Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine (Christine Nagel) 2018 –Perfume Review+ Rose Élégante Draw

Jean Cocteau Portrait of Vaslav Nijinksy in Le Spectre de la Rose

“Ci-gît une rose 
Que tous les rois vont jalouser.”
 ~ Théophile Gautier, La spectre de la rose 
(“Here lies a rose which all monarchs shall envy.”)

All roses are NOT created equal: some are simply more ravishing-smelling than others.

Christine Nagel

Oh, how I waited! I called the Boston Hermès boutique repeatedly over the past two weeks: “Are they here yet? Will you let me know when they are?” Of course, I was far better-mannered than that – but you get my gist. I’d been eagerly anticipating the new Christine Nagel Hermessence releases and they were late.  Today I made it a point to go into town, and three had just arrived!!! As I had suspected, it was the Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine which murmured its siren song immediately, so we will explore it together.

The Heart of the Rose – Edward Burne-Jones 

Few roses in today’s perfumery smell this delicate, natural and unaffected as the antique five-petaled pink eglantine rose, also known as sweetbriar. It’s prickly and thorny and delectable: even its foliage wafts an apple-redolent aroma. Some liken the leaflets’ fragrance to jasmine. In the language of flowers, eglantine is equated with poetry; that suits me perfectly. The five-petaled rose was pivotal to the Rosicrucians, that secret society often associated with alchemy and Freemasonry. It was sacred to the Faery Queen as well: faeries are known to be attracted to rose oil. Imagine weaving it within a myrrh (a dollop of opoponax?) tapestry and seeing what happens.…

Flora and The Zephyrs detail John Willianms Waterhouse

 Hermès Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine is nothing if not elegant. It is the sort of eau de toilette which blooms in the heat, especially in humidity. After the subtly invigorating green crispness of a freshly-bitten tart apple softens, a luxurious ethereal resinous quality tiptoes into this aromatic melange ever so gingerly. The result is mesmerizing – a frankincense-like aspect smells faintly lemony and slightly sweet, like rosin on a violin bow (it’s not as terpenic). 

 

Horst P. Horst bust with roses

The roses feel jammy and tangy. If one can visualize this fusion of fraÎcheur and sensuality barely breathed, sotto voce – the image might help approximate my experience Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine is a gossamer and mysterious perfume, a spectral rose which manages to be very sophisticated and charmingly unfussy. If you seek screeching rose, you do well to look elsewhere; if the exquisitely subtle entrances, then look no further.

Notes: rosemyrrh (all that’s currently available thus far)

 Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine Samples kindly provided by the Hermès Boutique in Boston – thank you! My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor

~ Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

Photo courtesy of Hermès 

Thanks to the generosity of  Hermès Boston we have one sample of Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine for one registered reader_. Be sure to register or your comment will not count.) To be eligible for the draw, please tell us what appeals to you about Ida's review of Hermès Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine . Draw ends 4/11/2018

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our Site feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

48 + = 53

23 comments

  • I enjoyed the “rosin on a violin bow” comment. I recall that I enjoyed that scent immensely during my violin lessons long ago.I do like frankincense, incense and myrrh in perfume, and would love to sample this new fragrance. In the US.

  • This rose sounds like my favorite rose that grows wild on the shore of Lake Superior. Nothing smells as wonderful as it does. A small bouquet will perfume an entire room. This quote from Ida’s review sums it up for me-“a spectral rose which manages to be very sophisticated and charmingly unfussy.”

  • doowtnehpets says:

    What appeals to me is how she describes the uniqueness of the rose. Sounds very different. Mixed with myrrh sounds great.

  • An a elegant spectral rose sounds wonderful. I would love to know how this compares with Rose Ikebana by Ellena.This sounds more full bodied
    Loved the review and art work

  • girasole638 says:

    Sweetbriar roses are a small from childhood and I can imagine how well they’d pair with myrrh. What an evocative combination! The art direction matches Ida’s imagery perfectly!

