Hermessence Vetiver Tonka

"Elegant and sophisticated... an epitome of the modern gentleman." Vétiver Tonka is a 2004 fragrance from Hermès, and is one of the first fragrances to the exclusive Hermèssence line by Hermès' in-house perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena. This is another decant that I have from the French luxury brand, and is easily my favourite among the Hermèssence. Jean-Claude Ellena is no stranger in the perfume industry. He is one of the most prominent and respected perfumers in the modern perfume world and his fragrances have a distinctive signature which many have called it the "watercolour" effect: transparent, light, simple and there elegant. Vétiver Tonka is Ellena's take on the classic tobacco fragrance that conventionally caters to male users. There's something very distinguishable about Vétiver Tonka that sets itself apart from other fragrances of its kind. The main notes are tobacco, vetiver, tonka beans and hazelnut, the fourth note being something I only realised much later after using for some time. On my skin, it works exactly as how I had expected from a perfume by Ellena: transparent and elegant, the unmistakable "watercolour" effect. The tobacco is utterly smooth and refined, and blends seamlessly with the hazelnut-praline accords to make it deliciously gourmand. The vetiver is earthy, which is a very typical description, but at the same time, it's surprisingly clean and works well with the other notes. Because of its gourmand notes, I think it may also work for female users, especially those who are quietly confident and mature enough to take on it. Vétiver Tonka is an Eau de Toilette, and thus I can see it being worn at any time of the day and any season of the year. Ideally, because of its semi-dark notes and above-average sillage, I think it works best in the autumn followed by the winter. This is also a perfect scent to be worn daily in the office because of its lightness and subtlety. Vétiver Tonka is personally one of the first fragrances I smelled that made me learn about Ellena, and understand his talent in the art. It's the epitome of what a modern gentleman is: refined and mature, pleasant to the people around him and quietly confident of his own abilities. Unfortunately, I can't afford to get a full bottle because the price is too extravagant for me, as expected from the brand name. Alas, there's no denying how beautiful the fragrance really is and I offer my applause to Ellena for his masterpiece.

A wonderful, rich gourmand vetiver from the master, Jean-Claude Ellena. Of the Hermessence line from Hermés, this is the standout for me, along with Ambre Narguile and Agar Ebene. One of the principles of the Hermessence line I believe is to layer them; something I’m not necessarily a fan of doing as a rule & becomes quite an expensive prospect as they’re boutique exclusives but the above three work remarkably well in any combination. As for Vetiver Tonka, it seems to have, on my skin at least, the greatest longevity and projection of any in the line that I have tried but that being said, neither are enormous by any means but the sillage is fairly impressive it has to be said and I get a solid 6+ hour scent bubble. The sandalwood note and caramel accord create a wonderful buttery, creamy undertone that is accompanied by the sweet hazelnut & praline accord that is ever so slightly syrupy but not sickly. I originally thought that all that might be a bit much accompanying the Tonka but with the inclusion of light white florals, tobacco & the Vetiver being ever so slightly astringent here, they meld beautifully together and I find I can wear it on all but the hotter days. I also find, in my personal experience of this fragrance, that although it is relatively linear in its nature; you pretty much get everything at once, it is a bit of a shape-shifter dependant on the temperature & humidity, so from that perspective and if you’re a Vetiver lover, this one is pretty versatile, definitely unisex and has many uses in the fragrance wardrobe. It’s super classy and refined, doesn’t shout out loud but rather it asserts itself in an assured and confident manner that will set you apart in a room, as it’s that intriguing. I also have to say that in the deep dry-down, despite the relative linear nature of the fragrance, there is a beautiful richness where the tobacco really shows itself and combines beautifully with the Vetiver and a touch of the creamy hazelnut; it’s not loud but it really is quite stunning when you catch it. If there was a Love + button for this amazing fragrance, I’d be jabbing it furiously...... it’s just that wonderful.

