Question:
I just came back from Paris last week, and of course have I used this trip for some fragrance exploration.
My main purchase was a little flacon of Tabac Blond extrait (which is also available as EdP at the moment), but I also got a free sample of the new entry to the line of export fragrances by Serge Lutens - Rousse.
After 2 full days of wearing, smelling the scent on me and my girlfriend, a feel that I am now able to write about my impressions. I'm not an expert on picking out every note, but I hope my description will give you an idea.
First of all, it is a surprisingly light fragrance, suited for warm and sunny spring days (it smells like scent for a spring weekend promenade).
It starts with notes of cinnamon and violet. I think there could be some bergamot and tangerine in there too. Together they produce a light and soapy smell. After some minutes (around 20) the honey and amber notes become stronger.
At this point Rousse can smell totally different on different people. On me I still smelled lots of violet, Amber and some woods, while on my girlfriend the cinnamon still dominated the fragrance.
The violet note is noticeable all from beginning to end.
After a while I get a smell the reminds of agarwood, though I'm not sure, if it is really in there. It has a medicinical, turfy, warm but also somehow fresh - like a mentholcandy - smell.
The complete progression takes around 4 to 5 hours. Longevity is good, on me 12h min. with 3 sprays from the tiny sample.
notes: cinnamon, violet, (bergamot, tangerine), honey, amber, (agarwood)
Conclusion: Nice, but not great. Good for daywear in spring. Suited for men and women. Good longevity.

Answer:
Originally Posted by ukulele I just came back from Paris last week, and of course have I used this trip for some fragrance exploration.
Conclusion: Nice, but not great. Good for daywear in spring. Suited for men and women. Good longevity. I agree. A weak link in the Serge Lutens chain. Seems to be a rushed and incomplete fragrance. By the way, Rousse is now available at Barneys.

Answer:
Violet? Noooooooooooooooo!!!
I was really looking forward to this one - I love cinnamon, I love woods, I love amber...but I hate violet with a passion. And the problem is, if something has even a smidgeon of violet in it, I'm going to smell it.
Ah well, I guess I can spend the money on something else I've been hankering after.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Indiscreet Violet? Noooooooooooooooo!!!
I was really looking forward to this one - I love cinnamon, I love woods, I love amber...but I hate violet with a passion. And the problem is, if something has even a smidgeon of violet in it, I'm going to smell it.
Ah well, I guess I can spend the money on something else I've been hankering after. I hate violet also, so I'll definitely pass this one up.

Answer:
I'm pretty surprised by the violet notes too - all the reviews I read screamed, 'cinnamon!!'...very interesting.

Answer:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 I'm pretty surprised by the violet notes too - all the reviews I read screamed, 'cinnamon!!'...very interesting. Hmm, I am absoulutely sure about the violet note.
It is also one of the notes the saleswoman at the Palais Royal mentioned (Cinnamon, violet, honey, amber - though there is definitely more in there).
Just try it, if you don't like it - so what, there are hundreds of other good perfumes to spend money on.

Answer:
I'm intrigued I have to say as I like all of the main notes.
Is it in any way similar to any other fragrance - eg M7 because of the agarwood?

Answer:
Originally Posted by Dante I'm intrigued I have to say as I like all of the main notes.
Is it in any way similar to any other fragrance - eg M7 because of the agarwood? I only knew agarwood because of M7, so yes, in the drydown I get similarities.

Answer:
Originally Posted by ukulele ...First of all, it is a surprisingly light fragrance, suited for warm and sunny spring days (it smells like scent for spring weekend promenade). I find this very much to the point. I am testing Rousse myself, and so far loved everything I smelled beyond the initial orange grove, but it was not cinnamon and agarwood. Amber, honey, and perhaps violet are detectable. But the whole is much more and wonderful! For about three hours there was a harmonious veil of fragrance around me, more than something that rises from the skin - really very enjoyable!
I could still detect traces on my arms 10 hours later, and that is considerably more than I got from the rather masculine Fumerie Turque in January. But maybe this is the second Lutens that frustrates me because of limited longevity. I don't want to get into a habit of re-spraying ea. third hour (secretly, or do guys practice that in public nowadays?) Maybe I shouldn't decide before I have tested its sillage when summer is here. At that price I know a few good scents performing better!

Answer:
I carried a backpack slung over one shoulder because two would mark you as a tourist. I could have easily carried a decant in an outside pocket. At the time the last thing on my mind was fragrances.
So Narcus, I'd say yes it's probably easy for guys these days to spritz on the run, so to speak.
My Rousse decant should be here anyday now at which time I'll have a complete set of SL's, based on 5 or 10ml decants and a handfull of vials.