Hermessence Agar Ebene Hermès for women and men

This is really 'barely there', but what is actually 'there' is, as many others has already pointed out, very elegant, polite, light and minimalist. Very gentle and quiet. A very fresh and light oud, with pine. The most gentle woody fragrance I've ever encountered. Appropriate for office wear, yes. Very versatile. Leans masculine. A bit too ethereal for me. I like it for sure, but it doesn't really move me. I imagine a young man in a very light, tropical wool suit. Immaculate. Singularly well-mannered.

Resinous, resinous, resinous woods.
Any stringed instrument players may feel a familiarity to the rosin for their bows. Woods, resin and high-quality leather together find a very smooth middle ground. Definitely a dusty quality here; antique store, inherited wealth, grandfather clock, old money.
Almost all heavy base notes. I'm getting a light ferny-ness, maybe a bit of pine needle on top. These barely shine through with all of the heaviness around, some may say it's a bit imbalanced to be an everyday scent.

VERDICT: Very refined, classy, resinous woody fragrance. But is missing a counterbalance for it's bottom-heaviness.

Suede with a hint of apricot. Thus far I have no plans to purchase this, but if I absolutely had to choose 1 perfume to buy from Hermes, it would be this one.

A very polite oud, very subtle, very elegant. It's not like the usual Arabian night. Although I don't appreciate the fir nuances in the dry down.

the perfume itself is nice but its simple. In my opinion it smells like leather or how the inside of a new bag would smell like

The note list is quite simplistic, but it won't really tell you how this smells. So I'm going to ignore them and instead just describe what I smell. To me this is a supremely airy oud and suede. It's very lightly sweetened just enough to counteract the natural bitterness in those notes. It almost has a note that I want to describe as "fresh air". This smells very natural, there's no harshness here.

This is a very classy scent. This is airy enough that I really like it for summer for those days when you want a break from your warm weather citrus colognes but you could wear this in any season. I really like it. I think this is an amazing scent for women, but conventionally speaking I think this scent will appeal more to men. They don't smell the same, but I think people who enjoy Tom Ford's Oud Minerale would also like this as they have similar vibes.

Make it simple, make it stand up. 2 notes, straight to the point.
I get the fresh, aromatic-sweet fir, and the agar wood, deep and sensual. It doesn’t have to be too complicated sometimes.

Timeless, class, masculinity.

_____

Projection, sillage, longevity : 9/10
Originality, presentation : 8/10
Quality, value : 9/10

8.5/10

Much as I love Hermès as a fragrance house, and in-house perfumer Christine Nagel (as well as her predecessor, Jean-Claude Ellena), I have yet to smell a Hermessence perfume that I truly love. Agar Ebène is a pleasant woody scent, pared-back and minimal, but lacks the wow factor. The performance is fairly limited too, as is the tendency with the Hermessence line. That aside, it is a good quality, well-rendered woody scent - natural-smelling and aromatic, featuring a nice suede drydown.

AE is woody from initial spray, albeit light and transparent. I get the dry, green pine note early on, adding a forest-y nuance to the woodiness. There is a hint of oud, but it is subtle, blending in nicely with other soft woody notes. A slight hint of animalic amber emerges as it dries down, perhaps thanks to the development of the oud note. It gives a soft leather edge to the drydown. It fades to a woody-leather skin scent after about two hours. Sillage is intimate and longevity is surprisingly weak, given the profile of this scent.

Unisex to my nose, AE is a transeasonal day scent. Elegant and easy-to-wear, it is ideal for everyday use. An unusually sheer woody-amber scent, it is subtle and inoffensive, but really good stuff if you get close enough to appreciate it. 3/5.

It is just me or sth but this one smell exactly like Gucci Guilty Absolut Pour Homme

It's an interesting scent, I must say...

