Un Jardin à Cythère

I don't usually like floral or overly fruity notes in summer fragrances, I much prefer fresh, dry scents in the summer heat. It's hard for me to find a summer scent that I can wear with confidence, but I can say that I have finally found a signature scent for the warmer seasons, as this one smells like dried grass and very expensive olive oil.

The most niche fragrance from the Jardin collection, by Nagel. An accord of olives, pistacchio and citrus that mimics the smell of a wheat field by the sea. There's lightness, there's light, there's sun in Un Jardin a Cythere.

it took me ages to like it but now i am addicted. reminds me of lime cheesecake! the citruses and pistachio are equally present, and it almost feels oily (not greasy tho). not a blind buy but an absolute journey

I don't smell any pistachio, it really smells close to warm evening on Greek island with olive trees around

Another more unusual addition to the ‘Jardin’ collection from Christine Nagel. I enjoy that she’s shaken things up a bit since (the wonderful) Jean-Claude Ellena left Hermes. His shimmering, translucent style remains beautiful but in CN’s hands there have been a few nice surprises from a different direction. It is true, as others have noted, that this creation from 2023 does not linger for long on skin but while it’s fully alive and breathing it casts a gentle magical spell. The smooth but distinctive pistachio note sits at the heart of the formula with olive at it side sustaining a vivid Greek island illusion. There is a light citrus presence early on but it dissipates quickly leaving the two main elements strolling hand in hand into a soft green-toned dry down. For as long as it lasts it’s a lovely idea.

Un Jardin à Cythère opens with a clearly noticeable pistachio note. After about ten minutes, however, the dry down shifts into a more lemony, olive oil like scent. The pistachio becomes much softer at that stage, but it’s still there in the background, adding a subtle nutty touch. I’d say it’s the only fragrance in the Jardin collection that leans gourmand. To me, it genuinely smells like a lemon cake. That said, it’s not an overly sweet, lemon cheesecake type of cake. Instead, it has a much more natural, refined lemon cake impression, staying true to the overall character of the Jardin collection. I would also consider it a unisex fragrance. And don’t let the fact that it’s a lemon gourmand make you think it would be cloying in summer. It’s definitely suitable for summer and doesn’t become overwhelming in the heat.

This fragrance is beautiful and this is from someone who dislikes both green notes and pistachio notes. It’s a light, soft scent that starts out with a burst of bright citrus and then dries down to a creamy pistachio that is not gourmand or sweet, but creamy and comforting. The olive tree note is present the entire time. I have a very large collection of 600 plus fragrances, and this is probably the most unique out of all of them. It’s perfect for hot summer days or a summer evening at home scent. The vibe it gives is walking on a Mediterranean island with a soft breeze carrying the scent of citrus and olive trees. It’s simple, yet refined, and could easily be a summer time signature scent. Love it!

6/10 it’s really not bad it’s just mid

Lunch in greek sun to middle aged almond mom! This is the most fun I’ve had experiencing a perfume. Exactly why I love perfumes! Yesterday I tried her sister Sur le Nil, and I wasn’t impressed. But this is a journey I’d go on again. First, an explosion of aromatic herbs. Bold, spicy, masculine, couldn’t place it. My first thought was anise, but that wasn't quite it. It smelled edible, I was standing over a beautiful ceramic plate filled with olive oil and aromatic herbs. Rosemary, thyme, oregano. Within a few minutes, the olive tree and pistachio started to appear and a bright citrus note burst through. WOW!! It took me to vacations in Greece, living in Turkey, arriving in Italy. Places where olive trees, citrus groves and herbs grow together. Just when I thought I understood it, everything changed again. The citrus faded, and a creamy, almost milky pistachio accord emerged. The following hours it’s herbal, soapy, creamy and feminine. It gets darker and more mature with time. A little too mature for me. Sadly it doesn’t end with a bang, but like I just washed my hand with a natural lemon, pistachio and herb soap. Not the worst. Maybe I’ll buy this in 20 years when/if I’m an almond mom. Thank you liquid for the journeys and stories. It was beautiful!

Weird... I really get an oily and almost milky feeling from this, which is a strange combo with the citrus. As it dries down and the citrus goes away, it improves. But still just ok

Unique, sophisticated, naturalistic, solar, soothing, and altogether beautiful fragrance. Inspired by the Greek island of Kythira, the mythological birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite, it successfully and faithfully evokes the image of a rural Mediterranean landscape. The opening is fresh and citrusy—both natural and gourmand—reminiscent of moist lemon sponge cake with olive oil and pistachio in the background. Over time, the olive note takes center stage, and the gourmand nuances transition into green and golden herbal tones. This creates the imagery of relaxing in the shade of an old olive tree in a sun-drenched wheat field. The drydown reminds me of polished olive wood. An intimate summer fragrance, perfect for dining out with family or close friends during a holiday in the Mediterranean countryside. 8.5/10

This is bright, fresh, and restrained...The pistachio is front and center and they allow it to be gorgeous all on its own. No sugar, no vanilla, no marshmallow creme - just a sunny, verdant pistachio that makes me think of nice weather. I think this is very unique in that they didn't go super-gourmand or sweet using pistachio as a main note. The fragrance feels light, but on me, it lasted all day and I picked up nice whiffs of it throughout. All in all, this is very lovely.

