Hermann à mes Côtés me Paraissait une Ombre Etat Libre d'Orange for women and men

Ugh. I was looking forward to trying this but all it smells like is antiseptic. When I was in school in the later months of 2020-2021 they sprayed the desks with something that smelled exactly like this in between every period. It's not horrific, but I don't want to smell like a hypochondriac.

Imagine you cut a vase full of long thorny rose bush branches, with just a few tightly furled buds on their ends, and bring them inside in a vase of rainwater. There is soil still clinging to the branches, and some green little leaves. Perhaps for more greenery you add some pungent herbs to this unusual bouquet. Then you might be close to the smell of Hermann.

This is a sad fragrance, but a wonderful one, primarily for its creativity and its evocativeness. Very stripped down, almost harsh, extremely moody. That one struggling rose bush in the rain… surrounded by weeds and uncared for but trying to put out a flower. Hermann leans masculine, I suppose, but anyone can wear it. Just be prepared for the feelings that come with it.

Similar to Perfume (This Is Not A Blue Bottle Histoires de Parfums) 1.1

Master piece because it's create by the real master
#Quentin Bisch

Another rosey fragrance from ELDO, in the family of Eau de Protection (soapy) and Exit the King (spicy). This one is a bit sweeter and maybe woodier? Herbal? There is more to compete with the rose, giving it a more complex feel than the other two. It is my favorite of their rose scents so far! My wife really likes it on her, and I would agree. Not what I'm looking for in a signature scent, but nice to have around!

Peppery, complicated, airy and dry at the same time. Don’t get rose at all, more of some white wild flowers. Light, green, grassy-floral.

This is a great rose-based, male leaning fragrance! Overall performance it's over average. Worth picking up if you're looking for a rose-based fragrance that leans more towards men.

I was looking for this perfume without knowing that it had already been created. I was looking for a rose that was not jammy, nor girlie-glitter-pink dress or vampy-sexy; I had in mind a natural rose, with thorns, with the stem, with leaves, with the soil in which it is planted, with the smell of rain, of the forest, mysterious, deep, dark, moody, and interesting. That's it! It's perfect. I understand why some people find it cold and uninviting. It is, but for me it's in the best possible way, it's a trace that I keep following and I can't stop sniffing it. I didn't expect to find it right here. But I wasn't surprised to learn that it's a Quentin Bisch creation; it seems to me that his creations are either absolute love or a big no, I looove Hermann, Ganymede, I can't with Delina. Unisex, moderate projection, good longevity.

Not a fan of rose fragrances but this one is really good fragrance high quality and well done for niche lovers, and good part is this fragrance not similar to shit moschino toyboy

Surprisingly not a fan. On initial application the pepper is incredibly strong, spicy even. I do like it more once it dries down, but the pepper is still a bit too overpowering for my taste. I kept waiting for some improvement, but alas. I will say it projects nicely and I can see this being really lovely on the right person (which I am not).

This smells like expired vegetables forgotten in a fridge, sorry. No smell of roses, rain or anything else, except a strong rotten pickle smell on my skin and clothes. Tried this twice, two different samples, same result. For me this is a scrubber. Not a safe blind buy.

cozy and warm, yet fresh and incredibly addictive! the rose component isn't too sweet here, hence the perfume doesn't strike me as overly floral (which i like!). my first thought with this lovely fragrance was... the smell of earth after a summer thunderstorm; and so you might not appreciate this composition unless it brings out some long-lost memories.

A perfume that you discover every time in a different way. It's a wet mysterious rose that changes depending on the temperature and humidity. Very interesting!

Didnt really like this one, something about it reminded me of being a teenager and dallying with teenage boys. It smells rosey, soapy, clean, earthy, herbal, damp, medicinal and aquatic all at once and my nose is confused by it. My BF didnt mind it but I thought it was a bit foul on both me and him.

On sampling this discovery set I discovered a lot of ELdOs unfortunately smell terrible on me/to my nose.

3/10

Aquatic rose with patchouli. Simple and wearable for causal occasions.
7/10

Very surprised there's no tobacco listed in this! Really nice. Reminds me a bit of Hepcat by Phlur, which was shamefully discontinued, but more floral. The rose is a waxy rose, stem-forward and green, barely bloomed, with petals bathed in incense.

got this in the discovery kit, not a fan but I expected this as it has notes I don’t particularly enjoy or seek out. It’s very medicinal. I smell more green herbs and patchouli rather than any rose at all.

Personally, I'm not picking up a rose scent on my skin - doesn't mean it's not there for others! On me this is extremely patchouli forwards, almost leaning on incense. Something I'd expect to smell in a high end store that sells a lot of wooden bowls and wicker baskets. I'd say this is something I'd save for a weekend in palm springs. I don't hate it but it doesn't really fit my day to day vibe, probably not a full bottle purchase for me.

On longevity - I applied 3 sprays at 7am this morning and it's now 6pm and I still smell it as I'm walking around.

i still dont like the opening but the drydown after 15 min is great

I think i can some up this fragrance for you in one word. Nothing!
10/10

"Dark was the night and the gloomy forest.
By my side Herman was like a spectre."
Line taken from one of the lyrics of Victor Hugo's "Les Contemplations": one of the rare romantic poems of the era that is meant to focus on always having a shadow walking beside us, at all times, and if you read Hugo's biography you will understand that he went through a lot of darkness.
Who this presence might be is unknown to us, but even I am sure that each of us has it, physical or intangible.
An outstanding fragrance, from an exceptional nose, Quentin Bisch.
Spicy, fresh, almost woody scents give the illusion of something misty and smoky, almost incensed.
An introspective walk through the meanders of our soul.
"The two faces of the soul" painted by Siudmak.

Lasts a solid 8 hours, and projects. Very rose forward, with maybe a hint of incense if you really go looking for it.

I don’t normally enjoy rose forward fragrances, but this one is just works

It last a soild 8 hours on my skin. Doesn't project as much as expected my friend smelled it off of me like a foot away. It smells like the incense they burn at a church. The scent of roses comes out barely. Idk if I got a weird batch or sum but its a solid 7/10.

Cool roses with a smoky shadow returning to a green land of healing.I envision a Gothic girl peddling herbal poisons amidst the antique charm of one of these urban vintage shops. Fresh weather friendly.

I would call it Frosty Rose. It's like finding a single rose standing tall in the snow. It's not just any rose scent; it's cool, fresh, and has something a bit icy about it, which is really different and interesting. It is light and deep, but not overwhelming at all.

Someone described this as an introverted scent and I totally agree. The smell reminds me of Scotland on a grey day after it's rained. Love it!

ive been describing this to my boyfriend as 'sexy mulch'. i literally cant get enough of it, find myself smelling my wrist constantly whenever i have it on.

this hilariously enough smelled like a rose covered in hot sauce to me…idk if it’s bc of the spice and earthy accords with the synthetics that gave me that correlation but that’s all I could think of. After this dried down it does smell less spicy/synthetic but it’s really just a medicinal/herbal rose with muddled aquatic accords and and heavy patchouli.

What I thought was a pretty generic, green rose with an obnoxious menthol-like quality absolutely came to life at nightfall
I got it after about 4 hours of wear when I caught the trail of the rose again, which had become a cold, ghostly shadow of what initially put me off
I could not stop putting my head into my elbow all night to try and figure it out
Earthy yet unearthly, incense, smokey, faintly aromatic, spicy and resinous, so cold and wet feeling
The Geosmin and aquatic notes are pronounced later on and I just love the way it interacts with the rose as it doesn't feel planted in the earth, maybe the stem and leaves are left in the dirt but the flower itself is intangible, it's very ethereal and unreal

For me this is a sort of anti-social fragrance, and there is an isolating experience in wearing it as if you yourself are slinking into its shadow (which as an introvert, I loved)

Lasted a strong 8 hours for me, great projection
On my skin it does not work in warm weather, the smokey-incense aspects became suffocating

One of my favorite scents. The opening gives me an instant rose scent that feels mixed in with its stem , spikes and all. It's not a super fresh rose scent, to me it smells more like a slightly decaying one, but still beautiful and intriguing nevertheless. For this being my first rose fragrance, I am very happy. The drydown gets to a smooth wood (but not harsh) but feels very fresh with a tang of spice and that faint smell of sweet rose remains present. The rose is very dominant for me. Somehow at this stage, I also smell a hint of mossy grass, wet from a river or a downpour but surrounded by these roses. It's genuinely stellar.

This is more of an intimate fragrance for me. It does not project much on me, but it has great longevity. 7+ hours later and I still smell it on me. I enjoy using this one on date nights where it won't clog up the room but it'll shine its magic with a hug. Might be a great fit for rainy days too. Definitely recommend.

the opening is really interesting. green, vegetable, fresh. The blackcurrant bitter-sulphurous characteristic is present along with pepper and rose. This dries down to sensual rose-incense smell with fresh, almost aquatic, qualities. Slightly similar to Déclaration D'Un Soir. Great!

7:03pm - If Experimentum Crucis is unisex this could pass as the men’s flanker. Again with the strong patchouli. There’s a strong spicy note which I’m willing to guess is black pepper. it’s almost as spicy as Mancera Cedrat Boise, though they don’t smell the same. I could detect the ambroxan in this. I smell rose after a minute or so. The petrichor note is also prominent, it’s unmistakable. It’s exactly how the earth smells after it rains. Sillage is moderate to strong. Projection is the same. This could work in summer but I feel it would be too much on a very hot day. This would smell intoxicating on a man. Dark, brooding, mysterious and oh so sexy. It’s been 15 minutes since I sprayed this and I still can’t stop sniffing my inner arm. If a guy wears this for sexy time, I may not be able to stop myself. Not a safe blind buy, though. Also can I mention ELDO’s long name habit? It’s so pretentious. I’d scoff if I didn’t like their stuff so much.
It’s been 3 hours and every now and then I still get strong whiffs of the scent.
6:00am - wow it’s still there and it’s still strong-ish!

A bit of a sour vegetable (bell pepper?) and herb smell mixed with damp soil. An airy freshness is present also - with an almost minty character. Floral but not in a typically "pretty" way. Unisex. A rainy afternoon in your backyard.

On one hand, I find it pretty stunning. But I’m not sure if I want to wear it. Either way, I believe this has a lot of charisma.

A warm peppery rose opening. I get the effect of the gesomin mixed dry woodiness and a hint of amber. As it continues I pick up the oceanic vibes. An interesting blue fragrance. Usually not a fan of rose in fragrance but this is good

This smells like a graveyard behind a church after fresh rain in the spring. (In a good way lol)
This would fit a more introverted person, going for a walk in a brooding mood.
It’s a really interesting mix of rose, incense and Petrichor (Geosmin), which is the smell that is caused by rain, with a base of ambroxan. It’s the ambroxan, which is used quite well, that keeps this fragrance from being too artistic and makes it more wearable and masculine.
You definitely should sample before you buy though, this definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
I feel like this would work well on a rainy spring day, but it could be worn the whole year around.
Performance is pretty good, which is to be expected from a fragrance that uses rose and ambroxan.
The Value you get because of the versatility is really good.
Got 100ml for 68€ which is pretty crazy for a niche house.
Atomizer is really good.