Not at all oudy, not even 'oudy', it's an aromatic woody scent, a tinge of green but mostly base-heavy. Bits of woodsiness here and there, even a little bit of floral, but what hits me most is how fragrant it is (given the components).
I probably won't try this one again, didn't move me all that much...

This is not the most feminine fragrance out there, but I don’t know why people are saying this is so masculine, I can definitely see a woman using this, it’s a signature scent, very classy and elegant, a fragrance easy to lawyer with others scents, for those who like oud, but not strong ouds (like myself) I always get compliments when I use this, and I’m a woman.

Ahhhh minimalism
Such a movement that is much appreciated in arts but here it’s definitely another way to get your money
My first fragrance from this line and the experience was horrendous
Upon first application I thought “hey that’s nice , easy to like”
Before the third hour I started wondering is the weakness normal
No it isn’t it never was I won’t judge this line from my first experience but I smell something fishy about it and I don’t like this idea one bit

Fragrance, balsamic, fresh, flaky, of rare elegance, background of Oud, which magically harmonizes without dominating. A refined, dynamic blend, which brings together masterful balance and harmony. Fragrance of great charm.

Reminds me a little bit of Dior Purple Oud, it has this synthetic friendly oud, but this is not bad. Just not something that would wow me, its nice tho. Would definitely recommend for everyone to try this.

Like @Commodore64, a couple of comments below, I am also a huge fan of this and Santal Mossoia. I don't think of "typical men's fragrance" with this at all, but it definitely works very well for men. My only complaint is that like many other Hermessence frags, the longevity is quite weak: for me, almost undetectable after a couple of hours. But I am a big fan of this.

second time wearing this and I still don't really get what the appeal is here. Slightly smoky oud and a wisp of pine. I have to spray a bunch just to get 30-60 minutes of wear. Big disappointed thumbs down from me. Not special at all.

In my quest to find a masculine Hermessence fragrance I tried this one and loved it. All Hermessence are marketed as Unisex (I myself enjoy Sandal Masoia) but I think this works perfectly on a man. It doesn't smell like the typical oud fragrance. I read @cumulnimbus review before buying it and it is truly as stated: sillage is polite.

Longevity is fine. A great fragrance for winter but it could also work well in other seasons.

Creamy/spicy/woody thing. Agarwood for who doesn't like agarwood but wants a fragrance with 'agar' on the label. The closest it reminds me of are indeed Kenzo Jungle Homme (full spice, no wood) and AC Emeraude Agar (there also, just a spicy cedar/gaiac, but no oud, that said AC EA does it better imo).

Seen many times before, low performance and ridiculously high price tag: the perfect recipe for a hard pass, in my book.

oud doesnt last long but the spicy wood that follows is super nice and warm.just lovely.the price is insane.best barbershop fragrance ever!!

Hermes Agar Ebene (2018) - clean oud - I enjoy Hermes’ sense of style: practical, minimalist and timeless. @christine.nagel is able to pull this off with such an animalic and polarizing ingredient such as Oud. Here she balances Oud with the smell of Pine trees (bark, leaves and roots). I also sense the oud being more bakhoor incense wafting in the trees. Mesmerizing.

Haha. Totally get RainbowGirl's description about lumberjacking hard with this scent! Also the leather reference. For me, I was reminded of incense and smoke as well. Feels, too.... something... for me. Intense? Masculine? Almost like walking into a men's (smoking) den? Or, like an intensely incensed monastery. Hard to put my finger on it.

Well... this smells exactly like the notes listed in fragrantica. Oud and tree. When it settles, it does start to smell a little sour. Like bergamot... and tree? But that sour note does fade, and I am left with the smell of a freshly chopped tree. Smells masculine. Smells like my dad.

I like it!

I doubt I will ever wear this, as it smells like a lumberjack, and that is not the look I am going for, but I would wear this fragrance on a morning run, to make suburbia smell more foresty. Or at bedtime, when I feel homesick. And I would love to experiment putting this under other fragrances.

