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.

A slight disappointment, but a great fragrance nonetheless! This does not live up to the hype, but it doesn't need to, this is a milestone for Serge's brand, and You can feel his artistry and direction all over Yourself wearing this beautiful fragrance. It's gothic and dark, very vintage, and very champagne'y. Like opening the finest Moet in a dark cathedral. A very "nuit "interpretation of the rose flower, lifted up and very fizzy, but still dark and intoxicating. I love how the honey and apricot play a big part in the drydown of this fragrance. The white musk in here is also used masterfully, playing down the slight chypre elements of the composition keeping it more or less timeless. Must try for the fans of the brand, and for vintage rose enthusiasts. But don't expect anything groundbreaking.

Definitely a dark, skanky, old fashioned rose. Strong. Forget this is you like lighter roses like the Rosines or Paris... This rose is sultry and evokes a dark lady, a vamp, a movie star of the Twenties... black bob and purple-red lips. It is definitely a chypre w/ a lot of a skanky/musky base. Animalic with a sweet honey and fruity heart, where you can smell a hint of jasmine but really overpowered by this full blossoming red rose. Not very easy to wear, as you must have the looks and the situation, in my opinion.... It's huge and claiming attention. Not appropriate for office or casual wear, it can change the destiny of a date.. .o) Incredible lasting power. ____________________________

Mounds of dried, dust-covered roses. That's how Rose de Nuit starts out on me. When the first intense cloud settles down the beeswax makes an entrance, transforming this dusty rose to something even drier and more muted. And I like it. It's like being in a faded grand old house filled with the memories of a glorious yesterday. Rose de Nuit is by no means a fizzy or lively rose, quite the opposite. It's heavy and dark and powdery, almost substantial and definitely regal. On a girl Rose de Nuit would likely seem incongruous. It is a fragrance for women and men who can carry themselves and the weight of this defiantly opaque bouquet of blood red roses.

This opens with some sweet fruity notes, spices (maybe coriander?), some odd dead-vegetation notes, and not much rose. The sillage is almost like cherry jello. As it dries down it assumes a sharp, perfume-y, almost ambergris-like note. I think it’s the same thing that is in Boxeuses. I like it, but it’s not rose. Actually, I probably like it better than if it had been rose. After the initial hour or so there’s not a lot of sillage, but a veil-like fruity-ambergris scent remains on the skin for hours after that. I like R de N, but would like it better if it were not so thin and delicate during the final 80% of its development.

Powdery vintage rose with a juicy apricot opening. I don't get much honey at first, maybe a touch of wax that is reading as a makeup smell. Also kind of smells like a popular Chanel fragrance (no 5 or coco), maybe even Guerlain Shalimar, etc... Expensive, mature, classic. I do not get goth or mysterious at all. It is retired retro Hollywood starlet that wears furs. The honey note comes through more after the apricot fades. I wish the apricot stuck around or that there was something more modern or unusual here to jolt it into this century. Strong projection. 6 out of 10

A dying rose. A morbid perfume, pierced with SL's melancholy and notes of decay. This is definitely a chypre, it is very mossy. It does feel very "old", very 80's. Yes, dated. The whole composition gets a bit more lively once the apricot kicks in. This is in between a "like" and "ok" for me and is one of a few Lutens I could live without in my collection. But I really am not a chypre person. Serge Lutens has many more gorgeous rose fragrances, I personally prefer La Fille De Berlin and Sa Majeste La Rose.

Rose de Nuit. Decadent, dark, mysterious, carnal. Rose de Nuit - an olfactive caption of Beaudelaire's "Spleen". Je suis un vieux boudoir plein de roses fanées... I am an old boudoir full of withered roses, Where lies a whole litter of old-fashioned dresses, Where the plaintive pastels and the pale Bouchers, Alone, breathe in the fragrance from an opened phial. Art. One never expects anything less from Lutens.

kind of dark indeed, soaped-beeswaxed rose, very earthy, reminds me of Frederic Malle's Une Rose in a way. This is not for those who are looking for fresh, lively roses like Stella, Se Majeste de la Rose, Paul Smith, etc. Don't feel mislead by the beeswax note, this is not a sweet or gourmand fragrance. This one is quite daring, not a crowd pleaser for sure. Piece of advice, test before you buy.

It is the opposite of a fresh rose, more of a musty (not, musky) rose, with a bit of sweet and woody notes thrown in. It is interesting in the sense that this is a non-fresh rose but not a usual oud-rose or patchouli-rose combo. I kind of like it, but do not love it. It does not strike me as something I feel compelled to wear. It is long lasting, but the projection is rather limited. Unisex.

Opens up with roses pressed between books and apricot. About 15 minutes later I could smell the sandalwood, amber, musk, and beeswax. The latter creates a lotion-like effect, which ages this perfume. I can see myself wearing this in my mid-thirties, until then I will admire it from afar.

Tested this first almost a year now - one more thing to add - its honeyed sister, Balmain La Mome. Also shows some similarities to Miller Harris Rose en Noir (no honey there the latter but similar in both being old-school gothic dark rose)

Magical, dry powdery rose, with nuances of apricot and animalic beeswax. Otherworldly creation, this is impressionism in olfactive form. It has a mystical nighttime aura. Save this for the special times. Stuff of Fairytales.

Musty, dusty rose. I love roses. The honey note almost killed it for me. Honey note usually turns urine on my skin but gladly it fades quickly enough.

The only Lutens so far I had to wash off instantly, and soap barely dented it. A preserved rose buried under stale and sour notes. This what I thought Muscs Khoublai Kahn was going to smell like based on the reviews, except I actually found Muscs pretty inoffensive. Rose de Nuit is the dirty Lutens, but morbid, far more morbid than De Profundis, which I enjoy. The hint of decay in De Profundis comes from the scent of soil. Rose de Nuit smells like the decay of a person who's still alive, not an old person's perfume, but their dying body itself. I'll stick to Une Rose.

Let me start by saying that I'm not a rose fan. And I have to say that this perfume didn't change my mind about it. It's a sweet, heady perfume that somehow reminds me of an old cheap cologne of the 80's: Latour Femme (at least I think that's its name). But anyway, the comparison to a cheap, drugstore cologne is enough to kill the buzz for me, even if I liked rose and sweet florals to begin with:( Plus, despite its sweet and heady character, it doesn't seem to last too long.

The only part of this rose that I like is the drydown, because then it reminds me of the beautiful SL rose of La Fille de Berlin - sweet, fresh, realistic. Rose de Nuit unfortunately is much too old smelling, like a cheap bowl of potpourri. Very 80s and early 90s in heaviness, spice and powder. The apricot and sandalwood meshes with my skin chemistry in a way that turns sour and moldy. The musky realistic rose drydown is beautiful but the rest, headache inducing.

It's very famous perfume, many people love it. What can I say, I tried it in a shop, it's seemed too oily for me, I didn't like this scent. I prefer Stella Sheer for rose perfume.

I tried wax sample. I could not tell what was in it besides rose without pyramid but it was really heavy, old and unpleasant.

Unpleasant and oldish smell. Reminds me some kind of curative beeswax cream with herbs inside. Yack!

This is going to be a tough one to review, mostly because Rose de Nuit missed my expectations by a country mile. I don't find this to be a dark or nighttime rose, I don't find this to be scary or antique smelling like others do (oh but how I wish I did!) and frankly I don't find the rose note to be very dominant at all. Now it is a bit sexy and animalic, the musk itself is a bit dirty and skanky and reminds me of the way your lovers skin will smell in the morning, after you had sex all night. The rose itself is accented by waxy notes--the honeycomb I assume, which I smell as wax and not a sweet honey. The rose itself is velvety and soft and powdery with violets. There is an hour or so when the apricot is strong, and independent of the rose, and I enjoy how it kind of pops in and then fades out. The jasmine...well basically the jasmine smells like your in a room in an old house that contains a dresser with mothballs in the drawers. Not in your face but a suggestion of woody mothballs. It's actually not unpleasant, it's faint, and it doesn't last for the length of the perfume. The drydown is nice, a smooth skin musk with hints of sandalwood, incense, and rose. I expected this to be strong on the rose, and it just isn't. I would say that the musk notes are the most dominant. I do find this to be animalic, but that's because of the musk notes. Maybe that's what people are finding so retro and morbid about this one? Plus this came out in 1993, I'm not sure how the formula has been changed. I do like this quite a bit but will be content with my decant, as the cost of this is over $300 for 75 mls. That's too much money, way too much, for something that I don't love and adore, and there's something missing about it...I just wish there was something more to it. This wears close to the skin pretty quickly, and if I apply enough will last over 8 to 10 hours, so the performance is okay, but I am a little disappointed that it's not louder. For roses I'll stick with La Fille de Berlin.

