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.

After having done a lot of testing during the course of a few days in Paris Perfumeries, I bought a full bottle of SL Rose de Nuit in the Palais Royal Boutique, because I could not get that perfume out of my mind. I am afraid, the real stuff is much different from the wax sample. My impression, too, is that this is not a fresh rose like Annick Goutal's Rose Absolue or Creed's Fleur du Thé Rose Bulgare, for example, it is a dirty, dark rose. It does remind me, too, of Frederic Malle's Une Rose, which I also own, like someone already mentioned above, but it is not a sharp green rose developing on an ambery musky base, but dark red and golden velvet. Much the same idea, though, and, in my honest opinion, an equal masterpiece. I put it on last night before going to bed and fell asleep holding my wrists to my nose. What a warm, sexy rose that develops fairly linear, flanked by just hints of apricots, sandalwood, musks and beeswax. Very complex, comforting and exhilarating. Now, 12 hours later, it is still very detectable, dried down to a rose on sandalwoody beeswax, hugging my skin like a cashmere shawl. Gorgeous. I intend to wear it to dance Tango Argentino tonight. Rose de Nuit seems to be born for Tango. Or may be, Tango seems to be born for Rose de Nuit...

I had this picked up for me by someone in Paris without having ever sniffed it, and then had buyer's remorse the entire time I waited for it after reading the reviews here. By the time it arrived I was ready to list it for sale at a greatly reduced price unopened. I'm happy that I did not. I'm a vintage person -both in my perfume preferences and in my age - and I have lots of experience with and love for animalic rose chypres. La Nuit, Paloma, Knowing, Pierre Cardin, Magie Noire - those heavy hitters and others live in my perfume cabinet, most in parfum strength. Rose de Nuit is a perfectly deserving resident. It *is* fairly quiet, although spraying will increase sillage, as it does with all of the bell jars that I own. It's certainly not the blow your hair back powerhouse that my 70s and 80s frags are - which means I can wear it in public unlike most of those. It holds it's own with them in it's beauty though. The beeswax notes make me swoon and set it apart as it's own scent, and the musky amber-sandalwood dry down is lovely. I'm not sure that you need this if you already have some example of a rose chypre. If it's a category that you love as much as I do though, this will not be a disappointment.

Gorgeous! I am not a particular fan of Rose and really dislike Jasmine but somehow, this turns two generally sharp notes into a soft velvety loveliness. I got a pack of the little solid samples and this was one I prepared not to like, I was really surprised. The honey/beeswax is quite evident in here, maybe that's the note that softens the composition? Florals for me never seem to quite hit the mark, it's as if in the creation, the sensuality of the flower is lost to an overwhelming hit of abrasive 'pow'. This is different, wearing it I am instantly transported back to the road I used to live on in Northern portugal. I could walk along in the early evening smelling the gardens wafting out their sexy sweatiness. This is just like it, not an individual flower, but an amalgamation of the greatness of nature. It's even got the bees. There's only really two hits in the sample so I will have to use my imagination next time I want to go back!

This is such a beautiful fragrance with a retro quality. It's mainly a mixture of tart apricot with very tart rose and a strong musk. A bold scent with good longevity and large projection. From the minute I applied the tester on my arm to contrast it with Guerlain Rose Barbare, it outshone the other perfume right away. Someone suggested that they're similar, and to me they're nothing alike. Barbare is a soft honey rose, very sweet. This is a sweet-sour beeswax rose with dark undertones making it a perfect evening fragrance. I must really love this perfume, because I've put it on my want list, and my husband doesn't like it. I think it's that unusual tart musk that does it for me. So different from many other fragrances out there. UPDATE: Now own this, and no regrets. It's beautiful and so far from being musty or old-fashioned I wonder what planet some fellow Fragranticans inhabit. Dark and not a classic rose, yes. Fusty, no.

The opening in one word: weird. Rose de Nuit seems about the abuse of a rose. Whatever freshness a rose can give, is totally smothered in beeswax, jasmin and apricot, the result being a very strange fruity darkness (with occasional weak yet harsh shrieks from the ailing rose), ultimately refering to decay. After about 15 minutes though, the delicate and fresh rose starts to fight back with help from tingling sandalwood. As sorry as I felt for this mistreated flower in the beginning, I now start to feel exhilarated for its successful comeback. When you are prepared to endure the first agonizing minutes, a lovely, no, a real beauty enters the stand, not unlike the proverbial underdog finally getting the chance to be justly appreciated for its superb qualities: this is a classic!! Standing ovation please. (Review is about the solid perfume)

