Hermes - Un Jardin Sur Le Nil 

It’s been a fairly dreary Fall here on the East Coast.  When I looked out this morning and saw it was yet another foggy and rainy day, I decided to reach for the Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil (“Sur Le Nil”) for a little bright fruity floral lift.

Sur Le Nil is described by Hermes as “an impressionistic stroll through the island-gardens on the Nile at Aswan”.  While classified as a fruity floral, Sur Le Nil defies the constraints of the category and is much more.  In its opening, I get a verdant green mango and lotus flower.  The mango note is stronger than the lotus and adds a fresh greenness to the opening; although each note lasts through the entire wear of the fragrance.  An earthy and nutty calamus is added to the green fruity floral opening and makes the juice feels very garden-like.  There is a lush vegetal feel to the fragrance at this point without it being specifically identifiable as a specific vegetable note.  A very light incense and sycamore round out and balance the fragrance. 

Sur Le Nil easily achieves its goal of feeling like a stroll through island-gardens.  It’s a sensory experience of time and place.  Sur Le Nil has a wear time of roughly 6 – 7 hours on me with moderate projection.

Notes: green mango, lotus, calamus, incense, sycamore wood

Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena