Rose de Nuit

Rose de Nuit has a fundamentally strange history, more so than all other Lutens scents. Composed by Gilles Romey, who has composed apparently nothing else for Lutens at all, it is one of only two Lutens scents (the other is Iris Silver Mist) to not involve Christopher Sheldrake at least officially. It is also old, having been released in 1993, making it one of the earliest Lutens of all. Combined with its rumored resemblance to long-discontinued Nombre Noir (I cannot confirm as I haven't smelled the latter) and here we have what is perhaps a partial resurrection in Rose de Nuit... maybe? Concomitant with this mystery is the perhaps unsurprising way that Rose de Nuit bears little resemblance to the style found throughout the rest of the house - it is probably the closest Lutens has ever come to a true chypre, with a bitter-resinous base that is unusually classical. Indeed, Rose de Nuit is actually pulling from a pre-established tradition in my opinion, and bears a striking olfactory resemblance to a Guerlain fragrance which went by many names: Vol de Nuit Evasion/Attrape Coeur/ Royal Extract. There is a big honey-amber accord alongside rose, but Rose de Nuit also has a strongly dusty aspect to it as well. People are right to compare it to the scent of decay, as I think the honey and apricot notes combine to give an "overripe" quality to the rose, but equally there are some faintly bitter elements which evoke the forest floor, such that the image is of a rose bush wilting under a peach tree, with rotting fruits strewn all around. All this is to say, however, that I think Rose de Nuit is extremely attractive as a scent, deeply DEEPLY contemplative, wistful, melancholic, emotional. It has a "Paradise Lost" type feeling to it, while also being jarringly evocative of the 80s with its rosy-chypre scent profile. There is a richness, almost gustatory quality to it too, with its rosy-fruitiness evoking some kind of tart or cake... the perfume smells "full", at the point of total satisfaction. Its oddly fruity, rosy, chyproid, dusty notes also, in my view, create the impression of some kind of aesthetic canon to which most of us aren't privy, like a painting that is beyond the ability for most to understand. There's a "distortion" to the beauty here, as if it's perfectly executing the highest scent profile of a totally alien culture, as if the nose that enjoys it has a completely different set of values than most human noses. It's one of the most fascinating scents from Lutens without a doubt, and I strongly suspect I will one day (years from now) end up with a full bottle of it in my collection. It's the kind of scent I want to wear when I'm retired in the garden, staring at the sky and contemplating the ephemerality of life.

I remember my deep infatuation with Rose de Nuit. That was a long phase. At the time, I considered it my “signature scent,” and there were only a few such perfumes during my journey. I still like it very much, and believe it is one of the most beautiful and certainly most interesting scents from Serge Lutens - an outliner, since it was composed by Gilles Romey, not Christopher Sheldrake. One can easily separate perfumes such as Rose de Nuit and Iris Silver Mist from the rest. In those days, I was still a big Rose fan, and was still exploring and indulging in what is probably my favorite genre in perfumery, leather-chypres. Rose de Nuit, as you might have guessed, is both. It is also a unique take on both those themes, indeed, a rather standalone perfume, not just in the Lutens universe. My obsession led me to track down and acquire all its iterations, from the pre-Lutens era to the early days and the present times. The perfume is among the few in the line that underwent significant changes over the decades, and perhaps the only one that was significantly improved. Hardly do I come across a reformulation that proves to be righteous, and certainly did here. For me, Rose de Nuit evolved into something better with each subsequent reconstruction, culminating in its current shape. The early Shiseido jars were incredibly bitter and too abrasive. The current form is flawless and infinitely more complex. So, what are we dealing with here? A Rose, yes, and a Chypre. Already a rare breed, these rose-chypres. The rose is old-fashioned, vampiric, dusty, and decayed. The moss is bitter, earthy, and inky. There is a leather-like facet, perhaps built on various musks and resins; overall, this feels like a leather-chypre. As it evolves, the rose gets engulfed, slowly dying away. Major improvements over the early versions were the addition of a subtle apricot note, replacing the overused bergamot, to suit Monsieur Lutens' penchant, and a mildly sweet and waxy beeswax accord, which works wonders to offset the otherwise problematic bitterness. Lastly, the perfume suffered a drastic shift in texture, from abrasive mossiness to a purring, velvet-like, and at times waxy appearance. It makes me think of one of those authentic animal fur mantles. It had seen an upgrade with each subsequent attempt, every time adding small elements. An outliner in the line, no doubt. Once you smell it, you’ll understand why. It’s not a Sheldrake; it is very old-fashioned, perhaps too morbid and dramatic for current times. And still, it bears that unmistakable Serge Lutens dose of mysticism and macabre. Children of the night who love chypres and poetic roses consider giving this one a sniff. IG:@memory.of.scents