I don't do a lot of experimentation with layering, but there are times when I crave a wood note in a fragrance, or wish a fragrance had a stronger wood note, so it would be interesting to smell this under some of those fragrances.

FOR SCIENCE!

Edited to add: I thought I wished for a stronger wood note under Kilian Princess, but nope! Turns out I don't! Just goes to show, you shouldn't fucking mess with perfection.

I'll use Agar Ebene for running, sleeping, and lumberjacking. Just as the perfumer intended.

-Leather scent.
-This is a lighter, more watery and hence wearable version of Italian Leather by Memo Paris (-)

I really didn't expect to like this one but I do.
It is fresh, elegant and complex.
I can see this one working well as someone's signature.
All year round, versatile perfume.

I didn't know I was looking for a clean and spring time sibling of Guerlain's Bois mystérieux until I got to smell Agar Ebene. I like it when perfumes make me discover an unwalked path in my perfume aventures.

Unisex leaning to masculine.
As most of Hermes scents, polite in terms of sillage.

Dry woods, blended smoothly. The oud accord is very light, ethereal. There is a hint of something green in here and some resin or perhaps olibanum of some kind. I don't get any citrus notes. It's made in the same vein as Ellena's other transparent woody creations such as Poivre Samarcande for example, however this one is missing something. The smell is fairly linear, which isn't that big of a deal, but it feels rather safe and at times boring. It's a pleasant smelling woody scent whereby the ''Agar'' part should be taken with a grain of salt. For the price, performance is weak and lasts only a few hours. Close to the skin, but can be worn even during summer months due to its fleeting nature.

6,5/10

SirCharles gives an excellent comparison below to Jo Malone's Oud and Bergamot a very original fragrance that to me smells like dark, sodden & modern wood, kinda synthetic but also some of the qualities you get from oud of certain origins. Then the bergamot which doesn't smell like bergamot, but doesn't smell enough like any other citrus not to be either.
Enough about that though because although I definitely get the association, the delivery is about as different as one could possibly imagine.
This has a subtlety to it, and broadly woodier theme's with a light ethereal spice to it. Light top notes, but enough to catch my interest when I sprayed it in a Hermes boutique and a mellow heart.
My description doesn't do it justice, Agar Ebene is very good though. I was compelled to buy a mini travel spray.

My all time favorite oud fragrance. Somewhat reminiscent of Jo Malone's Oud and Bergamot, also composed by Christine Nagel.
Main notes: oud and ebony wood, with just a slight vanilla touch. Creates a slightly medicinal impression. Think oud & bergamot without the bergamot.
Texture: bone dry and silky smooth.
Performance: light
Mood: formal and romantic (but not stuffy - effortless)

I cannot speak more highly of a fragrance. Ever since I stopped watching Jeremy Fragrance and started visiting Hermes and Louis Vuitton boutiques, my fragrance journey really took off. This fragrance smells like the nicest hotel room in the world. Pure relaxation and a complete release of stress and commitments. Agar Ebene is for someone who wears light blue button down shirts not out of necessity, but because they feel best and most natural in a light blue button down shirt. There aren’t enough classy people watching YouTube or making YouTube videos for this fragrance to ever amass a considerable following, and I’m just fine with that.

The perfect summery modern Oud fragrance. Silage is on the moderate side, it doesn't last for a long time and it's very linear.. I really like this though ★★★★☆

The longer I have owned this, the more I have come to understand it and realize how masterful it really is. It’s an utterly addicting skin-like smell. Very clean but with a signature recognizable Hermes leather dna that is also present in Galop and Cuir d’Ange. This isn’t for a fan of loud oud fragrances. Not at all. You want to absolutely bathe in this fragrance because it melds so well with the natural smell of skin. It’s a scent that is there and not there. It is bold in its understated avant- garde beauty and its trickery. It tricks passersby into thinking that you just smell like this and that you’re not even wearing a fragrance. It is effortless and perfectly exemplifies the house of Hermes: always classy and understated, but always of the highest quality and always up to date and setting trends. Addicting!! The last thing you would ever see or smell in a mall department store

This is Cuir d'Ange in smoother way. So agar concept doesnt fit the fragrance's power. I love Christine Nagel's works but I would prefer Cuir d'Ange over this.

