When I first heard of the new Hermessence collection, with its ouds and myrrhs, I was apprehensive. The previous additions to the line were all sheer, opaline and ethereal, and I couldn’t see how Middle Eastern inspiration could continue the same aesthetic. As it turns out, I underestimated Christine Nagel, the current in-house perfumer for Hermès, because Agar Ebène, Cèdre Sambac, Myrrhe Églantine, Cardamusc and Musc Pallida have the radiance that gives the house’s perfumes its distinctive quality. They also have curves and sensuality.
Myrrhe Églantine is the most classical of the five new Hermessence fragrances and the one that pays the most homage to an existing perfume, Rose Ikebana. Created by Jean-Claude Ellena, Rose Ikebana was one of the most underrated gems from the collection. Yes, it’s a pretty, fizzy rose, but it also had a level of precision and refinement that few other fresh roses possess. Myrrhe Églantine plays with the same shimmering effects, but it sets the rose against a velvety background.
The contrast is what drew me to Myrrhe Églantine in the first place. It starts out on a sweet orange note, with an unexpected dark glimpse of a violet. However, on skin they create an illusion of a crimson rose, without the waxy or honeyed accents. Because in perfume, violets, roses and raspberries have much in common, the interplay is intriguing.
The fragrance retains its freshness, even as it warms up further, and unlike Rose Ikebana, Myrrhe Églantine doesn’t shy away from rich saturated notes. Soft musks, licorice like incense, and creamy woods are humming as its roses bloom. Églantine, by the way, is the French name for a wild rose, the same plant whose rose hips make for a raspberry and apple tasting jam. The fruity connection is subtle, but it serves to lighten the composition.
The fragrance is built around plush materials, but it doesn’t feel heavy. Take myrrh, one of its key notes, for instance. It’s one of the densest materials available to perfumers. Nagel adds a metallic rose accord that not only brings out the floral facet of myrrh, but also makes the perfume shimmer, from top to bottom.
Myrrhe Églantine is also very easy to wear, and the other remarkable thing about it is that for all of its warm hues, it feels like an eau de cologne. While it lingers (for about 5 hours on my skin), it never loses its energy and sparkle. Delightful.
Please also take a look at Robin’s review of Myrrhe Églantine. Hermès Agar Ebène, Cèdre Sambac and Myrrhe Églantine are available in the Eau de Toilette, while Cardamusc and Musc Pallida are in the oil-based Essence de Parfum. The fragrances are available in a neat little coffret, which is a fun way to try these perfumes.
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
59 Comments
Alia: I’ve been waiting for your review of this line. Would please review Cedre Sambac next? Pretty please! April 25, 2018 at 8:29am
Victoria: Yes, I will definitely review it. It’s one of my top favorites. April 25, 2018 at 11:34am
Alia: I’m looking for a woody jasmine so this one seems interesting. April 25, 2018 at 11:59am
Victoria: Atelier Cologne Jasmin Angelique might another option. It’s also green. April 26, 2018 at 8:48am
spe: Victoria, you mention that violets, rose, and raspberries have scent in common. Would you please educate me about orange blossom? Does that share a scent profile with anything else? Thank you. And thank you for the review. Hermes is a favorite house and I need to try the coffret. Exciting times at Hermes! April 25, 2018 at 9:36am
Victoria: Are you familiar with the smell of Concord grapes? Or grape juice? Or anything flavored with grape? Orange blossom has a similar note, and the moment you notice it in a perfume, you can be sure that it’s either orange blossom/neroli or an accord meant to represent this flower.
The coffret is fun! April 25, 2018 at 11:36am
spe: Very helpful – thank you! April 25, 2018 at 11:57am
Victoria: And I have to add, wild strawberry (since for people outside of the US Concord grape doesn’t mean much). In fact, it suffices to add some orange blossom water to make ordinary strawberries taste like wild ones.
https://boisdejasmin.com/2013/07/strawberry-orange-blossom-water-compote-recipe.html April 26, 2018 at 8:46am
OnWingsofSaffron: Now that’s a revelation! I will definitely try this when local strawberries are available. Thanks! April 26, 2018 at 4:18pm
Victoria: I’d start with only a little bit and add bit by bit. Otherwise, it can become overpowering. April 27, 2018 at 3:06pm
Alia: This is very helpful to me too. I have never smelled real orange blossoms and I get confused reading about them. Like, do they smell like oranges? April 25, 2018 at 11:58am
Victoria: Not really, because it doesn’t have the zesty, citrus peel scent. April 26, 2018 at 8:48am
Sandra: I can’t find the coffret on the US website, is this one available in the USA
I would love to try..
