Hermessence Ambre Narguile

Beauty in balance. One can observe odes to the art of discretion in most all human cultures. In Italy, there is the phenomenon of "sprezzatura": "nonchalance", or perhaps "studied carelessness", which serves to cast a glamor over the eyes in order to make something difficult appear blasé. The Japanese notions of "shibusa" and "iki" ennoble subtlety and understatement. And then there's the old adage, "Money talks. Wealth whispers." Discretion can be as powerful as force; balance more striking than any extreme; suggestion and innuendo more seductive than a bare breast. That, I think, is the thesis of Hermès as a house. From the mainstream to the Hermenessence line winds a common thread of nuance and understatement that does not please everyone. Hermès fragrances, especially the Hermenessence line, can be extremely expensive. Once the price goes beyond $300/100ml, so too goes one's appreciation of "studied nonchalance". For me, there are many fragrances in the Hermenessence line that I could nonchalantly toss into the bin (Myrrhe Églantine, for example). However, Ambre Narguilé is not such a fragrance. In fact, it has my wealth whispering quite loudly to empty out my wallet for a full bottle. Ambre Narguilé's legendary status is well deserved. It is beautiful and the ur-fragrance of this genre. The blending is masterful, as one would expect from Jean-Claude Ellena. Spices. Resins. Tobacco. Vanilla. Honey. With such rich, heavy materials, you would expect this to be a dense, thick, gooey fragrance. But it isn't. It's sweet, but not too sweet. It's rich, but not too rich. It's spicy, but not too spicy. And the beauty of it is that instead of being heavy and dense, it floats. The diaphonous, veil-like quality that is the hallmark of Ellena's work is on full display here, and it is wonderful. It perfectly captures its subject - the exotic spices, sweet tobacco smoke, honey dripping on sweets, resins burning in a brazier - but it is executed with balance, elegance, and grace. It would be easy (for a perfumer, that is), to make a loud and heavy fragrance with these notes. Oajan (a fragrance I do actually quite like, since it has a differently flair with the osmanthus), for instance, is a beastly fragrance with immense longevity, projection, and sillage. That isn't to say that Ambre Narguilé is weak - I get about 6-7 hours of longevity, with pretty strong projection and sillage for the first two hours or so. But it isn't a screamer. Usually I'm not the biggest fan of super subtle fragrances. I like strong, rich fragrances. I like huge projection and sillage and longevity. I like complexity and depth and power. But I also love the house of Hermès. I think that subtlety, too, can be poorly executed. It is "studied nonchalance", not simply "nonchalance". There are many fragrances which I find too subtle and "balanced" for their own good. Even some of Ellena's other creations, such as Voyage d'Hermès EDT, I find to be too discrete. But Ambre Narguilé is not one of those. Even though I also like Oajan and its beastliness, I will end up buying Ambre Narguilé. This is a beautiful, perfectly balanced and blended fragrance that successfully transposes something that should be heavy and powerful to something clear and airy, while losing none of its mystery and exoticism. That is why this fragrance is deservedly deemed a classic. 9.5/10

My story with perfume: It goes back to the year 2015 and I knew nothing but designer perfumes only, so this perfume was the first niche fragrance I heard in his name when I heard he was talking to someone about perfumes and he said that the best perfume he had been through was Hermes Amber Nargil. I just registered the name of the perfume in my mobile phone and kept it and searched a lot for it, but it was useless. After 3 years, I had a golden opportunity to visit the Irms boutique and try this olfactive masterpiece and some from the Irms special collection .... (fantasy) Imagine with me the genius Jean-Claude Alina in one of the beautiful gardens of Grasse , where he was preoccupied with thinking of his new fragrance, as he was around the garden looking for a glimpse that would inspire him with a creative idea. After being tired, he decided to rest and cool his mind under the shade of the oak tree in the middle of that garden.he did not know that on that tree an exceptional beehive, as its motto was always excellence to produce an exotic type of honey. From while we were spreading his tobacco bag to fill the pipe with it, his curiosity urged him to crack the trunk of the tree, perhaps bleeding gum or amber that inspires his aromatic imagination. A few moments, the sticky amber liquid from the tree came out, so he wiped some of it on his thumb and started to inhale !! . He felt some frustration, as the smell was light amber and had nothing to inspire, so he picked up the tobacco in anger and started filling the pipe quickly and lit it !! . Then the magic emerged !! . He surprised us a lot, as this is not the flavor and aroma of his usual tobacco, but rather that it is much more wonderful and more beautiful, as if he had become eating Cinnabon pie with the flavor of his old tobacco. In those moments that he was enjoying to us and the wonderful smell of the pipe, he reviewed the sequence of events and noticed that honey was mixed with tobacco and amber that stuck to his thumbs, and those moments were the birth of the idea of Making this perfume.Abstract: Perfume "Master Piece". Cinnabon lovers are strongly called upon to experience the fragrance, its excellent persistence up to 12 hours and the calm fragrance that delight the user of the fragrance for 6 hours straight. Where to buy: The biggest drawbacks of this fragrance and the Hermesense collection in general provide it exclusively and strictly in Hermes boutiques only. With the possibility of being on the eBay site, but beware of counterfeiting

