Hermessence Ambre Narguile

The opening is very rummy, then the sweet spicy cinnamon comes in and dominates. Its truly unisex, does not lean either way. Defenetively only a cold winter scent.

@MikeMuscles, this happens when it's out of stock, it will be back I'm sure. The first and the best, if Angel's Share is too much, do try this one - a stunning apple pie/ cinnamon fragrance with a hint of tobacco.

From what i understand, Ambre Narguile is more or less “the muse“ for Angel’s Share, atleast in concept. I might be naive but i won’t point my fingers at the house of By Killian because at that level of prestige and luxury, straight up cloning might be unlikely. Im not saying that there aren’t expensive and well estabilished perfume houses that took clear inspiration from others and i even encountered some examples myself but downright cloning is more often reserved to the affordable houses in my opinion. Generally, taking inspiration can be a sign of admiration and a nod of respect to the “forefathers” of the industry. It might be the case here too, atleast i hope it is because Hermes is a house worthy of looking up to. I haven’t smelt Angel’s Share, a fragrance that became a modern blockbuster, but im familiar with the general ideea of the scentprofile because i’ve tested Khamrah, a clone of it. With that said, im expecting nothing short of excellency from Hermes and a masterclass representation of the DNA because even tho my experience with the house is limited, there are few houses i respect as much. Analysing Ambre Narguile’s scentprofile, i understand why people feel upset with By Killian because it gained massive notoriety on a DNA that wasn’t invented by them. Indeed, its frustrating when the “offspring” receives the praise whilst the one who has done it first is lesser known. Ambre Narguile is a honeyed, amber and cinnamon rich, syrupy sweet gourmand. The scent makes me imagine a warm and viscous, peachy-fruity, suggary syrup with added honey. A syrup generously poured on a large stack of pancakes or better yet, apple pies. I was hesitant on mentioning pancakes out of concern that people might think the perfume reminds of the pancakes themselves too in some way but to be clear, im talking strictly about the rich “topping”. I doubt that Ambre Narguile was intended to smell directly edible, still, its about 70% there on the gourmand scale and that is much too much for me personally. This scentprofile also reminds me of Naxos so perhaps Xerjoff took some lessons aswell. Oajan is an obvious mention too. They also share the honeyed, mouthwatering sweetness and the overall ambiance but Naxos has the lavander to counterbalance it to a degree. Only to a degree because strong notes like honey and cinnamon are next to impossible to keep in check. I do not detect the boozyness in the fragrance, only a smooth rum flavoring. No one would mistake you for someone with a drinking habbit with this one trust me. That might be where it sepparates itself from Angel’s Share although again, i cannot say if Angel’s Share has any boozyness eighter since i haven’t smelt it. Ambre Narguile smells incredibly good make no mistake and it has the telltale smoothness and otherworldly good quality that comes out of Jean-Claude Ellena's hands. As a side note, his creations aren't like others and there are few perfumers, if any, that manage to paint with notes and accords as he does. His perfumery is something like a gentle, ethereal piano recital that reduces everyone to tears. With Ambre Narguile i can see how people around the wearer would lean in for a sniff, compliments galore this one is without doubt. An amazing, yummy and spectaculous perfume but too much of a gourmand for my tastes.

At first, I was quite excited about this perfume, but unfortunately the dry-down smells very powdery, musky and old-fashioned. The opening is beautiful, with warm amber and cherry-like notes, but as it develops it loses its appeal for me.

It has a sweet, pie-like scent. It’s similar to Angel’s Share. This one is powdery, which is where it differs from Angel’s Share. I prefer Angel’s Share. 9/10

It's one of my favorite comfort fragrances. The warmth, the spices, the sweetness. Everything feels balanced. It's one of those fragrances that immediately puts me in a good mood and somehow 'never gets old?', no matter how many times I wear it.

If you'd have told me back in 2015 that you have this lovely, quite sweet amber gourmand with boozy and spicy notes I would have assumed it wouldn't interest me, but this fragrance is a rule unto itself. Ambre Narguile is a sweet study on how to make an amber fragrance. There are sweet spices in there, some toasted sesame, homey honey, dark rum, sticky toffee and a heavy base of the gourmand triumvirate: vanilla, benzoin and tonka bean with musk. It is notable that there is no Ambroxin in this but I feel like there is some Iso E Super. It isn't cloying and the overriding impression isn't one of sweetness but of wealth and refinement. The tobacco, spice and the amber in this stops it from feeling like a dessert sundae. I make an emotional connection to this fragrance that is difficult to explain. To me, it evokes a long lost life of premium class flat beds, loneliness, plush hotel suites, wine lists, dedicated check-in, hushed lounges with chilled Veuve and matching designer luggage. It evokes hardcoring almost 300,000 air miles in one year back in 2014/5 and of being nearly-constantly jet lagged. That version of me is long gone now. These days it is transfer connections, middle seats in economy, loneliness, (very) budget hotels, paying for bottles of water and getting lonely dinners at 7/11 or Burger King. But Ambre Narguile still resides in my hand luggage. The old days will never return but the smell lingers. What does it smell of? It smells of the only constant between then and now: Loneliness. Of splendid, intrepid, lovely loneliness in luxury back in the day and budget, boring loneliness these days. Three Word Summary: Beautiful Gourmand Solitude. Layering suggestion: Amber Intrigue by Tom Ford pushes this a little further away from gourmand territory. Outfit suggestion: Tapered grey trousers with elasticated waist so you don't need to wear a belt whilst flying. White tee with a cashmere blend grey cardigan to remove or put on as necessary. Oakley HSTN in grey/transparent frames. Hoka Transport II sneakers and Oris Aquis GMT on the wrist. Don't forget your AirPods! Scent - 10/10 Drydown - 8/10 Sillage - 7/10 Bottle/packaging - 9/10 Performance - 8/10 42/50