Rose de Nuit is one of the weirdest rose perfumes I have tried. This is not a pretty rose, and I know it as soon as I catch the first whiff. In fact, it makes me think of lying on a deathbed before one's time - very strange, I know - like it occasionally happened to those 18th or 19th century young upper class ladies who would just waste away from some unexplained grief after a prolonged bout of sullen apathy. That's very much the image Rose de Nuit evokes to me - of a listless young woman fully clothed in her splendid gown but with a dishevelled look of someone who's been confined to bed for days, her eyes vacant, and with only a memory of a long lost love to keep her company in those last days of her life. The air is heavy with the scent of her melancholy, the muskiness of pallid skin and tousled fabrics, even the traces of her former passion. I wouldn't call this aroma pleasant, but I find it oddly beckoning. I get whiffs of sweetish apricot speckled with something metallic. This is set against the fuzziness of lived-in musk and corpse-y rose, while the deep base is made of unsettling chypre. It's all kind of haunting and creepy. The scent is beautiful in its own way, and very evocative. It only alludes to something from a long time ago, without actually smelling dated. That said, even though I appreciate the odd beauty of Rose de Nuit, I just can't see myself wearing something quite like this. One more thing: when I dabbed it from the sample I had just opened for the first time, the scent had a very pronounced animalic profile. It was really going for it with the strong urine vibe. The scent is definitely on the dirty side, but I never got the same shocking blast of funk again, even though I sampled it a couple more times from the same vial.

"There’s this top coat that you can only get from Switzerland and I love the smell of it. I’m running out of it and I don’t know what to do...The top coat, it’s like perfumey...but there’s also something rotten. I know it’s crazy but I can’t get enough of it. Historically, the best perfumes in the world...they’re all laced with something nasty. It’s true! Irving loves it. He can’t get enough of it. Sweet and sour...rotten and delicious. Flowers, but with garbage....He always comes back for it.” ~"Rosalyn" (Jennifer Lawrence) from American Hustle I don't think there is a better example of what she is describing than Rose de Nuit. Sweet and sour...rotten and delicious. This is a dark, gothic, nighttime scent no doubt....it is big and opulent. Smells like the color of blood....if deep red velvet curtains in an old opera house could have a smell, it would be this. The opening borders on unpleasant. I put this on at bedtime and was not moved. I woke up and sniffed my hand to see if it had improved and I could not stop sniffing. This turkish rose is black. It has a few drops of the dark fruit from Bois et Fruits. With just a touch of cypress and a bit of amber. And as Rosalyn described....something rotten. Beautifully rotten. Musky and completely unisex. This is not a happy rose. This is a very somber rose. Peculiar. A deep, introspective, depressed rose. I imagine the library of an author of vampire novels would smell like this. "Sweet and sour...rotten and delicious. Flowers, but with garbage...". And like Rosalyn and Irving, I can't seem to get enough.

Okay, I like to write about the nuances of fragrance as much as anyone, but I'm not getting the impressions that everyone else is getting. It's a rose and jasmine duet--one of my favorite pairings in fragrance--and neither outshines the other. This dance is accompanied by a rich, yet subtle note of honey--obviously the beeswax--and a delicate apricot note that curls up through the jasmine and rose. I think where people might be picking up skank is the jasmine, which may be a touch indolic, but that just gives it texture. This is an elegant fragrance that can be worn by any gender. You don't have to enjoy animalics to appreciate this one. If you are looking for the ethereal Serge Lutens experience of a fragrance like De Profundis or a dynamic experience like Frederic Malle Synthetic Jungle, which goes through huge transitions from opening to drydown, I think you might be slightly disappointed. The only real change is that the apricot delicately highlights the rose for a brief moment while all the other notes settle, and then they all dance together perfectly on my wrist. This may be my favorite rose fragrance yet.