Ambre Narguile reminds me of gingerbread or chai tea. Full of cinnamon, cloves, and warmth. It's sweet, but not syrupy sweet. The spices smell sophisticated and elevated. Ambre Narguile teeters on the edge of gourmand, both having an edible quality while also being too complex to be purely gourmand. There is a powerful amber note blended beautifully with the spices; a bit resinous, golden, and enveloping. This is the type of fragrance that smells better in the air than up close, and better on skin than on paper, leaving a wonderful cloud around the skin. I don't typically believe in seasonal fragrances, but the spices and warmth of Ambre Narguile really do feel wintery and festive. The best way I can describe this fragrance is that it smells like the amber Grand Soir mixed with a touch of the sweet gourmand qualities of Angels' Share, some festive spices (particularly a strong serving of cinnamon), and a tiny bit of sweetened, dried ginger - all without being overpowering. Ambre Narguile does have powerful sillage, permeating quickly, powerfully, and across the entire room. This is a true room filler, but it's powerful without being cloying. The sweetness is balanced, not thick or gooey, allowing for an almost airy quality despite the warmth. Next to Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille, this is one of the most impressive fragrances I've sampled in a long time. The Angels' Share comparisons make sense to me, but the two fragrances are very clearly distinct. Ambre Narguile is more festive and layered, spicier, not at all boozy, less thick, and with a more clearly defined amber accord. I also think Ambre Narguile is less versatile and more clearly seasonal. To be clear, I'm not saying Ambre Narguile is perfect: in the background, likely due to the spices, there is a noticeable bitterness that I could do without (this can only really be detected up close). This fragrance is also admittedly missing the brightness, the intoxicating, addictive quality that, to me, defines Angels' Share - a nondescript quality at the core of the fragrance that makes it so wearable, enjoyable, and compelling. Granted, I'm comparing Ambre Narguile to my all-time favorite fragrance, which may be unfair, but it's a common comparison. The real issue, for me, is that I can't really imagine myself wearing this. I appreciate the beauty of this fragrance, but I wouldn't want to walk around smelling like it.

If you'd have told me back in 2015 that you have this lovely, quite sweet amber gourmand with boozy and spicy notes I would have assumed it wouldn't interest me, but this fragrance is a rule unto itself. Ambre Narguile is a sweet study on how to make an amber fragrance. There are sweet spices in there, some toasted sesame, homey honey, dark rum, sticky toffee and a heavy base of the gourmand triumvirate: vanilla, benzoin and tonka bean with musk. It is notable that there is no Ambroxin in this but I feel like there is some Iso E Super. It isn't cloying and the overriding impression isn't one of sweetness but of wealth and refinement. The tobacco, spice and the amber in this stops it from feeling like a dessert sundae. I make an emotional connection to this fragrance that is difficult to explain. To me, it evokes a long lost life of premium class flat beds, loneliness, plush hotel suites, wine lists, dedicated check-in, hushed lounges with chilled Veuve and matching designer luggage. It evokes hardcoring almost 300,000 air miles in one year back in 2014/5 and of being nearly-constantly jet lagged. That version of me is long gone now. These days it is transfer connections, middle seats in economy, loneliness, (very) budget hotels, paying for bottles of water and getting lonely dinners at 7/11 or Burger King. But Ambre Narguile still resides in my hand luggage. The old days will never return but the smell lingers. What does it smell of? It smells of the only constant between then and now: Loneliness. Of splendid, intrepid, lovely loneliness in luxury back in the day and budget, boring loneliness these days. Three Word Summary: Beautiful Gourmand Solitude. Layering suggestion: Amber Intrigue by Tom Ford pushes this a little further away from gourmand territory. Outfit suggestion: Tapered grey trousers with elasticated waist so you don't need to wear a belt whilst flying. White tee with a cashmere blend grey cardigan to remove or put on as necessary. Oakley HSTN in grey/transparent frames. Hoka Transport II sneakers and Oris Aquis GMT on the wrist. Don't forget your AirPods! Scent - 10/10 Drydown - 8/10 Sillage - 7/10 Bottle/packaging - 9/10 Performance - 8/10 42/50

