Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens

I’ve been meaning to get around to writing this review for months, but just never buckled down and did it, for some reason. Well, here we are, and I am going to be taking a closer look at Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens.

This is a fragrance that came out back in the 1990s and has had fans ever since. As usual, I will cover: what the notes are, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is even worth a purchase.

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What does Ambre Sultan Smell Like?

Notes include: amber, resin, benzoin, sandalwood, bay leaf, coriander, patchouli, vanilla, oregano

Click here to try: Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 50 Ml

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My Full Review

Ambre Sultan opens up with the amber note, that is joined by quite a resinous aroma, and a healthy dose of spice. Coriander, bay leaf, and some herbal spices are fairly heavy at the start of this fragrance.

I was expecting it to be a warmer and sweeter fragrance than it is, but I instead get, a lot of sandalwood and the aforementioned spice notes. It does get somewhat sweeter, as it wears on, but it’s nothing super dramatic.

Ambre Sultan actually has a oriental smokiness to it (incense) and the distinct smell of myrrh. I pick this up, at about 10 minutes after spraying, and it reminds me a lot of other scents that I know I’ve review on this site but cannot recall the name of.

Anyway, as it dries down, it actually does become drier and a hint of vanilla peaks through to make things feel creamier with that sandalwood.

After this first hour or two of wear, you pretty much know what you’re going to get from this Serge Lutens fragrance, as it is pretty linear from here on. It is a dry and smokey resinous smell from the base notes, with some sweet vanilla, a sandalwood, and spice led by a dominant bay leaf note.

Seriously, the bay leaf is much stronger than I figured it’d be in this composition, so be aware of that before you buy.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t huge but it’s solid. Ambre Sultan is strong enough to get noticed, by people close by, but not across the room.

The longevity is also quite good, clocking in at around 7-8 hours, on my skin. No performance issues with this scent.

Seasonally, this is cold weather all the way. Not necessarily dead of winter, but at least a brisk fall day.

Wearing Ambre Sultan outdoors in such conditions, was a great experience. It has enough power to hang in the air around you, not getting completely blown out by the surrounding smells of the environment.

It has a refined and classy aroma, one that is appropriate for business, semi-formal, or formal occasions. This is a unisex scent and has a certain appeal to it, but I wouldn’t really call it sexy.

It is cozy enough to throw on, if you’re just lounging around the house and are in the mood. Especially, when you get to the dry down phase of the wear.

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Overall Impressions of Ambre Sultan

Overall, do I like Ambre Sultan. I do. It’s a really good amber based fragrance and one that is quite different from the norm, in this category. I think it is much more substantial than something like Grand Soir by MFK.

Is it for everyone? No, it’s not a mass market crowd pleaser, but isn’t so niche that everyone around you will hate it.

The bay leaf was a surprise with how much it popped, on my skin. Not anything crazy, but I enjoyed that along with the resinous and smokier aspects of this Serge Lutens perfume.

That opening spice, herbal quality and resin are an interesting start that will transition into a smoother and calmer finish. Plenty of depth and different facets to enjoy here.

It’s just a very well put together scent, for those who want an amber scent with some spice and ‘dirtiness’, but not to the extreme.