Leather
Spicy
Woody
Top Notesapplecandied orangemangopink pepper
Heartabsintheartemisiacoconutgeraniummugwortrumsageylang-ylang
Base Notesamberbeeswaxcedarhoneylabdanummuskoaktobaccovanilla
Tags
#sweet
Style
for her
for him
unisex
New 2019 packaging: crimped spray (as opposed to the previous design of screw-on self assembly spray).
Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour.
Or du Sérail exudes almost gooey intoxicating sweetness of a cigar soaked in rum with hints of candied fruit and honey at the edges.
You can relate to this perfume if you ever discovered that secret cupboard your grandma kept spice, vanilla, honey, cognac, candied oranges and chocolate among other fragrant treasures reserved for festive cake making. When you finally locate it, you just linger at the open door and marvel at the rich, sweet aromas, before checking if there’s anything worth secretly tasting.
Tobacco, very much present in the formula probably stands for the antic cabinet itself.
The Sniff on Au de Serail:
"There is a sugared, decadent and festive tone about the start of the scent without a doubt. The feeling that it evokes is of a Victorian Christmas celebration; opening a giant box of Christmas sweets and staring at the amassed rows of candied fruit lying in their little compartments, the jewelled colours glinting in the light of the log fire."
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
The mood is an unhurried winter gathering as a box of candied fruit is opened beside glasses of dark spirits. Honeyed mango and rum give the tobacco a festive richness; the woody undertone keeps that sweetness composed. It suits a relaxed, conversational presence rather than a brisk, businesslike one.
How to wear
Cool autumn and winter weather is a natural fit for its dense tobacco, honey and rum character. Start with one or two sprays on skin beneath clothing, allowing the sweetness to warm gradually. In heated rooms or milder weather, apply more sparingly so the rich gourmand facets do not dominate.
Who it’s for
For those who enjoy tobacco softened by honey, ripe fruit and boozy sweetness rather than presented as dry smoke. It will appeal to lovers of textured gourmands and amber-woody fragrances who want richness with a savoury, tobacco-led counterweight.
Release year
2014
The nose
Bertrand Duchaufour is known for complex, atmospheric compositions that balance richly textured materials with space and contrast. His work includes L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Timbuktu and Dzongkha, both admired for their distinctive treatment of woods, spice and incense. In Or du Sérail, he turns tobacco into a golden gourmand, layering fruit, honeyed sweetness and rum over woody, ambery depth.
Collaborators
Naomi Goodsir and Renaud Coutaudier shaped the creative brief, seeking a generous, fruit-inflected tobacco rather than a light blond interpretation. Their appreciation of Orientalist painting supplied the visual vocabulary of golden colours, dried red fruits and reclining figures that informed Duchaufour’s composition.
Naomi Goodsir’s story
Naomi Goodsir treats perfume as an invisible accessory, translating the designer’s tactile sensibility into distinctive olfactory textures. The independent house builds genderless compositions around emblematic materials, working with independent perfumers and prioritising creative development over target markets or trends. Its fragrances are made and hand-packed near Grasse.
Or du Sérail’s concept
Or du Sérail began with the idea of rich, golden tobacco seen through the colours and textures of painting. A work by Eugène Delacroix provided inspiration, while Goodsir and Coutaudier’s broader fascination with Orientalist imagery brought dried fruits, sumptuous interiors and warm gold tones into the brief. The result interprets tobacco through abundance rather than austerity.
Extra info
Or du Sérail reached Esxence after a last-minute change of plans: Goodsir and Coutaudier chose to present it instead of the unfinished Nuit de Bakélite. Visitors anticipating tuberose encountered golden tobacco instead.
Featured in edits and sample packs
Boozy Fumes
Also featured in
Boozy ScentsFestive Scents
Top Notesapplecandied orangemangopink pepper
Heartabsintheartemisiacoconutgeraniummugwortrumsageylang-ylang
Base Notesamberbeeswaxcedarhoneylabdanummuskoaktobaccovanilla
Tags
#sweet
Style
for her
for him
unisex
New 2019 packaging: crimped spray (as opposed to the previous design of screw-on self assembly spray).
Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour.
Or du Sérail exudes almost gooey intoxicating sweetness of a cigar soaked in rum with hints of candied fruit and honey at the edges.
You can relate to this perfume if you ever discovered that secret cupboard your grandma kept spice, vanilla, honey, cognac, candied oranges and chocolate among other fragrant treasures reserved for festive cake making. When you finally locate it, you just linger at the open door and marvel at the rich, sweet aromas, before checking if there’s anything worth secretly tasting.
Tobacco, very much present in the formula probably stands for the antic cabinet itself.
The Sniff on Au de Serail:
"There is a sugared, decadent and festive tone about the start of the scent without a doubt. The feeling that it evokes is of a Victorian Christmas celebration; opening a giant box of Christmas sweets and staring at the amassed rows of candied fruit lying in their little compartments, the jewelled colours glinting in the light of the log fire."
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
The mood is an unhurried winter gathering as a box of candied fruit is opened beside glasses of dark spirits. Honeyed mango and rum give the tobacco a festive richness; the woody undertone keeps that sweetness composed. It suits a relaxed, conversational presence rather than a brisk, businesslike one.
How to wear
Cool autumn and winter weather is a natural fit for its dense tobacco, honey and rum character. Start with one or two sprays on skin beneath clothing, allowing the sweetness to warm gradually. In heated rooms or milder weather, apply more sparingly so the rich gourmand facets do not dominate.
Who it’s for
For those who enjoy tobacco softened by honey, ripe fruit and boozy sweetness rather than presented as dry smoke. It will appeal to lovers of textured gourmands and amber-woody fragrances who want richness with a savoury, tobacco-led counterweight.
Release year
2014
The nose
Bertrand Duchaufour is known for complex, atmospheric compositions that balance richly textured materials with space and contrast. His work includes L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Timbuktu and Dzongkha, both admired for their distinctive treatment of woods, spice and incense. In Or du Sérail, he turns tobacco into a golden gourmand, layering fruit, honeyed sweetness and rum over woody, ambery depth.
Collaborators
Naomi Goodsir and Renaud Coutaudier shaped the creative brief, seeking a generous, fruit-inflected tobacco rather than a light blond interpretation. Their appreciation of Orientalist painting supplied the visual vocabulary of golden colours, dried red fruits and reclining figures that informed Duchaufour’s composition.
Naomi Goodsir’s story
Naomi Goodsir treats perfume as an invisible accessory, translating the designer’s tactile sensibility into distinctive olfactory textures. The independent house builds genderless compositions around emblematic materials, working with independent perfumers and prioritising creative development over target markets or trends. Its fragrances are made and hand-packed near Grasse.
Or du Sérail’s concept
Or du Sérail began with the idea of rich, golden tobacco seen through the colours and textures of painting. A work by Eugène Delacroix provided inspiration, while Goodsir and Coutaudier’s broader fascination with Orientalist imagery brought dried fruits, sumptuous interiors and warm gold tones into the brief. The result interprets tobacco through abundance rather than austerity.
Extra info
Or du Sérail reached Esxence after a last-minute change of plans: Goodsir and Coutaudier chose to present it instead of the unfinished Nuit de Bakélite. Visitors anticipating tuberose encountered golden tobacco instead.
Featured in edits and sample packs
Boozy Fumes
Also featured in
Boozy ScentsFestive Scents