Hermessence Cedre Sambac

Shadows and light: the contrast illuminates the spirit and draws attention to its inner depths. In Cedre Sambac, perfumer Christine Nagel demonstrates the importance between these two contrasts in bringing to relief the whole picture. Jasmine Sambac, voluptuous, seductive, but also white hot, is pulled in a drier, shadier direction through cedar. As if by some trickery, one brings out qualities in the other that wouldn’t be as noticeable if they were to stand alone. Maybe in addition to these two, Nagel included tuberose and sandalwood—or maybe, just maybe, one or the other is creating these illusions through their partnership. Above and beyond that, there are suggestions of charming scents that tickle my memory: pencil erasers (rubbers), brand new paperback books, hotel soaps, the interior of a hope chest, visits to Grossman’s (a now defunct chain similar to the Home Depot of today) with my Dad as a kid. But then it we go back to the shadows and light of the subject matter. Flowers and woods. Yin and Yang. Even maybe Ylang Ylang. While indoles are here, they are more oblique, and over time become unapparent. The subtle but persistent dry down, is more billowy, creamier, and it’s as if the cedar, rather than giving splinters, could melt in your mouth like one of those mints your grandmother would give you. Sometimes Nagel’s compositions elude and frustrate me, but much like Galop d’Hermes and Mauboussin Histoire d’Eau, this pleases me tremendously. Now I must try Violet Volynka and Archives 69.

This charmed me to begin with and that's what made me buy a small travel spray but I find it fascinating from a technical standpoint. The Jasmine note (accord even) is very interesting in that it's clearly emulating nature but from messing with Jasmine aroma chemicals (of which there are many) myself, I can sort of smell the genesis of this Jasmine note. For starters it seems less like a jasmine sambac to me, and although has traces of indole, which make it natural smelling, it's not a full whack of jasmine skank. This has that...inside of a banana, exotic, tropical fruit, funk and trace of ylang to it. It feels like a white flowers accord with aspects of tuberose too, and it's an interesting exercise for someone like me who is constructing recreations of florals like this to see how master perfumers like Nagel do it. Not only that but how it's carefully and skillfully blended with a woody base, that has the complimentary creaminess to accent the florals. The delivery...well it is mainly a jasmine fragrance to be honest and it lasts well and opens room filling but mellows well. I like it but it's not the most uplifting heavenly jasmine I've tried in my life.

[Feb. 2023] (... Continued from my review of Muguet Porcelaine.) Hermessence Sambac is a lactonic floral of which its indole is as creamy as lotion but the flower light as a breeze. It's no sampaguita, and it's not like the jasmines outside the garden either. The drydown reminds me of Do Son, but its nowhere as soapy or tingly-sharp as Do Son. Hermessence Sambac remains lightly warm and creamy for a duration of its run without a hint of greens or smoke, it is mostly a Jasmine solinote but never tiring to me. One of my favourite florals for its delicate balance of appearing lightweight without evaporating into nothing so soon. It lasts for 4-5 hours but on fresh clothes, it remained the next day. It does recall the newly discontinued Tom Ford Santal Blush, but Cedre Sambac doesn't smell like powder, smell sharp, or tingle the nose like the former. It also doesn't smell "cute" like Santal Blush (peach note?) Though not the same, I feel this made a good replacement for Santal Blush. Much creamier. Regardless, my go-to fragrance to pair with Muguet Porcelaine from my travel set. And with Osmanthe Yunnan, an enjoyable asiatic-styled tea bouquet experience.

Exactly what it says on the tin. You expect something more like Jo Malone’s two ingredient, well-blended and pleasant but soulless signature, but this is beautifully done, and this is coming from someone who can definitely find jasmine sickly at times. The sweet and sensuous character of the sambac jasmine (be sure to temper your expectations if you’re more familiar with european jasmine grandiflorum - this is a distinct smell to that) is perfectly balanced with the vigour and strength of an equally sensuous, slightly smoky cedarwood here. Opening is jasmine heavy, then depending on your body temperature and the weather anywhere between 5 mins to an hour in the cedarwood joins the party fully. It’s an addictive and creamy smooth scent which is sexy and seductive but with just enough restraint to keep it classy and PG-13 - it’s a skimpy dress or partially unbuttoned shirt, not full frontal nudity or lingerie if that analogy is helpful.