Scent: 10/10

Projection: 7/10

Longevity: 9/10
Versatility: 7/10

Price: 9/10



Overall: 8,4/10

*This is not a negative review, if you love this fragrance, don’t get defensive*

I love fragrance as an art, so even though I may not find a fragrance appealing or want to wear it, I can still appreciate it.
Having said that……..

Hermann smells like what I imagine the plague doctors smelled when they visited the ill- The camphor soaked cotton in the tip of the bird beak mask, the illness just beyond…..

I wasn’t sure what to expect, I was on the verge of blind buying a bottle but decided to try a sample first.
I’ve never smelled anything like it, I’m both repelled and attracted to it.
Camphor.
Earth.
And other things…..

I don’t think I could actually wear it but I’m glad it exists.
I may still buy a bottle because it’s just that intriguing.

Smells like a friend who you can always count on.

Has I kind on unusual/weird thing to it but the wannabe geosmin is quite good.
Instant love for me.

Has a similar accord/texture to Hermès H24 edt

As usual, Amazing Scent by Great Perfumer and Successful blind buy from this Niche Brand for the first time.
Now I have a unique Niche Fragrance for Summer
I 🥰 it loool

I wanted to like this fragrance so bad. Objectively, this isn't bad, but with the way my skin plays with it and the memories associated with it, I can't help but hate it. I get no flora, what so ever, in this. I get some pepper, herbal greens, and dirt. The herbal-medical feel is strong in the opening. It smells like Vicks vaporub. I don't want to smell like vapor; I just think about being sick. On the dry down, I got some more floral notes? It was really hard to tell what I was smelling, but I got a more realistic earth scent from that dirt note.  The dry down, however, smelt like fabuloso. This smells like being home sick while my mom cleans the house. I hate this scent, and I hate that I hate it. I think this smells fine? it has a realistic flower vibe to it and a real deep earthiness. I think this could definitely fit someone else who wants an adventurous floral/green fragrance. This is a 1/10 on my own personal scale. The sillage is really strong and good, but the longevity is okay.

If youre someone who's into this hobby this is worth at last a sample. One of the most different things I've ever smelled. Nothing in my collection smells like this and it's one of my favorites easily. Great introduction into ELDO

This doesn't smell bad but it wasn't for me I think. It was very very sour like straight up bitter lime juice on me during the opening, very peppery also. It was a super strong, sharp and piercing green citrus, with a whisper of floral soily rose in the background. To me this sort of smells like what I use to season chicken before roasting (it doesnt smell like chicken, I just mean it's herby and peppery and citrussy like a marinade). After a bit, I get a note of rainy day wet wood, then in the dry down a metallic chemically woodiness on my skin.

This smells like the nerd emoji.

sooo yeah this smells like an orthodox church and death. it has a sacred melancholy and a danger. it smells like Rasputin would smell. sth dangerous that is now dead but still gives you the chills. now dont get me wrong this does not amell loke actual death ,like sth rotten. just the vibe

smells like i just stuck my hand into a jar of jalapeños

It's meh,I get cedar in the base and l'm glad l got a 2ml sample before actually buy a bottle.

Had this stashed in my storage unit for close to 5 years.
Discovered a box with a little over a dozen perfumes in storage over the holidays.
Decided to wear this as I do remember liking this one.

Thoughts on a full bottle...

* Forgot how good this is!
* It checks all the boxes.
* Don't think I've ever experienced Geosmin before.
* I believe Geosmin is the dominant smell in this.
* Smells like a masked or muted citrus after a down pour on the asphalt.
* It is difficult to describe other than it smells very good.
* Galbanum seems to be a very good fit with the Geosmin here.
* Pick up some Vetiver that gives it some body.
* And finally the Olibanum you could say knocks off or rounds out some sharp edges.
* I get 10 hours form it and projects moderate to strong.
* It is fun and outdoorsy yet elegant at the same time.
* Leans more Hombre and is one of the better ones from this house.

** Final thought... Going to place this front and center on my shelf for a while.

Welcome to synthetic niche. Eloquent avangarde. A rose that just died, starting to decay in the rain.

This just smells like being sick as a child to me. I smell the cloying artificial sweetness of Dimetapp along with the sharp medicinal smell of Vicks vapor rub, but through this all there is a floral scent. However, this floral scent is really vague and is more of "oh I smell flowers" instead of a specific flower. I don't like it very much.

Aers Etat Libre d'Orange Advent Calendar

I bought the ELdO discovery set and made it my advent calendar. I'll try to post a review every day in the order the samples are in the set.

Day 7 - Hermann à mes Côtés me Paraissait une Ombre

I've mentioned before that I'm skeptical about rosy scents because rose always smells old to me and once again I was proven wrong. Maybe I should learn to step away from my prejudices but that's what this exercise is for, right? This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience throughout the day and I had pleasant, if a bit unexpected associations with this.

Right off the bat, "spicy rose" is what hit my nostrils. Yes, there's an obvious amount of rose notes in Hermann but this, too - much like Eau de Protection - didn't necessarily mean that this is a "classical rose perfume" in the sense that I would have expected. The primarily peppery spices gave it an interesting twist and while a galbanum and rose combination might not be the most exciting of combinations, it worked to this perfume's advantage.

All together, the notes gave me a tea-like experience. Herbal tea, to be exact. A bit of Chamomille, a bit of Nettle, a bit of general herbyness. And not unpleasant as far as tea goes. There is a surprising amount of depth in the scent. There's the rose, the galbanum, and the pepper that all make for a nice recognizable top and heart, but beneath that, there's a wet earthiness and deep woodiness that works very much in favor of the perfume. It provides a base on which the rest of the notes can develop.

The tea comparison held true for quite a while but while the scent evoked that idea of tea in me, there isn't necessarily anything warm about this. It doesn't evoke the feeling of a warm tea in front of the fireplace while outside there's snow. It's more of a moody tea on a moody day. Everything is a bit damp, everything is a bit cold, there's rain and fog and then you have herbal tea while standing outside in the British countryside. It's lukewarm at best.

Over time, the rosy, woodiness came out a little more and the image shifted to be more of a garden. Still, very much outside in hazy weather, there's wet soil and green notes surrounding flowers of rose and bitter scent. It's a moody image still and you can never be quite sure if the sun is about to break out or if the drops of rain will get to you any moment now

While "moodiness" doesn't sound like much of a compliment, I very much enjoyed my time with the perfume for as long as it lasted. It died down after about 6-7 hours into a relatively generic Vetiver-woodiness that a lot of fragrances end up in once their prime has subsided. Overall I feel it's one of the more peculiar, but extremely wearable perfumes I have sampled so far and I will get back to it to try it again in the near future. It's not warm, not fresh, not exciting or inviting, but it has a lot going for it and I can see myself dabbling in it on rainy days.

I know this leans masculine, but as a woman I can't help but to wear it. It just smells too good.

A quick Google search told me that this scent takes its obscure name from a Victor Hugo poem that is a soliloquy of sorts about two horsemen travelling through a forest at night. It loosely translates as "Hermann by my side seemed like a shadow to me". An odd name for a perfume (but nothing unusual for ELDO), to me it seems to suggest that perfume is an extension of oneself, a shadow-self of sorts that remains alongside oneself - perhaps a roundabout way of hinting that it should be your next signature scent! The juice itself is a straightforward woody-rose scent - a profile I like, and a nice example of it too. Quentin Bisch, perfumer du jour, is the nose behind this scent, and it is a bold, woody composition bolstered by synthetic fixatives, in keeping with his style.

HAMC opens with a lovely dewy rose note, bold and realistic, not thin or harsh at all. There is a hint of pepper, complementing it nicely with a touch of spice. Subtle galbanum follows, adding soft, hazy greenness, keeping it fresh and leafy. The woody base emerges early on, completing the rose bush. I get cordial-like blackcurrant, which adds a fresh tartness to the rose, complementing it beautifully. Alongside the green woodiness, it reminds me here of Armani Sì.

As it develops, the rose becomes increasingly spicy - the freshness of the opening wanes along with the green notes. It is replaced by a soft balsamic amber accord that slots in seamlessly alongside the woody notes. A nice churchy incense note emerges as it develops, one of my favourite things. Patchouli adds earthiness, a predictable addition to a rose scent. The woody-amber accord becomes more noticeably synthetic at the drydown stage, fading to a softly musky skin scent with a side of rose, of course. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is a unisex, transeasonal rose scent.

HAMC is classic in style and nothing groundbreaking, but is a really nice example of a woody-amber-rose scent. The blend of synthetic and natural-smelling ingredients is masterful, showcasing the rich, realistic rose note at its heart to perfection. Classic yet modern, it would, in fact, work well as a signature scent for rose lovers. 4/5.

The first image that popped into my head upon sniffing Hermann…The raft you ride to Tom Sawyer’s island in Disneyland. The chemically treated water on the floorboards, the vegetation on the banks of the river, being crammed in that confined space like sardines...You're standing next to a man wearing a pleasant but slightly off putting cologne.

Harsh cold metallic dihydromyrcenol petalia eugenol citronellol aquatic ambroxan composition with leafy rosy abstract vibe


8/10

To me this smells like a literal rose garden, a very well maintained one. Smells like dew and mulch in the best way

This is my boyfriend’s favourite from the range. I’m starting to think that all ELdO’s are beginning to smell the same and this one in particular smells like a representation of them all. It’s that hippy, Lush store, candle, bath-bomb, incense that crops up so often. This is the most wearable and nicest as the rose is herbaceous and it’s aromatically woody and musky.
He’s going to buy the full bottle. I’ll just enjoy smelling it on him.

Update: I’ve been enjoying smelling the aromatic wake left from my boyfriend as he wears this as his signature. So I tried 4 sprays on myself and although I like the soapy, fizzy Lush bathbomb element, I became nose-blind to it quite quickly. At the end of a very long day, I could still smell it on his neck but I stopped detecting it on me over 10 hours ago. It just doesn’t work on my skin obviously.

Forget the abstract notes like pepperwood - the initial impression is one of tomato leaf, floralozone (sharp ozonic and lightly floral molecule), lavender/sage/lime (dihydromyrcenol), grapefruit, incense, and cassis (blackcurrant) leaf bud. This dries down to the classic grojsman accord of Iso E Super, hedione, ionones and musks.

The impression is one of an older man who has never lost his vital essence; who challenges himself and has never stopped developing his strength (inner and outer), endurance and willpower. His strength is fortified by time, wisdom and experience.