One of my favorite perfumes during Autumn. Hermes Ambre Narguilé. I am not a big fan of Ellena's aesthetic, but here, his style fits so well with the theme of the perfume - a warm spicy-Oriental with smoky, hookah-like facets and a perfectly dosed amount of gourmand and sweet touches. I say Ellena was the perfect nose for the job because he succeeded in painting this composition in his pastel-like style to create an Oriental that wears like a warm veil without ever becoming heavy or cloying. It is sweet but not childish, appealing yet not commercial, heavy and light at the same time. I could wear it all year round, even in Summer. The blending is flawless, with all the accords coming together as one. A hookah bar where cherry-flavored shisha saturates the atmosphere, and roasted nuts dipped in honey are served on the tables next to glasses of rum. I never understood the apple pie association with this perfume. Perhaps it is because of the heavy cinnamon accord. Indeed, the latter is a major player in this composition, a brilliant display of cinnamon. Instead of apples, however, I get a heavy sour cherry-like facet, which I always attributed to the tonka bean. I even got asked what that cherry-like smell was while wearing Ambre Narguilé. "Ambre" is in the name but don't expect a heavy amber accord. On the contrary, the fossil feels like it has been melted and diluted to offer a light-wearing experience while retaining its characteristic warmth. It has been one of my favorite Oriental compositions for many years, and even though it has been copied to death, I never came across a dupe to match its sheer splendor and balance. There is only one Jean Claude Ellena and only one Ambre Narguilé. The rest are mere pretenders. IG:@memory.of.scents

This is like walking into a local pub with the hand of someone you love in yours on a cold night. You're in the early stages of love--not the "we've really seen some shit" stage of love. The "wow wow wow I think this person might just be my person" kind of love. You feel so comfortable and relaxed but not so relaxed you ever lose focus on them and stories they tell. You could listen to them uncoil the string of their life up until meeting you for hours and hours and hours. Your hands on the door you both step inside the pub to rounds of greetings from fellow locals sitting at the wooden bar chatting amiably about their day. A few other people come in after you and you sit at one of the tables with your beloved's hand in yours. You feel completely at home. No one in this pub is taking selfies or even looking at their phones at all. No one cares about Instagram or Twitter or Reddit. No one is thinking about anything because they are all simply being human beings being human beings. They, like you, are just basking in the glow of shared humanity without pretense, without hierarchy, without agenda. You squeeze your beloved's hand and think about how absolutely ordinary this moment is while at the same time being one of the most singularly exhilarating and beautiful experiences of your entire life. Then the door to the pub opens and a man enters. Everyone shouts a greeting as he steps inside and he smiles as he removes his hat.

Although reviews these days seem largely positive, I remember that Ambre Narguile sparked some controversy among the budding fragrance cognoscenti when it was first released. Which is kind of weird when you think about it, because Angel was over ten years old by that point. Then again, pearls were still being clutched over that one, so I guess our noses still hadn't fully acclimated to the notion of sweet foody notes in perfume. Anyway, to me Ambre Narguile was always more comforting than controversial and certainly nowhere near as aggressive as Angel. While it can at first seem like a confection—all amber, stewed fruit, and apple pie spice—it also has a kind of gossamer elegance, which I put down to a lovely tobacco note, soft and almost dewy, the leaf still fresh on the stem, not so much burning away in grandpa's pipe. I’ve had this in my collection since it first came out, and have always reserved it for fall and winter wear—it just seems so specifically OF those times of year to me, evoking a mood as cozy as a pair of kid-gloved fingers wrapped around a hot pumpkin spiced latte, the perfect accompaniment to the mellowing glow of sunlight, the waft of firewood smoke, the tang of desiccating leaves crunched underfoot.

