Concentré d'Orange Verte

In years past, Concentre d'Orange Verte could have been the standard bearer for me. Not necessarily in terms of being a everyday chosen wear, but more so abstract and emotionally - an olfactory illustration of an ideal “day in the life of.” But here on the cusp of what seems predetermined to be a metaphorically cold and dark Winter, it has become a flame in the darkness that signifies bittersweet longing. I’ve heard and read the Portuguese have a word for the same wistful array of emotions, seemingly at play against one another, that this fragrance evokes in me: Suadade. I am reminded of an afternoon of cooking, an activity I truly love, but one I don’t get to throw myself into often these days. The everyday meals I make for myself are usually lackluster, made to strike a balance between optimizing value, nutrition, and ease and speed of preparation. Although I am easy to please, it’s really just a way to placate myself as I am rarely impressed by this artless, pragmatic approach. But cooking for friends, that’s a very different game. That’s where the passion comes out, and my confidence and reliance on the senses become paramount to the moment. I ascend to a trance-like rhythm. The process is as meaningful as the end product, both of which are treasures in their own rights. And the creature of devotion that I am, I am reticent to stray from the tried and true flavors I love the most, so these occasions are routinely dominated by fresh citrus and fresh herbs. Concentre d'Orange Verte is the essence of a summer evening’s dinner party. The whole experience - lovingly laboring over the ingredients while the sun goes down, and sharing the spoils of one’s efforts with friends well into the night. This is an unapologetically simple citrus and basil, perfectly blended as if by accident, as if it were wafting from a freshly used cutting board. It projects a sort of joie de vivre - the perfect blend of the generosity and inherent warmth of high quality friendship and a mutual appreciation for the experience of just spending a wonderful evening together. I have been keeping a decant of this in my pocket for the past few months, occasionally taking it out, resting the nozzle on my upper lip, inhaling deeply, and feeling the rush of dopamine flooding my bloodstream. It is intensely beautiful, and some days lately I feel it’s all I have. I must confess, though, that in a strange way I find myself somewhat grateful for today’s struggles - were it not for the ongoing isolation and amplified sorrow, I never could have appreciated the dreamlike memories and the hope for the future that Concentre d'Orange Verte stirs inside me. Citrus and basil. So simple that it almost invites being taken for granted. But a yield far greater than the modest recipe suggests.

I first smelled this fragrance years ago in a Hermes booth on trip to Germany. the day I bought Terre d'Hermes, sampling about 10 other Hermes scents, loving pretty much all of them and saying I would eventually get to all of them, but i particularly remember enjoy this ultra green tart citrus fragrance that I couldn't recall the name of because of the long tricky French names of the Hermes EdC line. Many years later on the hunt for the ideal citrus, I blind bought Concentre d'Orange Verte on whim because I found it on a legitimate discounter for like 40$. I was actually surprised it is marketed as an orange fragrance when I got it. Sure there is a bit of a warmer zest in the drydown, but the vast majority of it is for me a galbanum/petitgrain-like freshly cut grass note in the very opening with this ridiculously fresh lime note, intensely green aromatic and tart, like sniffing freshly crushed citrus leaves straight off a tree with a bit of green grass mixed in. Right as this intense top note tones down I get a slightly warmer orange-scented expensive french soap-like dry down, think high-end European hotel soap, with a slight woodiness and a touch green floral nuances, definitely smoother and milder than that unrelentingly refreshing top note. Beautiful, smooth, and calming, slightly gentleman-like. I highly recommend people approach this fragrance as a a lime and orange petitgrain fragrance rather than a sweet orange fragrance, in fact the name 'Orange Verte' is likely a bit of a pun on the French word lime 'citron verte', 'green lemon' according to some French-speaking friends of mine. I definitely see this fragrance as a lime counterpart to orange, a green almost unripe orange freshly cut off the tree, together with a big bundle of orange leaves crushed in the process. Performs like a hearty EdC rather than a EdT, but given the online prices and scent quality it's easy to overlook.

Just simply outclasses nearly every other orange-centric fragrance ever, in my opinion. So much so that, as a female devotee, reading the comments below about it being "not right" on a woman made me feel personally slighted and a little punchy! This is the big leagues. Truly a masterpiece. It has the real sharp zesty smack of bitter orange oil, the herbal/peppery edge of orange leaf, the freshness ofthe fruit's juice, the warm spicy woodiness of the orange tree itself, and that bewitching sweetness which evokes orange blossom. A passionate love from the very first time I sniffed it (and I am happy to admit that Terre d'Hermes is way too butch to work on me, and I also agree that Concentre would be sheer perfection if only it lasted longer, so I am not an all-out fangirl unable to see any fault in the house or this scent.) What to say about it, that wouldn't be dull and obvious? Yeah, yeah, timeless classic, true unisex, unarguable quality, fine control of fine ingredients, all of that. But none of that does it justice. I'm not worthy! The best I can do is: this astonishing formula will take you on a glorious walk through a sun-dappled orange grove, wherever and whoever you are. Just try it. It is *wonderful*. The only things even fit to come near it that I've tried are Bigarade Concentre (which does have better longevity, but is vastly more expensive), Noir Epices (which is much more macho and spicier, as well as pricier) and Shay&Blue Blood Orange, which has a wetter juicier feel but none of the wood or warmth, and no more longevity either). So I will concentrate on Concentre for as long as Hermes keep making it. And you should too.

This was my first Hermès and my first serious perfume purchase and it was love at first smell. Simply put this is THE summer fragrance by excellence ! The name conjures up the idea of something simple yet exquisite. A beautiful stroll through an unripe orange grove in the cool shade of the lush green fragrant orange leaves by a warm summer day. As for the fragrance in itself, it opens up with a blast of electrifying zingy green citrus that feels like a cheerful blast in your face, a whack of optimism to shake you out of the humid torpor of a searing hot summer day ! It is followed by a mild minty coolness that eventually dries down to a very very delicate powdery black currant bud note. Very soft and distant. As you can imagine this perfume, which is really a cologne, performs very poorly in terms of longevity (basically gone after 1H) and sillage (dare I say nonexistent). But none of that matters because this is made to lovingly overindulge and splash, splash, splash and keep on splashing ! Unpretentious yet chic, cheerful yet sleek and elegant as you would expect from Hermes, this classic cologne will suit any person of any age and is guaranteed to put a big smile on your face. Note that this mood lifting quality also works in winter so don’t hesitate to take a whiff during the grey days of the cold season. To sum up, Concentré d’Orange Verte is the smell of happiness.

What else do u need to say when its a HERMES !!!! My first purchase of Hermes frag was Rocabar, I still use it thou it's from the early 80's...TIMELESS. last year I purchased Terre d'Hermes Hermes for men, a real spicy, fresh and cozy fragrance which is one of my signature frag now. Concentre d' Orange Verte is also another MASTERPIECE which is best during the summer/fall days. The first time I sprayed it on my skin it was a rush of Orange/citrus scent which stays on that way over several hours. The aroma stimulates your senses and re energizes you becoming very up beat. After the aroma of Orange settles ever so slightly then you are able to smell amber with a touch of patchouli. This frag has a tremendous base of both basil and cedar combined with the top notes makes it a really impressive fragrance. Longevity is NUMERO UNO...FIVE STAR, well past 10 hours. Sillage is superb, you can smell it more then 5ft away without it being heavy. Overall, there's nothing else you can say about a top-notch fragrance which both sex's use it and find it a gem. This fragrance is worth every ounce, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another bottle. I leave you with a question; How could you ever get tired or bored of this fragrance? My response is Forza Concentre d'Orange Verte...LIVE FOR EVER...10/10