This smells so good. Very underrated. It’s cedar and jasmine in equal parts, neither overpowering the other. It has a crisp clean feel, reminding me of fresh washed clothes drying on a clothes line by a cedar tree. Takes me back to sunny spring days as a kid playing outside. Woody without being too harsh, floral without being too feminine. The jasmine just floats on the edge, never getting too indolic or too intense, and the cedar never feels inanimate like furniture. Hermessence line gets a bad wrap for being “too fleeting” but I think each one is designed exactly as they should be, with high quality ingredients and thoughtfully made; not trying to be some best seller powerhouse. If this fragrance was stronger it would be terrible. But as it is, it’s the perfect ethereal swirl of fresh cut cedar, with a slightly powdery floral sprinkling of jasmine. Invigorating. Lasts plenty long enough and projects just as much as it should.

Instantly a very enchanting blend of sweet woods, amaretto/almond liqueur, and smooth jasmine dancing around on top. Maybe a touch of dry incense, certainly a toasty warmth without the smokiness that often accompanies that. A light leathery under-tone gives this a firmly classy character. The jasmine is musky-sweet, pushing the fragrance towards a more feminine profile, but the sweetness never feels immature. In the dry-down an inoffensive lactonic quality sits close to the skin. My mother used to wear 'Vanderbilt' by Gloria Vanderbilt, and I'm getting some familiarity to that here, so a twinge of nostalgia for me which is very pleasant. Some may feel this is too 'old-fashioned' but I would argue that it's more classically timeless. VERDICT: For the elegant woman, or the refined man and those that adore woody jasmine, this is a must-try.

I was hesitant to try Cedre Sambac because I thought, with the prominent cedar note, it might be an Iso E or amberwood-y overloaded monstrosity. It is NOT. The woody notes are beautiful. It smells like there are at least some wood naturals in here. JCE has mentioned a preference for using either Iso E or Hedione as fixatives, and I believe Nagel is doing something similar here with Hedione in the base, since the far drydown is floral/musky, not woody, to my nose.(I'm not saying there's no Iso E, just that if it's there, it's dosed in a way that my nose doesn't detect it and object.) The overall effect is an elegant, crisp, cool balance between the woods and florals. Wears beautifully in the heat, a love from me.

What I love about cedre sambac - and feel is almost ground-breaking, actually - is that it really plays with jasmine's characteristically inky, mothball-y, grandma's closet-y, naphthalene smell. Most perfumes try to tone this aspect down with sweet notes (even the greats like lust, songes, a la nuit) but the cedar and other synthetic cdg-esque woody nuances here somehow both enhance and cancel out the naphthalene, so that it's no longer unpleasant but rather a special scent of its own. Sinus clearing, for sure, but still really pleasant. Like some of Nagel's recent creations it has a distinctly clean, hypermodern feel. Not a crowd-pleaser but a totally unisex and unique take on jasmine.

In love with this one. It’s very clear and feels very familiar but the nuances just make it distinct. The jasmine is there but it’s just indolic enough to be generous, creamy, skin-like; against the severe cedar that also has a spicyness to it. It feels very dual. Strict but generous, sober yet free. The harmony of the bitter sharpness with the warmth makes me think of Chanel 19 although it has nothing to do with it. 03/22 - Compared it with a vintage parfum bottle of Patou's Joy just to see the difference between two indolic fragrances. This is has a very balanced salty indolic note. Joy is through the roof piss/fecal indolic and fades into a more floral powdery musk.

A tuberose fragrance that is powdery and floral, but somehow i can see a man wearing this. The cedar base must be the reason for this having a unisex smell Update: this would be awesome for a young metropolitan businessman in a white dress shirt Update: I don't like it on me. It has a very uppity, dusty floral aspect to it that screams "don't come near me, peasant, or I'll cry out in pain." I'm a guy, and it makes me smell like a spoiled and pampered momma's boy. I say this is better for the ladies

This smells of REAL sandalwood to me—the actual chips for incense! I find a hint of jasmine but no tuberose. Not only is this my favorite of the new trio, it has made into my Top 4 for the mini coffret I purchased! *Tuberose & jasmine grandiflorum absolute are both at least twice as expensive as sambac, so from a marketing standpoint there's no reason why to omit such selling point, which means the sandalwood I smell must also be an illusion :(

WOW! Starts with a bang of burnt plastic and hospital desinfectant to then morph into an animalic jasmin. Explosive. Dirty. Fecal. Post orgasm it becomes a rather demure but long lasting skin scent. Creamy jasmin (and definitely tuberose!) on a fluffy cloud of cedar. With a subtle tang of salty skin. Sultry summer nights in a bottle....