It is a scent that is as juicy green and alive as it is sobering and serious. The slight funk of the cassis bud gives it an unapologetically confident quality that demands confidence by the wearer in turn. This scent could be worn in anything but the hottest days and coldest nights.

Its composition is strikingly similar to a more mature and serious version of Comme des Garçons 2 Man, with its grapefruit dihydromyrcenol/incense/iso E super structure.

Creepy Herman. There he is, shadowing me whether I want him to or not. And he smells like what AI would create if they tried to simulate the smell of celery. He doesn't quite smell like celery, but some woody, peppery approximation of celery. There's a whiff of dried-up crumbling rose that I occasionally smell as Herman trails me down this grey cityscape of crumbling brick buildings. I'm not sure Herman is real. Perhaps he's AI as well. No matter how I try to lose him -- try to scrub him off -- he keeps coming back to haunt me. Once I finally find a way to get rid of him, I hope to never smell him again.

The notes look amazing and I generally like the brand. I impulsively bought this at the LuckyScent store in Hollywood. I'd love to review this fragrance but I can't smell it! I get faint whiffs of... something pleasant...but it doesn't last. Weird.

Wow I can’t believe anyone actually likes this horror show. It’s a synthetic bomb that is loud and sour dill pickle smelling. 🤮 Nasty doesn’t begin to describe it. I don’t get any of the florals or musk, just a terrible synthetic loud sour mess . I couldn’t wait to scrub it off. It does remind me of a very similar perfume I’ve smelt years ago. I don’t remember the name, probably coz I never wanted to smell it again and threw the sample out. Oh my goodness this is so bad. I sprayed it on my hand when I went out and nobody liked it. Ppl were grossed out by this smell. I regret buying a decant. I assumed from the notes and reviews that I would at least like it . But nope, I hated it so much that I’m never spraying this nasty thing again.
If you enjoy smelling like a huge sour dill pickle, this is for you.
Ughh as it dries down, the sour picked never leaves . That’s not rose. I know some of u ppl think you’re smelling the rose, no, roses don’t smell like pickles. Nor will you ever smell real rose oil in such a cheap perfume, it’s all synthetic fake rose. In this case the perfumer didn’t even get a rose smell but he did get PICKLE ! 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

This has a slight purple haze scent. It has a hint of black pepper and dry soil. I like it. I kinda smells like Room 1015's Sweet Leaf but more inviting! The floral scents blend in perfectly with the musk and patchouli.

Out of all the notes: I get the marijuana haze smell. It is sweet and projects!

Tested this again last night and it was really gorgeous. Not overly earthy, but sweet and rosey, and while I got rubber and leather last time i tested this this time around I got none of that. It's a fresh rose, a musky one, not the freshly cut one, with plenty of balsamics in the background. That seemingly strong earthy note is not really dominant. Galbanum adds a touch of herbal aspect to it but somehow I feel that it's more of a soft geranium than a galbanum which works really well here. Loving this one!

** 20x eldo set, 2 x 5 penhaligon sets, floris set, floraiku set all available for swap. Looking for UK based sample swappers happy to swap 20-50 samples at once - especially sets and niches but I have plenty of decanted samples too. Get in touch! **

This is a big-a** perfume. Rose, patchouli, pepper, galbanum- I feel like I'm walking around with my own orchestra. I loved wearing it for my fancy birthday dinner, but don't have many occasions to wear it. I suspect my decant will last quite awhile.

Edit: Tried this again last night after my shower and got very dry, woody incense. A little bit of incense stuck around until this morning and I zhuzhed it up with JHAG Not a Perfume. It's still a very occasional fragrance for me, but great for a chilly fall evening. My partner's a big fan.

The rose is very dominant in this fragrance and is the main player whereas other notes support the rose note. It has also a very unique scent, which I appreciate for a rose fragrance. The rainy watery scent is from the Geosmin, which I know has a rainy scent vibe. It's also earthy, damp, and woody which reminds me of the forest. All these notes give a contrast to the fragrance, floral rosy from one side and earthy woody from another side. Drydown is much better.

7.5/10

Cold and damp, but in a fresh, crisp, effervescent way. Peppery and vegetal. There's some ginger ale lurking in here.

Guys can anyone answer my question?
I bought a 50ml bottle and the juice inside was almost transparent, but once I got it down to almost empty I decided to buy a 100ml bottle and the juice is yellowish almost orange.
Help!?!

I blind bought this recently. Didn't spend a lot of money ($49) but was eager to try it based on the reviews and the notes.

It's a weird one. Don't know what to say. I've worn it five days on and off.

The first spray is very rosy. And slightly bitter, like breaking off a rose branch and sniffing the inside of the sliced wood.

The rose stays on. And then after about a half an hour a kind of herbal grass comes out. I'm ignorant or just staying ignorant about the notes because I'm just giving you my reaction to what I perceive.

Roses then grasses. Dry, herbal grasses but not very herbaceous, more like a field of dry grass. Arid. Dry. Herbal. Rose.

This is not a warm, sensual fragrance at all. It is more in the category of another scent I own: Hylands Bitter Rose, Broken Spear which is also a rose/pepper/herbal combination of notes. Also very cool and cerebral and introverted.

Either you will love Hermann or like it, but I doubt you'll hate because it is far too retiring and standoffish to have any strong effect on human skin or human hearts.

My first pickle fragrance!! I now know what people are talking about! Dill pickles!! I did get the pepper on the top note then a bit of rose then PICKLES. I won’t be purchasing but kinda excited I found what people are talking about 😂 then I get the wood shop smell.

Edit: had to scrub it!

This is remarkable! I don’t find that it smells “good”, but that’s okay. It’s interesting. It’s unique. To me it smells like autumn: rain and decay, cold and damp.

it reminds me of some other perfume but i cant put my finger on which... either way, this is very watery, patchouli, bordering on masculine. sadly i don't see anything extraordinary in it. it kind of smells like a church.

Oh wow, strong smell of frankincense on me (and a bit of ginger?) with a blast of black pepper. Not much rose. Smells like sniffing the pages of a musty old prayer book in a church. Delicious!

very glad i got a sample of this one first. was really hoping i'd like it based on the notes, but it's been a scrubber every time i've tried to give it another chance. however, i really like how it opens and it's a luxurious and intriguing experience for maybe the first hour or so?

at first, i get a very strong kick of tomato leaves and sunflowers, very sun-baked spicy and green. this evolves into a sharp rosemary scent, and that crisp herbiness lingers for a while before it blooms into a rich evergreen and petrichor scent. lots of perfumes say they smell like a forest, but this is the only one i've tried that really captures that rainwater-on-pine needles, decaying loamy duff, deep dark breathing trees experience accurately.

......and then that is swept under by a powerful tide of artificial marine scent that clings to my skin and is nigh impossible to scrub off. it's intensely cologne-y in a way that feels cheap and headache-inducing. just. the most generic Ocean Mist Body Spray imaginable, with maybe a hint of musk if you can tolerate getting close enough. i'm pretty disappointed, because if it had been able to maintain the opening notes for longer or dry down into something more pleasant, this would've been an instant favorite. it also has a much larger sillage than i prefer. i like more natural scents that linger closer to the skin, and this is the only one that's gotten a nose-wrinkling, disgusted "did you just put perfume on???" reaction from my loved one the second i walked in the room. usually she has to get closer to smell me and that's the way i prefer it.

am i... an eldo groupie now? i've loved all of their scents i've tried so far, and i am just obsessed with hermann à mes côtés*. but this is a very personal obsession, that goes beyond mere appreciation for a well-crafted fragrance. everyone i've shown this perfume to, myself included, has found themselves smiling perpexedly and saying it smells unique yet... familiar? "woody", said my dad; he also noted its strong sillage, albeit in less technical terms - "wow, that's strong!" (it was just one spritz, dad.) "a winter perfume. smells like woodworking and your grandfather," said my mom. "very different, very intriguing," said my boyfriend.

my own association was crystal-clear: the catholic churches i grew up attending, their elusive smell of wooden pews and wet basalt stone from the holy water basins beneath a thin haze of frankincense. it's eerily exact, as a bottled scent memory, and upon checking other reviews it would seem i'm not the only one. it leans a little masculine, but i like that. it's really the most realistic church-smell i've tried to date.

and there is rose here too! so enmeshed with the petrichor scent of geosmin and the pepperwood that you might miss it, but it makes the whole fragrance transcendentally beautiful. the subtle florals actually reinforce the churchlike feel for me, like arrangements placed beneath the altar. i'd wear this to a funeral. i'd wear this when i miss my grandfather's woodworking hands. if you like woody and earthy scents, you'll love this, and you might find it reminds you of your dead past, too.

*as a side note, i recommend reading the victor hugo poem that lends this scent its name. you can find the original french on eldo's french website, and a translation on the english page, it's very beautiful, and i think the fragrance suits it well.

I was gifted a bottle of this from my buddy Johnny. Shout out to you my friend!

I love ELDO - I am never bored with them and this is no exception. My first time wearing this tonight and it gives me the impression of the forest. That Hercules Club tree (which looks like it should be in a Tim Burton movie) and the Geosim give me a vibe of being in the woods as a thunderstorm is rolling in. The incense and pepper contribute to that feeling as well. I'm reminded of Ex Nihilo Citizen X, but this is fresher and more wide open. Less stuffy and business like, and more of a free spirit.
Performance is very good on my dry skin. Lasts a long time.

Scent 7.1/10
Performance 9/10

Their perfumes are all so unique and long lasting. I see this as a masculine fragrance, but maybe also unisex.

Melancholy, mysterious, and dark like a cemetary at night. Yet, it's alluring at the same time. I like it!

The scent of the Nick Cave song 'Where the wild roses grow'. Google the picture of Kylie Minogue lying in the pond whilst smelling it...

Buy must

Maybe it's my nose, I think it is, but when a perfume contains ambroxide, I can't usually get past it, with one or two exceptions. Sadly this falls into the broader category of aggressive ambroxide nightmares.

I can see why it might appeal, and it's certainly less obnoxious than Sauvage, but it has the heacachey, chemical mire I've come to detest in designer and niche fragrances alike.

HERMANN A MES COTES ME PARAISSAIT UNE OMBRE, is a tale of delicate contrasts; the pepper and resins give it a surprising dark and cold tone, while the aquatic notes lighten it and transform it into a cool breeze, like a rainy day by the sea or a deep breath of fresh and crisp night air.

Hermann is a statement piece in Eldo's lineup, a unique and evocative fragrance, melancholic yet elegantly serene. It revolves around a surprisingly cold and metallic black pepper, complemented by aquatic notes akin to those of a storm. The flowers, in the end, serve as a discreet yet impeccable frame.

The pepper leans towards the masculine side, but its uniqueness transcends gender stereotypes. Longevity and projection are good, but above all, perfect for what it is.

