Paddock

Hermes, this needs to be de-limited, asap. It is one of the best perfumes you have created, mostly because it is... umm... not you. I have been an unapologetic fan of the brand despite the commercialism and numerous contrarians. So when I say, hand on heart, that it’s one of the best perfumes they have made, yet unlike them in very many ways, I am being honest to my vast experience of the brand with vintage and new perfumes. What makes Paddock so interesting is that it is a masterclass in textures and temperatures and illusions. The opening is weird. But then so is the entirety of the perfume - but the opening is especially. A rush of hot, cooked carrots in the form of carrot seed and who-knows-what-else gives an impression of the sweet and hot breath of a horse that just ate a big load of hay. Lurking overtop but also a bit in the background is a fecal note that isn’t civet, it isn’t oud either, but perhaps better defined as rotted/digested/composted grass since it has this feeling of being hot, as if it was evacuated out of an animal, and a touch acidic, as if from digestive acids, but it’s still slightly sweet in order to impart a naturalistic greenery feeling in conjunction with the carrot seed. It’s not pushy or difficult by any means, as a lot of these notes can be. Olfactive tricks abound beyond this point. There is something honeyed about it, like a funky and earthy buckwheat honey, something suede and leather-like from some non-descriptive animalics, and a very hay-like accord in a sweet green grass fashion. At no point do I think “oud”, even though the sweet and cooked carrots at the top present a fruity-funkiness and the fecal animalics push it ever so gently over the line into oud territory, Paddock is not woody nor is the fungal-rot aspect present to ever truly convince the nose of oud. Especially here in the heart after the carrot accord at the top dispenses a bit do we clearly perceive Nagel in her very unique style. Part of what gives this perfume its heat, and its sticky and gauzy texture, is Nagel. Her perfumes always manage to have a texture unique to her, something almost elastic like cling-film that is fully transparent and weightless yet feels somehow impenetrable. It works wonders in Paddock, giving this feeling of a truly unique olfactive experience that doesn’t allow you to push through to any notes that act as hidden tricks lying beneath the surface. In particular with the very interesting suede/leather facet, you get an impression of waxed leather - a leather note hiding underneath a slick surface - that is arrived at, again, with one of the most bizarre yet beautiful handlings of honey and animalics I have smelled. Hermes are very tight lipped about this one, and what they want us to smell/see, referring to it as a green amber. That is, in my opinion, overly reductive and doesn’t do justice to the breadth and scope this perfume manages to touch while still being cohesive, legible, utterly fascinating yet easy to wear. Anyone can wear this, anytime, anywhere; it will never off-put someone who smells it for a long period or a short period, but each of those people will have light-bulbs go off in their head and smiles spread across their face. Christine Nagel said that Paddock was daring. I think what’s daring about it is that Hermes wish to limit its release and hope people go for it. Had they launched it like a non-limited edition, it would sell in droves. So that begs the question: since it’s so hard to find and therefore, very obviously, not cheap, is it worth chasing after? Yes. Do not let this come across your path without giving it a sniff. Don’t believe the paper-wonks comparing it to Cuir d’Ange, Eau d’Hermes (very dubiously), or Galop as it’s not like any of them (except for, perhaps, Nagel’s signature texture); spray it on your skin and live with it, and you’ll get the sensation of being in a horse paddock. Just don’t let it convince you that you need to take up equestrianism as a hobby. That would be far more expensive than the perfume. P.S. For those wondering about the state of the rerelease, it smells the exact same. Perhaps Hermes heard me and others calling out.