Hermessence Cedre Sambac by Hermès, Christine Nagel's masterpiece fragrance: magical alchemical duet between Sambac jasmine and cedar wood. The white floral notes evoke warm spring atmospheres blend with the warm enveloping amber / boises notes of cedar wood. An enveloping, seductive and sensual blend of great charm.

This really reminds me of Santal Blond by Atelier Materi but more toned down and less in-your-face. Love the both of them but if you’re looking for lasting power and projection, (and less floral but more creamy) Santal Blond is probably the way to go.

I don't like this on me. It has a very uppity, dusty floral aspect to it that screams "don't come near me, peasant, or I'll cry out in pain." I'm a guy, and it makes me smell like a spoiled and pampered momma's boy. I say this is better for the ladies

Cedre Sambac is a masculine tuberose on my skin. Dry and a bit peppery it reminds me of Diptyque Do Son which I adore. A must have for a guy tuberose lover.

Cedre Sambac is a masculine tuberose on my skin. Dry and a bit peppery it reminds me of Diptyque Do Son which I adore. A must have for a guy tuberose lover.

It reminds me of Tom Ford 'Santal Blush', slightly softer and less full. In both there are Jasmin and Cedre.....

spring evening in komoro by ito shinsui ++++++++ The Strange Case of Angelica by Manoel de Oliveira 2010 Pp+++

To me, it smells like new books and I love it!

Nice perfume I think there’s honey

This is a smooth, non-abrassive cedar. It's not what you'll find in Sauvage or Bleu de Chanel... but it's different. Hard to describe. There's a strange chemical, almost plasticky, smell to it that creates something akin to a doll's head. As I sniff my wrist, I try to understand why I might be smelling that. I can see below that people have made comments on tuberose which could possibly explain something rubbery / plastic-like, but it's still very strange. The jasmine itself is very toned down, but still remains very true to it's natural essence. Bear with me as I say this, but I genuinely think that this is somehow comparable to Eden from Cacharel. It's no where near as strong, no where near as tropical (although at a stretch, this could be called such a thing) but it does have this odd feeling to it that has only ever been evoked by Cacharel for me. It lingers on the skin for quite a long time and sometimes even becomes unbearable, despite the lightness. As most of the others in the Hermessence range create a softly scented cloud around your skin as they fade away, Cedre Sambac creates a slightly suffocating film that holds onto it's structural integrity until the very last breath of life. In saying this, I love it. Who couldn't love a bizarre thing like this?

Cedar whispering through linen: that’s Cedre Sambac. Cedar takes the lead on my skin, not the usual backdrop but a crisp, linear hum like freshly sawn planks drying under sun. Cool and resinous, a dry backbone of forest floors I can appreciate. The jasmine here surprises too, coming not the heady Sambac you’d expect. It's almost like a lab-born imitation, a mosaic of jasmine-y chemicals, and just a wisp of indole, folded so precisely that it smells actually, startlingly natural. Organic and almost wild. An admirable choreography. Together, they conjure white sheets snapped to a cedar line, flapping in an alpine breeze. You can almost hear the snap and smell the smoke of distant, white floral-whisked campfires. Unlike many below have mentioned, my skin chemistry has this a soft filigree of floral sweetness, clean like a bloom's gentle hum, intentionally calibrated to never slip into syrup. Is it breathtaking? No. Does it disappoint the jasmine purist? Perhaps, yea. But there’s something quietly clever here. A scent stitched like a tailored shirt: crisp, comforting, and just curious enough.

I am thinking of modern haute couture when i smell this. Modern in that it’s minimalistic; haute couture in that it is of a high craftmanship. It’s the frag equivalent of Raf Simons and his Dior collection circa 2012. A beautifully restrained jasmine, (nonetheless jasmine forward). The cedar is beautiful, it gives this woody softness and (almost suede-like) depth. There’s a clear hermessence DNA to it, which i love. I dont know how to explain it. This mix of creamy but airy powdery effect to it. The drydown somehow reminded me of Santal Majuscule’s drydown. Longevity good, sillage intimate (also very true to hermessence DNA, which i hate). I have a full bottle though, just because how beautiful this smell. Damn hermessence!