Is there anything like this with better performance? Or a clone even? send me a pm... Also, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with stupid Oajan, which is a 1/1 clone of a shoe talc from the early 90's.

This is exactly what I expected Angels Share to smell like when I first heard about it. It’s boozy and reminds me of poached apples in cinnamon. It’s a delicious more rich fragrance with a creamy vanilla and some woody notes perfect for colder weather. It’s beautifully balanced and you can really smell all the layers. It’s quite hard to get the mini bottle so I recommend asking someone who is going to the airport to get it for you otherwise the big bottle is quite expensive. The bottle is also a golden hue of glass which makes it look ambery too which is a nice touch.

Ambre Narguile reminds me of gingerbread or chai tea. Full of cinnamon, cloves, and warmth. It's sweet, but not syrupy sweet. The spices smell sophisticated and elevated. Ambre Narguile teeters on the edge of gourmand, both having an edible quality while also being too complex to be purely gourmand. There is a powerful amber note blended beautifully with the spices; a bit resinous, golden, and enveloping. This is the type of fragrance that smells better in the air than up close, and better on skin than on paper, leaving a wonderful cloud around the skin. I don't typically believe in seasonal fragrances, but the spices and warmth of Ambre Narguile really do feel wintery and festive. The best way I can describe this fragrance is that it smells like the amber Grand Soir mixed with a touch of the sweet gourmand qualities of Angels' Share, some festive spices (particularly a strong serving of cinnamon), and a tiny bit of sweetened, dried ginger - all without being overpowering. Ambre Narguile does have powerful sillage, permeating quickly, powerfully, and across the entire room. This is a true room filler, but it's powerful without being cloying. The sweetness is balanced, not thick or gooey, allowing for an almost airy quality despite the warmth. Next to Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille, this is one of the most impressive fragrances I've sampled in a long time. The Angels' Share comparisons make sense to me, but the two fragrances are very clearly distinct. Ambre Narguile is more festive and layered, spicier, not at all boozy, less thick, and with a more clearly defined amber accord. I also think Ambre Narguile is less versatile and more clearly seasonal. To be clear, I'm not saying Ambre Narguile is perfect: in the background, likely due to the spices, there is a noticeable bitterness that I could do without (this can only really be detected up close). This fragrance is also admittedly missing the brightness, the intoxicating, addictive quality that, to me, defines Angels' Share - a nondescript quality at the core of the fragrance that makes it so wearable, enjoyable, and compelling. Granted, I'm comparing Ambre Narguile to my all-time favorite fragrance, which may be unfair, but it's a common comparison. The real issue, for me, is that I can't really imagine myself wearing this. I appreciate the beauty of this fragrance, but I wouldn't want to walk around smelling like it.

Genuine photo realistic apple pie, dries down into honey + rum + caramel heaven. 2nd best designer ever made.

Even though it's not a gourmand, it reminds me of apple pie because of the spices you would put in one during the holidays. It's not dense so I feel it can be worn in the spring and winter. I have a couple ambers in my collection, but this will be a very comforting amber to add because of the warmth and holiday dessert feeling.

Why did this fragrance disappear from the Hermès wall?

i wore ambre narguille during the spring for easter, although i was indoors, and it really didn't disappoint. smelled amazing and the scent lasted for a long time, to my surprise i can smell it on myself the day after. ambre narguille really could be the best cool weather special occasion fragrance out in the market today.

Finally got to sample Ambre Narguile after using Oajan before the og. PDM copied this and they did it well. To my nose, Oajan is more rich and more facets to it, whereas AN is simpler in comparison. Both are good, but I prefer Oajan in its old batches.

The orignal. Oajan and Angels Share are copies of it.

Both me and my husband instantly thought of cherries when I tried this on. More specifically, boozy cherry. Strong scent, that didn't really fade away. Neither did it transform into something else. After about an hour I had to go wash it off, as it was giving me a headache. Edit: The first try was with the EdT roll-on. After having built up some courage, I dared try the EdT spray. Still a lot of cherry, still not a favourite, but way less obtrusive.

