Hermessence Agar Ebene

I received a sample/tester of Agar Ebene when I purchased a bandana at an Hermes boutique, and I later bought a bottle. This is the scent that changed me from never wearing fragrances to all-in with Hermessence. As you might know, Hermessence scents are infamous for not always lasting that long on the wearer. Some view this as a negative, but I actually prefer it. I've never had any "stale perfume" smell on my clothes from anything this line, and I can easily change scents over the course of the day. At first smell (from the bottle), I actually disliked this one; it had a doctor's office/latex element to it. Boy did my mind change soon. On my skin this is an ecstasy of exotic smoky wood and leather that smells like sophistication incarnate (can you tell I love it?). It's the kind of fragrance I just sniff on my skin all day to be enveloped in bliss. I can't identify all the scents by name (I presume this is what agar and fir smell like together), but it's a joy for me from start to finish. Sillage is close, but if someone gives you a hug, they will probably get an extra treat. This one lasts quite a while on me (as a skin scent) - around 8+ hours. It's never loud, but an intimate, personal scent. It doesn't fade quickly like some of the floral Hermessences tend to. It does pair nicely with some of the other Hermessences - I think my favorite is layering Myrrhe Eglantine on top. I (male) love Agar Ebene so much, my #1 favorite scent. To me, this fragrance smells like Hermes: somehow everything in the house has been distilled into a wonderful, wearable elixir. I think this could easily be worn by someone of any sex, so if a rich and smooth woody/leathery kind of smell interests you, check this one out!

Agar Ebene is just wonderfull. I dont see or follow "style of the house" in fragrance, all i care for is how pleasant(interesting), naturally smelling and long lasting it is. Agar, i think changes that, in case of Hermes at least. Oud, oud here is light, watercolor is exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Contrary to usual description of oud - this one is very elegant, never stinky, firmly woody but never suffocating. It has depth. It is like a fresh breath of wind that flew through agarwood market, and delivered ever so light spirit of this mighty tree. And this is exactly where the BRAND joins in, since hermes to me is a definition of simple elegance. Its like a man wearing ever so casual blue pants and white shirt. And from afar, nothing special, but when you come up close you realize the quality of materials, fit and finish. Talking about materials - most likely oud is synthetic, but it is done extremely well. I would dare to say better than any other oud. Longevity is where it fails, as indeed its edt, so max 3-4 hrs. And silage is minimal. And after all this, i do really want it. Its for the times when ur done with all dense perfumes and extravaganza. Its a nice, peaceful break from the busy world.

Big bundle of contradictions which somehow adds up to less than the sum of its parts overall. This is far darker, butcher and male-er than most of the Hermessences - yet still fascinating to try if you can't yet imagine oud as a balsawood-light, airy, outdoor experience rather than just a big heavy stinky tree-trunk. First half hour is stone love for me: the beautiful paradox of a gentle, almost transparent oud, sweetened up just a very tiny bit with conifer resins. Despite the light texture it's still a very BROWN, definitely timber-based scent, with ebony adding a real tang of even deeper, darker woods. Presents both warm and cool faces; to my mind it would be good all year round, though it might not be robust enough for winter. Unisex for those who love forest. One of my very favourites in the entire Hermessence line, along with Poivre Samarcande. BUT: just like nearly all the others, its longevity is deeply disappointing (barely detectable after 2h, though the lingering trace on skin is also lovely) and the sillage never powerful. A very refined sepia watercolour, for men or women who don't mind respraying every few hours.