I am surprised I don’t see much Myrrhe in perfumes..I loved Myrrhe & Delires and then it was discontinued… April 25, 2018 at 11:57am
Victoria: It’s too hard to use, because it coats everything and suppresses the composition. One of the best myrrh perfumes is Serge Lutens’s La Myrrhe. Have you tried it?
Perhaps, it’s not up yet on the US site, since they started the launch in Europe. I would call the boutique. April 26, 2018 at 8:47am
spe: La Myrrhe, my favorite Lutens. However I can’t figure out how to wear it (dosing, dab, spray), because it overwhelms. Any suggestions are welcome! April 26, 2018 at 10:02am
Victoria: I just dab it. Even spraying is ok for me, but I use only one spray. April 27, 2018 at 3:02pm
Sandra: Yes, and I am echoing the comment below on how you wear it? April 26, 2018 at 10:29am
Sandra: I found a sample on line to try this one..
Its nice to see you doing perfume reviews again.. <3 April 26, 2018 at 10:43am
Victoria: Please let me know your thoughts! April 27, 2018 at 3:02pm
Sandra: I am sampling this one today.
Besides rose is it possible that I am smelling something like mushroom?
I didn’t find anything “middle eastern” about it, but I have never been there so I am not sure what I am suppose to be smelling in that regard.
It is very elegant and wears sheer on me May 1, 2018 at 11:27am
Victoria: That mushroom-like note is one of myrrh’s facets, so you’re spot on! May 4, 2018 at 10:24am
Ann: I do see Myrrhe Eglantine in the “compose your own set” area of the website – not sure if this is what you are talking about, but mentioning it here jik 🙂 April 26, 2018 at 3:23pm
OnWingsofSaffron: Oh super, I was really excited when these new scents hit the scene, especially the rose & myrrh scent. I rather like it though I am more smitten by the other one: Agar Ébène.
What I have repeatedly encountered with Myrrhe Eglantine just after spraying is a rather disconcerting sour-sickly and frankly quite off smell reminding me of a bit of fanta or a fizzy grape juice left in a glass or bottle out in the garden (wasps buzzing around it) for a few days. It doesn‘t smell nice at all – on me at least! – for a minute or two. Then it fades. Very weird!
Later all is fine, and the lovely slightly mushroom-y smell of myrrh is perceptible. April 25, 2018 at 12:28pm
Victoria: Agar Ebene is among my favorites too, although to be honest, I have trouble picking just one favorite from this collection. They’re all very interesting.
The two oils, on the other hand, didn’t capture me as much. April 26, 2018 at 8:50am
OnWingsofSaffron: A quick aside. I tested “Eau de Citron Noir” by Hermès”, I think also by Mme Nagel. What a deep disappointment! I actually scrubbed it off. The first 10-15 minutes are fine, even pleasant. Then a nuclear waste of aromachemicals in its cheapest form remains. How cynical to speak of “Patagonian wood”! With this scent Hermès has entered what Luca Turin so aptly coined “a genre distinguished by asteroidal bleakness”… April 26, 2018 at 4:25pm
Victoria: I liked that one, I have to say. It really made me think of cured Persian limes. But as for those Patagonian woods, I also have no idea what they meant. April 27, 2018 at 3:07pm
Anne: I love your reviews! Does it last longer than Rose Ikebana? April 25, 2018 at 3:09pm
Victoria: On me, it does. Rose Ikebana lasts ok too, but Myrrhe Eglantine outpaces it. April 26, 2018 at 8:51am
Emilie: Uh oh… your review has tipped me over into purchasing the Hermes gift set of 4x15mL bottles from the Hermessence collection!