One of JCE greatest creations. The OG that popularized this DNA and still the best. It’s airy sweet and seductive. The rest in this genre all go really thick in the air you feel like you’ve been hit with a cinnamon dipped sledge hammer. Ambre Narguile is one of the greatest in terms of balance it’s noticeable but not overly so. The tobacco which I usually hate is dosed just enough to create a contrast against the multiple sweet spices. It’s astounding this is more than 20 years old. It feels more modern than any I’ve smelt that followed it. I’m going to have to get a bottle of this before Hermes pull the Chanel Les Exclusifs gag where they change the EDTs to EDPs and destroy the fragrance ala Coromandel. Scent 10/10 Projection 7.5/10 Good Value if at discounters @ $220. Edit 10 DEC 25: I’ve also enjoyed Halcyon Oud by Soma which is basically Ambre Narguile slightly denser and boozier with real oud I guess. I enjoy that because it’s fairly true to this with added. I also enjoy AN massively when I use agarwood to scent my clothes because AN is so light and ethereal you can still smell the incense too. A great combo highly recommend you try it.

I already have L'Erbolario's Dolcelisir and (a decant of) Brécourt's Farah in my collection, so I knew beforehand that I would love Ambre Narguilé as well: I adore this particular niche genre of boozy/spicy/warm/honeyed apple-pie-without-apple-notes fall-in-a-bottle (almost-)gourmands, and of course Hermès'/Ellena's version is the original and also, as it unsurprisingly turns out, the very best. The prize for "value for money" still goes to Dolcelisir, and Farah's variation on the theme which includes a hint of dates instead of apples is very nice as well, but man, this one is on another level - just so perfectly balanced. Sweet but not at all sugary, warm but never too much, and simply utterly delicious in a totally unisex way. A real mood-lifter, at least once the weather has really started to turn in September. It's expensive, and Dolcelisir is impressively nearly as good (especially for the price), so I'm not sure if my treasured decant will ever be followed by a larger amount. But if I ever win the lottery, I'm ordering a 100 ml bottle the same day!

Long lasting, warm sweet/spicy - exactly what the accords at the top list. I find it very comfortable and pleasant and just at the maximum amount of sweet without going too far. As many others mentioned, this has a particularly Christmas-y feel, but I think you could wear it anytime if it's your style. I've found this also layers well with some of the other "strong" Hermessences. Perhaps best is with Epice Marine, for which Ambre Narguille takes off the marine/shaving cream element a bit, and in turn has its sweetness dialed down. It overtakes Myrrh Eglantine and similar softer ones a bit. Cardamusc is a natural fit. I've not tried it with Vetiver Tonka, but I imagine that would dial up the sweetness a bit and maybe add herby-ness to the spice. It's about as sophisticated as you can get with a vanilla/cinnamon/honey/spice type of scent, and it's as high-quality as the other Hermessences, so if that's a profile you like, I would recommend giving this one a try.

I've always loved Ambre Narguile and I've almost finished my 100 mL bottle (which I've had for at least 7-8 years). It's the quintessential fall fragrance since it does make me recall apple pies and/or other fall fruit desserts with cinnamon over a vanillic ambery base. This will only be useful for those who already have both of these fragrances, but I stumbled upon an unexpected layering combo that is TO DIE FOR. I was wearing Ambre Narguile during the day, and then in the evening I added Teo Cabanel Barkhane. The past few days I've been purposely layering these two fragrances and it is simply DIVINE. The TC Barkhane adds a woody, rough texture which butches up the sometimes too sweet and basic Ambre Narguile. I just can't get enough of this combo. Hermessence are typically fleeting with low sillage but I find Ambre Narguile to be moderate on both counts. As stated above my bottle is older so I don't know if a new bottle would still be moderate.

This perfume is so well mixed that it's difficult to find any "notes" that scream out. Tobacco, rum, vanilla and cinnamon do whisper to me. It's soft and seductive. At first I get the tobacco, rum and cinnamon with a bit of sweet. Then, on me, it turns creamy with the vanilla and tonka but it keeps the spice/tobacco note in the back. After some time, I do notice the orchid but it's so well mixed with vanilla, rum, tonka and tobacco that it is a pleasant side step. It morphs back into a creamy spice with tobacco and becomes a skin scent after about 6-8 hours. This is the scent to wear when you want to feel sexy. Or cozy. Or edible. Or just wonderful. This scent is what I want OTHER perfumes with these notes to smell like; and then they don't. I love this scent and it should be against the law for anything to smell THIS good! Vanilla, booze, cinnamon and tobacco--oh my! Addictive!