There's something sharp and - to my nose - unpleasant in this fragrance, I can't put my finger on what it is but it feels metallic, chemical and strong. Very much not my cup of tea.

Smells like a hand made bar of soap full of flower petals. A crazy cat lady gardening in the rain.

Started our strange but eventually got annoying and had to wash it off. Definitely not masculine but wouldn't like it on a woman either.

being raised by ludicrously religious relatives, i can tell you this is EXACTLY what a church smells like! the dirt and incense come through the strongest; this herbal scent is akin to the smell of an old basement. sounds repulsive, sure. it's a dealbreaker for most. i believe that the appeal of this fragrance is the memories it may evoke. regardless: a fascinating, sentimental fragrance for me; ill be needing a full 100ml.

Dirty soli feel mixed with clean floral notes.
Some earthy touches combined with soft fresh laundry almost pillow like cozy vibe.
There are some white flowers, some green leaves some dirty ground.
It's airy and a bit moist.
The incense here is very subtle. It is a not burned resin that has that citrusy sand feel.
There is a vegetal juiciness that reminds me of Rouge from CDG and Vétiver Écarlate from L'artisan Perfumer.

This could be a nice spring or summer scent for someone who wants something refreshing but going to a sophisticated, edgy direction.

Spiced earthy aquatic fragrance. A of frankincense, not much else. Falls short of expectations.

Stronger on paper than on skin. If you’ve ever wanted to smell like a fine soil, look no further. Poorly done.

Where I live we have 6 months of winter( Quebec City ) and this fragance completely captures the smell of an icy road , imagine the cleanest road cover by ice , smells cold and sterile ( of course there’s some rose and pepper pretty detectable but at the end it’s really cold

very harsh, not so much rose and very peppery. like black pepper. and this doesnt smell vaguely similar to toy boy

Wet, dirty asphalt with a sharp twang of rusted metal.
Similar to a rainy day in the city, but with an underlying repulsiveness I can't quite put my finger on.
That's all there is to Hermann. There are no florals, no spices, no hint of fruit.
Just an overwhelming, wet metallic kick to the olfactory system.

-The fragrance leans masculine.
-Very long lived. I could smell it 18 hours after application. It clings to hair and clothing.
-Everyone who smelled it was politely neutral or disliked it.

This smells...Sad. If feelings had scents, sad would definitely smell like Hermann. A moody, melancholic and sophisticated rose-dominated fragrance. Evokes the image of a rose laying on the sidewalk of a big city on a rainy night, and the stories that rose witnessed.

damp, melancholic, romantic, mysterious. shapeshifts in accordance with its narrative— not linear by any means, but a strong performer nonetheless. opening dons a camphorous screech every now & again but has so many stages that it’s worth it either way. you are the shadowy, evocative protagonist— wear it proudly!

a big, wet, shadowy space. but not like a forest. more like a recently cleaned commercial bathroom. then, after a LONG while, the rose blooms on me and gets sweeter and sweeter. this one just changes a lot as I wear it. I'm still not sure how I feel, except that I want to try it again and see what happens.

Quentin Bisch is one of the most hit or miss perfumers for my personal taste. When he is a miss, he's a major "get this away from me" miss. But when it's a hit, like with this, I gladly wallow in it.

The balance of earthy, mineral-like elements with a gauzy, velvet petal rose and a peppery mahogany seal makes this a treat for warmer conditions. Diffusive without being dense, Hermann's foremost virtue is that its almost tactile crispness, igniting olfactory receptors like the tiniest sparks and sizzle. Musk bubbles float, frankincense puffs twirl. Then there is smoke in the bubble, or bubbles in the smoke. I can't really decide, but it stirs with a magnetic sillage around my personal space.

This is a modern perfume that I agree with. It doesn't always need to nod to classical or vintage composition, it just needs to coalesce and feel evocative, and this does it. I feel good wearing this, it is a dopamine reward, a stimulating wear, and feels effortlessly watery and colorful.  

Gave this precious sample one for a friend yesterday so might as well wrote down a bit about how much it floors me as a hodgepodge of distinct warmth scent. It sort of brought me into complete love of rose made in a very subtle foil like a damp wet petals in the haemorrhaging assault of earth and powder/pepper by the first sprays, and it dries down into coolness of those watery smokes that embellished everything it gave impression of. It’s the synthetic saturation of moss with every aroma of wet earth that I can’t get enough of. It gave you standing of everything to appreciate imposition from soil to upmost ozone. Aloof yet inviting nature of it making it a very unisex, hemaphrodite-like fragrance that gave near mystical intoxication of modernity and the melancholia it entails

Let me preface this review with an acknowledgement of the deepest respect for both Quentin Bisch and Etat libre d'Orange. Both produce intriguing, beguiling and provocative works worth such noble consideration. However, this creation, and its unbridled use of Geosmin, black pepper and rose, leave quite a camphorous footprint and strangely sour note in my mouth. And although the brief was looking for a 'shadow-like' presence according to its name, I feel this is either a bit too intuitive, or a desperate attempt to appear ironically punk rock. Maybe the latter is true, and we are witnessing the proclamation of a true ELDO rebellion, or maybe I feel like an injured athlete, freshly greased with a medicated rub, and left to convalesce in the soft, shaded grass.
But, does that work?
While its mature nature leaves me feeling nostalgically warm and oddly magnetized, for over $150 a bottle I could offer an alternative. Ten dollars and your closest drugstore could ensure the same effect, and may even offer a little muscle relief in the process. I'll leave that for you all to decide for yourselves. As for me, I'm afraid it's a pass.

It smells synthetic flowery, peppery and airy to me. I can't detect any rose in this. I got Moschino Toy Boy and there's NO resemblance between them.

To comment on the scent, it's smell has 2 main stages. First is, a wet purple flower, growing at the base of a softly pollen covered playground. the drydown, is an attractive, incense burning hippy with dark features, waiting to converse with you. This is just.. magical. You cannot be a fragrance lover and not appreciate this.

This is absolutely a true unisex scent. Need confidence, or mystery. If you lack those you simply can't wear this scent, and I'm not that type of person to exclude people at all. This, is immediately a top 5 scent for me. I ordered this, and electimuss silvanus in one order, they are VERY similar. Electimuss being sharper, soapy, musky. Hermann being a softer, more sensual scent. This is an absolute MUST HAVE for anybody that has been through a massive GLOW UP!

Instantly I smell rose, slightly sweet petals, pepper, cold dewy musk, and some green and earthy notes. It is very clean and fresh. It gets sweeter, less green, and more earthy/dirty/incensy as it dries down. Smells like I imagine a bright green and pink rose garden would smell after a heavy spring rain with dark clouds still covering the sky creating a dimmed, gray, and calming daylight; in other words full of contrast. It is dark, cold, and soulless, but kind of comforting - just like a shadow. The description by the brand is spot on. This is a perfect spring wear, especially for rainy/cloudy days during late spring when all the plants and trees are super green. I would also love to wear this straight out of the shower as it is very fresh. I really enjoy this fragrance, and it gets a 7/10 from me.

bought it today, two hours ago. opened the box, and was watching the bottle for half an hour- somehow l was so afraid to smell it... first thought was that it smells like my tree scizzors after cuting a rose bush, literally, it smels like the rose stems, not the rose blossoms itself.. so fresh and dark at the same time, somehow Im getting a funeral vibe, after an hour the fregrance smells like those garlands at the funerals from flowers and Balsam fir tree, l imagine this juice smells like a fresh grave with those garlands of flowers and balsam fir branches.. dark, wet, somehow addictive, not a date night or night out fregrance for sure guys, mature, calm, Im sure Fangorn, the shepherd of trees from LOTR smells like this, wise, 2000 years old, with sparkles in his eyes, Im sure about that :) good juice, love it. update after 10 days of wearing this juice, guys, its a monster, it stays on skin for ages, dont even think of moisturising your skin before spraying this juice on you, because it will stay on you for a week, soap wont wash it off guys, man, what a power it has :) update nr.2 24h+ I still can smell it on me guys!!!! and not like faint shades of fregrance but very clear strong structure of the parfume, gosh, how long will it take to fade away?!!!! :D

Although not listed in the notes, this gives a slight spicy peppery / clove-like note to it that I really don't enjoy (maybe this is what the pepperwood note is). The opening was nice but it gets a bit disappointing as it dries down and that note really starts to stand out. It's a shame that there was no noticeable fruitiness from the Calypsone. If this had the spiciness toned down a bit and the fruitiness bumped up I think I'd like it a lot more personally. However I can absolutely see how someone would like this.

Suitable for spring/fall and cooler summer days.

I was stoked to try a few samples from this brand and this was the only one I ended up liking! It was very masculine for my own tastes but my brother ended up loving it so I passed it on to him. It smelled like meeting a smart, cute guy in a bookstore or something.

Hermann a Mes Cotes Me Paraissait Une Ombre is a unique scent that smells of moist soil, incense (I smell it in the opening), musk, a faint rose note, and is sweet, smokey, and cool. This has been a love at first sniff for me.

This is a perfect summer perfume for men. There is some kind of unisex, calm, cool. floral accord in the freshness of the watery cool crispness. It has a cold, frosty, piercing feel about it, more male than female, almost ethereal.

I recommend testing it on your skin before purchasing a full bottle. Longevity on my skin is of approximately 6 hours.

I can’t get enough of this perfume from ELDO, it is impossible to get saturated with the mossy aroma of wet earth; this is just beautiful.

This smells like some sort of romantic 18th century villain. When I first smelled this I felt myself going into an evil speech about how I'm gonna take over the world or something similar. But in all seriousness this is an AMAZING fragrance. It smells inviting yet still somewhat mysterious. Just like exchanging glances with a good looking stranger across the bar. Comforting enough to get close yet mysterious enough to want to know more. I can't really explain a ton of the notes as most of them are new to me, but it all meshes together into this grand wood with a clearing, a masked stranger standing there with a mask holding a rose. They beckon you to come forward and take you on an adventure the like of which you have never seen, and man. I'm all in.

Just Wow!!! This is very unusual!! Brings me memories of a man cologne from when I was little,not sure exactly where from !! I don't think it's very feminine but that connection with the past really makes me want to buy a bottle. Mosses, green, something like medicinal in it, very weird perfume- can't describe it lol! Most likely I buy a bottle:-))

alice strays from the path and stumbles upon a rose. enraptured by its dark velvety heart and pinky red petals, she settles herself on a nearby bed of dewy mosses and small delicate twigs. "what a perfectly lovely wood this is," she remarks to the rose. "I don’t mind so much losing my way when everything is so curious and full of whimsy."

"be careful of my thorns," warns the rose, "be wary of the forest’s miry ways, for the trees cast long shadows and trickery lurks behind every knot and branch..."

when I first tried this, i couldn’t fathom how anyone could call it rosy or sweet — it was all green-blueness and chilly pine to me. But after neglecting it for months, I finally tried it again and this time found it: a watery, faintly tangy sweetness, the sort that wafts through cold evening air and catches you off guard for a blissful moment ...

