Cuir Mauresque 
Serge Lutens (1996)

This one rings similar to Prada Cuir Ambre and even Xerjoff Homme, but I enjoy the Lutens version more than others that are in a similar vein.

Antiseptic laboratories, squeaky clean (in theory) lavatories, an apothecary's house medicine, maybe some burnt plastic, a shiny, tight leather bodysuit—and yet, Serge Luten's Cuir Mauresque is nonetheless refined, perhaps afraid of the leather tanneries that leave specks of dung on their raw hide. Instead, it opts for a hint of lipstick and a sweet kiss, and it's opening car interior/gas station urinal shock is not unlike Rien Intense Incense, except the Luten's projects less obnoxiously and is crafted with a deft hand and nod toward history—the SL marketing itself pays homage to Al-Andalus' cultural and artistic refinement, which is a kind of orientalism with some actual depth as opposed to Etat Libre d'Orange's ironic treatment of the Middle East ("by the incense I remain")/

I love the floral leather accord that is central to Cuir Mauresque, and common to so many others including Chanel's Cuir de Russie (the most famous example), Cuir Cannage, Knize Ten Golden Edition, and Roja Dove's Great Britain to name a few.

There are two significant additional themes in Cuir Mauresque. First there is an accord of dried fruits to the top notes that are sustained throughout the first half of the evolution. This a far cry from the usual sugary accords in so many Lutens, and compliments the floral leather accord exceedingly well. The second is the addition of myrrh and other hazy resinous notes to the base, again carefully cutting out any sweetness except the barest hint of it.

The result? It's that floral "Russian leather" accord in its most glorious rendition, at perfect pitch and volume. It transitions from a contemporary fruity leather accord that is revealed to be all smoke and mirrors by an hour, when the central floral leather accord is in full bloom. This leather accord is sustained throughout for several hours when the resinous base notes join force to create an astonishing dry-down that is at par with the best in history.

Whether one likes Cuir Mauresque or not depends on whether one likes this central floral leather accord, and how one reacts to its particular interpretation here with subtle dried fruits and the resinous base.

I've tried dozens of perfume interpretations of this style of leather, including several formulations of Chanel's Cuir de Russie. Cuir Mauresque is the best bar none.


5/5

Note: Review is based on bell jar bought in 2017

Gorgeous leather, in the same basic genre as Knize Ten (petrol animalics under flowers and fruit), but with a complex and very Lutens mix of cherry, violets, and gothic wine-soaked rose instead of the white florals and faux pineapple that the genre usually uses.

Cuir Mauresque doesn't seem to come up often in conversations about the best Lutens, but it really should - it's a perfect example of putting a signature spin on a classic formula in a way that truly works.