I may need to come edit this later but upon my first try I’m having a hard time disassociating it from one of my absolute favorites, which is Kilian Let’s Settle This Like Adults. It’s pretty much exactly like it minus the sweet “fig milk” element. If you like this but feel like it’s missing something, try the Kilian. If you like the Kilian but feel like it’s a little too juvenile or sweet, try this. I’m going to avoid the Kilian for awhile so that I can better assess how I feel about this sample. Leaving the sweet element out should make it more mature and maybe even professional. I do feel like I can go ahead and say right off the bat that this is definitely the ultimate feminine cedar - a rare attempt.

Marketed as Cedar & Jasmine accord. Indeed it starts with a blast of indolic Jasmine Sambac, then moves to a Cedar-like accord, but falls into a Woody Tuberose with hints of Jasmine. It has some “funk” due to the indole and not everyone will appreciate it, so I recommend that you do not blind-buy and make sure you smell on your skin at least 10 minutes after application. Do not judge this on paper. Can be used throughout the year, but heat makes the fragrance shine. A nice-to-have in the Hermessence line, if you are a collector.

Hermes Cedre Sambac (2018) - indolic woods - #christinenagel creates a focused thought combining Indolic, creamy and human-skin smelling Jasmine with a Cedar accord. On Fragrantica, you just get 2 notes, but I’m getting more than that. If Ellena’s range were Haikus, these are more the longer form Tanka. Reminds me of new rubber shoes, salty human skin, bushes of fallen leaves, an animalic musk accord, and pencil shavings. But don’t fret, dear reader, it’s technically good with a nice balance.

Didn’t think twice before purchasing this fragrance. Smells like a luxury log cabin in the late spring / early summer , first very woody with intoxicating note of something I can’t describe , which dries down to a beautiful jasmine and white flower - like scent. If you want an elevated version of jasmine scent - this one is for you. And long projection lovers no need to worry about it being a toilette water , because this fragrance lasts long (especially on clothes)!

i don't find this jasmine to be indolic in the least, so it's interesting that others have. skin chemistry is so fascinating! the cedar and jasmine are perfectly balanced here. i get a hint of powderiness. it honestly reminds me of a lush scent a bit, which i love, so this is fine by me. it starts with about equal parts jasmine and cedar but the cedar slowly takes over. there is something else here too, i feel, but i can't place it. i find this comforting.

I very much agree with Suganadaraja’s review - not much cedar here if any. More so an oily, leathery sandalwood accord with a soft white floral element. Gradually it dries out after a few hours and the leatheriness comes to the fore. To my nose, the middle phase is similar to Kilian’s Sacred Wood. Like Sacred Wood, Cedre Sambac smells like a base rather than a complete fragrance, even kf it does exhibit a mild degree of development.

Such an elegant scent! The woodiness and white floral scent present like old cosmetics. The cedar wood smoothly cover the indole from the jasmines. Moderate sillage and longevity. Not fruity Not citrusy Feminine Not powdery Linear scent Sillage 7/10 Longevity 7/10 Scent 7/10 Price 3/10 Overall 7/10

Smells exactly like Jasmine and Cedre. Jasmine is not as indolic here as in A La Nuit by Serge Lutens or Joy by Jean Patou. Smells like real jasmine, which is hard to find in the perfumery.

it is usable. do i love it? no. do i like it? yes. it is not disturbing smooth, nice smell. not overwhelming fresh flowery santal. it worths giving a chance i think.

Rubbery gluey woods... That simple... rubber, latex, glue, and woods. This is beautiful, but their price tag isn't.

I like this scent my only problem that it’s weak, it doesn’t project well and doesn’t last.

