Hermèssence Osmanthe Yunnan (2005)
by Hermès

After several tries, I finally get it. This is a bright citrus, barely there, osmanthus tea with a milky drydown. It really is pretty in a "skinny runway model" sort of way. I detect no florals & no smoke, however, and I can just barely make out the notes after an hour. I give this 4 stars for originality and 2 stars for longevity, so I guess that I give this one a thumbs up but only 3 stars.

Osmanthe Yunnan is one of those "just right" fragrances that seem to press all the right buttons without doing anything particularly exceptional. Though not shocking, dried apricot (I say dried because that's the image I receive when wearing this) as a fragrance note is pretty different and I can't imagine this being immediately desirable to the masses. There's something muted, very "alto voiced" about Osmanthe Yunnan that a) brings it into unisex territory and b) gives it an edge of sophistication and a grown up sense of balance.

When I experienced this for the first time, I was instantly reminded of the unlikely smell of carving out the inside of a pumpkin on Halloween. Something about the way the citrus, used to add just a hint of juicy brightness, interacts with the apricot and floral elements painted this picture in my mind. I am not able to detect any milky notes in this as many others are and that is only to say that if one were looking for a milky impression in this I'm not sure how pronounced it is. While Osmanthe Yunnan, on me, has never changed very much in its evolution on my skin, I become more aware of the tea note which teeters between dried tea leaves and gently sweet hay as the fragrance develops, and this element of the fragrance is really satisfying and pleasantly different. Overall Osmanthe Yunnan is an unlikely citrus/apricot floral fragrance pitched about two octaves lower than the fruity florals we've been accustomed to, with a easy, relaxed vibe perfect for a breezy summer day.

A bright apricot and milky tea accord with a slight effervescent texture to it. A bit too much tea and radiant florals for my liking.

I think this is one of the most beautiful and subtle scents available today.
It has a lovely floral note that is much softer than usual feminine scents but without being too 'powdery'. It has a wet feeling to it but is nothing like the usual male 'ocean' scents.
I find the whole thing incredibly refreshing without being too sharp and if it weren't so expensive, I'd wear it all the time. Stays close to the skin and has only average longevity but this is really a sophisticated scent for the wearer, not something you would wear to a club to attract the opposite sex, by the time they get close enough to be entranced by it, your work is already done...

Tea, and sweet citrus, and dried fruits, and...
Hey! Where did it go?

Have you ever loved and yearned after someone. Someone who liked you well enough, who talked to you and spent brief moments of time with you; but someone who seemed to be as happy leaving you as they were to see you.

I have tried and tried Osmanthe Yunnan; indeed I have tried everything which I know to make this beauty linger with me; it has been like trying to trap sunlight.

I despair of a lasting relationship but I can't seem to stop trying.

Lovely, ephemeral, beauty.