Reviews of Hermèssence Poivre Samarcande (2004)
by Hermès

I completely agree with those who have accused this scent of being pretentious. This ‘minimalistic’ peppery scent really isn’t worth the retail price.

For a cheaper alternative, which is just as good (and with better sillage and longevity), try Gigli Man by Romeo Gigli – a 100ml bottle can be had for about £25 on ebay.

[Original submission date: 14 April 2008]

Perhaps the gentlest Hermessence in the line up, one could easily dismiss this as JC Ellena minimalist-by-the-numbers, meets Iso-E Super. What a pity that would be.

After wearing this a handful of times, something 'clicked' and I finally understood what this fragrance was saying to me. The pepper notes, a cross between a freshly ground white peppercorns and dried twigs, is one of the smoothest I've ever worn and seperates itself from the culinary and sneeze inducing aspects of certain pepper scents (Rose Poivree, Piper Nigrum) while also incorporating a fascinating and delightful whiff of handbag leather. The longevity is very good - I smell it across an entire day if I over apply it (more than 6-7 sprays).

Don't expect to get compliments from across the room wearing this. It's for ones personal enjoyment and yet I must admit smells very sexy, up close on skin.

I've literally had this for months - received as part of the Hermessence travel set - and I literally just 'got it'. This is my fault - until today I've never done anything but spray on my wrist, and although I appreciated the incredibly realistic black pepper note, I couldn't figure out how such a minimalist fragrance could command such exclusivity and cost. The accord is simple - black pepper with a touch of woods. There's little development and no base to speak of.

So this evening I actually gave myself a few sprays on the neck/shoulders and it all made sense. When worn, PS creates an aura of warm spice around the person wearing it. I heard someone once write that they found PS invigorating, and I see what they mean... on me it has an almost aromatherapy type effect, the pepper being stimulating but never overbearing. I find myself looking forward to the next breath as I breathe it in. The length is average, about 5 hours. At first there was some sillage, but after about 30 minutes it is enjoyed only by the wearer (spraying on clothes lasts longer), but the 'aura' I describes lasts quite a while. This would work perfectly for an office or other situation sillage may be inappropriate.

I'm not sure I would spend the $210 necessary to buy a full bottle, but I will be using my travel size bottle and would consider replacing it. I definitely recommend trying PS, especially to those who either like pepper accords or who appreciate Ellena's minimalist composition style. This is one the the school's best examples.

This is a very, very nice woods and pepper. Sadly only lasted 4 hours on me. Right near the end was the most beautiful, dark cedarwoods since Declaration I've smelled. Then it goes away.

Wonderful, peppery scent. Just wonderful.
A definite thumbs up.

Pepper!
And if you like pepper, no doubt you will a conspicuous, but not overpowering, peppery goodness. Give it a few minutes, and the complexity comes out; the most in the Hermessence line. It lasts, that is, if you can detect those last accords, like the last few dying embers in a bonfire that no longer give sufficient light or heat. I heavily question the value here.

Okay, I'm a big Ellena and Hermèssence fan, and this is by no means a bad scent, but it's barely noticeable and thus hardly worth the asking price. There is such a thing as being TOO discreet. This is a lovely composition--why not give it just a little more oomph?

I was given this as sample! it is very discrete/subtle which i love and also i find it very mature and very manly, cant see it working on a girl

Of all the Hermèssence line this is my favorite. I smell a stark pepper/cedar accord, and it stays pretty linear through the dry down. For my pepper fix I prefer something a bit more composed and less minimalist such as Red Vetiver, Terre d'Hermes or Timbuktu. But it is a finely crafted scent. Ellana certainly shows his artistry here.

This is a lovely, elegantly made scent.
Yes it is on the light side but I don't have a problem with sillage or lasting power.
Smells very fresh and natural with delicate spicy accords balanced with the herbal ones.
It doesn't come across as complicated but for me that's no bad thing, it's unfussy and warms on the skin to a luscious creamy smell.

Poivre Samarcande can be summed up in three words:

Smooth
Peppery
Dry

I love it on my husband! It's an obvious JCE creation, blended with exquisite craftmanship. Mr. Ellena really knows when to pour it on and when to use only the lightest touch. Thumbs up!

Such a relief to find a spicy scent that isn't doused in sweetness! So lovely and dry, although I had a very strong "cumin" experience initially. It faded into leather and stayed a good several hours on my skin. This one is very high on my list, below Durbano's Tourmaline Noir.

Fragrance notes: Black pepper, Chili pepper, Oak, Cedar, Musk, Chinese Moss
Thanks to Ayala (below) for these fragrance notes, it is hard to find concrete information about the Hermèssence line. I agree with comments which characterize Poivre Samarcande as delicate, subtle, and transparent. I would add to the list of terms: light, mild, restrained, low key, barely there. There’s a nice citrus sort of opening, followed by a light spicy wood accord. There’s a fresh herbal note that I like, probably due to lime leaves (which I read somewhere are in here). In my opinion, the pepper is very muted. For a scent named “Poivre” I was expected something spicier, with more fire or tangy bite. I guess it is attractive, and it nicely sits quite close to the skin. But there’s not enough oomph or distinction here to make me interested. Not problematic... just not wow.

