserted their associations with urinal pucks and antiseptic laboratories, wafting with a jarring pungency, warning others to gird their loins for its sweet, spicy skank. They all mention this as if they were all bad things—honestly! Besides, my associations aren't quite as uncouth and I let my imagination run free. I don't get locked in "presentism" and approach something that is "Moorish" with context clues—wandering La Alhambra, imagining the alchemy of its time, ancient Andalusian culture, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the perfumed leather of the age. Myrrh drives the core of the composition here, its bittersweet, complex scent profile, with its earthy licorice-root facets and spiciness. This, combined with an orange blossom accord, and a slurry of spices, could account for the medicinal, cough syrup quality that others detect. I think it's bewitching and delectable. Then there is the cumin: need I say more? The leather shares similarity with Knize Ten in that it shares the quinolines and certain hot rubberiness, but distinctly spicy, floral elements, reminding me somewhat of the heliotrope and violet of L'Heure Bleue, come into relief in its heart. Then there is Sheldrake's Musc Koublai Khan animalic base here, but here it seems more fleshed out and interlaced into the other elements that to me, surpasses the former (it seems that CM was released two years prior?). I am even reminded of the ghostly dry down of Caron Tabac Blond, with a certain creamy, buttery smooth texture late in its development, reminiscent of "aroma of the body after sex" quality of civet. Overall, Cuir Mauresque appears so divisive in its reception, some think its not enough, others think its too much. I think its the Goldilocks of its kind, never veering too far into a grubby place as some skank monsters do, yet it surely isn't a modern yawn from which there are many out there to choose. It's juuuust right...and perfect in the cool autumn temps.

i wasn't impressed by the opening as it was a bit drawback, but when i gave it a good time to dry down it gave me quite an acceptable new italian leather moreschi shoes smell combined with an expensive rich & thick night anti-aging face cream essence but in a soft creamy way, so you can smell the leather only and you can smell both with the cream essence - it depends on your decision. it is quite a bit softy dark, now it's 17 and half hours since i sprayed it on this piece of paper, so i guess it lasts long but it is soft now. a good perfume in my opinion with a reasonable price (around 130$ for 50 ml) i do feel that it is the smell of a raw rice before being cooked or even washed! just a raw essence of raw Indian rice. Edit (30th Jan 2016) one of my Friends bought this from their main shop in Paris, they told him this will be discontinued once the stock is finished, is it true? or they are saying this to sell more as other sellers does?! Edit (26th July 2024) I am very impressed that the current black tall 100ml bottle has the same juice as my 50ml vintage bottle! The only different is that the vintage is kind of smoother rounded leather spices, while the new versions is stronger boosted leather spices 50/50. I do prefer the vintage but the new version is around 90% similar to the original.

I got it in the sleek black bottle part of the Gratte Ciel collection, which is more expensive, got it for €305. Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens is a mesmerizing interplay of leather, myrrh & spices, with an unexpected medicinal (the key word here is Medicinal, as it's very medicinal!) 🌟 twist that sets it apart. The opening greets you with a sharp, menthol-like quality—reminiscent of antique apothecaries—layered over a supple, smoky animalic leather base. As it evolves, hints of amber, civet, and resins emerge, softening the medicinal sharpness while retaining its exotic edge. This balance of dark, animalic leather with its cool, herbal undertones creates an aura that’s both mysterious and alluring. Perfect for those who appreciate a bold, unconventional take on leather, Cuir Mauresque is as intriguing as it is unforgettable. A true Middle Eastern olfactory journey! 🐫 🏜️ 🌙 By the way this is the only fragrance Mr Serge Lutens wears himself! That should tell you something! 😎 The performance is simply immortal! 💪🏻 🦁 I mean just for the performance I should have bought 3 backups! This lasts forever and longer than the regular beast mode big boys like Interlude 53 & DHP 👑 A video review is also available on my YT ▶️

This starts off smelling of artist studio. Thick with linseed oil and natural resins. That opening lasts quite a while, and during that time I find myself admiring and even loving it, but I have a scent from a little no-name house (probably doesn't even exist anymore) up in Minnesota which scratches that itch. But then the drydown. And here is where Serge Lutens always seems to get us. I struggle with SL scents. Somehow, in their complexity, they become a bit bipolar and unpredictable. But so far, this one is just lovely. For me, civet never comes through (a shame), but the spices and slight sweetness shine, along with lovely incense. At this point the leather scent (or our aforementioned artist's studio) has mellowed and become sort of a part of the overall experience. Maybe we've gone from the artist's studio into their home for spiced tea, with a bit of incense burning somewhere in our proximity? But alas, I'm not completely happy with the longevity. I seem to get a couple of hours and then this one fades to a light skin scent. Oh Serge, why must you always break my heart so?