Do you know what authentic out-of-the-oven Apfelstrudel smells like? well, this is what you'll smell at first spritz with Ambre Narguilé... you smell cooked apples, raisins, cinnamon, some brown liquor, sugar, butter, caramel.... But wait, do you really want to go around smelling like a pie? No fear!... the pastry waft fades quickly to reveal the most ambery, deep & sexy scent. It's oriental, spicey with notes of tobacco & clove, but so creamy! The drydown is absolutely delicious, sensual and close to skin, very ambery. Lasts very long. I have been wearing my decant during Xmas holidays and I really felt like it was the most perfect frag to wear in that season. Elegant, luxurious...A real must have for winter.. PS. I also own a cheap dupe: Dolcelisir by l'Erbolario. Very similar but way less expensive, although it misses some of the class and the refinement of its predecessor.

I love Ambre Narguile. It's Jean-Claude Ellena's interpretation of an oriental scent, capturing the true essence of what an oriental fragrance should be. It's sweet, rich, and sensational without being overly cloying or choking. The fragrance is based on the concept and feeling of nargiles, which are water pipes also known as shisha. Sweet tobacco plays a central role and harmoniously blends with spicy and honeyed resinous notes. This is an example of a masterfully created fragrance. The artful fusion of warm, sensual notes such as cinnamon, honey, labdanum, Tonka, and coumarin, creates a smooth and harmonious scent. I would call this ORIENTAL GOURMAND! In Middle Eastern confectionaries and desserts, such as Turkish Delight, Baklawa, and Persian confectionaries, are rich, spicy, honeyed, and sweet resinous. Ambre Narguile reminds me of those delicious confectionaries. 9.5/10

So this is definitely one of the most luxurious and overall well rounded ambers I have smelled. In the opening I get a rum absolute vibe, vanillic sweet boozy leading into a core amber accord of vanilla tonka and benzoin, the latter two emulating the tobacco and caramel notes. I definitely get plenty of the candied fruit, cinnamon and clove adding to a spiced cake vibe similar to PdE Ambre Russe but less dry and woody. Dries down to a gentle tobacco vanilla skin scent. There are definite floral and nutty facets but they are tough to pin point and play more of a supportive role. Perfectly unisex, surprisingly light and radiant for an amber gourmand. Definitely a top 3 amber, although Ambre Russe still remains the uncontested champion. If anyone owns a 10ml or offers decants (EU only) I would happily acquire it from you.

This doesn't smell exactly like Oajan or Angels' Share, but you can tell that it is an obvious reference point... Sweet, honeyed resins with spices to lighten the base-heavy composition. If you're into this genre, you'll love it. Me? I'm more of an adjacent observer, so to speak. I like it, and only sometimes do I love it... When I was in the consideration process for the 4x pack of 15 mls, this was in the 4th or 5th place. I went with something else, and when I asked about samples, the SA gave me the choice of 3 -- so I got 3x ANs, giving me 6 - 8 mls, meaning I ended up getting ENOUGH AN to last me a lifetime (for the little amount that I wear it). I'm glad I didn't get this, mostly because I haven't even used the other 4 I got, and that was nearly 3 years ago! Majestic and wonderful, but not entirely for me...

It smells like some warm, spiced, heady fall drink--mulled wine or spiced cider. I was almost afraid it was too dark and rich at first spray --the tobacco, benzoin, and labdanum come on strong, but as the sweet, boozy notes come into focus, they add a warm, languorous feel that's not always present in spicy sweet gourmands--it's falling asleep in front of a fireplace, relaxed and buried in blankets, hints of the pie you baked earlier lingering in the warm air, and feeling a bit intoxicated from sweet, spiced apple cider and firewood smoke. The vanilla, cinnamon and coumarin call to mind autumn apple spice treats; even if apple isn't a note, I think it's the combination of the spices with the tart sweetness of honey, rum, caramel that suggest apple. It's coziness reincarnate, I love it

Omg. Where have you been all my life. This must be what it’s like to go on all the dating apps, spend tons of money and suffer through many variously boring, horrible and mediocre dates only to meet the love of your life, your soul mate, accidentally when you bump into a friend on the street and they introduce you to one of their friends, someone you’ve been hearing about for a long time but somehow never met. That’s how I came across Amber Narguilé, buying a fragrance and getting this one as an aside, as a bonus. It’s like a thunder clap to me. Simply the best amber ever. No others need to apply. Subtly sweet spicy amber with a boozy undertone merges into a tobacco dry down that lasts 12 plus hours. No stink of fixative yet it lasts like this. Amazing.

