STEPHANE HUMBERT LUCAS
THE QUEEN AND THE VIPER

2025

bergamot
citrus notes
spearmint
blackcurrant
davana
styrax
incense

african mint
clary sage
jasmine sambac
osmanthus
vetiver

date
saffron
blond tobacco
burnt labdanum
birch

‘A mentholated breath upon papyrus. A solar barque, a queen, her devotee. Two shores, a sea split in two, a sea for two. In the days-of-light, a felucca, a galley, filled. With unguents, spices, potions opening worlds. A triangle-woman, geometric and sensual, a throne-woman, an emerald. A beacon-perfume, a formula, an Alexandrine’ – Stephane Humbert Lucas

I’ve smelled The Queen And The Viper at least 5x in stores before I finally wore it on skin. And each time I was convinved I would love it. The last time though, I realized how minty it truly was and that last sentiment is what rings most true on skin.

That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate this fragrance, but it’s less up my alley than I initially figured it would be. Very minty, varying from toothpaste-like in the opening, to a sweeter, gum like mint in the mid of the wear.

The opening has a spiciness to me. Probably the incense, but it doesn’t have much of a citrus or fruity kick, despite the surrounding notes listed. It feels quite bare and neutral, with mint and something that registers to my nose as white pepper. It is a nice way to have a ‘fresher’ scent, without going towards the citrus or aquatic directions.

As it evolves, a barely sweet incense-tobacco core with ever so slight hints of dried fruits take over. It feels like a very civil, neutral, zen-like smokiness. More relaxing spa than grungy bar. It never gets too sweet, but it does become more cozy, rather than refreshing.

Overall, an interesting, kind of hard to pin-point, fragrance. That I appreciate more than I actually ended up loving it.