Dreamy. The most bewitching, sophisticated, sexy, spicy leather fragrance I have ever smelled (and I've smelled a few dozen). GLORIOUS opulent spectrum of spiciness surrounding a strong but refined true-leather heart. My dreams smell of this. And even at the terrifying prices of the SL stopper bottles, it costs only 2/3ds as much as Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. In my view Tuscan Leather is the cheaper, simpler (though slighly more long lasting) wannabe which aspires to be THIS, this wonderful wonderful stuff. I fantasised about an FB of this for a couple of years - one of the few lasting perfume obsessions I ever formed, after just a few tiny drops from an 0.5ml tester a long long time ago. ETA: And now I have one, thanks be to the fragrance gods! A Facebook group yielded up an honest & generous person who wanted to shift their partial bottle. The first and maybe only SL bell jar in my collection and it was worth every precious penny and more. In real life it's even more wonderful. A dream fulfilled and a lifelong love affair in full swing. Oooh. Simply the best.

"You filthy little ingrate, where have you been?! You should be ashamed of yourself. You've been in the orange groves all day, haven't you? I can smell the orange juice on your face. I needed you in the tannery, not out there romping around with the cows, horses, and sheep and eating fruit all day! Go out there and look! - go into the tannery - I can't do that all myself! All of that smoke and chromium in the air - that wouldn't have happened if you did what you were supposed to do! That leather might be ruined, and here you are an hour late for dinner with a ruined appetite from all of the oranges you ate, while your mother slaved over this beautifully spiced tagine and pinchos morunos, and you're covered in dirt and reeking of cow s*&t! Clean yourself up, now!" If I grew up with the Moors I would have probably had this, or a very similar scolding more than once in my childhood - and that scenario would smell like Cuir Mauresque. Brilliant.

Probably the best leather blended fragrance ever created in the world, this is yet another Oriental masterpiece from Serge Lutens. The leather blend here (highlighted by an animalic civet and musk) is mixed with jasmine, amber, myrrh, styrax, incense, cinnamon, cedar, nutmeg, clove, cumin, and mandarin to create a gorgeous, smoky, balsamic Arabian beauty that gives you the feeling that you are walking in a Middle Eastern spice market. Unisex (a bit more feminine leaning), with very strong sillage /projection and excellent longevity, this is a daring and sophisticated masterpiece that in my collection, ranks only second to the otherworldly Muscs Koublai Khan. This is for daring, bold and carefree men and women who are not overtly concerned about what others think of them. The stuff of Arabian Nights tales, this is absolutely stunning modern perfumery at its finest!

One of the best sweet leathers around. Orange blossoms, clove, myrrh, amber, nutmeg and mandarin. A sweet heady jasmine, leather begin to surface and nutmeg mingle with the spices.The softer civet add warmth and a purr but nothing to be afraid of...it just adds depth to the leather note. It so rich, well put together and glam. A woman or a man is just properly dressed wearing this one. Completely a leather that seduces you. This is Bal a Versailles sexy, sleek, modern counterpart. Definitely hypnotic and unisex. Fantastic for cooler weather. Sweet amber incensed leather. Nothing jarring or out of place. Whats not to love. It just works for me. Try Lutens Fleur D'Oranger +CM for a opulent experience. Im hooked. Its an import bell jar only so its a steep 300 for 75ml. I wish they bring it back in a 1.6oz spray. I dont understand why lutens does this.

What a stunner, unbelievably good! Just utterly wonderful. Animalic in the line of Bal à Versailles but without the headiness and cynicism. It's lush and warm. I feel like this is the closest I've ever gotten to finding a signature scent. All the notes listed pop up: myrrh, amber, musk, mandarins, nutmeg, cloves, smoke, wood. There is the idea of leather here, but nothing isolated. There is such a nice similarity to scotch here. Just the slightest sweetness which keeps it balanced. So dark and creamy. So sexy without being vicious. A honeyed sweetness and a light floral remain lightly throughout even as the smokiness and musky nature build into a deeper, darker amber scent. Really begins to mellow out after a few hours, so pleasantly, where it then with subtly begins to mimic leather. 9.5/10 Dark, animalic, orange citrus, jasmine, resinous. Lovely.

Typical Serge Lutens style. Normally I do NOT have a love for oriental/balsamic perfumes, but this time I am going to give a thumb-up to Christopher Sheldrake. Cuir Mauresque was divided into Leather group since it's a cuir-themed fragrance, but to be honest I didn't see much leather in it(compared to many other leather-leading fragrances) and I would rather call it Lutens-oriental.Extremely heavy and intense myrrh and clove, the sweetness of the balsam has almost overwhelm the leather note.If I didn't read the pyramid first, maybe I won't realize it is a leather-themed perfume. However, the myrrh/incense/amber have created a magnificent and splendid ambience——and that's what Lutens truly good at.Just like a luxurious palace dazzling in the sunlight.For myself it's a nice one, but if you're looking for a realistic leather scent, pass over it. -

Every single note in here is exactly what this fragrance smells like. Keeping it simple. That is a typical Surge Lutens quality. Amazing! Pure notes, civet here is one of the truest civet notes I've ever smelled in a fragrance, knowing that, civet is not a favourite note of mine. Dry down is gorgeous. Dior Cuir Cannage has the same vibe I see why some compare but it lacks the strong animalic note that is super strong here which makes Dior's CC more wearable, that civet makes CM a very classic "dated" smell, but I don't care if it's dated or not. The dry down of Cuir Mauresque is one of the greatest dry downs I have ever smelled, almost creamy chocolatey. Update: Quite shockingly, I went to my wardrobe to see what fragrances I have not visited since long ago and chose L'HEURE BLEUE by GUERLAIN Jesus! It smells so close to Cuir Mauresque.