A beautiful, rich, well-groomed, sophisticated upscale leather. As someone who fits none of those adjectives except the leathery part - it's out of my league in every sense, but a wonderful thing to experience via a generous little decant gifted by a friend. Sweet, almost-waxy almost-soapy leather aura with a VERY smooth, immaculately well-kept wash of greenness - nothing harsh or galbanum-rough, just a sense of of fresh outside air. I definitely get something almost almond/marzipan, verging on iris/orris, as some others pick up, making it a much more engineered and 'perfumey' experience all in than the equally gorgeous but more naturalistic Arabian Horse (which I'm lucky enough to own, and absolutely adore). While AH is a more outdoorsy breath of springtime, with loads more vegetal hay, this presents (to me, an absolute outsider to the equestrian universe) as a far more dressed-up and indoor experience. I get absolutely zero presence of anything oudy-barnyardy - definitely no dung anywhere near its orbit. And despite its clearly very labour-intensive, human touch - this is manicured, lavishly tooled craftsmanship, not an animalic beast - nothing about it rings synthetic or industrial either. Gentle and well-built enough to be unisex because its leatheriness swings male while its sweetness skews female - a perfect androgyne in my view. More interesting (and much stronger) than Cuir d'Ange, but it shares its well-cared-for, no-sharp-edges ambience all the same. Nothing about it is a wild ride, but its performance is assured enough to never be boring either. Classy dressage indeed.

Hermes Paddock Green Animalic Leather Opens with green notes of hay feels a little animalic maybe slightly off putting the first ten minutes or so. Then once the animalics calm down a bit you get a green rough leather. It’s rough and leathery but posh. I would think Antaeus modernized to be worn at an Ivy League school by the intellectual professor or Arabs at Courchevel’s ski slopes this coming winter season. This definitely is one of the least mass appealing Hermes out there in terms of a global audience. However, I believe will develop a mini cult following in the Middle East similar to Chanel’s Le Lion this is an excellent Middle Eastern twist without the cliche oud. Scent 9/10 took off a point for the challenging opening. Sillage Moderate to Strong Value at $420 depends I feel it’s a tad pricey but wouldn’t stop me from pulling the trigger. Between Paddock, Eau Intense Vetiver and Violette Volynka I think CN’s best work could be ahead of her. I need to sample Parfum d’empire’s Ruade since both seem to have gone for the same theme however that has a significant amount of natural oud. Price points are close but Paddock is 100ml and Ruade is a 50ml. In the end, next time you’re in a Hermes store don’t leave before trying this smoldering sexy, chic, rough and rugged fragrance. Forget By The Fireplace and Spicebomb Extreme this is the real deal for cuddling in the cold.

So I was very lucky to get my hands on a sample of this when it was first released and although I can't say I was blown away by it, I appreciated it's craft right away and it only grew on me further after that. I think I got about 3 wears out of my sample and I was craving wearing more when it was done. It's a complex leather perfume basically in essence, it has earthy facets of hay which give it a warnth and then the sweetness of carrot seed and fleshy, tack room leather accord which in this context is actually very nice. I can think of a few comparable leathers or even tobacco (because of that hay) which have similar, modern, sweet notes like that one by Patricia de Nicolai. However, Paddock really does evoke the brief and it's nice to see Nagel have a new project with such a high concept brief which is very close to the core of Hermes, equestrian stuff & leather goods. So apparently this is available in selected Hermes boutiques again (unfortunately not the one I went to the other day) and I would definitely say this is the most notable release from the brand in some time and very much worth seeking out. It' really nice to see not just the same old hat, tropes being wheeled out because Paddock was certainly unlike anything I've smelled before, despite my comparison above I actually like and can wear Paddock unlike the Nicolai.

I purchased a 1ml decant because I wanted to see what the hype was about. If you are an equestrian, I can see how this would appeal to you, especially since Hermes makes very expensive saddles and other gear. I personally enjoy it as a interesting part of my fragrance collection but its not something that I would seek out by any means. The packaging and the design of the bottle are appealing, and the notes in the fragrance are interesting to me but there isn't anything terribly unique or ground breaking about the notes in the fragrance to me beyond being very true to the name - it is an excellently well composed fragrance to my nose, just not something that I get super excited about smelling. I get musky animalic horse hair, sweet carrot, alfalfa and the other green grass notes that horse feed and bedding give along with the slightest touch of barn yard indoles in the opening and middle notes. The dry down is subtle leathers and musty dried hay. Its a unique fragrance but not something that I'd personally wear on a daily basis - it evokes a place and a memory for me. The sillage is definitely close to the skin but a dear friend did report that it was an enjoyable smell several hours after applying a spray or two on my wrist and neck.