SirCharles gives an excellent comparison below to Jo Malone's Oud and Bergamot a very original fragrance that to me smells like dark, sodden & modern wood, kinda synthetic but also some of the qualities you get from oud of certain origins. Then the bergamot which doesn't smell like bergamot, but doesn't smell enough like any other citrus not to be either. Enough about that though because although I definitely get the association, the delivery is about as different as one could possibly imagine. This has a subtlety to it, and broadly woodier theme's with a light ethereal spice to it. Light top notes, but enough to catch my interest when I sprayed it in a Hermes boutique and a mellow heart. My description doesn't do it justice, Agar Ebene is very good though. I was compelled to buy a mini travel spray.

ok I don't think I'm going to be the only one who thinks this, but as soon as I put my nose to this I immediately thought of Salvatore Ferragamo's Tuscan sent line of Incense Suede, but I think this one is a little softer and more refined, I love SF I.S and how big the sent cloud is and how it projects, it also last a long time probably cause its an edp and this one is an edt however this one is so much better, this is just like I.S a calming smell to me this is something where I can see my self sitting in an old leather arm chair sipping on a glass of 18 y/o scotch with a nice cigar by a fire place in a cabin and just relax. I will prob get a bottle of this once my tester runs out, just a fantastic sent.

This one actually really does remind me of Cuir d'Ange. Out of all of Nagel's additions, this is the most connected to Elena's. In saying that, perhaps its a little too much like Cuir d'Ange. That left me a bit bored. Though, as it changes, the fir sings. The agarwood takes on a strange route and becomes something entirely unusual. Any way you look at it, its a very high quality scent. Maybe not worth a purchase if you have CdA and a similar skin type to myself.

In my quest to find a masculine Hermessence fragrance I tried this one and loved it. All Hermessence are marketed as Unisex (I myself enjoy Sandal Masoia) but I think this works perfectly on a man. It doesn't smell like the typical oud fragrance. I read @cumulnimbus review before buying it and it is truly as stated: sillage is polite. Longevity is fine. A great fragrance for winter but it could also work well in other seasons.

Like @Commodore64, a couple of comments below, I am also a huge fan of this and Santal Mossoia. I don't think of "typical men's fragrance" with this at all, but it definitely works very well for men. My only complaint is that like many other Hermessence frags, the longevity is quite weak: for me, almost undetectable after a couple of hours. But I am a big fan of this.

Soft wood and suede and it smells delicious, elegant and polished. Complicated isn't necessarily better and this is a perfect example. I wear this by itself and also layered with other scents and I'm never disappointed. It feels sensual and beautiful. It leans masculine but I wear it often.

Agar is not about oud.. Personally I don't detect oud here. The fragrance is leathery with some osmanthus in the base. The quality of leather is very, very high! This one is for those who like Cuir d'Ange but want it to be fruitier and more "yummy".

I really love this perfume. There's something in it that reminds me of the wood smells of old victorian buildings. The only downside with it is it fades so quickly, and while there is a warmth of smell quite close to the skin it doesn't carry.

Intimate, minimalist, modest, refined, sophisticated, elegant. Very versatile and posh. Unisex. There is something very appealing about this one. I enjoy wearing it; even though it’s a skin scent and almost limited projection. Shukran Habibi!

Fragrance, balsamic, fresh, flaky, of rare elegance, background of Oud, which magically harmonizes without dominating. A refined, dynamic blend, which brings together masterful balance and harmony. Fragrance of great charm.

Beautiful fragrance. Soft spicy woods and fir. No where (but on this site) does it claim to be Oud. It is agarwood, and it smells nice and “fuzzy”, warm and cozy.

oud doesnt last long but the spicy wood that follows is super nice and warm.just lovely.the price is insane.best barbershop fragrance ever!!

I loved the smell of it after it cooled down the first time I smelled it and went back a month later to get it