I knew I wanted Osmanthe Yunnan, Rose Ikebana and Cuir d’Ange but I was finding it difficult to choose a fourth. This one sounds lovely! I’m curious about myrrh which I have never come across before and have a soft spot for eglantine roses. Their simple petal structure always reminds me of a child’s drawing of a rose which makes them seem charming to me! April 25, 2018 at 7:13pm
Victoria: Excellent choices! Please let me know what you think when you try it.
Osmanthe Yunnan has been my favorite from the collection for several years, but I also wear Cuir d’Ange a lot. April 26, 2018 at 8:52am
Emilie: Will do 🙂 Yes I think Osmanthe Yunnan is the one I am most excited to try. It sounds very special. April 26, 2018 at 4:26pm
Emilie: Well the good people at Hermes fast tracked my order for free (!!!) and the little orange box arrived today 😀
I am wearing Myrrhe Eglantine tonight and I feel like it has created a hazy pink cloud around me… and yes, I love it! My boyfriend does too which is a plus. Without the usual coercing for an opinion when he got home the first thing he said was “Ooooh, you smell wonderful.”
It evokes a velvety texture to me but like you said, though it is warm and enveloping it doesn’t feel weighted down. There is a lightness to it. I sort of want to wear it all week but I’m also very curious to try the others now… April 27, 2018 at 5:25am
Victoria: Thank you so much for letting me know. I’m really happy that it turned out so well, and I hope that you will find more new facets as you wear it. Enjoy your set! Are those all new perfumes or have you worn them before? April 27, 2018 at 3:09pm
Emilie: All new. It was a bit of a daring purchase but has turned out beautifully! April 27, 2018 at 6:48pm
Victoria: Great to hear it! Blind buys are risky, but if you know your tastes well, it can turn out to be an exciting discovery. A bit of a lottery, really. April 29, 2018 at 3:30am
Silvermoon: Hi Emilie, I have those three in the small bottle set and my fourth was Ambre Narguile. I like that one best, but also really like all the others too. I haven’t tried the new lot, but will do so next time I go into London or pass through an airport. April 26, 2018 at 4:03pm
Emilie: It’s a wonderful idea isn’t it Silvermoon? Being able to purchase a small ‘wardrobe’ of Hermes scents.
Unfortunately where I live there is nowhere to test the Hermessence line and a blind buy of a full bottle is a little intimidating! A set like this is perfect for me. Now I really hope I get the chance to try Amber Narguile one day. April 26, 2018 at 4:24pm
Emilie: *Ambre Narguile. Ah sorry for the spelling mistake! April 26, 2018 at 4:29pm
Silvermoon: Yes, it’s a great idea that I wish more perfume houses would copy. Sadly, few do. I also agree that it’s too much to buy a full bottle blind. Hope you get a chance to smell them all sometime soon. Last year Victoria reviewed Hermes Muguet Porcelaine. I found that a beautiful lily of the valley that reminded me of the old Diorissimo. Perfect for spring. April 26, 2018 at 4:36pm
Victoria: It really does, especially now that Diorissimo doesn’t resemble itself. April 27, 2018 at 3:08pm
Silvermoon: I used to wear Diorissimo in the mid and late 1980s, then not for some years. When I went to try it some years ago (with the intention of purchasing), I found it not at all as I remembered it. I was disappointed and disbelieving, and so abandoned the idea of getting it. I immediately checked out MP when you reviewed it, Victoria. And yes, it seemed much closer to how I remember Diorissimo. April 27, 2018 at 3:27pm
Emilie: Ah I’m so glad you found a good scent substitute for your Diorissimo.
