Our take
What does Sa Majesté la Rose smell like?
Sa Majesté la Rose came out in 2000, in the early years when Serge Lutens worked his ideas out with Christopher Sheldrake. The title says it all. The rose takes up the whole room. The opening is a surprise, with slightly herbal chamomile and juicy lychee that make the flower smell like fresh fruit. Then the Moroccan rose absolute arrives. It smells like a petal crushed between your fingers, and green geranium brings back the stem. Clove adds a warm little bite. In the base, guaiac wood gives a dry smoke. Honey and white musk round it all off without making it too sweet. Next to Yves Saint Laurent's Paris, a more powdery rose with violet, Sa Majesté la Rose feels rawer and more modern. Its limit is how linear it is. After an hour it barely moves.
When to wear it
A rose for spring and mild autumn days that suits a lazy Sunday as well as dinner. Two sprays are plenty, since the clove shows up fast in a closed room.
It belongs to the Floral family. Sa Majesté la Rose is one of 31 creations by Serge Lutens in our encyclopedia.
