Best Chergui by Serge Lutens Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

An ode to the Normandy countryside. Linden blossoms, fresh apple, sweet almond, radiant jasmine. Soft musk and suede. A golden sap of dried hay and ripe wheat evokes the pastures. And outside the farmhouse, sun-dried linens flutter on the line. All is well.

Perfumer: Tomoo Inaba

Rich and gothic Moth starts with a heavy dose of dark spices to jolt your senses before settling into a dusting of honey-sweet rose and powdery florals. Slowly, it tests its wings, taking flight on an exotic journey of nagarmotha, guaiac wood and patchouli. Beneath it all lingers a smoky undertone that serves as a constant reminder to fluttering creatures of the danger in the tantalizing flame.

New 2019 packaging: crimped spray (as opposed to the previous design of screw-on self assembly spray).

Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour.

Or du  Sérail exudes almost gooey intoxicating sweetness of a cigar soaked in rum with hints of candied fruit and honey at the edges.

You can relate to this perfume if you ever discovered that secret cupboard your grandma kept spice, vanilla, honey, cognac, candied oranges and chocolate among other fragrant treasures reserved for festive cake making. When you finally locate it, you just linger at the open door and marvel at the rich, sweet aromas, before checking if there’s anything worth secretly tasting. 

Tobacco, very much present in the formula probably stands for the antic cabinet itself. 

The Sniff on Au de Serail:

"There is a sugared, decadent and festive tone about the start of the scent without a doubt. The feeling that it evokes is of a Victorian Christmas celebration; opening a giant box of Christmas sweets and staring at the amassed rows of candied fruit lying in their little compartments, the jewelled colours glinting in the light of the log fire."

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Perfumer: Christophe Raynaud accepted the challenge of translating into a perfume the soft and sensual voice of Marvin Gaye singing Sexual Healing…

“Živeli” (ZHEE-vuh-lee) is a common Serbian toast used to wish good health and a long life. In this extrait, a juicy burst of plum brandy melts into a leathered tobacco, encapsulating a celebratory night out with friends. Giddy joy is further fluffed by cherry and raspberry notes, while the leather aspect is warmed by honey, saffron and labdanum.

This composition is 24% parfum concentration, with 70% natural ingredients. Capped in Mexican Riviera Gray marble in a delicately etched glass bottle.

The quiet majesty of the deer is undeniable as he stands aloft the dry forest, watchful and ready. Aromatic herbs, spices and aged bark reflect the fresh mountain air as it swirls around the energetic herd. Musk, leather and hay illuminate the powerful glory of the wild animal whilst smooth and earthy patchouli softens and relaxes. 

***

An intense, smoky herbal blend that, like all of Anna's creations, will transport you to an imaginary landscape.

It's inspired by Cossacks, the soldier-farmers who live in the steppes in the south of Russia, accomplished horsemen guarding the borders since the days of Catherine the Great.

You are welcome to devise your own story, but here at Bloom, we imagine a young Cossack resting among haystacks and wild herbs, smoking his clay pipe while contemplating the starry sky. His friends are sitting by the open fire nearby. Smoke is wafting through wild thyme and wormwood.

Starring

(these fragrant materials reanacted the Young Cossack story):

galbanum CO2 extract
artemisia annia essential oil
artemisia absinthium essential oil
immortel absolute
Seville lavender abs
thyme essential oil
tarragon essential oil
davana essential oil
guayak wood essential oil.
rose de May absolute
Morrocan rose  absolute
cumin CO2 extract
frankincense absolute
petitgrain essential oil
geranium leaves absolute
myrth essential oil
costus absolute
oakmoss absolute
patchouli essential oil
labdanum absolute
tabacco absolute
tonka bean absolute
agarwood essential oil
vetiver essential oil
castoreum tinctura

Important notice:

Anna Zworykina’s blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes). Her blends are sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).

Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in her 100% natural perfumes may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Anna Zworykina’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). This said, Anna Zworykina has acquired a huge fan base over many years and people interacted with her blends for quite a while now. We are not aware of any reports of any skin reactions so far.

However, Anna advises that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.

Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Anna’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.

A deep, intense, mysterious fragrance that radiates unique atmospheres: magical, spiritual, real and imaginary.
An enveloping scent of Leather, Tobacco and precious woods with light undertones of flowers and wild herbs, on a gentle, sensual background of fragrant resins, of Vanilla and Patchouli, of Amber and Musk.

“Shaan” is a Sanskrit name meaning greatness and majesty. The  perfumer intertwines the name with the legend of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose, the conquering leader whose final battle was foretold by the oracles. Ember Shaan is a fragrance that shifts and evolves, reflecting the concept of victory intertwined with sorrow. With a variety of ouds and frankincenses, this extrait explores how a bright fire fades into a smouldering ember, while also deepening into something more profound. Coffee, rose and sandalwood combine their rich effects into an olfactory syrup that infuses the woods, while spicy opoponax and stony gunpowder add punctuation and surprise.

Honey, rose and boozy vanilla combine in a delectable amber that turns sticky into licky. This eau de parfum blends an abundance of golden honey and the warmth of rum with an irresistibly addictive vanilla absolute. Damask rose and pink pepper unfolds into the warmth of tonka bean absolute and benzoin resinoid, beckoning anyone who approaches with seductive allure. Patchouli and orcanox adds further depth, revealing darker tones that envelop the room with a euphoric embrace.

PERFUMER
ALEX LEE