  • This sounds really great, rose and myrrh. “The roses feel jammy and tangy”, i’m sold already :)) Some years ago i used to dislike any kind of juice with rose blended in it and now i’m the biggest fan. Thanks for this nice draw and review, i live in the EU.

  • QuietlyWaiting says:

    This one sounds wonderful, especially the apple tartness preceding the jammy rose… right up my alley. Everything that I’ve tried from Hermes so far has been fantastic, and this one is going straight to my “must try” list 😉 Thanks so much for reviewing it! I’m in the US.

  • You had me at “jammy rose” lol. DIdn’t know that fairies loved roses, will have to keep an eye out. Thanks for the review, and the lovely illustrations. 🙂

  • Thanks for the article I really liked the selected paintings and the expression “rosin on a violin”
    I from Ukraine

  • This fragrance sounds enchanting, just the sort I’d reach for often. Reading this description, I knew I must try it: ” If one can visualize this fusion of fraÎcheur and sensuality barely breathed, sotto voce.” Wrapping a delicate rose with myrrh is a genial idea. I like in California.

  • I love perfumes with main notes from roses and Ida’s review especially the mentioning of …….roses that feel jammy, tangy with a fraÎcheur and sensuality barely breathed, sotto voce – naming Hermessence Myrrhe Églantine as a gossamer and mysterious perfume that manages to be very sophisticated and charmingly unfussy……I would love to discover how roses blend with myrrh, this scent must be truly divine!
    I live in Europe. Thank you for the lovely review and draw.

  • I’m intrigued by the emphasis on the delicate nature of Myrrh Églantine. As a huge rose-centered perfumes fan, I feel I really should try this one.

    Thank you for the draw. I live in Russia.

  • NiceVULady says:

    Ida had me at myrrh, but “After the subtly invigorating green crispness of a freshly-bitten tart apple softens, a luxurious ethereal resinous quality tiptoes into this aromatic melange ever so gingerly. The result is mesmerizing – a frankincense-like aspect smells faintly lemony and slightly sweet, like rosin on a violin bow (it’s not as terpenic).” Everything sounds amazing and subtle. I’d love to try this one especially since it includes notes that I love. Thanks for the draw. I’m in the USA

  • Catanosmia says:

    Myrrh is one of my favorite scents and I’ve never smelled it paired with a subtle rose–it sounds wonderful!
    Thanks for the draw, I’m in the US.

  • jeremyn87 says:

    I was sold on it when I saw tangy. Both rose and myrrh have a citrusy, tangy vibe to them, so they should complement each other nicely.
    Plus, I’m curious to see Hermes direction post-Elena.

  • You had me at jammy rose and myrrh, add the bit about the apple tartness and the Hermessence quality and it is a *must* for me to sample. Thanks for the draw. I’m in the USA.

  • Most of my favorite fragrances have myrrh in them. Simply love it “luxurious ethereal resinous quality ” )))!This review immediately caught my attention. I need to smell it now

  • The apple-y facet sometimes found in the scent of a rose is delicious. Jammy and tangy, slightly lemony, thank you for this enticing review of Myrrhe Églantine. Now I want to take a bite!

  • Carol Webb says:

    Loved the review. I have sweetbriar roses, they smell incredible once you get to them. Jammy, apple-y, and with myrrh? This fragrance sounds amazing! I would love to try.
    I’m in the US, thanks for the draw!

  • “Rosin on a violin” would be an excellent name for a resin-woods-rose fragrance! And it was also the most vivid image for me. The way that jasmine can evoke apple and other flowers, in doing so, seem to mimic jasmine is fascinating to me. I wish I understood more of the technical side, and also that I had a sweetbriar rose handy.
    I love myrrh, but rose is iffy on me. There are many varieties that are divine in life which I have never found approximated in perfume. This kind of rose sounds quite special and worth exploring!

    USA
    Thank you for the review and draw