Had such high expectations and I did think it was lovely…..mostly. I just really dislike tobacco in fragrances, apparently in any amount as I’m learning. The tobacco seemed to impart this medicinal, musty quality at the back of every sniff. Sigh. Shall continue my search for the perfect feminine amber. So close though! Which makes me sadder - I wish I just outright didn’t like it, cause now I’ll be thinking about how close to perfect this would be for me except for the tobacco. But I shall not waver and drop an exorbitant amount of $ like I did with Atomic Rose (where the tobacco also kills me :( though it is stronger in Atomic Rose compared to Ambre Narguilé).

The opening is lovely, but nobody seems to mention that the deeper drydown is a granny oriental. That coumarin/vanillic/stuffy musk combo I associate with an unwanted hug from a great-aunt. Still a nice scent, but I think this entire genre of apple pie ambers is a little over-hyped in general (Angel's Share, Ambre d'Alexandrie, etc.). I think the likes of Fugazzi Parfum 1 and Comme Des Garcons - Comme Des Garcons are much more interesting sweet and spicy cinnamon scents.

This and Ambre Russe are xerox copies of each other. ^Free Palestine^

Wow, amazing. I consider Ambre Narguille the best DNA out of the other formulations from other brands. I think being an EDT instead of something denser, makes the scent a lot more pleasurable to get whiffs of in the air and is something beautiful to be discovered rather than something loud and in your face. This is definitely a perfect holiday and winter-scent that is comforting and puts me in a positive and happy place every time I wear this. I would rate Ambre Narguille a 10/10, perfection.

I was so excited to try Ambre Narguile. I really like amber fragrances. My daughter gave me a 15ml bottle for Christmas as part of an Hermes sampler. Out of the four I received this is my least favorite. In fact it is disappointing. To my nose it smells like pipe tobacco. I guess that makes sense given the name. It literally makes me nauseous when I wear it. This is not an apple pie fragrance. It is mostly a well blended spiced and vaguely fruited tobacco fragrance. I think it is well done but not at all what I was expecting from the hype of the reviews. This is the type of smell that would trigger morning sickness when I was pregnant. Definitely not a safe blind buy. My husband really likes it. He also really likes Guerlain's Tobacco Honey. If you don't like tobacco in fragrances, I doubt you will like Ambre Narguile. I also received Violet Volynka, Oud Alezan and Osmanthe Yunnan. I'm loving those three. I'm so glad I didn't buy blind buy a full bottle of Ambre Narguile. I really appreciate Hermes for providing the travel size sets.

It’s not listed but I smell apple. It really does smell like a delicious hot apple crumble with cinnamon. There’s also a decently strong sweet honey note that I adore. This is what I expected Killian Angels Share to smell like when people said it smells like Apple Pie. Love at first sniff. Shame on the price but it is decently complex with the Labdunum, Tobacco and Benzoin. It makes the woody notes more interesting and also not too strong. I would say it’s unisex but leaning more feminine in my opinion due to the fruitiness and sweetness of honey.

apple crumble in a bottle!! a very festive and warm type of fragrance, deffo perfect for the colder months. just a very lovely scent tbh. i get small hints of vanilla but for me the apple note takes absolute precedence.

to put it simply, this is a good fragrance. i'm impressed by both the projection and longevity for it being an EDT. a sweet, warm amber scent, with a head-turning - dare i say, iconic - aroma that's appropriate for most occasions and sure to get you a compliment or four. that being said, i'm not obsessed with it. this fragrance doesn't provoke any strong feelings in me, nor do i often find myself reaching for it. as it is, it's perfect if you're wanting something that will wear & perform well. if you're looking for something more complex, or interesting, it may not be what you're looking for. very nice all-around.

Holiday mood in a bottle, this sweet beauty is my favourite perfume during the holiday season … the blessings and joy of the month of December, the sweet treats and feeling of holly and jolly. This scent sums it all up, absolutely love it 🥰🥰 it smells so edible 😍 - Bhavna Darira Chesan

Love it so so much! Its everything that Angel Share tried to be. Ill always have this in my collection.

With the cold comming in in mid November, PA; This is sumptuous and enjoyable with the sweet, boozy caramel and warm resins. This was the first of the great gourmand. Many have tried to make something similar, some have come close. But for me, this is still the best.

This fragrance is something special. Its caramel rum spice tobacco infusion may not seem radical now, but that is only because so many others have tried to improvise and improve on this beauty, and mostly failed. This stands as a bridge between classic and modern perfumery, between western and eastern customs, and it is a beautiful portal into a delicious, sumptuous world. It is an invitation to join together and to enjoy one another.

Its everything angel share wants to be! Angel share is childish! This is classy.. they are the same but angel share is the drunk uncle, that thinks he is young. Longevity is good for an edt. Double up on your sprays on the same spoot and it last all day