It was my birthday on Friday and my wife gave me a bottle of Serge Lutens Cedre, which was very nice of her indeed!
I've tried Cedre a few times before, but hadn't for a couple of years, so I wore it yesterday with a fairly neutral outlook. Prior to wearing it, I had a quick browse around of the reviews, just to get a rough idea of people's views. Most opinions went like this: "Cedar, where's the cedar? This should be called tuberose, tuberose, tuberose." Or something along those lines.
So imagine my surprise when for me Cedre was all: "Cedar, cedar, cedar, with a hint of tuberose." Perhaps my nose is inferior to others, I don't really know, but the initial opening has a similar mentholated first act like Tubereuse Criminelle, but a lot more toned down. Within minutes the Lutens cedar woody accord seeps though, not miles removed from a lot of his Bois series and then for me it is cedar for the rest of the day, and a very nice one at that, slightly sweetened with some amber and perhaps rounded off with a hint of musk. I don't get a lot of musk in Cedre.
I think I am going to enjoy my bottle a lot. I suspect it will perform better in cooler weather though - Cedre has a slightly cozy aspect to it.