Hermessence Cedre Sambac (Store test, skin test - test start 18.00 hrs.) I really like Cedre Smbac, high-class and etherial. Maybe most minimal and blanc as I have ever tried. (Yes this surpass, Jasmin from Guerlain and Lancome) I am on verge of Jasmin era. Anything Jasmin with catch my attention. First 30 mins, is the most beautiful part of scent realistic composition of jasmine. Seriously, encapsulated all elegant of Jasmin slight indolic, slight wet, slight green hue, natural sweetness It is most true as Jasmin can be.. but When it hit 2nd stage all the beautiful from Jasmin crush and turn into equal part of cedre and Jasmin. The cedre in this, might not be true interpretation of cedre in nature, it is not raw, almost no balsumic. It smells almost like processed industrial wood but for audience of Hermessense and thr fragrance I think this remains most true to audiance. After that it was a stage show, between Cedre and Jasmine. Clean powdery - almost soapy. It is somewhat keep me entertain, I happy catch a whip of fine cedre and beautiful jasmine from time to time. It keep show interchangeably in a good way. It is 2 hours post wear and it is still fairy strong of my skin. I would agree that this carried on Hermesense’s DNA the etherealness stay there, blanc & light still there. Ms. Nagel truly proof that she is right candidate for Hermes’ perfumery. But I can notice the difference between scent from Mr.JCE & Ms. Nagel distinguishably. Being Ms. Nagel shows the blend vividly like 4k HDTV you could smell and easy to determine the material component presented in the scent while Mr.JCE blends more like dreamy artwork from oil paint, merge in overall appearance but hi-res in inside details and the deepest scent of JCE’s work I can almost sniff skin’s scent. Like a scent dancing on the skin instead being part of, and that’s characteristic of JCE’s work that hard to replica. Jasmin Sambac is good, truly good. But the 2nd part of its life just didn’t wow me. It is ok to own sure and it hard to find something similar.. but.. I find the story telling.. is a bit difference. I can’t ensure yet. Olfactive crash into powdery woody with white floral nuance, 3.30 hrs. 8/10 ===== Extension 1 on.. the day after. I got slap in the face... I means.. I brought a book name; Introduction to Perfumery (1994)... and one paragraph mention.. Quote from the book; "Cedarwood : Woody and slightly earthy preferably no smoky, cresylic nuance." Yes, I find this paragraph most true to nature of this cedar interpretation in Cedre Sambac. Do I.. just so familiar with.. Smoky rough Cedarwood from Moroccian .Christian Nagel, may interpreted this as great as it can be by Atlas cedre.. in Cedre Sambac. I’m not sure now, truly not sure. Maybe.. I may need to find Cedarwood e.o. .. to asset this one. RE-ASSET. ===== Extension 2: May 9, 2024 (Emphasis on difference blending style, in another shoes) I relook all the notes listed all Hermessesnse’s work in my collection mostly, JCE’s work. And I think.. I found something interesting in way of Nagel / JCE’s composition. JCE.. usually use more than one sub - wheel integrate together, you may look up. Some of them are very crash consider traditional fragrance wheel. Genius of JCE is how he pick the dream note to compromise the lack slot and fill it in various interpretations. That how’s he create the dreamy oil paint artwork. His works always balance, somehow. Either gappy or weighty in one side of perfumery. (I.e. Osmanthe Yunnan which use Citrus, Fruity, Floral and leather to create balance feel, Poivre Samarcande is heavy on woody side) he seems love to use at least 4 sub family wheel in the way blending this line... However, Nagel blends is much darling and aiming, She used only 2 elements which almost opposite in perfumery wheel “dry wood and floral (or floral oreintal)” which consider hard to merge. (Cedrewood fragrance like Feminite du bois, use spicy note to merge Plum and Wood), and the way she blends, push almost all other element to the back, is sure proof how ambitious she is. I believe she must masterly study the chemical note and I mention during the first impression. “It is somewhat keep me entertain, I happy catch a whip of fine cedre and beautiful jasmine from time to time. It keep show interchangeably in a good way.” It sure borrow certain note from each other. That why that’s effect are shown. Even it ends with woodsy soapiness, classic and easy to reach for audience, She proof that she conquer the perfumery. We are on the way to new Hermes and from case I explain I believe she can bring much more. Sambac Cedre is a proof and I think I will add Sambac Cedre to the collection as proof of work, from Nagel. 9/10 (solid) ===== Extension 2 on February 6, 2025 I wear Cedre Sambac a few wear any honestly I think this is Nagel's best work that in line with Traditional Hermessence style. "JCE" once told “There are linear, vertical woods like cedar, and others that are horizontal, round, supple and velvet-smooth, such as sandalwood and massoia. With this understanding in mind, I composed this enigmatic, inviting yet distant perfume of milky woods, with its unusual, pungent hints of resin and dried fruit, and familiar smells of dulce de leche and flowers.” JCE creates a lot of Woody scents, but Cedre Sambac can stay front with the others. This Jasmin wood nuance stay through but in the same time, it show each component. You could lightly feel the rough texture of Cedar, even there is Grey Sandalwood / Incense - Smoke kind of vibe in the back. it manages to smell clean along the wear. Woody fragrance, can be easily boring but Hermessence woody scent always vow me. There is always something going on, and that's so enjoyable. There is certain time that I feel like soft spice wood, smell much like Wasabi or taste of carbonate and that's charm of Hermessence. A continuously enjoyable fragrance. That you could enjoy along the day. It's not the similar metric as previous as blending style is difference. But how it wears, it feels very Hermessence. Nagel is a frim hands.