this one reminds me of ramadhan and eid, an indescribable feeling

this would be a wonderful one from Lovely Hermes

Much as I love Hermès as a fragrance house, and in-house perfumer Christine Nagel (as well as her predecessor, Jean-Claude Ellena), I have yet to smell a Hermessence perfume that I truly love. Agar Ebène is a pleasant woody scent, pared-back and minimal, but lacks the wow factor. The performance is fairly limited too, as is the tendency with the Hermessence line. That aside, it is a good quality, well-rendered woody scent - natural-smelling and aromatic, featuring a nice suede drydown. AE is woody from initial spray, albeit light and transparent. I get the dry, green pine note early on, adding a forest-y nuance to the woodiness. There is a hint of oud, but it is subtle, blending in nicely with other soft woody notes. A slight hint of animalic amber emerges as it dries down, perhaps thanks to the development of the oud note. It gives a soft leather edge to the drydown. It fades to a woody-leather skin scent after about two hours. Sillage is intimate and longevity is surprisingly weak, given the profile of this scent. Unisex to my nose, AE is a transeasonal day scent. Elegant and easy-to-wear, it is ideal for everyday use. An unusually sheer woody-amber scent, it is subtle and inoffensive, but really good stuff if you get close enough to appreciate it. 3/5.

Well... this smells exactly like the notes listed in fragrantica. Oud and tree. When it settles, it does start to smell a little sour. Like bergamot... and tree? But that sour note does fade, and I am left with the smell of a freshly chopped tree. Smells masculine. Smells like my dad. I like it! I doubt I will ever wear this, as it smells like a lumberjack, and that is not the look I am going for, but I would wear this fragrance on a morning run, to make suburbia smell more foresty. Or at bedtime, when I feel homesick. And I would love to experiment putting this under other fragrances. I don't do a lot of experimentation with layering, but there are times when I crave a wood note in a fragrance, or wish a fragrance had a stronger wood note, so it would be interesting to smell this under some of those fragrances. FOR SCIENCE! Edited to add: I thought I wished for a stronger wood note under Kilian Princess, but nope! Turns out I don't! Just goes to show, you shouldn't fucking mess with perfection. I'll use Agar Ebene for running, sleeping, and lumberjacking. Just as the perfumer intended.

The longer I have owned this, the more I have come to understand it and realize how masterful it really is. It’s an utterly addicting skin-like smell. Very clean but with a signature recognizable Hermes leather dna that is also present in Galop and Cuir d’Ange. This isn’t for a fan of loud oud fragrances. Not at all. You want to absolutely bathe in this fragrance because it melds so well with the natural smell of skin. It’s a scent that is there and not there. It is bold in its understated avant- garde beauty and its trickery. It tricks passersby into thinking that you just smell like this and that you’re not even wearing a fragrance. It is effortless and perfectly exemplifies the house of Hermes: always classy and understated, but always of the highest quality and always up to date and setting trends. Addicting!! The last thing you would ever see or smell in a mall department store

Very high quality, fruity chocolate sitting on top of the "skin-like" dna of Cuir d'Ange. It's nearly gourmand, but in a grownup and sexual(?) way. Wow. This one is for close encounters definitely lol. Smells like happiness and fertility and love Update: After a full wearing, I can tell you the projection is pretty much completely non-existent. This stays right at the skin and doesn't jump off of it at all whatsoever. I also have a really hard time smelling it on myself after 15 minutes, and my full wearing was done in 70 degree weather. This fragrance genuinely seems like it was made with the bedroom in mind, and nothing else. If you plan on wearing it outside of your home, wear it on the hottest day of the year and douse yourself in it, and then maybe someone will smell you

I cannot speak more highly of a fragrance. Ever since I stopped watching Jeremy Fragrance and started visiting Hermes and Louis Vuitton boutiques, my fragrance journey really took off. This fragrance smells like the nicest hotel room in the world. Pure relaxation and a complete release of stress and commitments. Agar Ebene is for someone who wears light blue button down shirts not out of necessity, but because they feel best and most natural in a light blue button down shirt. There aren’t enough classy people watching YouTube or making YouTube videos for this fragrance to ever amass a considerable following, and I’m just fine with that.

My SA told me that the “oud” in this is oud that is not infected. Which doesn’t make any sense because oud is, by definition, infected. I really do not think that oud is in this and that the name is just for marketing purposes. The apparent “oud” component smells completely identical to the “leather” in Cuir d’Ange. The perfumer did not just find this “new variety of oud.” That is bs. Say it has an oud accord all day long, I’m fine with that. But don’t lie and say that this has something expensive in it that is not actually there.

