Launched in 2003 by Serge Lutens, Fumerie Turque is a fragrance for women and men. This is a good thing because I don’t know what I enjoy more, smelling it on me or on my husband.

Fumerie Turque, means Turkish den in English, and with the first sniff of it on my skin, I see opulent colours, feel rich textures, hear enticing, exotic music, and I smell smoke from a vibrant, rich, smoky/leather accord. As it blooms, it is sweetened by a note of dried fruit and tempered by juniper berries. Lush Turkish rose at the heart, along with jasmine, add a floral dimension that lightens the darkness of the opening but allows a note of smokiness to weave throughout the fragrance, highlighting the honey/caramel facets of blond tobacco. This is when I start to lean into it. Beeswax adds a fattiness that bolsters the smoke, keeping it rich and deep. The base has a soft note of leather made earthy, from patchouli and resinous from styrax and sweet from vanilla and tonka bean.

Fumerie Turque unfolds slowly, languorously undulating its way into every sense and drying down to a sensuous, sumptuous fragrance. It has a complex elegance that is perfect for cold weather, but honestly, when would you not wear something this good?

Notes: smoke, leather, dried fruit, juniper berries, Turkish rose, Egyptian jasmine, beeswax, blond tobacco, patchouli, styrax, vanilla, Tonka bean.