Fresh, almost sour roses mixed with soil and something ozonic. I also detect a subtle woody, almost incense-y smell.
Maybe nice if smelled off someone, but on me it's a no thanks.

loves ittttt. On me, it goes super cedar and rosy. It presents this really neat contradiction between masc and fem, clean and dirty, mysterious and familiar. In a word: dichotomy

Smells like the shadow of a rose. A cold distant encompassing memory wrapped in a moment of unforgettable time

Smelling this perfume is like drinking Fentimans Rose Lemonade. I love both. Signature scent worthy.

nice boyfriend scent. best worn in bed, on a rainy day or watching a movie

Green roses, pepper, dry cold musk, and rain on stone.

Ethereal and imposing.
Distant and inviting.

I love this green musk. It projects moderately for around 3 hours then stays on the skin for 6+.
For me it dances in and out of my perception. As someone who doesn't like typical "Cologne" smells, this is a perfect reach for warmer weather.

Initial opening hits you in the face with a rosy smell. Petals, stem, leaves and all. Not in a floral way but like a rose out in the wild. Sharp, bright, loud, caught me off guard and I was like "holy f**k, dude." Almost to a point where you hope it doesn't last like this for its entire longevity. But the overall scent is so addicting and I find myself constantly sniffing it.

30 minutes in, the magic happens. Initial sharpness tones down, rose scent lingers in an airy bubble around you, not in a floral bouquet kind of way but in a moist and effervescent manner. Now I'm saying, again, "holy f**k, dude", completely intoxicated in the scent.

Definitely masculine IMO. Overall, it has this mysterious vibe, almost poetry-like, where it makes you want to wear it on an overcast, possibly a rainy day. But the airyness of it also makes it wearable on a bright spring day.

My first niche fragrance and it has so much character compared to all my designer fragrances. Not to say they are bad, but such a different approach where it feels like this one is trying to tell a story, rather than aim for mass appeal.

Not very versatile. I'd say this is more of a mood scent; you wear this when you're in a certain mood or want to be in it. But, for some reason, a very addicting scent that you reach for daily just to get a sniff off the atomizer; like a long time, since childhood, super attractive but not-so-good-for-you, bad female best-friend that you want to stay away from but can't resist and always end up hooking up whenever she calls you, just to find yourself alone the next morning when you wake up.

Didn't know anything about this house, and never tried any other fragrances from them before. This was a blind buy just based on the rose main accord. Kind of blown away by this one. The reviews seemed very polarized and all over the place. It starts off as a slightly denser Declaration d'Un Soir Intense with a hint of cinnamon and orange zest, and then after a couple of hours dries down to a lighter, airier Toy Boy with a hint of orange zest. It's kind of it's own thing, but nowhere near as crazy as the reviews would make it seem. Just a very pleasant multi stage spiced rose. The dry down is addictive. I can see it not being for everyone, but no one should be afraid of it.

For me it remains a secret how a woody rose from the first minutes of use can turn into a fresh scent afterwards. I do not see anything dark in it. When you test it: just spray and monitor it from 15 to 15 minutes. It plays and changes on the skin.

This does resemble Toy Boy, but this is way more clean, aquatic, airy. TB is somewhat thick and well, noticably synthetic, while this has the toy boy florals, some citric-like watery note and the ozonic smell you get after the rain (still synthetic tho). It's like it's a flanker, like Toy Boy Eau or Cologne. While it is rosey petaly, I can't point it to a gender as it's watery ozonic in character. Spacious. Will suit anyone and anywhere, not for winter though as I think the cold might kill it. There's even a minty/menthol/eucalyptus like somewhere here (patchouli aspect I guess).

This is a really dark earthy rose. Very much a dirt like fragrance. Would suit a man, I don't like it.

One word to describe this perfume - Dark. This is one of those perfumes that you think smells like other colognes but also isn't, very conflicting. The rose is not sweet floral at all but earthy and muddy in a way. The strong pepper can be masculine to some but the dry down is absolutely pleasant. I usually spray this on my clothes the night before or it can be quite strong(in my opinion)

Utterly gorgeous, the most unique Rose I've smelled so far. Not jammy or powdery, instead I find it very wet or moist, also somewhat vegetal & very fresh. It gets a bit earthy & woodsy later but that Rose to my nose is always there.

Very Unisex but leans on the more Masculine side of the fence but again, still Unisex. Seems to have a good Longevity and Sillage feels on the average side or slightly above.

Very intriguing scent. Very mysterious. More masculine. Melancholic rainy day perfume. I need more time to understand it.
I would not wear it, but it’s not bad.
I don’t recommend to blind buy it.

After 10-15 minutes it’s a headache for me (on my skin).

Churchy incense with something sweet and mysterious. Addicting.

Quentin Bisch again- performance and sillage are fantastic.

Scent- Rain on a non blossoming rose garden, which turns mineralic / earthy. Eventually landing in a blue/ozonic note with ambroxan. Actually very well done, albeit slightly odd— just as Ganymede by same perfumer.

Worth a try, more masculine to me. Will buy a bottle- easy signature scent, easily likable scent. Defintely synthetic but that’s fine with me.

Try on skin- on paper, I get 2hours of camphor / menthol but on skin that’s gone in 5min.

I really love this. However, my skin has a weird reaction to it and ends up making me smell like old tires. :( Most likely the calypsone and saltiness, it also happens to me with Every Storm a Serenade and Eau de Lierre.

It's an otherwise mysterious, spicy but not in the way you think, type of scent. The floral and patchouli notes make it more inviting. The rose is not particularly strong. An aloof fragrance, if you will, in an "I read literature and drink tea" sort of way. Less upper-class than 1899 HdP, more a sophisticated starving artist. The geosmin will make you want to keep revisiting. Dry down is the best part.

Its a love! Makes me think of being in the forest at twilight after a long rainy night. Definitely very unique and artsy, its perfect for those inbetween seasons like Spring and Fall.

This is such a nice, soft, and subtly spicy/floral fragrance. If it was a color, it would be light green. Guys, don't let the rose in the notes scare you, it's nothing as prominent as in Toy Boy for instance. If I even can pick up the rose, it's as a general floral mix that is very classy and decidely masculine to my nose. I really don't know that I'd love smelling it on a female. Granted, attitude is everything and the right woman could probably rock Bentley Intense and have me swooning. I bought it with low expectations, but I think it's one of the best from the house for men, along with Marquis De Sade.

very piney with a droplet of moisture beading at the tip of the needle. you break it in half and crush it between your thumb and index finger. It's cold, the time before nightfall where the sky is so intensely blue it seems to pierce the air around you. Not unpleasant ~

This is my signature fragrance, I am very partial to it in the review below.

I reviewed this fragrance probably a year ago and I have to say that I have fallen even deeper in love. It's kind of offensive because of the ambroxan nuke, but it's so pleasant to me with the incense and the patchouli that I cannot resist.

I will say, fragrantica is missing about half of the notes in this entry. The correct notes are: Blackcurrant buds*, black pepper*, galbanum*, calypsone*, geosmin, frankincense*, pepperwood, petalia, rose absolute, patchouli, and ambroxan (* denotes a missing note in the fragrantica entry). What you actually end up smelling is a incense-y rosy peppery camphor thing that doesn't smell much like anything I can think of. The dose of ambroxan is a little much, so if you're going to wear this around people, don't go crazy. 2 Sprays max!!! Only do one if you know you're going to be in close quarters! This stuff lasts and lasts, and it's very captivating to people who sniff you.

The whole composition is absolutely unique in its category and you'd be hard-pressed to find similar fragrances. I own a full-size bottle of Toy Boy by Moschino, which can be compared but isn't very similar at all. Toy Boy is flirtatious and youthful, while Hermann is meditative, mysterious, and totally ageless. It's vampy, conceptual, and unquestionably gorgeous. 10/10.

Big salty ambroxan on me with a touch of green rose…. was hoping for something different! This is almost metallic on my skin and something that is a bit repulsive (cant pin it down)? There is almost a fishy marine like quality that I can see some people enjoying, but I have to pass.

Eldo has some great offerings, unfortunately this isnt one if them.

Edit: as this dries down, it gets a lot better! Less sour, more floral and those rose really pops. However, it is like a less soapy Exit the King and not much else. This definitely gets better as it dries, but the first few hours a bit too sour for me.

To me, the opening smells strongly of oranges and roses.
Once it dries down, the orange and rose remain but are more evenly mixed with a soft woody scent. It's quite interesting, and I haven't smelled anything else like it. There's also a gentle musk, and I sense a slight hint of amber way in the background.

I don't know why no one else is mentioning the smell of oranges in their review. Maybe my mind/nose is playing tricks on me because of ELDO's name. But I still smell it even with the knowledge that I could be imagining it.

This fragrance is unique but also timid in a way. It's not bold or masculine, nor is it particularly airy or feminine. It's 100% unisex, and it's quite pleasant. Rather than being assertive, it is calm, gentle, and peaceful. Imagine relaxing next to a lake on a warm spring day with an orange grove nearby. It smells like that.

A wonderful presentation of roses. The green note is supported by a slightly damp, moist note. In the background, there is a rose that feels very airy.

One of the designers I like the most is Toy boy. It has 60-70% similarity with Hermann. Because of the green rose association. Hermann also has similarities with Experimentum Crusis. But Hermann is a much more experimental and thematic perfume. Of course, Hermann is more versatile than Crusis. You can use Hermann even in summer days that are not very hot.

Projection is also great and longevity is 10-12hours. Be careful with sprays, it can choke you above 3 sprays..

It seems too linear to me - just the pepperwood and that’s it, can’t detect other notes

dont get me wrong.

I really love this perfume. never smelled anything like it. rosy decay. the flowers and mycellium and bacteria are all thriving and consuming after the rain. think the BG color combination in magic the gathering ifykyk. but I have a hard time envisioning exactly what occasion I would wear this. I'm not sure it's sexy enough for a date and might be too brooding for a formal event. maybe just when youre moody. yes this is something you can wear when you're reliving your early-mid 2000s emo days. unisex leaning slightly masculine. 4-6 hrs mild projection.

8.5/10

Am I a sucker for good marketing and nice storytelling? Yes.
Did I smell this scent 2 years and completely dismissed it? Yes.
Did something click recently and randomly in me about this scent? Oh yes.

I recently had the inexplicable desire to reach out for my sample of this after 2 years. I didn't hate it the first time around, but I certainly didn't think much of it. At the time and upon sampling the range, I think I was just too in love with Une Amourette to care about anything else.

But this time, I got it. The moody forest. The rain. The soil. The rose which has been sitting at the bottom of a pool of rainwater for a few hours, which you pick up and sniff, grabbing some fresh, wet soil in your hand at the same time.

