Cuir Intense
Cuir Intense opens with an unexpected softness—osmanthus lending its apricot-like sweetness and ylang-ylang providing a faintly tropical warmth.
The scent fingerprint
Weighted by intensity across 7 accords.
Every perfume in Sillage is represented as a distribution across canonical accord slugs — a lingua franca for scent. Two fragrances with overlapping fingerprints are scent-twins, even if they share no literal note.
- Leather80
- Sandalwood75
- Musk65
- Cedar60
- Tobacco55
By the editors · 2 min readCuir Intense opens with an unexpected softness—osmanthus lending its apricot-like sweetness and ylang-ylang providing a faintly tropical warmth. This isn't the harsh, tannery leather some might anticipate from the name. Instead, Guerlain opts for something more enveloping, where the leather accord feels buffed and supple rather than raw.
As it settles, the composition reveals its structure: musky sandalwood forms a creamy foundation while tobacco adds a dry, slightly honeyed undertone. The Virginia cedar provides backbone without overwhelming the gentler elements. The leather itself remains present but polite, more like a worn jacket than new boots.
This is leather for those who find most leather fragrances too aggressive. It suits cooler weather and evening wear, appealing to anyone who wants the idea of leather without committing to its full severity. The fruity osmanthus keeps it from feeling overly somber, maintaining a balance between refinement and approachability.