Another very refined and delicate blend from Ellena. Smells very much like you would expect an Hermes scent to smell - subtle, warm and refined. In fact, the subtlety could be mistaken for blandness or weakness in this fragrance. But it does have character and a very specific attitude. I like it quite a lot.

Reminds me of Piper Nigrum in the pepper opening and also in how it moves to a nice warm masculine drydown that is a mix woods and moss. A slight leather aspect lingers in the drydown - a very Hermes light leather - probably from the oak and moss. An excellent scent.

The greens and spices that open the fragrance make quite a statement, but it’s not long before the woods check in with an even greater statement. Together these create quite an impressive declaration; it comes on strong and clear with an abundant but not oppressive use of spices—particularly pepper. The pepper is elegant, as is usual with pepper (the chili pepper does not come through very strongly to me), and combines with the elegant woods to create elegance to the second or third power. After a while, an incense note appears, and it, too, is elegance personified…by this time the fragrance has become very subtle. Maybe this incense is the combination of cedar and patchouli—whatever, it is sensitively refined. By the drydown, Poivre Samarcande has become a wonderfully transparent fragrance with a smooth, rich, and full-scored ambiance that has very good staying power. But is it worth $180? Hmmm...

hermes-leather goods, pure luxury and fascinating scents as caleche or eau d´hermes.now jean claude ellena presents hermessance.Poivre samarcande is a nicely composed scent-not less not more.quite spicy- lots of pepper but not disgusting.But the longer you use this scent you realize that it is nothing special and easy to substitute by something else-whatever....or to replace by -i don´t know what.You realize the simplicity of this scent the more you use it-a scent for the masses-totally overprized and definitely not a masterpiece-nothing exquisite, nothing special, nothing to remember-oh, spray it wherever you like to- if you really want to feel and smell and taste great unforgettable scents-being fine, sublime,distinguished and eternal then give a try to scents launched till 1975-the old guerlain,chanel and caron scents-these are real scents-have you ever tasted cuir de russie?what a scent....well balanced, you feel the whole history about it and you´ll never, ever forget this unique and superb smell of leather.....hermessance are replacable, quite boring scents, too expensive and definitely not timeless masterpieces or alltime favourites......put your nose into the old dior,chanel, caron, carven,gres,piguet flacons-and then you will know what great scents are!but only then.....

Very dry woods, musk, and pepper...lots of pepper, very real-smelling pepper. But contrary to the other reviewers, I do not find this to be classy. Like many of Ellena's scents, I find it to be pretentious, putting some philosophical belief or theoretical position above what ultimately works in the execution of the fragrance. Honestly, Ellena is the one "great" perfumer I don't "get." This scent is no exception. So dry, so straightforward, and after the initial topnote blast, so quiet, that it comes off as a whisper coughed from the skin. If Lutens' scents are richly constructed novels, with layer-upon-layer of meaning emerging as they dry, Ellena's scents are like Haiku. I guess I prefer my fragrances to be novels rather than poetry.

refreshing and very warm fragrance, refined to its core - a hermes indeed.

Poivre Samarkand, the second most intriguing scent from this line in my opinion, marries spices with wood and musk, and the result is interesting and different – yet very classy and with a subtly bold, masculine presence. Szechuan black pepper and dry chilli pepper are not as pungent as you may expect, and lead quite naturally to the more conforming notes of cedar and musk. It all dries down to a subtle skin scent, just barely peppery, woody, slightly mossy - and musky enough to be smelled only by those who are not anosmiac to musk…

Notes: Black pepper, Chilli pepper, Oak, Cedar, Musk, Chinese Moss

Masculine, indeed. Uncomplicated, yes. But subtle? I don't think so. I find it very assertive when freshly sprayed — the whole room "embaume" of pepper. But then the woody basenotes take over and it becomes almost discreet. Excellent persistance and, as Baron says, very versatile. Too expensive? I suppose so, but so is everything by Hermes. But can anyone name an other "maison" that attains such dizzy heights of excellence with ALL of its products? Has to be an expensive (and, yes, lucrative) business model.

incrdible, reminds a lot of the Commes des Garcons incence line in concept, execution and result...totally agree with the other reviews...soft smoldering sophisticated but crazy to spend 180+ on anything less than a perfume in a crystal flacon. doesnt even include Hermes Leather case, for that price it should

A very true rendition of pepper. This one smells like green peppercorns, moist from the tree, crushed between your thumb and forefinger. I initially found the scent to have poor longevity, but I've changed my opinion about that. It does remain very close to the skin. A very versatile scent that works in all seasons, for work or play. It's garnered many compliments for me. Way overpriced.

Ellena seems to create the scents that are not overly complicated, yet ironically, its simplicity creates an air of elegance and sophistication. I treat this scent like gold (at $180 for the bottle I should!), it's dry yet sweet fragrance makes me feel so confident and as if I own the ground I walk on!