Eau de Gentiane Blanche (2009)
by Hermès

I thought this was a gorgeous, dry, elegant white musk scent which is destined to be a classic. I wanted so badly for this to work on me, but the bitter note sadly tipped the scales towards this smelling like a masculine scent on my skin. While I have nothing against women wearing masculine scents, I'm a woman and I want to smell feminine. That being said, I see Annie Hall wearing this scent and being a force to reckon with. Shoot. I wish I could pull this off - it's the textbook definition of a minimalist masterpiece.

Hermes Eau de Gentaine Blanche

Notes: gentian, white musk, iris and incense (from NowSmellThis.com)

I must admit--to my knowledge, I have never smelled gentian in a fragrance. As a green fragrance lover, though, I am completely enthralled by the opening bitter green and woody accord which I can only assume is the gentian. The gentian is joined by some abstract, creamy floral with a "wet paper" quality which may indicate it is a light indolic such as jasmine. Whatever the opening notes are, they are magnificent and cruelly short lived. Within twenty minutes, the glorious melange starts to turn peppery with powdery orris. This is the same peppercorn and hot-pepper accord found in Hermessence Paprika Brasil, and is quite warm in comparison to the refreshing top notes. The pepper and orris are long lived and ride along while the gentian and florals fade in a linear manner. The deep drydown is mostly pepper and a light, sweet musk. Of the two Hermes Eaux releases this year (the other being Eau de Pamplemousse Rose), I find EdGB more satisfying. However, I am frustrated that the green notes I enjoy so much in the beginning development are extremely fugitive. I'm not sure EdGB would benefit with lavish application, because I can imagine the pepper being quite overbearing. This is a must-try for green fragrance lovers, and is suitable for men or women.

This reminds me a lot of Sienne a l'hiver and a little of Dzongkha: a very similar, transparent, watery cool yet at the same time peppery hot vetiver accord. Or at least what I perceive as vetiver - I guess here it's really the gentian, whatever that is. Although I enjoy it as a refreshing, non-sweetened, long-lasting cologne it might be a bit too linear and one-dimensional and similar to these previous fragrances to warrant a buy.

Hermes Eau de Gentiane Blanche

What happens when a minimalist takes it too far? In modern art you get Robert Ryman who is known for huge monochrome panels mostly in white or off-white. In perfume you get the 2009 Jean-Claude Ellena composition for Hermes Eau de Gentiane Blanche. I am a big fan of M. Ellena's work and find his minamilist style to allow the notes he uses to have the space to expand to their fullest potential. Unfortunately in Eau de Gentian Blanche this group of notes needs some new companions to bring out their largely unrealizeed potential. Eau de Gentiane Blanche is four notes; white musk, gentian, iris and incense. When you look at that note list on paper it looks pretty good. When you think of M. Ellena interpreting them in his trademark style you think it might soar. From the beginning the iris shows first and it is light and allows for the gentian to join it. Too quickly the white musk is there and then a very faint incense comes out. This development happens in less than 30 minutes and after an hour the remains of the day are mostly memories. This is what happens when a perfumer tries to go too light in attempting to create a modern eau de cologne. Much like looking at Robert Ryamn's solid white panels I'm spending a lot of time convincing myself that there is some there, there when I think the answer is that there isn't.

Not to jump on the bandwagon by noting, like everyone else, what a minimalist Ellena has become, but this frag is chiefly interesting as another milestone in his evolution (or devolution) from the maximalist who created First. EDGB smells like one is nose-to-nose in the hothouse with a rare flower. The flower smells sweet but the sweetness is muted by a note that could be iris. Yes, there is a hint of clean musk of the fresh laundry kind, and that, to my nose, is all folks. Very much in the tradition of Un Jardin Sur Le Nil. I cannot imagine anyone finding this repulsive or utterly compelling. It's light, sweet, and pleasant. No sillage or projection. If anyone is close enough to you to smell this, things have progressed to a point where fragrance is no longer a deal maker or breaker.

contrary to what memechose wrote, gentiane has already been used in perfumery; an example is Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Gentiana

but back to Hermes cologne: the opening is bitter and rooty, slighty earthy (I guess it's the gentiane note) with no citrus (as one could expect from a cologne) and it smells a little bit like a wet old paper ; this head note remains for a while then appears a woody note slightly green and rather fresh that reminds me of Bois d'Ombrie (is it olive tree?)

quite unusual; longevity seems rather long for a cologne concentration