I tried this as a "honey" sampler from Surrender to Chance (bought it for a friend, but, hey, I wouldn't want to give a gift that stinks, so I spritzed myself--just a bit) and really love it. It is unisex definitely, which isn't usually my cup of tea, but it is so intriguing that I'm falling for it. I'm getting a lot of incense, tobacco, even myrhh from this after the first half hour, although the cinnamon-apple is coming through too. However, on me--at least for now--it is not as sweet as on others. Still, I have a feeling the sweetness will come through stronger after a few hours.It smells expensive--that is, like something that has been developed by a true artist with a great nose. The notes blend yet are distinguishable, very nuanced.

A straight up gourmand I actually love?? Wonders never cease. Yes, this smells like boozy apple pie filling, but it doesn't cross the line with sweetness for my tastes and I've never found it cloying (and as a sidenote, I did find Tobacco Vanille too sweet and made me nauseous). The notes feel unusually well balanced for a gourmand and of course as a cinnamon lover I was very appeased with the high amount of that spice here. It also doesn't have the heavy amberwood base a lot of similar scents do, giving it a lighter feel, though not to the point of having the watercolour sheerness Elena is known for. Longevity is excellent on my skin too. Just a great all rounder. Gourmand for lovers of amber and spice.

A deep spicy amber and tobacco on opening like a low bass chord. Then honey comes in, lending a warming effect to the spices and bringing more vibrancy to the scent. Ambre Narguile has a lightness to it, which seems especially skillful given the depth of this fragrance. A study in contrasts. This is the scent of hot toddies in front of the fireplace, a little intoxicated, all relaxed and cuddled up under a warm blanket. As it wears, the tonka emerges, which serves to maximize the cozy feels. Ah, and here is the sweetness I was missing earlier: it develops at the perfect phase, right when the vanilla can balance it out beautifully. Four hours in and the dry down is fucking heavenly. A true masterpiece.

Well ... Its a very familiar scent if you're in to gourmands. Probably seen angels share, oajan and go on and on.. and then you have this. It's the first in his kind and it shows on every aspect why it's not something you can copy easy. Those others really lack the quality of ambre narguile. It's soft, yet loud, it's airy, yet thick. You can smell all the facets in the air during its lifespan ( 6-8 hours easily). Most will complain about the retail price and try to seek for oajan or angels share, but don't do it is my advice. Had all of them but nothing beats this quality. It's really unisex although I like it more on woman! Don't smell like Christmas, be Christmas!

This is exactly what I expected Angels Share to smell like when I first heard about it. It’s boozy and reminds me of poached apples in cinnamon. It’s a delicious more rich fragrance with a creamy vanilla and some woody notes perfect for colder weather. It’s beautifully balanced and you can really smell all the layers. It’s quite hard to get the mini bottle so I recommend asking someone who is going to the airport to get it for you otherwise the big bottle is quite expensive. The bottle is also a golden hue of glass which makes it look ambery too which is a nice touch.

The opening reminds you of the delicious scent of a sweet cinnamon bun and apple pie. As it dries down, the notes of spices seamlessly blend into the resinous amber and vanilla. As an owner of the OG formulation of Oajan, I find that they share a similar profile. While Oajan is richer and performs better, it has a slight twist of greenness added to it, and isn't as versatile as Ambre Narguile, which is relatively airy. The projection for Ambre Narguile is great for the first two hours. Whenever I move around, there is a constant bubble of the lovely scent.

People use the term “Masterpiece” too loosely in perfumery. If you’re a fan of PDM Oajan, or Kilian Angel Share, you really should acquaint yourself with the one that started it all. And no one has ever improved upon this beauty. THIS is the true masterpiece, and the newcomers are just a poor substitute. The complexity and perfection of this fragrance sets the bar. Nothing will ever come close to this. And all the people who wax on about how PDM and Kilian are the best things ever created are just following the trend and missing out on the real thing.

It’s not listed but I smell apple. It really does smell like a delicious hot apple crumble with cinnamon. There’s also a decently strong sweet honey note that I adore. This is what I expected Killian Angels Share to smell like when people said it smells like Apple Pie. Love at first sniff. Shame on the price but it is decently complex with the Labdunum, Tobacco and Benzoin. It makes the woody notes more interesting and also not too strong. I would say it’s unisex but leaning more feminine in my opinion due to the fruitiness and sweetness of honey.