The Dzing comparisons are not incorrect, while this is much darker and has no vanilla base. The other comparison I would give is Epona. Hazy, dust in a sunbeam, lightly sweaty, vaguely vegetal, elegant. Golden grains. Old barns. The month is August. A half indoor space in the height of summer. Nutritious. Good clean mud. Truly original! Longevity is not bad, and very good for an Hermes. It’s still recognizable on the strip two days later, while faint.

Could this be the best new release from Hermès since Cuir d'Ange? I think so. What a gorgeous perfume. It moves from a sweet, gentle hay into something greener and more herbal, then hits you with a punch of vegetal leather that flirts with being skanky, but never quite crosses the line. Instead, it keeps evolving, unfolding into something clean, delicate, and just so beautiful. Incredible perfumery.

This has already been discontinued 😂

After scouring all Paris Hermes boutiques for this between Nov and Dec, 2025, I gave up (some of the SAs had never even heard of it). However, at CDG, I noticed a tester bottle, and to my disbelief, they had some available for sale. I got the 2025 version, which has a different image and a tan leather cap vs. red from 2024, so I assume 2026 will have a different label and cap color, too. Paddock is otherwise packaged identically to the Hermessence line, except the dust bag just has the Hermes H + horse and buggy instead of the "Collection Hermessence" insignia. Ditto for the paper insert. I smelled the tester and wasn't really wow-ed, but since this was the only real opportunity, I bought a full-sized bottle. This one is expensive! The normal duty-free Hermessence 100ML price was 250 EUR, and this one was 370 EUR. But, it was a now or never kind of thing, and hey, at least there was no VAT. So, to the scent. To me, the opening is sweet (ambery), nutty, dry grassy (hay) and almost cigarette-ish (I'm guessing the animalic elements). It dries down a bit more leathery with less of the edge of the opening and the amber-sweetness diminishes (versus Ambre Narguille where the sweetness lasts). I understand the horse stable element - it's not the distinct smell of a petting zoo by any means, but more of an impression; what one might imagine an Hermes stable to smell like (tidy, but still a touch wild). Being an EDP, I thought it would match the sillage and projection of Oud Alezan, but on me it's more in line with the Hermessence EDTs. The longevity is decent and it does outlast most of the Hermessence EDTs. Overall, Paddock is what I would consider more experimental and even less mainstream/commercial than the Hermessences. It's "weird" and one you can feel comfortable you won't run into someone else wearing (given the exclusivity). I think it's great for either a fragrance lover (particularly someone like me who loves all the Hermessences for their different aspects, even when they are not very "me") or someone who's been looking for this specific kind of smart-farm scent (though I don't know how many of those people are out there, and how much work they'd be willing to do to get this one). In closing, Paddock is not what I thought from my previous perusal of this page. I don't really get a "green" element (yes, there is hay, but it's dried to straw). I also don't pick up anything especially herbal or fresh spicy. My nose picks up mostly honey-amber and dried, unidentifiable earthy spice. It's nowhere near my favorite, but I'm happy to have finally found a bottle and I have a hunch it will create some interesting layering opportunities. If you are in Terminal 2 at CDG, go check the Hermes store's checkout counter to see if it's there to smell and test for yourself!

