Serge Lutens Louve

Notes: almond, rose petals, jasmine petals, musk, vanilla

You gotta wonder how some perfumers come up with names.  "Louve" translates as "she-wolf."  I can see how a she-wolf might smell like an almond-heavy version of rahat loukoum.  Suuuuuuuuure.  Perhaps the milk of the she-wolf that nourished Romulus and Remus was flavored with almonds and rose petals?  Riiiiiggght.  

So let's ignore the oddball name, and its similarity to "Louvre," and the potential number of times non-French-speaking people will confuse the two in the future, and concentrate on the actual fragrance.  

Before I got my sample, I read that Louve compared to Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Niege.  I thought I liked that one until I put it on my skin and nearly suffocated in an avalanche of white powder, like falling head-first into a vat at Johnson & Johnson.  I am happy to report that the comparison is completely unfounded.  Sure, there's a powdery quality to Louvre, but it's pretty tame and very much in the background.  The standout note is the almond, sweet like almond oil or almond extract.  In combination with the rose note, I am very much reminded of scents like Montale Sweet Oriental Dream and Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum.  But the almond note is much stronger here, and it reminds me a little of one of my favorite childhood beverages, Suburban Club Almond Smash soda.  Accompanied by a powdered sugar donut.  Or three.  And unlike the mentioned loukhoum scents, which I tend to think are better suited for cooler weather, Louve seems to have a cooling quality that would do well on hot summer days like this one.

Louve is officially due in September, but if you go to my favorite fragrance supplier, Fishbone Fragrances, you can try it now.