Cinnamon and honey are the star players in Ambre Narguilé, but it is also a boozy amber and tobacco scent with sweet and spicy elements. I think it is reasonable to classify it as a “spicy amber” and as a gourmand. I also associate this fragrance with the savory scent of smoky and honeyed hookah tobacco. Ambre Narguilé is a beautiful composition and it is masterfully blended by Jean-Claude Ellena. It is such an intoxicating, yet comforting scent, and it is a staple in my fall/winter rotation. I absolutely adore this modern classic!

This is such a beautiful and intoxicating fragrance to me. I get a lot of tobacco covering up all the other elements of this scent. If I keep smelling it, there is a touch of cinnamon and a sweetness. The tobacco is what really stands out to me. The projection is so/so, and it fades pretty quickly.. this perfume leaves me wanting more. I cannot justify the price point because it does not have lasting power. I blind bought Khaltat Nights hoping that it may smell similar to this perfume, but with a lot more projection and silage.

Smells like you're eating apple fritter in a hookah bar. Ambre Narguile is a fragrance that I reserve for gatherings with family and friends. It's a warm, spicy, apple fritter-esque fragrance fit perfect for the fall and winter months. An amazing gourmand; my favourite of Jean-Claude Elena's creations. Angel's share is good but is a lighter, sweeter take on the apple fritter DNA that incorporated aspects of BR540 to lift its composition -- AN is much heavier on the spices. Oajan is AN's brash and braggadocious little brother.

Imagine being served a slice of freshly baked apple pie with a glass of top shelf bourbon on ice. That's Ambre Narguile. I reach for this like a favorite oversized sweater. It's comfy cozy. When I wear this, I want to curl up by a crackling fire and watch the snow fall outside my window. On me, it has great longevity and arm's length sillage. It's a linear scent that doesn't change much from opening to dry down. I love layering it with white floral or rose forward fragrances. It will always be in my collection.

To my nose it's the niche version of one million prive with more sweetness and minus the tobacco... Its unisex leaning masculine. And it has the MOST realistic cinnamon note.. Nothing in designer market could replicate the cinnamon smell that way I don't smell much ambre in this chaos of sweetness it's mostly cinnamon and tonka Still a very warm scent and near gourmand.. Can be great for dates.. However if you have 1 million prive then you don't need that one especially that prive is more versatile

I love sweet amber fragrances, they will always be my number one. However this one was pretty much the last I tried (due to the price mostly.) I adore Ambre d’Alexandrie, Brecourt Farah, Angels Share etc but had been dying to still try this one. Well...everyone is right! This one is the best. Such rich delicious amber with cinnamon and just the right amount of tobacco (which I usually don’t like in fragrances.) I will never give this one up.

Wonderful fragrance, enveloping like a cashmere blanket, warm like the embrace of someone you love, gourmand without being mangé, reassuring like a promise, protective like the skin. It evokes the winter warmth and its magical atmospheres, it transports you to the mysteries of the East without dark turmoil. Magnificent olfactory pyramid, every single element invokes serenity and peace. Spicy sillage of great refinement. I love it immensely.

This fragrance is something special. Its caramel rum spice tobacco infusion may not seem radical now, but that is only because so many others have tried to improvise and improve on this beauty, and mostly failed. This stands as a bridge between classic and modern perfumery, between western and eastern customs, and it is a beautiful portal into a delicious, sumptuous world. It is an invitation to join together and to enjoy one another.

A sparkling and delicious fragrance with notes of toasted sesame, baked apple pie crust, cherry, honey, vanilla, coumarin, tonka and walnut/almond. Festive for the holidays, a great gourmand for fall/winter. Versatile and blended, not overly sweet. The legendary classic that inspired many imitations. Even Hermes' new formulation is better blended, less foody, more wearable. Stronger sesame note, possibly grounded by fortified benzoin.

This is truly a beautiful scent. I had been searching for an amber Bc I feel like every woman needs one lol. I don’t know why. It just sounds fancy. But yes the tobacco and honey in this real spike to me. And just gonna throw this out there the inspiration by The Dua fragrances brand (Amberlicious) smells 98% identical and has waaaaaaay more sillage. And on me the Dua one keeps a stronger sweet tobacco throughout the dry down.