I did not have any preconceived notions , even after reading the reviews. At first it came off as dusty old rose, strong animalic, throw in a aldehydes, and incense. Gave it a little more time, and it was almost shitty, as in smelled of poop and my attitude towards it, old wax . I was ready to scrub and go on to another scent. But now, it`s a warm, smokey, almost incensey rose, the apricot and beeswax is not gourmand ,but yet I can sense honey and fruit. As others have stated, this is not a fresh rose - no Chloe here! If had civet as a note, this would be a definite no no and ruin this scent, I thank goodness it does not. I think this blend is rich. It smells of nostalgia- not of my own memories, but a story of someone else long ago and a past dark romance. It`s a time that has past, a unique revival. I would love to own this.

Rose de Nuit and I have been in quarantine together during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maybe it’s because of the retro profile, or maybe because I’ve become a recluse too during this global crisis... But I’m reminded of Norma Desmond. Rose de Nuit smells vintage, in a way that casts the rose as way past its prime. It opens a little pissy, a little ugly, but there’s a sultry attitude too. Rose smelled through a honeyed, waxy filter, bolstered with a hint of apricot fruitiness, then obscured in a musky fog. After my initial recoiling, I’m now hopelessly in its thrall. An early, though largely forgotten, Serge Lutens gem, one that deserves a comeback—err... return—to our noses and fragrance discussions. Rose de Nuit saunters down the staircase, ready for another close-up, Mr. DeMille.

A cold green mossy rose chypre. Opens with a blast of galbanum that forms a unique accord with rose. Rose moves into the forefront during the middle but the cool green tone continues. The drydown features the signature Serge Lutens musk with cold rose. Brilliant, sophisticated, but a bit heartless for me. Gives the same feel as the colder Chanels. Would work very well for a put together man or woman. Sillage and longevity are moderate, which would not be an issue if the price were not so high (for American buyers).

The first time I tried this I was a bit disappointed, a strong, dark, dusty rose, it felt like too much. But I tried it again because I had waited almost a year to sample this one. Something in the dry down...now I'm completely hypnotized by it. It's really a masterpiece, with a lot of maturity. Previous reviews do not exaggerate. It's probably not for everyone, but there's something in the dry down that has sunk it's fangs into me and I want to wear it every day now.

Old world nostalgic Floriental. The perfume opens with notes of rose and jasmine. It heads to a brief heart of beeswax and apricot and settles on a bed of heavy synthetic musk, amber and sandalwood. The feminine leaning scent has moderate to strong projection and very good longevity. Unlike most Lutens creations as this is one of the few not created by Christopher Sheldrake. Vintage feeling feral scent that will be smashing on a femme fatale type personality. Enjoy!

This reminds me of the Phantom of the Opera. Deep, dark, and haunting. There's something scary lurking in the background of this velvety rose, something sad. I'm all alone on this big stage in a dark old theater, wondering what went on here. Hearing echos, feeling drafts, sensing sorrow. A dangerous Gothic romance. A truly outstanding fragrance and I'm in love with it!!!

I had it and I liked it but it was extremely soapy and lipsticky to me. This scent does remind me of the 90's. I heavily agree with that. It's dark and stunning. I don't unfortunately smell much wax or honey.

The most wonderful, tarted up, skanky rose I have ever smelled. It smells of sex in the best possible way. Love it!

the best soapy rose ever sniffed. I got the headaches though !!!!!! great scent no doubt !!!!

this starts out smelling like roses and beeswax with something funky and honestly, a bit off-putting underneath that also has a bit of a decaying feel. i remember one time being seated on a plane next to a couple and the woman's perfume was a bit suffocating and funereal. rose de nuit smells a lot like that at first. once that decaying note settles down, it smells like an animalic rose and then the amber, sandalwood and musks become more prominent and i am getting maybe a hint of jasmine. there remains an underlying sex/BO smell that isn't my favorite, but perhaps i don't really appreciate animalic notes as much as some. this is a very dark yet sexual rose, that is also very funereal. at least with my skin chemistry! very interesting scent and i'm glad i got to try it. ETA: i am trying this again, about a month later because i am intrigued by it and i have a love/hate thing with it but i am warming up to it more. i finally realized that the animalic scent reminds me of saliva on skin. i've seen a lot of reviews mentioning vampires and this definitely brings them to mind. the decay and the darkness but also the dark sensuality. it's all here. i am so so curious to smell this on others and see the differences. oddly enough, after several hours, this smells like something vintage and masculine to me.