Un Jardin sur le Nil (2005)
by Hermès

I'm bored by this kind of faded, wilting, always-just-so type of "chic". It leaves me cold. When I can smell it. So weak, so faint! Obviously that's precisely the appeal for a lot of people. It's evocative enough, pretty enough, well-made enough. And still, I just can't bring myself to care. A perfectly groomed brunette wallflower dressed in expensive linen and barely-there make-up. Perched on a cream couch, she looks out in the distance, through the window. The maids are pleased she's so easy to work for, never a temper tantrum, never anything not scheduled in advance. Always there at the kids' parent-teacher conferences. Always a faint smile, just discernible enough.

Like a painting that creates a part of a group's life.a natural landscape and happy times in the style of Impressionism painters. This scent is like Impressionism paintings,a recording of ordinary and transient moments of life.a special event other than beauty. Happy urban crowds in small and large groups with clean and luxurious clothes.men in dark clothes and women in bright and flowery clothes and wide-brimmed hats,happy and satisfied people relaxing,dancing and walking in sidewalk cafes and lush summers on the outskirts of cities,happy and healthy children playing on the grass,a carriage in the street,men and women squatting together in the bright sun,its the image of this fragrance.

A leisurely stroll along the water. An abundance of fresh citrus provides a welcome coolness-like a refreshing breeze on a balmy Summer’s day.
A great fragrance for anytime, but I especially love it in the heat. Never cloying or sweet, sur le Nil has long been one of my absolute favorite fragrances. Having walked away from traditional fragrances for several years, I wanted to revisit a sample before purchasing a full bottle. I’m so glad I did!

It immediately swept me up in a lolling swell of light, dry juicy greenery and mysterious blossomy waterside. I’m guessing the mysterious quality comes from the frankincense in the base.

The full power of the scent never lasts beyond three to four hours on me, but every once and a while I will catch a whisper of lotus, tart fruit, and wood toward the end of the day. On me, sur le Nil’s sillage is close to the skin, which is nice for me since I wear fragrance to refresh, relax, and let my mind linger on thoughts evoked by the scent.

Although my nose can pick out certain notes, I try not to get bogged down by feeling like I “should” smell this or that. Rather, I focus more on the way the fragrance smells on me and how it makes me feel when wearing. One of my absolute favorite aspects of fragrance is how they differ based on the wearer. What smells like trash on me may smell delicious on someone else and vice versa.

Un Jardin sur le Nil is a
mango still life.

The craftwork is impressive but it feels like an intellectual exercise
and fails to entice.

3*+

Sample vial in a box set

This is so lovely! Honestly, I don't have the nose yet to pick out the notes listed here. I've worn this many times and never picked up the top note as grapefruit, though I love grapefruit in fragrances. Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil smells so distinctively like itself. Delicate, fresh, and unique.