Morning in Shanghai. Cereals, steamed rice, baos, and lemon cakes. A stroll by the Huangpu, lindens and orange blossom; the smell of home. Coffee shops and influencers, inconceivable wealth. Home is with him and I am his home, we bring the air and spirit of the Mediterranean with us, taking back only our sun-kissed skin to the frigid north.

I can stop loving it... Much to say less word comes to mind, there is something about his that make me go HAPPPPPY for some reasons... im waiting to see how will it preform in hot weather. Over All 10/10

There's something weird and bad smelling in it.. 🫤

This perfume evokes memories of freshly baked lemon biscuits made by grandma when I was a child. Its nostalgic in a beautiful way. The entire gardens collection is really good at creating a feeling that you're visualising something. It is an experience more than just "something that you put on your skin to smell good". I really want a bottle of this...

What an incredible fragrance, gourmand in the opening, smells incredibly edible; lemon tart and pistachio on the background. After 20-30 minutes the scent changes to fresh, I get lemon tea and woody accords. Easily the best out of Jardin line and completely unisex, would smell gorgeous on anyone.

Delicious—this falls into my mental category of “savory gourmand” with citrus, olives, and abundant Mediterranean herbs that somehow manages to stay super fresh rather than becoming too entirely savory. Super unique and wonderful for warm weather.

I deeply love this perfume. It's a portable mediterranean summer holiday around me all day. It comforts me. I smell dried herbs (mint I guess), grasses, hay. It's warm but not heavy nor heady. It's elegant and chic.

Lovely summer scent, very similar to Dune pour homme. If you can no longer find a bottle of Dune, this one is a close substitute.

I really wanted to love this, but it's just vile. I see the idea: this is supposed to smell of a hot late summer afternoon in a field with crickets in the field. It doesn't. It smells like some pastry that Was intentionally poisoned, but also gone bad. It's just disgusting

Simply love this scent. It’s unique. Love thr freshness that’s blended so well with the nutty and creamy notes. Nothing heavy. Can’t help But kept sniffing my arm. Great for day and hot weather.

I bought the dry oil for body and hair and I like it a lot in this form. The scent itself is nice, lemon cookie with a smooth woody edge (probably the pistacchio?), but nothing I would want to wear as a perfume spray. The oily texture fits well to the smooth quality of the scent, very enveloping. Lasting power is poor, its gone within half an hour, but its a product for the immediate moment, quite sensual, so its fine.

To me, Cythere smells like one of Balinese incense or when you entering the old gallery or ancient shop in South East Asia. To my nose, I don't know - it gives me a strong sandalwood. So classic, warm and comforting, like a summer sunset

Imagine you've put some rosemary, oregano, thyme, lime zest, rose pepper into extra fresh Greek olive oil. That's exactly this smell! Love it during hot summer time. There is only one issue - wanna eat always!

Pistachio makes it weird. I usually dig weird stuff, but this is weird in a way that just ain't balanced well IMHO.

Un Jardin a Cythere is the adult version of Twilly d'Hermès Eau Ginger. Where Eau Ginger is an immature and linear soapy, musky, clean laundry scent through and through, Jardin a Cythere possesses a hint of that same base, with a prismatic complexity and a unique identity built atop. The pistachio and olive accords are literal and well balanced with the citrus. Some have compared Cythere to a salad dressing, and that's an appropriate acknowledgement of the authenticity of the plants attributed in the notes, but Cythere is not a culinary gourmand by any stretch of the imagination. There's something strangely reminiscent of Guerlain's Samsara, which is high praise from me even if the comparison might be a challenge for some to accept. My attempts at describing Cythere all fall short, and that's because it is unique and impressive. I'm not alone in this struggle for adjectives and analogues, as evidenced by the many seemingly contradictory but glowing descriptions below. I hope Christine Nagel, the perfumer, reads all of these mystified reviews here and finds herself delighted for inventing something so perplexing and warmly embraced. Leans feminine but can absolutely be worn by a man if allowed to dwell for a good amount of time to take full advantage of the considerable longevity. Cythere works with the body's natural aroma rather than fighting or masking it. Pretty sexy stuff.

This is a nice enough scent, but it's something I'd personally prefer as a soap or candle over perfume.

This fragrance has such an amazing longevity for an edt... after 8 hours I am still enjoying its comforting nutty notes.

Initially it reminds me of lemongrass. And it dries down it does turn nutty from the pistachio and I can smell the olive. It’s not too sweet, so I can see it as a unisex fragrance. Smells like a nice powdery lotion