I was excited to finally get to test this fragrance at the Hermes boutique in NYC. And there is a lot to unpack with this one. All of the reviews are both correct and yet there is nothing that can properly describe this masterpiece – yes, I just said that! Does it smell like horses? Sort of, but not exactly. Does it smell like a stable? Sort of, but not exactly. Does it smell like hay and “grass”? Sort of, but not exactly. Is it farm and barn yardie? Sort of, but not exactly. The sales rep was apologetic, not realizing that I’m a fraghead, “It’s weird, I like it better on the blotter than on myself”. My response after the first whiff, “I think that for me it will be the other way around, as I can tell that the dry down will meld with my chem and turn into a sweetish oud type scent. Sure enough! Listen. This Nagel is an artist - and real one at that. What she has done with this scent to capture The Paddock is genius. I can’t say that I would buy a bottle, or as most folks declare in the forums “It’s not something that I [necessarily] want to smell like...”, nevertheless it is sooooo quintessentially Hermes in it’s subtle, abstract, effortless and nonchalant way, that it must be applauded. I would love to see this be a running exploration of editions every year or couple. I understand that this woman’s work is sometimes challenging, but she is a rampart for those of us that love fragrances and all of the artistry sacred to the craft. Look at her creations in comparison to the cheap synthetic trash that Cavallier is producing for Bulgari and LV - and many perfumers deserve condemnation as well. We all just want to smell good, I understand. Unfortunately, it’s obvious that most are incapable of appreciating the great talent that this woman is. Then again, Hermes, after all, really isn’t for the masses, is it?

Not a lot of actual reviews here - looks more like the comments section for an article. Maybe wait until you've actually tried the thing you're reviewing... Anyway, Paddock does not smell like I was expecting from the notes or description - I was hoping for a naturalistic hay fragrance with a tinge of whatever carrot seeds smell like, but this is more of a sweet, unnatural cloud that's vaguely iris-y, or iris adjacent (but way less subtle than iris fragrances tend to be). I don't dislike it, but it's not my style, and I am noticing something on the dry down that reminds me of the smell of bandages applied at a hospital (based on my one specific experience) - maybe that's the carrot seeds? It was too much and borderline unpleasant for the first hour or so, but after 8 hours and washing my hands a few times (I was sampling on the back of my hand), it's down to a quite pleasant skin scent. Worth sampling if you're curious, but, given that the limited availability is surely going to drive up the cost of bottles on the secondhand market, it's definitely not one to hunt down a bottle of unless you've already tried it and know you like it. I suspect this won't be to most peoples' taste, which is perhaps why they didn't go with a wide release. PS - Are people genuinely thinking Paddock smells like all those other horse-themed fragrances with completely different notes? Have that many people tried and actually hated it? Or are y'all just breaking this (already precariously functional) site on purpose? This is why we can't have nice things. Hermes doesn't give a shit what Fragrantica users think; all you're doing is making it as hard as possible for your fellow fragrance enthusiasts to find good information.

The Hermès employee at the Paris flagship store at 24, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré described it to me briefly as "Cuir Aromatique" in March this year. An animalic leather, unfortunately with slightly oudy (for me synthetic) facets. It seems like a combined melange of traditional and modern leather notes...an idea of sweaty riding horses comes to mind. Everything mingles with notes of hay and carrot seeds for a dry, spicy, warm & woody character, almost powdery. Something like violet leafs was visible too, a bit scratchy to me. I am not much into violet leafs. Amber seems to give the fragrance a warm, rounded atmosphere. The fragrance always remains dry and tart, never becomes sweet, which is good. But I missed a breath of air, it felt too bold for me. I was not entirely convinced. Paddock was launched on the occasion of the annual Hermès equestrian event "Saut Hermès" at the Grand Palais Paris. According to the information I was given, Paddock was only worldwide available exclusively in three Hermès boutiques in Paris for a total of six weeks. It appeared in the regular Hermessence "Outfit" with 100 ml for 285.00 EUR. The label is undoubtedly witty & imaginative, but I got the impression that the label design was forgotten and only decided on at the last minute. Hermès surprises people from time to time with limited and not really publicized editions, such as Eau de Ginza, which was released for the opening of the grandiose Hermès boutique in Tokyo, designed entirely from glass bricks by Renzo Piano. Or the Voyage (not to be confused with the regular Voyage...) launched exclusively for the Hermès stores on the Côte d'Azur, a variation of Calèche Eau de Toilette in which the formula was varied with a harvest of mimosas...that was a good one!

