Bois Roi d'Agalloche
Parfum, Serge Lutens (2025)

Strictly translated this perfume means “Wood King of Agalloch” or “King of Agalloch Wood”, but this is Serge Lutens, remember. Should we presume word games? It doesn’t seem like it. Oud is indeed the king here, and it’s treated like one.

The oud is prominent only in the first third or so of the perfume’s life, and, just like a king it’s made to be, it is adorned with gold and finery. The medicinal and fecal edges of oud are present, but they have been shrouded by warm and resinous amber notes. This has an effect of giving the oud a regality and elegance without removing the complicated and difficult parts of its personality to do so. However, those facets of oud are the first to depart and oud’s woody side links down with the amber base. There it makes a seamless and very pretty marriage with labdanum to be pleasantly warm, golden resinous, a bit sticky and a bit sweet, and very comfortable to wear. You just want to curl up with it, like a warm blanket. Patchouli is nestled around the oud and labdanum for some black top soil earthiness to add even more breadth to the landscape.

This presentation of oud is hardly anything new, but here it is at least very well done. No details are overlooked, and it smells very complete and cared for. As with most Lutens perfumes there really isn’t much of an evolution to the perfume; what you smell at the start is pretty much what you’re going to get to the end. But, perhaps the most pleasant part to it is that even though it is grand and powerful, it never shouts at you or pushes you like oud often can. Its presence is impossible to ignore, but it doesn’t crowd you or the room. This isn’t Lutens's first go at an oud centered perfume, but the predecessors of Bois seem to have fallen away from the brand’s attention in addition to some of them generally not being received well by the perfume consuming public. So maybe Bois is Lutens's Hail Mary pass in the oud genre - one more go and hope that it’s caught. I’m not sure how this will be received since oud lovers are not likely going to be impressed, and long-time fans of the brand will likely wish it would “do a bit more”, but I hope to be wrong. It’s a solid oud perfume, and I think the best one Lutens has yet to create.

I’m mostly picking up amber with an animalic hint, probably from the oud. It’s not as boring as some other Serge Lutens releases from 2025. Well blended and smooth, though not overly complex. I thought I detected some fruit in the opening because the amber comes off slightly jammy. Despite the animalic edge, it’s easy to wear and creates a pleasant scent bubble. Great for winter and fall, and cooler spring evenings could work too. Unless you overspray, it shouldn’t feel harsh or overpowering. Definitely worth sampling.