I might not talk about leather perfumes much but I do love them. I just might not wear them as often as I might like as I don’t think my colleagues would approve as much as I do.
That said, I think Cuirelle by Ramon Monegal would never solicit any negative comments. Or at least it shouldn’t. It has become my go-to leather scent and I simply adore it.
Unfortunately for me, my decant ran out and the brand is not available in Croatia. But if I’m nothing if not persistent when it comes to something I love, so eventually a bottle will find its way into my collection.
So how does it smell? Heavenly.
π
Notes: Somali Incense, Indonesian Patchouli, Bourbon Vetiver, Virginian Cedarwood, Cinnamon and Beehive Absolute.
I find it an incredible achievement that this perfume is well made that I, an incense-phobic never actually registered any incense-y problem in my nose.
Even smelling it now, knowing there is incense in there, I cannot smell it in its usual form. I can tease the buttery soft leather (the feeling of it, no buttery smell to it) and vetiver and cedar but incense is luckily missing from my perception.
Trying to tease the notes apart is a bit difficult, I thought there might have been some iris in here due to the most incredibly soft, leathery beginning of this perfume. It is just so seductive to my nose, it’s like a leather coat lined with incredibly soft fur, you just want to burrow your nose (well, all of yourself not just your nose) in it and never let go.

The fur lining the leather coat
The notes cannot describe the loveliness you smell. I thought there was a slight rum note in the beginning. Even though you can smell the incredible combination of woody notes smelling leathery, the only spiciness I detect is the one I attributed to rum. I’m sure cinnamon plays a huge role in that but I cannot smell it by itself. And I’m sure the beehive absolute is responsible for the amazing softness radiating from this perfume.
I would call this a perfect cashmere sweater perfume, along withΒ some seductive leather on any part of your persona for a perfect fit.
That said, I’m not the person who wears clothes like that but I still find Cuirelle a perfect fit. Β It makes me feel like I’m wearing clothes like that feeling completely at ease in them.
Leisurely seductive, in a sneaky way. π You’re enjoying your time with Cuirelle and suddenly you’re snared and you cannot live without it.Β perfect fit. Β It makes me feel like I’m wearing clothes like that feeling completely at ease in them.
I warned you – that’s what happened to me. Proceed at your own peril.
Tagged: Cinnamon, Cuirelle, incense, Leather, perfume, Perfume review, Ramon Monegal
Now I must go and find my sample – together with my leather pants and the rest of the Cuirelle outfit π
Oh I see that bottle winking at ya!
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Not that you couldn’t have guessed it before… π
I wonder how you’ll like it. I think you might be surprised.
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Dearest Redhead
The Dandy too has something of a leather fetish (in fragrance terms alone I hasten to add), so this post has greatly excited me… the notes alone would have me drooling, but your review has made a total lemming here in London.
Another sample to be purloined tout suite.
Thank you.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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Dearest Dandy,
a perfume leather fetish is good to have. π Not that I would think less of you if it applied to more than just perfume.
Hopefully you will purloin your sample soon so we get another amazing text like the one you did on Diorama?
P.S. I wonder if I should let you know that for the time being redhead applies only to how I think of myself, my hair is at the moment blonde… π
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Dearest Ines
It’s the redhead inside that matters most, non?
The Cuirelle mission is on and will be satisfied if not this weekend then next week I’m sure…
Thank you once again for the tip off (and for the kind words on my Diorama review).
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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My thoughts exactly!
But I did notice people smile more at me now I’m a blonde… Not a bad side effect.
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Curelle was one of Monegal’s perfumes from testing which I got steady “I like it” but without the next impulse to run and get more. I really-really-really wish for 15-30 ml bottles for this brand.
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Undina, it started with a nice “I like it” for me too and then I got hooked into using up all of my decant (that almost never happens). That is a clear sign I need more. And in this case more means a lot more. π
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For me that happened with his Impossible Iris π Now I should probably try Curelle again… Or should I?..
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Hmm, are you sure you want to go there? π
I will only say – follow your nose…
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I like Cuirelle as well though leather is definitely not my favorite theme π
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π I’d say leather grew on me. I didn’t use to like it much. Now, I love smelling them and wearing them.
