J’s image of 4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen x ÇaFleureBon.

4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen marks the sixth collaboration between London based perfumer (White Queen, Red Queen, Dark Queen, Pirate Queen and Faerie Queen) Sarah McCartney and Editor-in-Chief Michelyn Camen of ÇaFleureBon. Having watched the STARZ series The Serpent Queen, based on Catherine de’ Medici’s ascent to political dominance, Michelyn was fascinated by the portrayal of the orphaned Italian girl, educated at a convent, used as a political pawn, and ignored by her philandering husband King Henry II. She became one of the most powerful figures of the Renaissance in France, wielding influence far beyond her title. She was the Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 and the mother of French Kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, the period of her sons’ reigns is often referred to as “the age of Catherine de’ Medici” due to her significant influence on France’s political landscape.

4160Tuesdays’Sarah McCartney courtesy of the perfumer

Sarah McCartney chose to explore her life in a historical scented way, similar to 4160Tuesdays’ era accurate Rome 1963 and Paris 1948, one of my favourites. Catherine de’ Medici’s history is also cunningly woven into Serpent Queen’s composition through Sarah’s materials choices adding “Medici intrigue” into its mix.

J’s AI image of J’s image of 4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen.

4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen shimmers  with fresh and aromatic green tones conjuring a snake’s skin sparkling with embroidered emeralds. Neroli and chamomile’s herbal aromatic fangs give a biting greenness while the chamomile’s floral facets dripping in cedrat and bergamot’s citrus juices add sleekness, like a fine velvet cloak around you. Sarah McCartney cleverly references Catherine de’ Medici through her deft blending of the Eau de Parfum, combining both the Italian, (Medici’s place of birth,) and the French (more floral) aromatic cologne styles.

“The opening gives the impression of a traditional Eau de Cologne style, which is not really from Cologne as you know, but from Italy, with perfumers changing their names to sound more German or French to fit in.” -Sarah McCartney.

Serpent Queen weaves these histories together into the composition creating a robust refinement with a fresh floral twist, just like Catherine de’ Medici bringing her Italian influence to France. For me vintage Italian eau de colognes have a combination of herbal and creamy facets, usually from basil, giving them a herbal quality, whereas the French eau de colognes lean more on the local lavender for aromatics. Both use neroli for that green freshness and here cedrat and bergamot feel warm like the sun making Catherine de’ Medici’s Tuileries Garden bloom.

Catherine de’ Medici (age 30s), as queen consort of France (1550s) at the Uffizi Gallery via Wiki and Samantha Morton as Catherine de’ Medici in The Serpent Queen 2022-2024 IMDb.

The intoxicating scent of jasmine gives Serpent Queen a seductive allure paired with a controlled wildness, the kind you see flicker like danger in someone’s eyes. Jasmine broods under a powdery veil of iris and sandalwood, adding an air of intrigue. The sandalwood brings out a fleshiness, its tart woods smelling like salty skin with a dash of absinthe running through its royal veins, enhancing the herbal green bitterness from the opening. Sarah McCartney gives 4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen some body and space with florals woven into the citrus warmth like a crown, luxuriously languishing over its powdery smooth iris and woody base. Gentle spices are less of a bite then the neroli greens of the opening; wisps of absinthe/wormwood  waft around you. Linden blossom’s honeyed nuances seep out from the bite marks summoning the gloaming making the heady aromas of the florals glow. Again, there’s a counterpoint of bitterness that enhances and balance the sweetness , referencing Catherine de’ Medici’s persona.  Serpent Queen flows elegantly and eloquently with Sarah McCartney using materials used at the time, bar animalics.

“Cruelty free modern musks and ambrox stand in for animal materials used during that era.”- Sarah McCartney.

Catherine de Medici gazing at Protestants massacred in the aftermath of the massacre of St. Bartholomew, by Édouard Debat-Ponsan, 1880. Via wiki.

Serpent Queen’s dry down wears like a mysterious flower scented with cologne. Its citruses hold their brightness while silky rose petals serve refinement with subtle earthy undertones of mushroom forming a rose/gardenia hybrid. The mushroom smells earthy and a little pungent; just enough to add a twist to the sandalwood’s fleshiness, making it plump and a touch animalic.

“To add Medici intrigue, I used Florentine orris, wormwood for its mind altering properties, with rose, geranium, linden and mushroom absolute, the boletus edulis.” -Sarah McCartney.

The boletus edulis, mushroom, along with wormwood are nods to the legend that Catherine poisoned her enemies adding a reference to Catherine de’ Medici’s Serpent Queen persona. Luxurious orange blossom and musks linger like traces of expensive French soap that I imagine would be found at her residence at Château de Fontainebleau. The veil of rose and gardenia drapes over it with the aromatic air of a classic cologne lingering in the air, glittering in snake emerald greens.

4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen is a cologne like no other; blending both classic styles merged with unique materials to give us something rare. It’s perfect for anyone that loves classic eau de cologne style perfumes or is looking for something fresh yet different. Sarah McCartney has deftly captured Catherine de’ Medici’s Serpent Queen persona into this beautiful Eau de Parfum, while making it historically accurate for the time. The perfect “eau de cologne style” perfume to take you from day into an enthralling night. Serpent Queen is a regal addition to ÇaFleureBon Queen series.

Notes: Neroli, Bergamot, Lavender, Cedrat, Jasmine, Chamomile, Sandalwood, Florentine Orris, Wormwood, Rose, Geranium, Linden, Mushroom Absolute, Boletus Edulis, Cruelty Free Musks, Ambrox.

Disclosure: 4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen was sent to J, his thoughts and nose are his own.

J Wearescentient, Senior Editor artist & olfactive writer

Michelyn’s note: Did the STARZ series portray her accurately? After doing more research, Catherine de’ Medici’s character in The Serpent Queen leans heavily on the old “demonic and wily as a snake” myth; an image shaped by xenophobia, misogyny, and political propaganda rather than evidence. While the series captures her intelligence and the chaos she governed, it exaggerates her ruthlessness for drama’s sake. Modern historians see her differently: a shrewd and pragmatic ruler navigating a fractured kingdom, capable of both diplomacy and hard choices, whose reputation was distorted by her enemies as much as by her own actions. Fun Fact: I did learn that she brought high heels to France.

Please read former Contributor Susie Baird’s interview with Sarah McCartney here

 4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen for CaFleureBon courtesy of the brand.

Thanks to Nir Guy of Perfumology and Sarah McCartney of 4160Tuesdays we have a draw for a 50ml bottle of Serpent Queen by 4160Tuesdays for a registered ÇaFleureBon reader in THE USA ONLY or UK. If you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site, or your entry will be invalid).  THERE IS ONLY ONE WINNER. To be eligible please leave a comment with what you thought of J’s review of 4160Tuesdays Serpent Queen, where you live  and you favorite 4160Tuesdays perfume? Draw closes 6/2/2026

4160Tuesdays perfumes are available at Perfumology and on the brand’s site

Available only at Perfumology (50ml and 100 ml) HERE in the USA and on 4160Tuesdays (15ml, 30 ml, 50ml, 100ml) in the UK site.

Please read about our other 4160Tuesdays Queens: White Queen, Red Queen, Dark Queen, Pirate Queen and Faerie Queen here and reviews of our other Queens can be read here.

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