I have such a small sample, a 1/2 mL, and it's fading so fast, I suppose I must write my review now, because perhaps in one hour, there will be nothing left to write about. Impressive and intoxicating, however still soft, delicate, and cloudy. The rose is forefront here, however not sickly overbearing. The jasmine can be felt when I notice something thick, but with a miniscule hint of green on the edge. The apricot is of a dried apricot, the kind that are bright, fleshy, (unsugared)and round. It's not the pungent, singing apricot of Daim Blonde, it's just a nuance here. The amber combines with the beesewax so effortlessly that I am reminded of those little carved stone jars of solid perfume. As the perfume dissapates, the beesewax can also be noticed individually, quite a treat, to have such a delicate scent- right there, so fine, and exact, as in nature. The musk is muted, but works wonders in the backdrop, mixing with everything, giving it all a bit of a boost. I am love the constant swirls of sandalwood too. This is an excellent linear. I can sense the individual notes, and I can enjoy them mingling and playing amongst themselves, too. One standout quailty for this perfume, is that it seems to have texture, a live, active texture. The airyness it creates, has form and prescence, almost like incense in the air, but with no smoke. At moments I find it to be lightly resinous(ah how I enjoy that). At times, a sticky sweetnes seeps out, then quickly fades away. The heavy night heat in this room-improves the sillage and potency of the scent immensely as I sweat here now. The perfume itself could be the backdrop of a theater performance, the velvet robes and silk shoes of the actors, it's all that is needed to stir up amazing scenes in one's imagination.

ROSE DE NUIT is different but absolutely gorgeous interpretation of the rose. It is dark and opulent but also warm and sensual. It has silky and comforting feel but yet it is very attractive, modern and unique. If you are looking for natural and fresh rose, this will not be the one. If you are looking for bold and spicy one, this is also not the one. This rose is like a farewell summer’s kiss when the autumn slowly creeps in and touches the rose petals with its cold breath. The rose gives then this sweet final embrace mixing its divine aroma with the dried fruits and falling leaves. Perhaps it blooms near a cathedral where the comforting aroma of natural beeswax candles mingles with the divine aroma of the late rose and autumn scents. This is how ROSE DE NUIT smells to me. The scent opens with the slightly oily and a bit sharp earthy rose note. It is like ROSE DE NUIT managed to capture the whole rose with the petals, stems and roots. Then the scent softens into a smooth and sensual rose and dry apricots scent mingling with the beeswax. The beeswax and amber are weaved together in the gorgeous dry down. I have to comment on beeswax note in this scent as it is absolutely divine here. This note is hard to do but ROSE DE NUIT managed to capture the glowing warm beauty of melting natural beeswax. The composition is masterfully blended and executed. I definitely recommend this scent for rose lovers. (My overall score is 10/10). Why 10 out 10? The composition is unique and gorgeous. This scent left a long-lasting impression on me and while it is unique, I find that it is quite easy and pleasant to wear. The projection and longevity are medium and better than many other niche scents I have tried. I will definitely add it to my collection.

A plump, overripe and sweet beeswax rose that reminds me of the gorgeous Gucci L'Arte di Gucci. The fusion with the animal base brings out a slight dirty feeling. The two elements of rose and animal are perfected under the excellent technique of the perfumer. Rose de nuit is more charming and atmospheric than Rose de nuit. In my mind, the fragrance that best embodies the spirit of the Serge Lutens brand must include Rose de nuit. Variety of rose styles. Rose de nuit is located in the coquettish and fragrant section, which aims to challenge consumers' impression of the "pure beauty" of roses. Serge Lutens' fragrances are all exotic. Rose de nuit It is no exception. Animal roses with a thick texture are really rare. Rose de nuit's Beeswax musk is far from fishy. I imagined that the liquid should be a thick, dark brownish yellow. If you like roses and don't like animals, it's hard to get the essence of Rose de nuit. Because they are not two separate elements, integrated into one. It is the presence of beeswax and musk that makes this rose unique. Although the top note has Beeswax, which I hate, it can't stop me from trying Rose de nuit. People who like roses, set yourself a goal. As a material widely used in the perfume industry, roses are the most abundant themes, and there are many. Without discussing the masterpieces of the past, ask me now, which rose has impressed me, and I should answer Rose de nuit - the rose of art. Not so much the point is not the rose, it should be said that it is not the "pure" rose. Prominent honey (Beeswax), jasmine intensify the richness, rose sweet and sour with resin, until the warm aftertaste of amber musk.