Description
The African serval cat is an utterly beautiful creature. I think I fell in love before I even met one… I scented it.
We were taking Xander to the Denver Zoo for his first time to see the penguins on an incredibly hot, smoky day (It was September, so wildfire season). We had walked through much of the park, the sun was lowering in the sky to a glowing red coal, and it was nearly closing time. That was when I turned a corner and caught a whiff of a distinctively warm, honeyed ‘animal’ mixed with a spicy, grassy hay and a surprisingly sweet, almost fruit-like note. I followed my nose until I found her, asleep, in the dusky heat. The Serval cat.
Her beautiful spots and other markings were lovely and unexpected as they reminded me of fawn’s markings. I loved her long ears and legs. I was instantly inspired and have been working on this design since that day, almost 6 years ago.
I also have to admit that I have had a fascination with African aromatics for a long time and have wanted to make a fragrance inspired by African notes for awhile. It wasn’t until I ‘met’ the serval that this research coalesced into an actual design. I’m thrilled to introduce you to Le Serval and maybe, some incredible notes that you may not have smelled before. I hope that you’ll love this feline as I do.
*Thank you to the wonderful Massimo Alfaioli for his incredible illustrations for Le Serval.
*** From Wikipedia about Serval Cats:
In North Africa, the serval is known only from Morocco and has been reintroduced in Tunisia, but is feared to be extinct in Algeria. It inhabits semi-arid areas and cork oak forests close to the Mediterranean Sea, but avoids rainforests and arid areas. It occurs in the Sahel, and is widespread in Southern Africa. It inhabits grasslands, moorlands and bamboo thickets at high altitudes up to 3,800 m (12,500 ft) on Mount Kilimanjaro. It prefers areas close to water bodies such as wetland and savanna, which provide cover such as reeds and tall grasses.
Sarah –
Dawn said in her description, “Dusky heat” and this is the perfect adjective. Dusky indeed. I smell velvet fur, warm feline musk and a sweet hay den. A soft, close animalic surrounded by the fauna of the natural habitat. To my nose, this is spot-on realism, not an ideal or interpretation. Wonderful!
impromptu1992 (verified owner) –
Intimate, sexy, feline, powerful. Interesting juxtaposition between the floral and woody elements. Creates a sort of intoxicating vibration. More velvety than spicy but mild piquant touch from the ginger. Carole Baskin could NEVER.
kndbarr –
This fragrance is absolutely beautiful. Rich and lush while being feminine and mysterious. The African elements make it interestingly different, with the Bergamot, Beeswax, Hay and Rose weaving in and out. I love it!!! Thank you, Dawn, for this perfect scent.
andrewsacupuncture (verified owner) –
I fell in love instantly! A honey white flower animalic amber that dries down to an addictive purr. This reminds me of a toned down Absolue Pour le Soir or Bengale Rouge. Don’t be scared off by that association, Dawn’s style from what I can tell so far is sheer and modern and can be worn anywhere without offending others. Le Serval has moderate sillage but good longevity.
Megan –
Opens with flowers and whiskey, quickly giving way to warm and sweet honey and fur. It’s rich and complex, but not overwhelming. I’m comfortably pulling this off in the summer, but I think it would be especially beautiful during cool, snuggly weather.
Gia –
This is gorgeous, so warm and furry and honeyed. It’s opened up a whole new genre for me, I finally get the draw of animalic fragrances. Highly recommend you try a sample, it’s so original and evocative.
Yury Summers (verified owner) –
Hot, dry desert sands, dried grass with the wild cat hiding really close to you.. watching you. This fragrance captures not just the animal, but also the whole ambiance of its habitat, the natural surroundings. This is not “just another feline animalic”, there’s a wholesome concept here and that concept is executed masterfully. Very interesting and beautiful work. I need more bottles!
Autumn Larson (verified owner) –
Absolutely beautiful scent. I’ve been looking at this one for a while now and I wish I had tried it sooner because it was exactly what I wanted. I love the opening blast of honey, then the animal that claws through. Spot on realism. It also evokes an incense feel for me, which I adore. It isn’t overly heavy. I tried it in the winter but for me I think I’d love it in the hot summer heat.
Julie davis –
Wow. I’m not usually into musks or animal scents in general, but this one is so lush and makes my skin smell like a deep sexy honey. Been layering it with the carnation smell from here and the cuttings accord. I can’t stop smelling myself.
jessicamurphy –
Smells a bit like burying your face in warm fur.Slinks right out, purring. Beautifully subtly animalic, but with a brightness . Unapologetically vintage. Gets more honeyed and floral in the dry down
e.rose.lcsw –
A warm afternoon breeze from the Savannah, carrying a honeyed white flower, mineral sand, and then opening into a funky animal musk, eventually settling into hay, honey, and some lingering animalic scent. It’s drop dead delicious.
caroline phillips (verified owner) –
Oh my gosh, I have found my new favorite fragrance. I had tried a tiny sample before purchasing, but even if I hadn’t, the story and description are spot on. This is such a beautiful scent. Absolutely cat-like, furry, and musky, and the hay and they honey are big players here as well. It is a stunning work of art.
merielkosokar (verified owner) –
I really can’t add much more, the other reviews being spot on and better than anything I could add. While this doesn’t suit me personally, it is an amazing olfactory adventure. I grew up near to Como Zoo in St. Paul, MN. This reminds me a lot of the animal enclosures, in a good way. How Ms. Hurwitz manages such magic, I’ll never know. Strange and interesting, I am trying to imagine the person who could call this his or her or their signature scent. Tina Turner? (Rest in Peace.) Mick Jagger?
maysmo –
Very golden warm animalic with honeyed accents. There’s a slight spice, too. It’s very pretty and very cozy – beeswax is always a nurturing note to my nose, and here it makes the animalic more approachable. But it’s still an animalic, and therefore inherently sexy; great for date night!