7/10

Agar Ebene is just wonderfull. I dont see or follow "style of the house" in fragrance, all i care for is how pleasant(interesting), naturally smelling and long lasting it is. Agar, i think changes that, in case of Hermes at least.

Oud, oud here is light, watercolor is exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Contrary to usual description of oud - this one is very elegant, never stinky, firmly woody but never suffocating. It has depth. It is like a fresh breath of wind that flew through agarwood market, and delivered ever so light spirit of this mighty tree.

And this is exactly where the BRAND joins in, since hermes to me is a definition of simple elegance. Its like a man wearing ever so casual blue pants and white shirt. And from afar, nothing special, but when you come up close you realize the quality of materials, fit and finish.

Talking about materials - most likely oud is synthetic, but it is done extremely well. I would dare to say better than any other oud. Longevity is where it fails, as indeed its edt, so max 3-4 hrs. And silage is minimal. And after all this, i do really want it. Its for the times when ur done with all dense perfumes and extravaganza. Its a nice, peaceful break from the busy world.

Hi fragrantica.com! Long time no see :)
Just popping in to leave a thought on Agar Ebene.
No reviewer has mentioned this so far so I thought I could share what I've discovered for myself.

Testing Agar Ebene on skin, I was sensing a distant resemblance to something quite familiar to me, but it took me the whole day to decipher it. To my nose and brain it's linked to Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot, which was also composed by Christine Nagel.
Agar Ebene is less sweet, a bit more sharp, lively and more woody (but not more oudy, I don't find much agarwood in these two) and outperforms O&B in sillage and longevity (which still isn't very impressive, though).
This is a ready-to-wear woody and leathery unisex composition. Not exquisite nor a masterpiece, but managed its way to my wishlist.

ok I don't think I'm going to be the only one who thinks this, but as soon as I put my nose to this I immediately thought of Salvatore Ferragamo's Tuscan sent line of Incense Suede, but I think this one is a little softer and more refined, I love SF I.S and how big the sent cloud is and how it projects, it also last a long time probably cause its an edp and this one is an edt however this one is so much better, this is just like I.S a calming smell to me this is something where I can see my self sitting in an old leather arm chair sipping on a glass of 18 y/o scotch with a nice cigar by a fire place in a cabin and just relax. I will prob get a bottle of this once my tester runs out, just a fantastic sent.

Big bundle of contradictions which somehow adds up to less than the sum of its parts overall.

This is far darker, butcher and male-er than most of the Hermessences - yet still fascinating to try if you can't yet imagine oud as a balsawood-light, airy, outdoor experience rather than just a big heavy stinky tree-trunk. First half hour is stone love for me: the beautiful paradox of a gentle, almost transparent oud, sweetened up just a very tiny bit with conifer resins. Despite the light texture it's still a very BROWN, definitely timber-based scent, with ebony adding a real tang of even deeper, darker woods.

Presents both warm and cool faces; to my mind it would be good all year round, though it might not be robust enough for winter. Unisex for those who love forest. One of my very favourites in the entire Hermessence line, along with Poivre Samarcande.

BUT: just like nearly all the others, its longevity is deeply disappointing (barely detectable after 2h, though the lingering trace on skin is also lovely) and the sillage never powerful. A very refined sepia watercolour, for men or women who don't mind respraying every few hours.

I got to try the same fragrance at Amsterdam airport and this was quite unique oud based fragrance , very linear and in a nutshell I will describe it as herbal oud ! Quality of oud was very good however I need to sample it more but definitely worth trying if you like oud based fragrance and this is very much were able oud !

