In 1924, Ernest Beaux of Chanel No. 5 fame created Cuir de Russie, “Russian Leather”, in keeping with the animalic perfumery trend of the time. There were, in fact, many fragrances with the same name, but his was by far the most notable. Like other classic perfumes such as Tabac Blond, it was intended to be a dangerous fragrance for women, embodying those who smoked and voted and wore flapper dresses that showed their calves. Luca Turin tells us the smoky notes come from rectified (cooked) birch tar, which was natural in the old Cuir de Russie, but after its use was restricted by the European Union, a synthetic was used, and it was recreated by current Chanel nose Jacques Polge. Some people say the vintage smells much gruffer, but I wouldn’t know.
Cuir de Russie lives up to its name, containing soft leather, smoky amber undertones, and a smooth, mossy finish. It smells almost exactly like the real thing without being aggressive. This leather would never be worn by a biker. It smells like a lady’s kid glove, or a old-fashioned leather trenchcoat for the grand dames of Agatha Christie’s books.
Cuir de Russie claims its plush femininity via a big iris note, present from top to drydown, that never fights for attention but still makes itself heard. This is definitely a unique fragrance that I cannot imagine being copied or replicated. It also pulls off the astounding feat of being both constant and variable at the same time. There’s a fluctuating level of grit within Cuir de Russie, never strong by any means, but enough to keep the edge it’s famous for. It smells like sweaty cattle, or the remaining coffee grind, or compost. Sometimes CDR is more floral than others too, with aldehydes and a ripe ylang-ylang in the distance.
The official note list is orange blossom, bergamot, mandarin, clary sage; iris, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, cedarwood, vetiver; styrax, leather, amber, vanilla. (Bois de Jasmin)
Along with all its other virtues, Cuir de Russie lasts forever. I wore the eau de toilette out on one of the hottest days of the year, and I could still smell it when I got home. The edt comes in enormous 6.8 ounce square bottles, and can be applied liberally. It’s surprisingly wearable, and stays close to your skin, so it’s a good buy for anyone.
Perfumer: Ernest Beaux
Price Range: Expensive
Recommended Occasion: Any
Release Year: 1924
My Rating: 9
Check out Tara’s review at Olfactoria’s Travels!