Cedre Sambac is a majority jasmine/gardenia-prominent scent on me, with the cedar being more in the background. It's a lovely smell, with a particular edge that I find intoxicating. On my skin, it retains its floral-focus, but a friend noted that it's very woody on her. It's particularly evocative of a humid summer night (so that's a great time to wear it). Cedre Sambac has one of the more short-lived lifespans of the Hermessence fragrances on me, being barely a whisper of a scent after about two hours or so. It definitely benefits from Musc Pallida being applied first, though that only extends by a couple of hours. I've found it doesn't blend/layer as well with the line as some of the other Hermessences; it seems to either disappear behind the other scent or offer a defiant, discordant clash. I (male) found this at first to be slightly more feminine-leaning, but the floral elements are closer to a smell from nature than a typical "women's" perfume scent, and it's managed to become my 3rd favorite of the Hermessence fragrances due to its uncanny, bewitching nature. If you want a sophisticated, high-quality, close-wearing white floral scent (that you don't mind topping off through the day), this might just be the one for you. There is something special here.

On my skin, Cedre Sambac never fails to intrigue me but ultimately I just can't get along with this one. The sambac jasmine (as opposed to grandiflorum, which is more commonly used in perfumery) lacks any greenness, any dewiness, or, to my nose, much indole at all. I'm certain that's just the way it smells (though I've never encountered a Jasminum sambac in person) but to me it's so different from the jasmine I know and love. I find Cedre Sambac, wielding this odd jasmine alongside cedarwood, almost intolerably dry - this is jasmine in the middle of a scorching hot day in the middle of summer. I prefer my jasmine scents to be much more nocturnal, moist and fresh than this, but if you're someone for whom dryness is beauty then I'm sure there's much to love here.

Very iso-e super heavy right from the begining to the end. It has similarities with Molecule 04 from Escentric Molecules. I cannot justify the price/quality ratio offered here.

I bought this on a run watching only the positive rating on Fragrantica (never do this!). The scent is very sambac indolic jasmine and yes, ceder is also very strong. I don’t like jasmine for that much in order to keep this in my collection. If you like indolic sharo jasmine, give this a try! I am biased towards Christine Nagels work, I feel a bit jealous that Jean-Claude Ellena had to quit and been replaced by a younger perfumer.

Reading the reviews below, I didn't know whether or not to dare believe that there was finally a tuberose Hermessence scent with woodsy base notes and was able to be pulled off comfortably by men ... but here we are. It actually seems as though Christine Nagel can not only do no wrong, but also exceed expectations. That isn't to say that this is a ridiculously new scent, but it is very well done and does tie in with Twilly. The tuberose here is a little rubbery and very creamy, which melds well with the slightly spicy and synthetic nature of the cedar. The jasmine is a bit indolic, but not so much so as to make it unpleasant. All in all, this scent, along with her additions to the range, is much more intense than its former counterparts. It's not very intense, but it's less airy and light than the rest. I could see this being layered with Cardamusc or Musc Palida. Kudos!

First Review of any fragrance ever. So bear with me. Based on first impression of a spray sample. Starts off as strong floral bloom Reminds me strongly of my grandmother's white bouquet of flowers. As it settles it has more of a soapy smell. Dove dial or one of those types of soaps when you first open up the box. Seems like a romantic type of fragrance for an established relationship. Good for a cozy drive in the county, or a visit to the parents house. [Not an "I'm thinking of ending things visit" a nice visit.] Perhaps good for going traveling the world. I would suggest adding this in one of the gift travel packs, but not as a $450 stand alone for the reasons I gave above. Definitely old fashioned, floral delicate and smooth. It may be good if you're depressed or sick. For me it's like a dream, love lost, ships departed, and a slow motion spring coming to an end.