Ebony is totally a note unlisted here. Wonderful creation.
The Gasoline on hospital floor review is hilarious.

My SA told me that the “oud” in this is oud that is not infected. Which doesn’t make any sense because oud is, by definition, infected. I really do not think that oud is in this and that the name is just for marketing purposes. The apparent “oud” component smells completely identical to the “leather” in Cuir d’Ange. The perfumer did not just find this “new variety of oud.” That is bs. Say it has an oud accord all day long, I’m fine with that. But don’t lie and say that this has something expensive in it that is not actually there.

A disappointing entry by Hermes into the world of oud. Smells like the smog in a busy city. Surely there is cumin and cloves here mixed with that most drab of oud materials...norlimbanol or some close cousin. If you were hoping for oud opulence from the great house of Hermes, you will surely be disappointed, this dry, desiccated abomination. When a fragrance refuses to constrain itself within the usual confines of a genre like oud, then one of two things must happen: 1) it must smell amazing; or 2) the perfumer and the creative directors need to get out of the lab/offices and explain to their customer base what they were aiming to achieve so that we can approach the fragrance in the right frame of mind. Neither of these scenarios apply to this release. So I am left scratching my head.

I really love this perfume. There's something in it that reminds me of the wood smells of old victorian buildings.

The only downside with it is it fades so quickly, and while there is a warmth of smell quite close to the skin it doesn't carry.

WOW this is so different from anything i have smelled before , pencil shavings , leather , woodwork , it is unisex i can see myself pulling this one no problem, it is indeed fresh but not laundry fresh it is sophisticated fresh , wow so nice , i might need a bottle !

One of the nicer iterations of transparent, citrussy-saffrony leather. A cousin to Cuir d'Ange, but really only in the leather note itself, and in structure closer to a different Hermes; Galop. The rest is woody, mildly spicy, a faintly boozy like the rum in the old Idole EDT (in African-themed bottle). It's moderately persistent, but wears quite closely to the skin.

This one actually really does remind me of Cuir d'Ange. Out of all of Nagel's additions, this is the most connected to Elena's.

In saying that, perhaps its a little too much like Cuir d'Ange. That left me a bit bored. Though, as it changes, the fir sings. The agarwood takes on a strange route and becomes something entirely unusual. Any way you look at it, its a very high quality scent. Maybe not worth a purchase if you have CdA and a similar skin type to myself.

Very high quality, fruity chocolate sitting on top of the "skin-like" dna of Cuir d'Ange. It's nearly gourmand, but in a grownup and sexual(?) way. Wow. This one is for close encounters definitely lol. Smells like happiness and fertility and love

Update: After a full wearing, I can tell you the projection is pretty much completely non-existent. This stays right at the skin and doesn't jump off of it at all whatsoever. I also have a really hard time smelling it on myself after 15 minutes, and my full wearing was done in 70 degree weather. This fragrance genuinely seems like it was made with the bedroom in mind, and nothing else. If you plan on wearing it outside of your home, wear it on the hottest day of the year and douse yourself in it, and then maybe someone will smell you

Agar is not about oud.. Personally I don't detect oud here. The fragrance is leathery with some osmanthus in the base. The quality of leather is very, very high! This one is for those who like Cuir d'Ange but want it to be fruitier and more "yummy".

This perfume is pure magic to me! In the beginning it is like Cuir d'Ange with Sicilian lemons (is it balsam fir?) - summery yet elegant and mature. Then it goes more woodsy and spicy, just to the perfect degree. I could not smell much 'agar' out of it, only in the dry-down there is that musky melody still playing on skin.

The overall perception - nice elegant scent, perfect for both day/evening. Spring is the perfect time to wear it - it is on the brink between warm and fresh. Perfectly unisex. Quite subtle, silage and projection are moderate.

Contacted my Hermes SA, and they have no clue when these new ones will be released in the U.S. "Likely sometime after March." I have no clue about Europe

this would be a wonderful one from Lovely Hermes