Antiseptic laboratories, squeaky clean (in theory) lavatories, an apothecary's house medicine, maybe some burnt plastic, a shiny, tight leather bodysuit—and yet, Serge Luten's Cuir Mauresque is nonetheless refined, perhaps afraid of the leather tanneries that leave specks of dung on their raw hide. Instead, it opts for a hint of lipstick and a sweet kiss, and it's opening car interior/gas station urinal shock is not unlike Rien Intense Incense, except the Lutens projects less obnoxiously and is crafted with a deft hand and nod toward history—the SL marketing itself pays homage to Al-Andalus' cultural and artistic refinement, which is a kind of orientalism with some actual depth as opposed to Etat Libre d'Orange's ironic treatment of the Middle East ("by the incense I remain").

What a great Leathery and Exotic Spice scent this is ... a Bona fide "UNISEX scent. A man would be comfortable in wearing this as an evening scent. Like I did . yet..... I'd love to smell this on a well dressed woman ... she'd have to be a very confident and mysterious one much like this fragrance is .... The mandarin peel and orange blossom with cedar notes listed are sooo subtle they are indiscernible. The dry down is powdery and brings to mind CHANEL - CUIR de RUSSIE and a bit ...of "CARON's Tabac Blonde" I'll just say ...... Entertain Inspirations...... Embrace Decadent Cravings... Reward Yourself...... I'm reveling in all its sordid exotic scented ironies...

I am not a fan of leather, so I was surprised of how fast I fell in love with "Cuir Mauresque". This is the most perfect skanky leather I have ever tried. Even though others have complained of no civet, I get LOADS of it, the opening and heart part is mostly made of civet + cumin and it smells very, very naughty, animalic and sexy. I believe that this could be very off putting for many, but it is very addictive to my nose. It dries down to a sensual skin-scent, leather + bits of civet. I instantly added the FB to my purchase list, this is good stuff, unisex for sure. The only downside - after five hours it becomes hard to feel "Cuir Mauresque" :(

Absolutely Fantastic. Pure sophistication, not at al heavy. A flowery leather with warmth from the amber and musc. Reminiscent of Van Cleef de Van Cleef & Arpels, which I never loved as much as I love CM. Absolutely Adorable. A Musthave !!! Okay, I'll do an edit on this one: _______The Lutens Experience________ Incredible, oily, expensive and highly special. VERY heavy _ I love it AND plan on wearing it a lot march 18 2012 EDIT Bandit seems a close relative, in a tobacco way.. april 09 2012 EDIT L'Heure Bleu also but in a warm sweet flowery way.. july 29th 2012

Wow this is the most incredible perfume. It creates an unbelievable aura of smell around, that can reach the end of the room, but never cloying or overbearing. Sweet, animalistic, dark, heavy, dusty, powdery, leathery, ambery - in a perfect mix. This thing is so good because it's so bad. I feel like it's best used in a dark Parisian bar, at a luxury hotel, in the middle of winter. It may feel too strong at the beginning, but soon after that it's leathery dark mellow sweetness that feels fresh yet ancient. *** One of the best perfumes I have ever smelled.

Floral, musky incensy concoction that reminds me of incense at temples/and or musk lollies. It is incredibly complex and opulent. Like if Imperial Leather soap was available in a parfum concentration with a sparkling opening––I detect aldehydes? It's floral, powdery, ambery and somewhat leathery though compared to say tuscan leather, this is by far more floral/lipstick hence the Cuir Cannage similarities. You really do notice the listed notes in their entirety. Recommended for fans of intoxicating deep scents that is somewhat meditative.

Leather fragrances are generally amongst my go to perfumes and this is heady with leather and spice. It opens with a luxurious worn and warm leather note coupled with a raunchy, sweaty cumin note. Glorious. It reminds me of the old version of (my much beloved) Tabac Blond that's been sexed up a little with the addition of cumin and clove. I am wearing this today and it's potent stuff indeed. I would say that it's more of a masculine fragrance however, as a woman, I am happy to douse myself in this creamy, savoury kick-ass perfume.

This is a fantastic masculine leather fragrance. Definitely a younger brother to Knize Ten. The similarities are striking though the Serge version might be brighter and slightly more youthful. Extremely long lasting with its oil leather accord. If you like old school leather, give this a try, though there are quiet s few alternatives out there that could scratch the same itch if you felt the cost on the new Serge bottles was too expensive. Enjoy though and happy hunting

Straight away: leather, musk. I love this. As it progresses a smoky note comes in, which must be the incense; still further, and the orange flower brings the tiniest of floral tinges to the myrrh skin scent which of course is very long-lasting. This is not for anyone who likes floral or crystal aldehydes, this is musky tack-room stuff which I would wear most days if I could. I'd buy it in a second. Just my thing :)