One of the nicer iterations of transparent, citrussy-saffrony leather. A cousin to Cuir d'Ange, but really only in the leather note itself, and in structure closer to a different Hermes; Galop. The rest is woody, mildly spicy, a faintly boozy like the rum in the old Idole EDT (in African-themed bottle). It's moderately persistent, but wears quite closely to the skin.

Hermes Agar Ebene (2018) - clean oud - I enjoy Hermes’ sense of style: practical, minimalist and timeless. @christine.nagel is able to pull this off with such an animalic and polarizing ingredient such as Oud. Here she balances Oud with the smell of Pine trees (bark, leaves and roots). I also sense the oud being more bakhoor incense wafting in the trees. Mesmerizing.

Make it simple, make it stand up. 2 notes, straight to the point. I get the fresh, aromatic-sweet fir, and the agar wood, deep and sensual. It doesn’t have to be too complicated sometimes. Timeless, class, masculinity. _____ Projection, sillage, longevity : 9/10 Originality, presentation : 8/10 Quality, value : 9/10 8.5/10

This is apparently supposed to evoke agarwood tree before it got infected, an odd concept to me. Scent wise, it's a lowkey leather. A very gentle castoreum-birch tar with a hint of sweetness. It makes me think of the cuir de russie/russian leather genre, but made modern and atmospheric. Good.

Reminds me a little bit of Dior Purple Oud, it has this synthetic friendly oud, but this is not bad. Just not something that would wow me, its nice tho. Would definitely recommend for everyone to try this.

The perfect summery modern Oud fragrance. Silage is on the moderate side, it doesn't last for a long time and it's very linear.. I really like this though ★★★★☆

Suede with a hint of apricot. Thus far I have no plans to purchase this, but if I absolutely had to choose 1 perfume to buy from Hermes, it would be this one.

Contacted my Hermes SA, and they have no clue when these new ones will be released in the U.S. "Likely sometime after March." I have no clue about Europe

the perfume itself is nice but its simple. In my opinion it smells like leather or how the inside of a new bag would smell like

Light spicy fresh oud. High quality. Could be worn all year round, day and night. Longevity and projection are light.

Ebony is totally a note unlisted here. Wonderful creation. The Gasoline on hospital floor review is hilarious.

I like the scent but I wish it would last longer. Not worth the price.

Resinous, resinous, resinous woods. Any stringed instrument players may feel a familiarity to the rosin for their bows. Woods, resin and high-quality leather together find a very smooth middle ground. Definitely a dusty quality here; antique store, inherited wealth, grandfather clock, old money. Almost all heavy base notes. I'm getting a light ferny-ness, maybe a bit of pine needle on top. These barely shine through with all of the heaviness around, some may say it's a bit imbalanced to be an everyday scent. VERDICT: Very refined, classy, resinous woody fragrance. But is missing a counterbalance for it's bottom-heaviness.

Creamy/spicy/woody thing. Agarwood for who doesn't like agarwood but wants a fragrance with 'agar' on the label. The closest it reminds me of are indeed Kenzo Jungle Homme (full spice, no wood) and AC Emeraude Agar (there also, just a spicy cedar/gaiac, but no oud, that said AC EA does it better imo). Seen many times before, low performance and ridiculously high price tag: the perfect recipe for a hard pass, in my book.

At first, I bought this perfume since it smelled great in-store, smells leathery and woody. However, when I started wearing it, the perfume lasted for 10 seconds, on a good day. I do regret purchasing it, so if this de-influences you in any way, I'm glad. Saved you some bucks.

A very polite oud, very subtle, very elegant. It's not like the usual Arabian night. Although I don't appreciate the fir nuances in the dry down.

Agar Ebene, Hermessence (DBACB) .. Like, another refine leathery oud-wood with fir, a classic composition that you have sniffed a Trillion time. There is only soft Hermes leather accord helping as last resort. Sorry Ms. Nagel.. this ain't it. I can put this as good as Oud Alezan. I wish another Cedre Sambac moment, the daring moment of wood and floral. but all I get is Harmonize note of something I have smelled before.

second time wearing this and I still don't really get what the appeal is here. Slightly smoky oud and a wisp of pine. I have to spray a bunch just to get 30-60 minutes of wear. Big disappointed thumbs down from me. Not special at all.

