Terre d'Hermès (2006)
by Hermès

Just a harmless, boring, citrus fragrance. Light and simple. A nice little citrus thing. Nothing really special or unique and definitely not a masterpiece. No "terre" at all. It's pretty basic. I've never really understood the hype around this fragrance.

Not much I can add that hasn't already been said. It's a truly fantastic classic.
A year ago, I never would've thought I'd find an orangey, flinty, Vetiver-based fragrance very appealing, but it's amazing. Funny thing is, I only finally got this more recently, after having both the Parfum, and the newer Fraiche version (which feels like an eau de cologne in terms of strength comparisons). Those flankers are alright, but not nearly as good as this original EDT. I like it a lot.

Excellent. Modern classic for a reason. It’s masculine and mature, but not at all brutal or belligerent. Very much the grandson of Guerlain Vetiver.

Personally I prefer the TDH Parfum for it’s simpler, beefier take on the accord, less of an Orange pith smell (I could swear I get bigarade, but that could simply be grapefruit and geranium interacting) and amplified mineral flint, but the EDT is a more friendly choice for hot weather.

As expected the EDT also has more pronounced top notes and better projection. My recommendation is to just have both and compare them.

A powdery and slightly musty orange peel that comes off very masculine. Smells pleasant enough for every day wear but it’s hard to get past how mature and masculine this feels. It doesn’t necessarily feel formal either, it just seems pretty casual to me.

Performance is above average (10 hours) for longevity and about right for projection. Pushes out nicely and really gets going if your skin heats up.

This fragrance is only as good as the nose that takes it in. I couldn’t help but be drawn by the bitter temperament and guileless aspect, though I quickly repented investing in an endeavour that bore seemingly sour fruit. Every encounter with it led to disappointment and an unsavoury experience, and I wondered if I’d ever use up my bottle. I had to delve deeper into its character with help from an archetype, Guerlain’s Vétiver, before being able to more fully appreciate the suppleness of the vetiver note at its root. The honest beauty, as it turns out, was always there, calling out, even in the midst of cold winds blowing from cavernous despair. Unless the mind is attuned to it, the sweetness is wasted.