It's dark, it's moody, borderline melancholic, but so bright at the same time. It's a shape shifter of a scent. It will pick you up and show you its lightness if you're down and want to be picked up. It will reveal Its darkness and its moodiness if you're not in the mood and wish to remain that way.

It has moderate but good sillage, projecting just enough for people around you to comment that you smell lovely and, "oh, so very French, moody and mysterious."

It's brilliant. I don't have a signature scent but if I did, it could be it. Hermann, I'm sorry I didn't understand you at first my friend. ELDO... Bravo.

Very interesting and complex perfumery. Quentin Bisch is the master of these subtle, molecule-esque, synthetic (in a good way) fragrances that will challenge your sense of smell and offer it something it's never been offered before, while being subtle.

The scent itself takes me back to my childhood years when I would follow my grandpa deep in the forest at 1300m altitude (4300ft for my american friends) as his morning routine and pick up mushrooms and wild strawberries & even blueberries, most reminiscing of an earthy forest after a soft morning rain.

A big like, would've been a love if it wasn't so exceptionally specific, so you wouldn't wear this often.

Something about this scent brings me a feeling of peace and quiet. This fragrance to me is like a cool, drizzly, late Fall or very early Spring day in the woods. It’s a breath of clean, fresh air. The “aquatic” note in here is definitely freshwater instead of saltwater. There’s plenty of rose, but it’s not like a bush full of pink roses - the roses in this are like a darker, wild variety. I also detect some kind of metallic or mineral note, which I think helps produce that petrichor impression.

It’s also got great longevity and respectable sillage, though not too much of either that I would consider it obnoxious. I was pleasantly surprised this morning when my boss complimented me on it this morning in the elevator! She’s complimented me a couple of times before on my fragrances, but it’s always been when I’m wearing something much sweeter and obviously feminine-targeted.

Overall, I really like this fragrance, and could see myself loving it as I get better acquainted with it. I definitely appreciate how unique it is without being overly challenging.

mulled wine. green rose stems, but masculine

First perfume that I try from the brand!
Pretty impressed by it. It's trully different, almost austere. I guess ELDO somethimes really make quirky scents!
Reminds if Encre Noire, not a clone by any means, but in the same ballpark. It doen't really smell like a perfume.

I can't see the comparision to Toy Boy whatsoever. Toy Boy is pretty agreeable, rosy and overall designery( I am not hating on it, the two are vastly different in my opinion).

Starts with a hefty dose of pepperwood and some floral elements, that I can't pinpoint exactly. This stage lasts maybe 15-20 mins and then it transitions into an earthy, slightly wet mishmash with some patchouli and ambroxan. The end result reminds me of wet soil and leaves with some flowers underneat! It stays that way untill the end of it's life. It's not a complex frag by any means, but it has a character and makes it's presence known!

On my skin it has excellent longevity- around 8 hrs. The projection is rather tame though- maybe half of an armslenght for 1,30 hrs and then sits rather close to the skin. It's not a projection beast, but people close by will notice it

I see it suitable for fall and spring, imo this would be heavy for summer's heat( summer is 4 months long in my city with temperatures in the mid 30's Celsius). In fact this is fall and early/mid spring in a bottle. It's on my spring list for 2023.

In conclusion- an austere frag, dark, slightly smoky, eathy, with some light floral elements, masculine. Seems to fit the transitional seasons better- spring and fall, although it may work on some chilly summer evenings. Decent lifespan and projection. Can be found for a bargain in some discounters( I wouldn't pay retail)

9/10
11/10 for creativity

Wet, woody rose. Kind of like a more masculine counterpart to Eau de Protection - where EDP is sensual and vampiric, Hermann is cleaner and cooler, like a misty forest at sunrise. I am a lifelong aquatic hater, but the watery notes in this in this are just about on the right side of pleasant for me.

Starts more interesting than it finishes. The top is an interesting minty rose and pepper. This quickly dries down to a peppered woody dry amber. At the end it does the thing that so many aquatic notes do on my skin - go soapy. It's not offensive, but I'm not a big fan of soap notes in my scent. Managed to get a couple of hours' worth of an interesting journey before the soapy ending.

This scent is a work of art. To me, it’s more masculine than feminine.
If you know the poem, you can picture the scene. This smells like a forest at night, it has just rained, and there’s a bush of thorny roses you’re staring right into.
Some say this scent is a bit melancholic. I agree. But I’d say it’s not a “sad” scent. It’s a scent a passionate person would wear.
Rain, love, death, nature, rebirth.
If I was a male, I’d get a full bottle of this. But I can’t pull it off lol. If I had a bf I’d gift it to him.

I only have an 8ml sample of this, but I really like it.
This to me smells like a damp morning in a forest, and I love being out in the woods so I dont mind having the forest on me.

My absolute favorite scent and my signature ever since i got my full sized bottle. I don't even know how to properly describe it (primarily because I've yet to develop the skill of consistently picking out specific notes) but it's gorgeous.

I initially got a tester for this after researching every available ELDO tester available, and this one was the one that immediately stood out to me thanks to the reviews (thank you guys!).

It opens quite sharp, I assume the pepper wood, but you can also immediately tell theres rose underneath. It definitely gives me a rainy vibe, even though the petrichor scent many people rave about doesn't stand out to me as much. As it dries down the sharpness recedes a little and starts mixing in more with the rest of the notes.

My only complaint about this is that the performnce is kind of meh. The sillage is somewhat lacking, but aside from that I'm so happy I found this.

It's cool and cerebral. It vaguely reminds me of Encre Noir (it's the vetiver note, I think), but it's much crisper. I'm usually not a fan of rose but here somehow it works beautifully.

Very much rose, of course, but to me it's a green kind of rose, maybe the stem of the flower? The added geosmin is there and it makes this a kind of a one of a kind kind of fragrance. People might not know if it's your perfume that smells or if it's your laundry-gone-bad. Damp, sloshy, unique and splendid. I really love this.

The reviewer before me mentioned pencil shavings and I am in agreement. Pencil shavings plus pickle juice to my nose.

To be honest, all I get is pencil shavings from this when it's on my skin..

now, let me get something off my heart...this is the fragrance that keeps on frustrating me for a couple of reasons...it is absolutely unique, right balance between the metallics and florals, it gets more serious when the pepper kicks in and also black currant gives it all a good twist. the fragrance is as unique as it can get. Zo me at least, it doesn't have that gothic vibe that everyone is talking about. Its very modern, melancholic, concrete jungle, big city type of fragrance but that is not the thing that hot me so mad. What got me mad is that from all ELDO fragrances I liked Hermann the most and it could have been my new signature fragrance but then the disappointment when it comes to the performance...it lasts barely a few hours and almost doesn't have sillage and I tested it in the winter season so I couldnt blame the heat. It stayed on the cloths but my skin soaked ot in no time fully and thats why I cannot decide if I love or hate it because of that one reason. Ok, Ill stop Im getting angry again

I remember the day I tested this. It was one of those late spring days when the sun is warm but the air still very fresh and cool, you can still sense the morning dew. I wore an easy white t-shirt and a black blazer, walking through the city the tall trees were moving in the slight wind and the wafts of this amazing smell were coming from somewhere. I didn't think it was me until I was back at my office and smelled my arm. What a gorgeous fresh, earthy and rose perfume this is. To me it's a really good day at work with a meeting outside, you succeed at every single task and the weather is perfect. Also very sexy for a woman. Love!

I do not usually make accounts to write reviews about a fragrance but the amount of compliments I have received for this fragrance surprises me all the time. To my senses it feels moody and yet bright which is contradictory I know but for me there is a strong pepper and damp note going on that always makes me feel relaxed and ready to tackle my day when I smell it. However I will say that this fragrance doesn't suit or work for everyone, for a few of my relatives that have tried it they have found it to be very Rose heavy on their skin.

As I first tried this perfume in a huge niche perfume shop in Hannover-Germany. I already decided to buy it even before trying it, because of its long and practically fascinating name, hoping that it ain't get lost in translation, which means "Hermann please come to my side, I thought I saw a shadow" and I said to my self a big YES, that"s it, that has to be it, it's got to be the one, I mean its name speaks for it, well, then I tried it, and yeass, I mean it's a high quality example of mass pleaser stuff, which Quentin Bisch seems to be specialized in for years. My nose didn't get a distinct rose note btw, I found it quite on masculine side actually (probably thanks to the overdose of ambroxan, which I adore btw) I didn't detect a predominant geosmine note either (smell of earth after rain) Actually it's a very well blended "everyone shall love it" perfume, which seems to have reached its aim quite succesfully IMO, and it's my favorite scent for gym and for afternoon beach parties.

I wasn't very much into this fragrance, because I still often perceive rose as a grandma scent, but I kept sniffing my arm after trying Hermann 1st time in local perfumery.

I decided to get 10ml decant and today, after wearing finishing it I can summarize it quite accurately.

First of all it's so versatile! I absolutely loved it on myself every time I was wearing it - it's definitely uplifting. My alpha male friend described it as 14yo girl's scent, but I think he couldn't be more wrong about it!

It's really great, everyday casual (think white t-shirt+jeans) scent for spring however favourite and perfect situation I can picture using Hermann is romantic, warm evening, summer setting when you want to smell alluring (at least as a man) and laid back at the same time.

In my case it's strictly rose scent with very prominent geosmin note, which in case of Hermann smells together like rose flowers after rain, but not in your garden - more like a wild valley illuminated in the morning with the first rays of the sun - that's picture in my head, when I'm wearing it and that's what perfectly captured @NoClock in his review.

What really surprised me almost everyone that smelled it on me said they can't really distinguish the rose - more like some kind of earthy/aquatic/ozonic smell with some spicy facets - must be because of pepperwood/hercules club and geosmin I guess.

The next thing I absolutely love about Hermann is great performance. Boy, it projects a lot with just couple of sprays (I usually go from 3 to 6 which can be overwhelming for some) for even 3h and longevity is about 6-7h+ in my case.

No doubts it's unisex, but in my opinion it will smell more interesting on men than women, as it's not usual generic male composition.

I'm defnitely getting full bottle of this and I think it can be worth retail price for some of you. Scent is simple, bit synthetic, quite linear but it's doing it's job. Strong 7+/10 in my book, considering all things mentioned above.

//Edit: Got FB in regular price and I think it's worth it.

I write my reviews for my own future reference, and test blindly, not researching or looking up the name, notes, etc. till writing down my first impressions.

