Chergui: A wind of scents between soft warmth and dry cold When the Chergui wind blows over Moroccan lands as in the aisles of our finest perfumeries, it crystallizes vegetation and our emotions.
Chergui was born in 2005 and symbolizes the beauty of Moroccan winds. Indeed, in Morocco, the chergui is a warm wind coming from the Sahara. The chergui wind thus comes from the East or the Southeast. Like many Serge Lutens fragrances, Chergui is therefore a reference to the Orient. Chergui is without question an extraordinary fragrance. Serge Lutens even compares his fragrance to a fire in the wind, a desert in flames. Chergui is therefore an essence of the utmost power, at once warm and sensual. Mystical and elegant, the composition is signed Christopher Sheldrake.
Lutens Chergui, a warm wind signed Christopher Sheldrake
For once, Serge Lutens called upon the highly talented perfumer Christopher Sheldrake. Born in India in 1955, Christopher Sheldrake arrived in England at the age of 7. After beginning his career at the heart of the Charabot company, Christopher Sheldrake joined the Robertet company in Great Britain. From 1979 to 1982, Christopher Sheldrake collaborated with Chanel before spending 23 years at the Quest company. In 2005, he returned to Chanel as, as it is said, the second man. He would then work closely with Jacques Polge. Alongside this, he maintains a special bond with Serge Lutens, whom he met in 1987, and he would create the majority of his fragrances, in which he states he enjoys working with natural materials. Christopher Sheldrake is responsible for magnificent successes such as Sa Majesté la Rose, Fleurs de Citronnier, Féminité du Bois by Serge Lutens.
Chergui, the warm notes of the Serge Lutens east wind
Chergui is regarded as a mixed spicy oriental fragrance. Christopher Sheldrake's composition opens with notes of mint, which are warmed by coumarin, at once honeyed and spicy. Originating in Asia, mint is the most widely used aromatic plant in the world. Mint releases a strong, powerful, and yet very pleasant scent. The Greeks used it to embalm mummies, while the Hebrews used it to protect their homes. Moroccan mint green tea is part of Moroccan traditions and rites. In Morocco, mint green tea is offered as a gesture of hospitality. An Arab proverb states: the first glass is as bitter as life, the second is as sweet as love, the third is as soothing as death. This makes clear why Serge Lutens chose mint within Chergui. Then, the heart of the composition is both aromatic and floral, combining lavender, rose, iris and orange blossom. Finally, the base of Chergui conveys all the power and complexity of the Moroccan winds by combining honey, hay, tobacco, incense, sandalwood and amber, leaving behind it a most oriental wind. The sober, refined bottle is that of the Serge Lutens house. The black label gives the whole a final touch of elegance.