Ahhhh minimalism Such a movement that is much appreciated in arts but here it’s definitely another way to get your money My first fragrance from this line and the experience was horrendous Upon first application I thought “hey that’s nice , easy to like” Before the third hour I started wondering is the weakness normal No it isn’t it never was I won’t judge this line from my first experience but I smell something fishy about it and I don’t like this idea one bit

Hi fragrantica.com! Long time no see :) Just popping in to leave a thought on Agar Ebene. No reviewer has mentioned this so far so I thought I could share what I've discovered for myself. Testing Agar Ebene on skin, I was sensing a distant resemblance to something quite familiar to me, but it took me the whole day to decipher it. To my nose and brain it's linked to Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot, which was also composed by Christine Nagel. Agar Ebene is less sweet, a bit more sharp, lively and more woody (but not more oudy, I don't find much agarwood in these two) and outperforms O&B in sillage and longevity (which still isn't very impressive, though). This is a ready-to-wear woody and leathery unisex composition. Not exquisite nor a masterpiece, but managed its way to my wishlist.

Dry woods, blended smoothly. The oud accord is very light, ethereal. There is a hint of something green in here and some resin or perhaps olibanum of some kind. I don't get any citrus notes. It's made in the same vein as Ellena's other transparent woody creations such as Poivre Samarcande for example, however this one is missing something. The smell is fairly linear, which isn't that big of a deal, but it feels rather safe and at times boring. It's a pleasant smelling woody scent whereby the ''Agar'' part should be taken with a grain of salt. For the price, performance is weak and lasts only a few hours. Close to the skin, but can be worn even during summer months due to its fleeting nature. 6,5/10

This is an interesting fragrance. Agar Ebene was created from two solid / rugged oud and balsam fir notes. You might expect a strong, heavy fragrance, but it's the opposite. That requires high talent and skills for the perfumer to create an airy, transparent, pleasant, kind of French-style scent with these notes. The fragrance is committed to the Hermessence line character and style. I don't know if you might see this as something positive or negative. I personally like this fragrance and the perfumer's skills behind this. If you can't wear an oud fragrance, try this one; it's versatile and non-offensive. 8/10

This perfume is pure magic to me! In the beginning it is like Cuir d'Ange with Sicilian lemons (is it balsam fir?) - summery yet elegant and mature. Then it goes more woodsy and spicy, just to the perfect degree. I could not smell much 'agar' out of it, only in the dry-down there is that musky melody still playing on skin. The overall perception - nice elegant scent, perfect for both day/evening. Spring is the perfect time to wear it - it is on the brink between warm and fresh. Perfectly unisex. Quite subtle, silage and projection are moderate.

This is really 'barely there', but what is actually 'there' is, as many others have already pointed out, very elegant, polite, light and minimalist. Very gentle and quiet. A very fresh and light oud, with pine. The most gentle woody fragrance I've ever encountered. Appropriate for office wear, yes. Very versatile. Leans masculine. A bit too ethereal for me. I like it for sure, but it doesn't really move me. I imagine a young man in a very light, tropical wool suit. Immaculate. Singularly well-mannered.

My all time favorite oud fragrance. Somewhat reminiscent of Jo Malone's Oud and Bergamot, also composed by Christine Nagel. Main notes: oud and ebony wood, with just a slight vanilla touch. Creates a slightly medicinal impression. Think oud & bergamot without the bergamot. Texture: bone dry and silky smooth. Performance: light Mood: formal and romantic (but not stuffy - effortless)

This is not the most feminine fragrance out there, but I don’t know why people are saying this is so masculine, I can definitely see a woman using this, it’s a signature scent, very classy and elegant, a fragrance easy to lawyer with others scents, for those who like oud, but not strong ouds (like myself) I always get compliments when I use this, and I’m a woman.