Opens. Wait, did it open? My experience with this house is that so many scents are not very noticeable. My fear here is another dud. Even if I don't like something, I still want to be able to smell it! Spraying more again later, I get a brief moment of something barely light and floral, but the base alcohol dominates. This is all very brief. After, it is a flat olive oil scent as it dries down that is more dominant, but again not very noticeable. A little later tomato skins are added to the mix, but the scent has low sillage. I feel I've had to really layer it on to get this far, not a very economic position. As the day progresses, the scent is the same, intimate tomato skins floating in olive oil. Vegetable like, ever so slightly earthy, and intimate. Hours later after that, the same. Looking at the notes now, I'm perplexed, I get the geosmin description a little bit. Maybe a bit of just rained on clean concrete, but it's a hard argument and ever so slight. Rose, ok a boring rose that has barely any smells itself. While it lasted longer than expected, it just isn't all there for me. I may like the concept more if there was more there to experience.

the opening is as promised: wonderful wet earth and shadowy rose. but I was disappointed to find that it dries down on my skin to a very simple fresh cologne smell of pleasant musk and synthetic amber with a hint of rosy patchouli and spice. it fades along those lines.

I mean, it's fine! the balance of notes is honestly lovely, evoking faded impressions of much bigger, less wearable classic perfumes. for example, it doesn't smell like coco edp, but it's reminiscent of a tissue from my grandmother's pocket, who had put on coco edp for a party two days before.

it feels plenty wearable and unisex, just not interesting enough to be something I put into rotation. reading the reviews, it's clearly something that smells very different on different people, so I'd say it's worth a try if it sounds appealing!

My favourite scent i have in collection.
Great performance, complex, light and strong at the same time.

This is a photograph.
A light rain falls in Quebec City at Summer’s end. The sun sets behind a dense grey wall of clouds. Shadows grow long and ill defined, colour becomes muted in the dim. Framed by historical faces of shops and pubs that line the city street a young tourist couple share an umbrella as they search for somewhere warm and lively to eat. They are not the subject of the photo but merely an part of the greater scene.

This is a lightly aquatic rose framed in grey concrete. The absence of anything green gives a muted urban feeling to the scent. The light aquatics bring to mind rain. It’s a relaxing scent, but it is a photograph not a story. There is no begging middle or end. It seems almost entirely synthetic, which explains the lack of progression. Some people think synthetic is a bad word but there are very few fragrances that don’t use them to some extent, and this not the headachy sort. It takes a lot of skill to use them as well as Mr Bisch has done here.

I concur; rose, rain, and concrete. Man made.
A younger me would have loved this but these days I’m looking for something a little deeper. I’ll enjoy my 30ml bottle but probably won’t replace it. Worth checking out though.

It does have a gloomy sky dewy rose vibe that somehow manages to capture the smell of rain and damp concrete, and I find it incredibly sexy.

Overwhelmingly smells like fresh ginger to me. Subtle patchouli as it settles and maybe a hint of musk. Thought it was my skin but it smells virtually the same to me sprayed on clothes. What's strange is I picked up a very strong scent of blackcurrant upon opening the box but I can hardly notice it when sampled.

This is very beautyfull! I need to revisit in diffrent weather and give it to my mum to test on her.
But at the moment it is90% the same as Toy Boy Moscino, I own and love that silly little bear, so for me it would be redundant to own both especialy cuz ToyBoy is a cheapy.
But Herman is non the less beautyfull and well made!

smells like pickles on my skin

Fresh spicy, sweet, wet, rain, earthy. Would not have guessed rose, there is a sweetness to it. A little bit of a rubbery smell, maybe the pepperwood? Makes it masculine but definitey more unisex overall. Definitely unique, makes you think what am I smelling here? But overall not one I would buy just because of the rubbery / leathery aspect. I like the fresh rain / soil aspect of it though.

** 200 samples for swap UK - check my customs, get in touch! **

Definitely smells like I expected it to based on the reviews, albeit a bit less ozonic/wet and more spicy and rosy. Definite rose. Cool notes, creative smell. Just barely masculine. Actually good performance. Recommend.

Stimulating. A rose just after a rain, both floral and ozonic, but also quite spicy because of the pepperwood (which is a little too heavy for me). This is a rare rose fragrance than leans more masculine (to my nose, at least). For some reason this would seem to go nicest on a swarthy Mediterranean man with thick stubble (which is decidedly not me).

A smokey, slightly earthy rose that is strangely not pompous for being a rose-based fragrance. I can definitely sense the aquatic and geosmin notes, which makes this fragrance well-rounded and I'd agree with the "romantic" feeling described in some comments below. In total honesty I'm one of those people who see rain as romantic, and if you agree I would perhaps recommend a sniff of this.

ELDO Hermann A Mes Cotes Me Paraissait Une Ombre (2015) - rose geosmin (2015) - #quetinbisch ‘s perfume is beautifully contemplative. Reminds the wearer of rained on soil and Japanese incense sticks. There’s also a camphor-like element mixed with a rose-patchouli accord. At the base, I get White musk and the dry, woody, and ambery smell of Ambroxan.

The way rose is handled in this reminds of Marrakech Intense, in the sense that both rose notes are done with a light hand, serve the overall composition rather than jumping out, and are juxtaposed with woody and spicy notes. Both Hermann and Marrakech both exist outside of the masculine/feminine binary, and could be worn by anyone who likes the scent. They are not that similar in how they specifically smell, just that they are linked conceptually in my mind. Marrakech is drier, warmer, smoother, while Hermann wetter, cooler, and bit more jagged with the pepper.

There is link in my mind between the two, at least abstractly. I feel this as far as the comparison goes to Baie 19 as well- conceptually linked, but don't actually smell anything like one another.

The geosmin opening is very nice, and it a gives a fairly accurate, if slightly synthetic (not a negative in this case) atmospheric wet earth feel to the opening. Definitely get rainy garden vibes with the rose mixed in. After the opening, the rose, pepper and woodiness start to move to the forefront, with some of the wet soil geosmin still mixing in. At this stage, Hermann is at its most complex to my nose.

Following the heart notes, it quickly dries down to a peppery woody (ambroxan?) skin scent where it stays for hours and is linear from there on out. Thankfully, I enjoy this stage, and really dig the transitions from the 3 distinct stages of Hermann. After going through a sample of this, I have a 30ml on the way, which should last for quite some time, as this is more of an occasional wear for me.

Despite lacking a little smoothness to want to wear daily, it really scratches an itch between a few touchstones of fragrance (woody, peppery, earthy, aquatic, floral/rose) while bringing something new to the table. On the occasions I do want to wear it, it really hits home, especially in the cool, grey, midwestern spring.

I was initially excited about this one given the foresty themed reviews and main accord of rose; but I only pull the aquatic notes. And that wouldn't have been a problem if aquatic scents didn't always give me the knee jerk reaction to vomit. It's so odd to where I can't completely write off this scent, it's probably very nice, but for me...it's a hard no.

A very romantic scent.
There’s a metallic note that feels like electric air right before a rainstorm. Somewhere it’s raining already, and the wind is bringing the smell of wet grass and stone.
Just beautiful.

Creamy floral. If you imagine a rose, you will be betrayed in a good way. A gentle scent that is closer to ladies.

A rainy, moody forest. This fragrance is earthy, alive, and intriguing. Definitely novel and evocative of some sort of temperate, wild, green place far from civilization.

The geosmin and pepperwood are the strong, consistent notes. The rose note is rich, but set back in the composition. Though present, the rest of the notes are not mainstage actors.

Probably masculine leaning unisex, though I have no issue wearing it--it doesn't feel too dude-like. On me, longevity and sillage are moderate. Overall, I think this is a strong offering from Etat Libre d'Orange.

This is such a unique fragrance. It sort of reminds me of an fresh version of Burberry London, but with better performance. Like some fresh peppery mossy earth. Someone said it’s a gothic fragrance, I don’t agree, even if the marketing leads you to believe it. It’s a little too fresh for that. To me gothic is more like Tom Ford Black orchid. This is so intriguing. This definitely leans masculine. Its nice!

7.5/10

Fresh spicy, earthy, mossy, botanical, with the rose barely there. A melancholic rainy day. Complex and captivating, but it leans more towards the masculine side, so I don't think I would wear it. Still an absolutely beautiful fragrance, if not the best from Etat Libre.

Oh, this is interesting.
Starts with a blast of medicinal smell, then turns to a mossy earthy smell with the barest hint of flowers. It smells like walking into the rainforest greenhouse at the botanical gardens.
Over time it becomes a bit more peppery and incensey with a classic cologne edge, but retains that intriguing forest smell.

It is a bit too masculine for me, but I really like it and may wear my sample occasionally.
My husband however hates it (which is sad, because I think I would love this on a man).

Hermann opens with wood and rain, and quickly becomes more green-spicy, like black pepper but not quite, and then slowly mixes the rose and patchouli into the spice. I would compare it to Diptyque's L'Ombre Dan's L'Eau, since it's definitely got that "wet, earthy garden after a storm" smell, but with less rose and more spice.

I like the way the rose is understated and not in your face, and the way it's blended with the pepper wood and patchouli makes this a really unisex fragrance that would be good in any weather. That being said, when I first got this in the ELdO sample pack, I really liked it, especially for the fresh, woody opening, but now I find it much harder to enjoy because the rose and pepper wood are a little too irritating to me.

It bears repeating, but I've had more love-then-hate and hate-then-love relationships with ELdO's fragrances than literally any other perfume house, so it's ABSOLUTELY worth getting a sample before you shell out the money for a full bottle!

If anyone wants to trade for my sample, message me! I've got quite a few things to trade and I'm always looking to try something new!

elegant, modern, fresh, office-friendly.

very unisex to me! I'm not a gal who likes to wear masculine scents but I guess I can see how the notes would make some people think so. After the top notes settle you really get a big refreshing rose. Very sweet on my skin. *Be mindful that this smells really different on paper then on skin. *

if you're a woman who likes spicy or pink/black pepper in perfume, give this one a sniff! I love it on me :P

Wet rainy forest?? Very masculine scent. wouldn't recommend buying without trying it out first. Personally do not like this fragrance at all it's extremely strong and peppery. idk it smells kind of dirty??? sort of makes me nauseous as well haha

If you love long walks in the forest, GET THIS.

This is an earthy musk with a little sweetness. I'm not sure if I agree that this smells blatantly "wet" like petrichor. But I would say that it's fine. And I'm not usually one to go for earthy smells. It gets better over time. Be patient, and you'll detect a really nice ambery petalia note.

This is a petrichor bomb that reminds me a lot of Baie 19 by Le Labo, but with a hint of green frankincense that reminds me of Mandala by Masque Milano. Overall this smells like the forest ground after rain, or wet concrete with a bit of green smokiness. For someone who doesn't care for floral and citrus fragrances, and have a collection of mainly aromatic woody and spicy oriental ambers, this is my go-to fresh and spring-y scent. I don't get the gloom at all

It’s good but the ambroxan note soon takes over everything and then it’s not that good.

To me this smells exactly like Sideritis, a mountain tea with some rose. Love it .

