Launched in 2019, by French fragrance house Serge Lutens, La Couche du Diable is Lutens’ first oud fragrance. 'La Couche du Diable' translates as 'The Devil's Bed.' I was excited to try it, and now I'm excited each time I wear it. It opens with notes of sweet tangerine and succulent orange warmed by cinnamon. They open your nose to an opulent and luxurious oud accord. It smells sweet, warm, resinous, balsamic, woody and boozy. On me, I can smell each of these facets one at a time and then, at other times, they come together in a beautiful blend as though on a desert breeze. As it develops, the heart of saffron and rose wafts up through the oud. The rose is aromatic and deep, while the saffron is warm and mildly earthy. The floral notes seem to heighten the animalic aspects of the oud before a note of rich, sensuous leather appears. Labdanum, sweetest-scented and resinous, swirls into the scent just before I smell lush note of jammy plum, a Lutens' signature. The oud lingers down to the base, which is woody, warm, ambery and balsamy. The drydown is sweetly sensual, dark and mesmerizing. Oud can be loud, harsh and OTT, but the high quality of the oud in La Couche du Diable and the way it is managed make this ingredient more accessible, more intriguing and more wearable than some other oud-based fragrances. To my nose, La Couche du Diable is more about the influence Morocco has had on Lutens – the oud, the Damask rose, the labdanum, the richness, the opulence. This is a Serge Lutens fragrance for those who love Serge Lutens fragrances. Notes: oud wood, amber, plum, leather, cinnamon tangerine and orange.