the top opening is like a fresh honeysuckle floral preview of what's to come & then quickly it becomes a large dose of indolic jasmine... suede accord-note yes subtle wood but its hard to pick out to me it shifts back and forth between night jasmine which i believe is where sambac comes from & being "figgy" which isn't to my particular taste some folks say indoles in addition to sometimes smelling fecal, urinous, or like mothballs, can also smell inky with tones of over ripe fruit ....this leans in the category of inky over ripe fruit ... i used 4 sprays ...it's the 2nd in the Hermessence line that verges on medium projection but is mostly a skin scent it's a miss for me but only because of personal distaste for the over ripe fruit smell in some types of jasmine - indole fragrances

I know the notes listed are only jasmine and cedar, but that's basically what you're getting. Opening is heavy on the jasmine, while the drydown is more woody. It's quite indolic on me. Maybe the slightest whiff of tuberose as well but that's it. I'm not a big fan of white florals, but I have to say it is blended very nicely. It wears quite smooth and the indolic nuances aren't too intrusive or overpowering. The cedar/woods will become more pronounced as you wear it more, but all in all it's a rather simple fragrance. Unisex, but more feminine leaning. Performance is on par with the others done by Nagel. Average, but it will linger for some hours on skin with restrained, but controlled projection. Not bad at all, but for me personally a bit too indolic. 6,5/10

I'm glad I'm not the only one! When the SA at the Hermes boutique first showed this to me, she was reading from the provided marketing card and detailing the notes listed. I was shocked, I said " This is tuberose if I ever smelled it!" She said, I think it's Jasmine, it doesn't say tuberose. I am thinking don't be rude, maybe this Jasmine smells exactly like tuberose in this creation ;. ) I mean, Carnal flower has both right, so I'm sure their is jasmine in here as well, but for Tuberose to not be listed seems impossible. I'm not at all trying to have a snobbish nose here, but I was really shocked. This is a Tuberose scent, right?!? What do you all think?

Oh wow! What a chameleon this scent is! I totally get the contrary reviews below that clame to smell tuberose and sandalwood when apparently there are none. The petrol like sharpness of cedar is absent here and sambac jasmine shares some facets with tuberose so in synergy you get very smooth, creamy, milky smell, only slightly animalic that envelops you like the finest silk on bare skin. It feels very luxurious, warm and smooth. Wears close to skin but with good longevity. I keep smelling myself, it's very addictive and distinctive aroma and I thought I didn't like cedar. Oh well, i guess I changed my mind;)

I get an initial acetone note at first spray, but thankfully it dries down quickly into something enticing: dry, savory, papery. Elegant and serene; not the sunny, innocent disposition I associate with many white florals. The wood and white floral are beautifully proportioned-- the jasmine nestled in a cedar tree, the cedar grounding but looming large. Very much a skin scent, like others in this collection. It has the silage and longevity of a splash cologne. I need at least 5 sprays and then carry the 15ml with me to spritz throughout the day.

A creamy, oily, splinter-free sandalwood note merged with a warm white floral that's hard to pin down. The flower here is less animalic than poet's jasmine, less fresh than sambac, not mentholated or green the way tuberose is, nor mushroomy like gardenia: it's a white floral UFO that pleasantly - if anonymously - parks on the sandalwood throughout this fragrance's lifespan. The effect is simple and supremely wearable, and so well-blended and polished it wouldn't surprise me if this fragrance had two ingredients or two-thousand.

I got a sample and it definitely leans feminine, however a man could wear it on spring or summer occasions. I smell honeysuckle. There's something acceptably raunchy hidden within this well blended fragrance and I'm not sure what it is. I struggle to get a whiff of cedar. Something is a tad mysterious about this. I feel that I like this but until I give it a full wearing rather than just my wrist, I won't know for sure. Being a man, I would wear this for myself rather than for anyone else (if it turns out I like it).

I've had more time with cedre sambac. First off I think it is an all season fragrance that performs more like an eau de parfum than a edt.I get an intoxicating tobacco nuance right off the bat. That hooks me in but fades away quickly, then the slightly skanky jasmine comes to the front. Cedar is lurking in the background enough to make me want more of it. There is also a creamy suede accord underneath it all.I keep seeing the color beige. Like a thin suede beige leather jacket. Thin enough to wear in spring and fall.