For me, this varies between "decent" to a strong "love," and it's the scent that got me into the fragrance game. It hasn't been a crowdpleaser; I haven't gotten any unsolicited remarks about it, and when I've asked friends and family who aren't into fragrances at all, their expressions ranged from from neutral to furrowed brows ;) This may not as vetiver-y as one may expect, as the overall composition doesn't necessarily tend towards a deep, soil/earthy way, nor a bright, citrus-laced direction. It's a creamy, nutty, almost-sweet vetiver that's well-mixed with tonka... As the name suggests. To me it it doesn't "feel" green; it ranges from a violet-grey to light brown; likely me making connections to velvety and, at times, nutty imagery. It's certainly light and airy. The projection and longevity haven't been great in my experience: Low-moderate duration, low sillage. Especially for this one, testing it on paper certainly won't do it justice; you'll have to try it on skin. I particularly emphasize this because I've found the scent to be rather capricious to skin and environmental conditions, hence my wide range mentioned at the start. Sometimes it produces the light, soft, creamy wafts that I feel in love with, yet on some days it smells unpleasantly sour (actually, that's the only time this scent "feels" green to me...) In my experience I've found it to work best in cool, dry environments. For more accessible scents available today (Q4 2019), Bal d'Afrique, Vetiver Fatal, and Nuit de Megeve all have varying levels of similarity to this scent. All of these are nice too. I'd say Bal d'Afrique and Vetiver Fatal are more bright/wearable/feminine, while Nuit de Megeve is more similar in character to this. Regardless, I don't plan on getting rid of my Vetiver Tonka bottle.

I remember its smoothness--nothing is rough, pungent, or out of balance. Then there is the way that it seamlessly combines coolness and warmth without either quality losing its identity. This duality makes it wearable year round. It is gourmand, but light. Cereals, hay, dry vetiver, and mild tobacco keep the praline and hazelnut out of sticky-sweet territory, and give it an earthy feel. I'm surprised there aren't more female reviewers for this scent; to me it sits on the feminine side of unisex. For added warmth, it is luxurious with Ambre Narguile. To sharpen it, use with Poivre Samarcande. Though wonderful on its own, it is a versatile layer too. I remember reading that the scent was meant to evoke wool, and the wool in this imagination is not angora or cashmere but raw and soft, and meant for hugging shoulders. I will receive the fragrance in a few days, and of course I wonder how my memories compare. EDIT: I've now acquired a bottle, my first in years. Since I've worn this, I've begun wearing sweeter scents, which no doubt alters my experience of this one. The vetiver is so warm and clean and gentle here, and hovers above the sweet, faintly rich nuttiness. The tobacco note is more prominent than I remember, and might even prohibit me wearing it alone as I used to. Now my favorite way to wear it is under L'Ambre Des Merveilles. Do give this a try if you like smooth vetiver or tobacco fragrances.

I fall in love. You know how it happens when you fall in love with someone who was supposed to be the last person for that. You feel confused and embarrassed, cheking again and again: "It must be a mistake! It will be gone soon!" But it is not. "He is not mine.Too expensive. Not available here. It's just a caprice, you know, I am very unstable sometimes. There are better ones". Then I put it away. In few months: "Well, now I will come back to get sure how ugly and alien it is!" But it is not. I'm still in love. Hermessence Vetiver Tonka. I took a sample with curiosity and distrust. I don't like vetiver. Reading about the fragrance to know my love better, as it has already happened. Green woody - usually I don't like it. Tobacco... Oh my God! The most disgusting smell ever. Unisex - don't like. It smells like a man, but I am fascinated wearing it. You may say I'm old fashioned but I am not that girl wearing men perfume. Yes, I am out of trend but there are perfumes for men and for women (even if there are not my nose will specify them :) ). My new love is an exception. Very intellectual, noble and intense, serious and profound, with such a deep inner world. I'm not joking, it will become your psychoanalitic, go with him and you will know yourself better. I am telling you. P.S. The problem is that a sample lives a short life ...