The fragrance had me at first whiff, when I smelled it in the Hermes airport store in Spain. I haven’t stopped thinking of it since. I’m a lover of amber scents, and this one is sophisticated and lovely. The honey gives a touch of sweetness but leaves room for the spiciness of tobacco and sesame. I also love Hermes fragrances, and this one doesn’t come cheap, but a bottle can last you forever and through every season.

In the last 5 years there's been a spate of fragrances that smell similar to this and some have been boozy, some super sweet and some have been projection beast. I think Parfum de Marly's Oajan is possibly one that fits all three categories and is possibly my personal favourite of the ones that smell akin to this. This though is a classy melliferous apple brandy dessert left on a window sill to cool and entice 8.8/10

Beautiful, christmassy and long lasting, a photo realistic warm apple pie fragrance with soft spices, perfect for the winter, though because i would associate this as a seasonal fragrance I don’t feel the need to buy a full bottle, I have a 15ml travel spray which I bought for £41 ($54.56), which I’m perfectly happy with. 5/5* if the brief was to create an apple pie fragrance with a touch of cinnamon, very well done.

It's a rainy day today and I took out my brand new bottle of EdT version of this perfume. Oh it's so delicious, warm, comforting. It is a well-blended mix of cinnamon, apple pie, Christmas cake, honey, and rum notes. So sweet and aromatic I almost feel like drinking it. A definite love for me and an extremely pleasant experience. It is sweet yet it does not feel childish or too young. A sparkingly opulent scent.

I LOVE this fragrance, it reminds me of angels share by killian but more mature. The warm spicy sweetness just reminds me of everything good about the holiday season, the beautiful cinnamon and honey and the booziness, its just fantastic. I tend to love fragrances with tonka and vanilla and this is no exception. Its such a lovely gourmand scent that is PERFECT for the winter and fall!

This is soooo good. The booziness reminds me of angels share. This is so gentle and comforting yet so present. It’s gourmand and bold at the same time. It changes in the dry down to a strong woody smell which almost becomes like a green tea scent. Very long lasting on me. Sillage and longevity are great. Such a lovely scent. I’m so glad I have this in my stash. It oozes class !

Delicious in every way. I'm not sure where my original review went (maybe I only thought I did one??), but IMO why settle for (un-cheap) imitations of this warm, spicy and cozy fragrance when you can get this one (the original) very easily? I'm looking at you Creed Delphinus and Kilian AS. All you have to do is be willing to step away from the department store brands a little.

This is like a much much weaker version of Oajan. I would rather spend my money on the much better and more beautiful Oajan. This one starts out weak and watered down and just gets worse. It’s completely gone in about half hour. What a shame, if only it was an edp, it would be worth buying. I’ll use up my 10ml decant but no more. If u have PDM Oajan, you don’t need this one.

Ambre Narguile is a quality blend of boozy, amber and tobacco notes, very rich, 3D deep and complex, addictive smelling. The most luxurious smelling perfume I have tried (except Diaghilev), but the price is also correspondent. If you want a cheaper alternative, it's Bois 1920 Come il Sole, the smell is similar, but in comparison it's poor and one dimensional. 10/10

dead center mix between oajan and one million/milano prive. 9/10 scent, not a 9/10 performance though at all maybe closer to a 3/10. even Milano prive performs better. id rather any of the super popular scents in this profile/style over this. still smells incredible though. not wo more than like $30 given Milano prive which also looks nice.

This may be an edt but the longevity is amazing. You can really smell the tobacco in the beginning but it kinda fades as it dries down. This is what I wanted angels share to be, it reminds me of it but I prefer this way more. It does remind me of apple pie. 10/10 for me. I was able to get the 3.38 oz at bloomingdales for under $300

I can't get enough of ambre narguilé even after wearing it for more than ten years. Comforting, addicting and a perfectly wearable mix of a baked apple and cinnamon with amber notes. I wouldn't hesitate to wear it in summer or spring too, as with many bottles in the Hermessence collection, it's difficult to overspray.

Very Killianesque. Back to Black, Black Phantom, Gold Night, Intoxicated. Similar DNA to Ambre Narguile. Very rich and intense, sweet. I really love it but you don't need to buy it, if you have these Killians or vica-versa. Having said that, this Hermes offering triggers my asthma and the others do not.

My goodness, what a delicious and intoxicating fragrance. I am obsessed with smelling it. I can’t see anyone not loving this perfume. It’s absolutely unisex and worth every penny. Out of my 500 plus fragrance collection, this one is in my top 10. A MUST for any collector and blind buy safe. Imho.