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Good for you. I also enjoy quite a few. I say they’re my exceptions from a rule that leathers are not for me.
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π Exceptions are the best.
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Haha π
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This sounds my kind of leather, Ines. You make it sound so good. I love Cuir de Lanccome because it has that buttery soft feel.
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Tara, I really like Cuir de Lancome, but I like this one even better. It gets the buttery soft feel absolutely perfectly. Try it and let me know what you think. π
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Ines, you are quite the tease! Methinks that this leather perfume is not the only leather in your wardrobe that is a bit seductive and has the perfect fit. (Or are you keeping mum about the jacket?) π
At any rate, you make this sound like just the thing to make a leather girl’s engine purr.
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The jacket is about to get out in the world – the weather is turning perfect for it. π
I think you should try Cuirelle Suzanne, and see what happens to you when you wear it.
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I stumbled upon a store yesterday that carried this line. I tried Cuirelle because of your review and liked it very much. Now I need to go back, paper and pen in hand, and sniff through the whole line. Any others you like?
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Yay! I’m glad you liked it. π
So far, I only tried the Agar Musk which I also liked a lot. I really hope I get a chance to go through all of them, I love the sound of that Amber Vanessa likes.
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I tried a few of this line – with Undina in fact! – and fell for Ambra di Luna. However, I need to spend more time with the range as I may have overlooked this. If it is more buttery soft than Cuir de Lancome, you have got me interested! I like Cuir de Russie by Chanel but find that one a little oily.
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Oh, I’m jealous. Not only did you try the line, you got to do it with Undina!
Can I just say I love the name of that perfume? Chances are, I’m going to love it.
Chances are, you’re going to enjoy Cuirelle too. No oilyness in this one.
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I love a good leather scent and you make it sound so enticing. Nice review!
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Thank you.
If you try it, I wonder what will you think. I believe it might be enticing to smell on a guy. π
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MMMMM I love this line Ines,
Dry Wood was a gift from Birgit, a sample and I adore it. The sample is close to empty. I have some more Monegal here and will get out the Cuirelle soon and wear it too.
Above and beyond the juice those bottles have me all over the place, gorgeous. I agree with Undina that a smaller bottle would make them more accessable or even a 10ml spray set of the range would be extremely buyable, like ELdO or Mona di Orio.
Portia xx
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Dear Portia,
now I’m eager to try the rest of the line. If I go by the only two perfumes I tried, I can tell it’s going to be a good fit for me. π
I’ve never seen the bottle in real life but as it’s suppose to represent the inkwell, I’m definitely sold on the whole line.
Combining writing and perfume?! That’s the perfume brand for me! π
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This is a very, very persuasive review! I must go out and try this ASAP, and because you were so persuasive I will skip smelling it on a strip and try on skin right away. It seems like the kind of fragrance that will do better on skin. But I don’t have any leather clothes to pair with it. π
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Thank you Natalie. π
I would say this one is definitely better on skin, and doesn’t need pairing with leather clothes (unless you do have them, mine is limited to a leather jacket). π
I wonder how you’ll like it…
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I never thought I’d “hear” myself saying this…. but I think I’ve got a sample of this floating around somewhere. Obviously it’s time to organize my samples. π
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π He, he, he, I might not say that much, oh, but how many times do I think it!
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I’m starting to get hooked on Cuirelle, too. I think this would work in spring/summer weather as well as it does now in cooler temps. To me it’s a soft, powdery violet that has a honeyed dry down. In my mind it’s a camel colored suede jacket paired with a light weight lavender scarf.
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Hi Lila, I can imagine why you would think of it in camel and violet colors. It is soft, and violet is close to gray. I’d say personal experience plays a great part in how we envision perfumes in our minds.
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May I add one more thought? Cuirelle reminds me quite a bit of Violet Blonde by Tom Ford. Cuirelle has more booze and honey and VB is greener, but somewhere in the middle notes those two are a lot alike.
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You can add as many thoughts as you like! π I love when people comment with their opinions.
I actually don’t think I ever tried Violet Blonde – I heard some good things about it but never got around to testing it. Green always sounds good to me.
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