I never had a particularly horsey upbringing, though there was a brief period I had riding lessons as a child. Paddock unfortunately doesn’t evoke the comfort and nostalgia of the stables for me, but instead the memory of stealing e-cigarettes with my friends at 14 years of age. A fun, and endearing memory for me, but not something I particularly want to smell of. This association is bred from the trapping, synthetic vaporous facet, which is at once sweet and hay-like, as it is earthy and brittle. Sun-warmed and humid, it develops into something almost almondy and vanillic, enveloping you in that brittle sweetness, both earthy and golden. Despite the fact that I don’t particularly enjoy the smell, save for its transportive effects on my teenage-subconscious, I commend Christine Nagel on her ingenuity. I truly haven’t smelled anything like this before, and that alone deserves respect.

pay an arm and a leg to smell like a barn animal

Tried this in the Hermes boutique in the 7th near LBM. Smells quite odd. Like raw leather, very green, and make up powder. The green vegetal notes were most prominent up top and the drydown was mostly a powdery leather. It wasn’t wholly unwearable but it’s not something I felt happy to be testing around the streets of Paris. Leaned quite feminine to my nose, too, with the powdery sweetness. Longevity and projection were square in the average range. I stopped noticing it 5-6 hours after spraying it. A 6/10. I get that the vintage bros and gate keeping gang who put some brands on impossibly high pedestals went nuts for this. Not for me, though. Not bad if you’re trying to get your wife a mini-Kelly or Constance and want to add some other purchases but I couldn’t wear this and didn’t buy it.

Reminds me of Guerlain Ambre Eternel: a sweet chemical mess. Big no for me. I can where the comparison with PG Arabian Horse comes from, but I don’t find these 2 very close. PG’s AH is higher quality, more refined, complex and more leathery with a floral/elegant sweetness... unlike the harshness in here. In a nushell: AH is much superior to Paddock.

Sillage and longevity are a general problem with Hermes perfumes. They are both expensive and disappear after 15 minutes. I have given up spending money on them.

The smell of horse, hay, milk with honey, hazelnuts, carrot seeds and fresh baked goods envelops you in a warm blanket. There is more leathery sharpness as the scent develops, which is balanced by the sweetness of amber. A charming gourmand ode to a noble sport with the signature leather accord of boutique Hermès. The context of this fragrance is interesting: Paddock is a limited release from Hermès, dedicated to the March 2024 Saut Hermès races. As other commentators note, it’s difficult to get, according to consultants, it is supposedly sold only in three boutiques in Paris for limited time. The bottle and price are the same as Hermessence series, but the label is a bit amateur and feels cheap (which is unfortunate). In general, I hope there will be a larger-scale relaunch (the Hermès consultant confirmed this to me).

why are there only 3 notes? And all green and boring? This is a gorgeous horse on a green lawn. Green like galbanum. Leather notes feel fresh and wet, salty and sweet, like a softer side of the leather hyde. Animalic nuance is definitely evoking a horse image which settles on the perfect balance. The base lingered on my handbag handles next day, smelt fabulous, like a men's retro moss from 70s. I expected it to be dirtier, but this is actually quite wearable for those who enjoy a proper leather scent.

My dream has come true - a HORSE fragrance! Hope this is a trend. No, I don't want to smell like an actual sweaty horse, nor do I want to smell like a funky barn. But hay, carrot seeds, grass...just need some leather and molasses to round it out. I kept thinking one day Zoologist would release something called "Filly" or "Colt," but since that has not occurred, I will definitely sample this one. Guess the name PADDOCK shows they went with the fresher side of being a horse! 🐎