We used to have a climbing rose in our garden. It had the most opulent flowers I have seen, deep red, almost black at the edges of the petals, thick and velvety. The petals were so dense you could not see the yellow centre of the flower but the scent emanating from it was so enticing that every time I was passing by I just had to burry my nose in one. I would suck the air insatiably and with every draw of breath the scent would change from fruity floral to a deep, almost animalic muskiness with hints of old liquor, like red turns into black on the petals. Unfortunately that rose tree is no more after a heavy storm brought down a nearby tree on it and crushed it. Rose de Nuit comes pretty close to recreating that unique scent experience for me. Don't know about others, I just wish it lasted forever on me, becoming heavier and heavier until it stifled the whole world under the weight of heaps of black-red petals.

Update: I need to revise my previous review. Something is not right. I finally got my fb of Rose de Nuit and it’s not how I remember it. It is, in fact, a bit old fashioned, chypre rose. I can see now why it’s compared Soir de Lune. Same vintage vibe. The old fashioned opening calms down a bit with time but what is left is a mega classic chypre: rosy and powdery. I feel a bit cheated now. Where is the honey and subtlety I smelled before?? Hmmmn. Not sure if I want to keep it. First, as it appears now, mistaken impressions: To me this isn’t a dark, mature, old fashioned rose. This is a smell of a voluptuous rose garden, roses, sun, air, warmth, light. It’s a lovely, happy, bright, beautiful rose. I love rose and rose themed perfumes, and this just landed on my to buy list. Really happy I decided to try it!

This scent is beautifully 90s in a good way. It feels like you're at a fancy dinner or movie premier with starlets. Someone has successfully caught your eye, and you're about to follow them somewhere secluded. I love my flowers dirty. Rose de Nuit is dirty, dark, and absolutely stunning. Luxurious and mature. She is seductive, she is the embodiment of sensuality and sex in the form of a rose. The embodiment of the 90s ideal of sexy, but not in a bad way. She does it well. It's a chypre scent and in my opinion it is one of the best. I want her in my collection for fancy occasions.

This is not a rose perfume, this is a beeswax perfume with an undercurrant of rosy musk. Reminds me of the roses that I tried to dry as a teen, with their smell only hinting at what they once were. A great metaphor, come to think of it: preserved and never to decay, this rose will always be there, not with the well-mannered and sweet nostalgia of your dead grandma's embroidered rose pillowcase, but with the grim reality that it has been young and beautiful once, just like yourself. A fragrance I feel uncomfortable wearing in public yet can't stop sniffing when on my own.

There are two rose fragrances that one must try at the house of Serge Luten; La fille de Berlin & this. Of the two, Rose de Nuit is the better fair. It has a very prominent rose that leans unmistakenly towards the feminine side. It is that same sharp and fresh rose featured in La fille Berlin. Yet as it develops, the nature of beewax and the warmth of amber starts to surface, giving it an unisex influence that transform the rose into a soft smokey finish. It is definately one of the best. Appropriate for spring and summer.

A Chypre Rose. When I smelled it in wax before, I thought it was very musky and rosey, but when I tried it in liquid, it's very chypre and also closer to Nombre Noir. It's also similar to the old version of Rose Barbare (Guerlain) (the current version is very musky, so it has a bit distant) and Rose Hubris (Ex Nihilo). Sometimes an apricot and rose, jasmime, and honey mixture in here gives me a osmanthus vibe, especially an osmanthus chewing gum in my country.

This starts as an interesting, heavy, chypre-style rose with smokey overtones, and a distinctly retro note. Vintage fans will probably recognise that eighties vibe... :-) It's dank and a little bees-waxy, but not particularly sweet at this stage. However within a couple of hours it has become a pronounced sweetish powder. Unconventional at every stage. Innovative and distinctive, but sorry, this one is not for me.