I am new to the whole fragrances world. I was always interested in scents, especially those of citruses, but never realized how perfumes can really move you to another time, another place, another world; maybe because all the perfumes I used to have were gifted to me and had the same typical masculine smell that cheap deodorants have. When I started researching perfumes, I decided to start with samples based on notes I liked. I found this perfume by chance and was interested if it will really be able to reproduce this smell of the earth after rain as I know it. Therefore, I bought a sample of it, and the rest was history.

I did not even wait to finish the sample and I got a 100 mL bottle immediately. It is my first perfume even that I buy myself. It is just pure nostalgia to me. I call it my grandparents' house. They used to have a garden and it had a bitter orange, and clementine trees and jasmine bushes. This perfume was able to reproduce the smell of the soil after watering it. It has a very subtle rose-y note, and the most prominent notes to me are Geosmin and Woody notes. It stays forever and Geosmin is the most prominent as I can smell it at each note level.

I now just need a perfume which can reproduce the smell of bitter oranges and their leaves to layer it on top of this, so I can go back to my grandparents' house that I was not able to visit for 10 years.

Just going to second the camphor note some people have highlighted. Smells like icy hot ointment or mountain air freshener. Unique, but not something I want to smell outside of medicine.

Several times during my life I have asked some deliciously fragrant male what he was wearing and have been told "just soap" and each and every single time this was exactly what those men smelled like. Perfect. Gorgeously unisex, though popularly male. Quentin Bisch might be my spirit animal!

To my nose this is one of the best rose fragrances I've ever experienced. It definitely has a masculine flare. There is a spicy note in there that I can't place that is very unique. I would consider this full bottle worthy. There's something very classic about this fragrance. I would consider it kind of goth - Like a black rose corsage.

Smells like camphor and rotting Chinese takeout. Heinous.

A perfect example of why you shouldn't go by the published notes to choose a fragrance , but should rather get hold of a sample.
On paper I would say I shouldn't like this. On the contrary though, this is now my absolute favourite fragrance in my collection.
Rose is normally a turnoff for me, but in this it's blended so perfectly it's fantastic.

Its a hard scent to describe, it's so multifaceted.
The top notes are peppery and a little sweet, with a freshness that lends it to most occasions.

As it dries down the scent blossoms and you can start to detect hints of vetiver, but it's not a dirty vetiver. A Berry note comes in, but without any cloying candy sweetness. It's still clean and sophisticated. There is rose and incense are here but it doesn't fall in to the middle eastern.

The base doesn't lose the mid notes. It still has pepper and blackberry floating over the top, and the rose is there but its ethereal and not typically rose in its presentation.

Its a bit like a very modern habit rouge.

Ultimately, if you are looking for something a little spicy, warm, fresh, smooth, gourmand then this may do it for you.
I love it!!!

Immediately after spraying I can sense I’m not going to like this for me. But I can see how others perceive it as a fresh scent and I can understand how others like it. At first I couldn’t place what it was I was smelling, but after a minute trying to place the scent, it mellowed very slightly (this is a strong scent!) and I think it’s Vicks vaporub, which is confusing as that’s not listed in the notes…. ;) There’s something kind of medicinal and menthol about it, like not quite an antiseptic but almost. Maybe a bit like Olbas oil too. I can’t smell Rose, or any floral, which as Rose is usually quite noticeable it is surprising. I simply can’t get past Vicks. A very peppery Vicks. And it’s strong. If I wore this I think people would suspect I have a cold, or have been eating some strong menthol cough sweets. The menthol vibe does make it smell fresh and clean, a bit like a pharmacy I used to work in as the menthol smell would dominate everything else, but you could still sense that there were other smells there too, even if they were hard to single out. I don’t think it’s particularly manly, but it is definitely not female, so if I had to choose I’d say it leans male, as I’d imagine men would prefer wearing this smell to women. It does bring back memories of using vicks as a child, so that’s nice. But unless you want to smell like a pharmacy I’d pass. Definitely not a safe blind buy. But it’s unusual, I’ll give it that. I now know to avoid geosmin or pepperwood or hercules club, as it must be one of those that smells of menthol as I’ve smelled and like the rest - off to research. (Edit - can’t find anything that should smell of menthol. Maybe it’s the combination used here. It does tone down after maybe 30 mins, or maybe I’m becoming nose blind to it).
Oh and this isn’t even one to give to the boyfriend to try, as I don’t want him smelling like this either…!

This comes off cold and soapy, a very clean smell. You can definitely smell the wood holding it all together and the rose shines on the initial spray. But I can see the metallic cold vibe that others speak of. In many ways, it is very original.

Ooooo this one is MOODY.
Every time I wear it, it strikes me as what Spike Speigel from Cowboy Bebop's signature fragrance would be. A rainy night, walking the city streets to rendezvous with an old lover. Melancholy, brooding, romantic, and sophisticated.
Rose is often off-putting for me, but Hermann is earthy and a bit gritty. A handsome perfume.

I got my 3.4 ounce bottle from Amazon, and right away it brought me back to being a closeted catholic boy going to midnight mass on Christmas eve.

The priest is going nuts with the incense burning, spinning it through the air with his brass chain thingy like a weapon, doing infinity symbols and circles with the smoke, giving us a show. I am appalled and mesmerized. The other priests come through and fling water at us. I pretend to sing the songs and chant the chants. I go home bored, a little cold, and confused as to why he had to throw water at me. That is the smell of Hermann.

Upon the first spray, I get mostly the resinous frankincense and rose absolute, though the rose is in no way feminine. It is a rather earthy, wet, genderless rose that kind of smells like the rose pink latte from TAZO, if you heated it up in a saucepan. I suspect that it is rose oxide due to its intense earthy quality, though the geosmin could be a contributing factor. It doesn't smell floral, it doesn't really smell like a freshly picked rose either. It smells like rose water that you would buy from an oriental market. I don't smell a lot of pepper or wood anywhere in the opening here, maybe that's my bottle.

After about an hour or so the rose and frankincense are still very present, and they continue to be noticeable, but less so as the fragrance leaves me. The geosmin really takes center stage for the rest of the time and it smells like it does after it rains in the midwest. It's a little sweet, super earthy, ozonic, aquatic, and very pleasant. I don't really get any blackcurrant buds, though they are listed on the ELDO website. Idk about that one. I get a little wood, though I am not really very sensitive to base notes and I have a hard time distinguishing amber, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, ambroxan, musk, and all of the other "regular" base notes when they're mixed in together. It could be pepperwood, it could be ambroxan, it could be both. Who care not I.

Personally, if there was an oil parfum version of this fragrance, or an extrait de parfum, I would buy it.

I would really recommend this fragrance for this fall. Wearing this fragrance, I feel like a sexy, mysterious cathedral, if it was a person.

A wonderful fresh fragrance. I was floored when I saw there were no citrus ingredients listed. It smelled sunny fresh, with a hint of citrus. Reminded me a little of a lemon iced tea. Perfectly unisex. Perfectly perfect.

It's like a masculine Aromatics Elixir and herb roasted potatoes. The scent is strong, dense and kind of tickles my nose in an unpleasant way, but it's also smooth and kind of comforting - reminds me of my dad, but in a good way, not in the way of being old fashioned. It's not for me at all but it's a good one.

Absolutely LOVE this fragrance. Super unique and despite the notes, its not super floral. To me at least it smells like a uinique pepper ambroxan type fragrance. I'd say this leans more masculine. Probably going to be my signature scent considering the fact you wont smell like anybody else.

I get dirt and ambroxan. I'm starting to wonder if I'm just sensitive to ambroxan or something because whenever there is ambroxan I seem to struggle to smell anything else. After I looked at the notes I realized I could kind of smell the dirt smell but none of it is very interesting to me if I'm honest. It's funny, I feel like I liked the smell of ambroxan like 15 years ago but now I'm just so bored of it.

Such an amazing scent for autumn. It's earthy and ozone, but in a dark, moody way. The initial blast is menthol, but it almost immediately dries down into a spicy, mineral rose. It smells exactly how I'd imagine the Scottish seaside to smell.

Without reading the notes, I found this to be a minty woody, fruity and we'll-blended concoction. I thought I detected cedar, some kind of resin, mint and a cool, wet fruit, like cantaloupe. After reading the notes, I feel like my nose might not be working.
Either way, it's pretty, complex and interesting.
It's definitely masc-leaning, but not in a way that makes me feel like I'm wearing my dad's cologne.

I ordered samples from ELDO and this one ended up to be my favourite of all the 20 perfumes.
On my skin it is very fresh, I can smell a pine forest after a rain shower maybe a thunderstorm, some ozone in the air, and some sweetness of blackcurrant, incense and rose. A very wearable one, the smell gets even better when exercising. Got already the small bottle from Notino.

Hermann was recommended as a 'rain' perfume. I don't smell forest rain, but do smell water. I get beets, a sharp wood that reminds me of sandalwood, a little brine, something truly weird, and no roses, which blends to something vaguely like a cold, rocky coastline. Too bad that classic 'man cologne' smell dominates as time passes, but it's still unique.

It smells to me like walking though a damp rose garden on a cold, drizzly day. Maybe with a little bit of fresh mulch on the ground. The rose overtook the woodsy side for a moment and it became too floral for my taste, but the mulch / earth funk soon returned.

I love this one, but would rather have it as a room spray or candle. Tested only on a paper strip, but I think it would wear me.

Quite an odd one to explain without getting either too allegorical or pseudo-technical. Bare with me.

This is a fragrance that is clearly a work of chemical manipulation of modern, synthetic aroma-chemicals that also manages to give an abstract impression. If not tell a story.

First off. This is, in my eyes, an antithesis of a warm and/or natural fragrance. While trying to capture a petrichor accord, there's an impression of smelling the aftermath of rain from inside. Through a window. Or of smelling a piece of think paper or papyrus that was wet. Has had a chance to mould. But has since dried off.

Circling that accord is an accompanying amalgam of a variety of rose and floral notes that create a watery, soaked impression. Slightly reminiscent of diluted rose water. Synthetic but somehow coming back around and reminding me of a natural, traditional product.

All around, a cold, heavy yet distant scent. I find it quite fitting that the accompanying story involves shadows. Honestly fitting juxtaposed with a honest, light hearted irony.

IMO one of the better modern 'transparent' ambroxan based perfumes (Not a Perfume, Straight to Heaven, Bois D'Orage, Escentric 02, Bon Parfumeur 903, et al), and not nearly as loud as other ELDO offerings I have tried. The rainy, mineral petrichor/geosmin note that opens the fragrance is remarkable for its longevity, though it does appear to be identical to the solo note found in much more affordable Demeter Thunderstorm. Great for the hottest weather when my favourite amber and woody notes become unbearable - no citrus, no musk, only the lightest touch of green patchouli. All frags in this category finish to a salty driftwood type effect, but this one adds a dash of post storm ozone that I find very attractive. For me, this is a convenient reach (purchased at a steep discount), as I imagine one would get similar experience and performance by layering Thunderstorm and Escentric 02.