I love the name of Muguet Porcelaine! Definitely another one to try. April 27, 2018 at 8:47pm
Victoria: Dior keeps releasing versions of Diorissimo that have little to do with the original, like the Eau de Parfum. The extrait de parfum is the best one, but still it lacks that delicate beauty that made this perfume so special. At least, Muguet Porcelaine is a fine homage. April 29, 2018 at 3:24am
zephyr: First reading this review, I thought that Myrrhe Eglantine is definitely a “must sniff”. Now, the other two in the coffret are “must sniffs” for me, as well! Though ME does sound the most intriguing to me, with its rose and myrrh. Thank you for a great review, Victoria. April 25, 2018 at 7:58pm
Victoria: ME does have more links to the existing collection, though, whereas the other two perfumes are more novel. So, they’re all worth trying. April 26, 2018 at 8:53am
Andy: I didn’t know what to make of these new Hermès releases when I first heard of them, knowing I probably wouldn’t smell them anytime soon, and because they sounded so out of step with what I’ve come to be used to from the line. However, they sound closer in keeping with the Hermès collection than I assumed, and this one in particular sounds excellent. April 25, 2018 at 9:55pm
Victoria: They’re less out of step with the rest of the collection than they appear on paper, and I especially was impressed by Nagel’s interpretation of oud. Talk about an overused note! Yet she managed to give it a new twist. April 26, 2018 at 8:55am
Severine: Hmmm nice. Will take a sniff if fate places me anywhere near Bergdof. Wonder how it compares to my gold standard La Myrrhe, April 26, 2018 at 10:33am
Victoria: It’s a very different thing, hardly anything in common, myrrh notwithstanding. April 27, 2018 at 3:02pm
Ann: Thanks very much for this review! I just purchased my first set of 4 15ml from Hermes, and ME was one of my choices. I have not given it a good test yet, but I’m looking forward to it – your review will magnify my enjoyment I’m sure – thanks for the background on the name and the scent information too.
I chose Iris Ukiyoe, Vetiver Tonka, Epice Marine as well – I sort of chose them off the cuff – they gave me a few combining suggestions at the store that I am excited to play with. April 26, 2018 at 3:31pm
Victoria: A great set! You have a bit of everything and lots of explore with this selection.
Have you had a chance to try any other perfumes from the new collection? April 27, 2018 at 3:06pm
Ann: Yes, I tried them all. I also liked Cedre Sambac and Agar Ebene, it was very hard to decide!
I did try the two oils, one on each hand, but I couldn’t smell them. I really wanted to love Cardamusc because I love cardamom and musk – maybe my nose was tired – but given the cost, it is probably a blessing. April 27, 2018 at 4:30pm
Victoria: I’ve been testing them more yesterday, and I think that the oils will take me longer to figure out. The more I try them, the more interesting I find them. But while the rest of the collection was an instant love, these two are slowly to open up. April 29, 2018 at 3:29am
Alyssa: So delighted to read this review, V! I love resinous roses and I adore Rose Ikebana. RI was a sleeper for me, too. I kept thinking I could find an easy dupe for it and finally gave in and purchased some because nothing had had that exact sparkle and delicious tart rhubarb note. April 27, 2018 at 11:51pm
Victoria: Exactly! It seems like such a simple, uncomplicated thing, but these kinds of fragrances are the most difficult to get right. Nothing really approaches Rose Ikebana for its transparency and yet vibrancy. It also has the texture of soft petals. Myrrhe Eglantine, for instance, has a very different feel, so it has a bit of the same feeling, but it wears differently in the end. April 29, 2018 at 3:37am
Aurora: Thank you so much for reviewing these 5 hermessences, Victoria. Hermes is keeping Christine Nagel busy, I see and I applaud her for using varied materials. I think I like myrrh but am more used to it in oriental compositions so I am intrigued by Myrrhe Eglantine the way you described it and ‘metallic rose’ makes me think of Calandre so it appeals very much. April 28, 2018 at 4:54am
Victoria: She’s done a great job with this collection. Myrrhe Eglantine still feels warm and velvety, unlike Calandre, but I wonder if you will also find its rose sharing the same metallic edge. April 29, 2018 at 3:40am
Carla: This does sound delightful. I really like Rose Ikebana and Christine Nagel is a favorite, among all my other favorites. This sounds like a mix between 100% Love and La Myrrhe. Will try it! April 28, 2018 at 3:47pm
Victoria: Hmm, not sure if I would have said so from the start, but I suppose something of the velvety texture is there. Myrrhe Eglantine is closer to Rose Ikebana than to 100% Love, though. April 29, 2018 at 3:41am