Review – Hermès  – Un Jardin Sur Le Toit. Thoughts on Un Jardin à Cythère

Hermès – Un Jardin sur le Toit – Spring garden on the roof of Hermès headquarters. 8/10.

I’ve reviewed Un Jardin sur le Toit before on my blog. But I felt it could use a bit of a reexamination for several reasons:

1. I’ve been wearing it quite a bit lately.
2. The Hermès garden now has a new member, the seemingly divisive Un Jardin à Cythère—more on that one and the others after the sur le Toit review.
3. 2023 is a milestone year for the series as it’s now 20 years since the first release from the line, Un Jardin en Méditerranée.

Un Jardin sur le Toit translates to a garden on the roof, and the fragrance refers specifically to the rooftop garden at the Hermès headquarters in Paris. Indeed, Jean-Claude Ellena is at his inimitable best on this release. However, despite the inspiration, I never feel I’m in an urban environment while wearing Un Jardin sur le Toit. Instead, Jean-Claude Ellena takes us on a relaxing tour of the idyllic French countryside.

Straight out of the can, green grass (recently mown) intermingles with pear and apple, creating a crisp freshness. The pome fruits are tart, and the clever introduction of a wet soil accord fashions an even more realistic sensation of walking through a fruit orchard in Normandy in late summer. The fragrance remains bright throughout. Sheer rose and magnolia eventually join forces. This floral intervention further enhances the notion that this garden is an aromatic, welcoming environment to relax and watch the day go by. Like most Ellena compositions, it is light and easy to wear. It is my favourite in the Jardin series. Expect to spend about 5-6 hours enjoying this garden before it fades, and it’s time to head back to the hustle and bustle of city life.

And now, some quick thoughts on Nagel’s second perfume for the line, Un Jardin à Cythère. Seemingly it’s a divisive one, but I enjoyed it. Nagel takes us to a Greek Island for this odd dry affair. It doesn’t smell like any garden I’ve ever experienced. However, I’ve never been to Greece. 

It all starts relatively straightforwardly, with the usual citric opening. But, then, the oddness surfaces. A semi-gourmand facet emerges by way of olive trees and pistachio nuts. It almost smells like a nutty lemon cake or crumbly biscuit devoid of cream or sweetness. It can’t be classified as a full-on gourmand because a dry grassy, woody aspect begins to dominate as it evolves. For me, all notions of food go out the door after about 30 minutes. Something weird and rubbery, perhaps the olive tree, made me think of Fat Electrician, and the nutty aspect recalled Diptyque’s new L’Eau Papier and Sarah Jessica Parker’s Stash. Though, it’s far from as heavy or resinous as Stash. But like that one, this offbeat and quirky release will not please everyone’s palates.

Where would this new release sit amongst my favourites from the line? Certainly, not at the bottom. Here are my power rankings for this series:

1. Un Jardin sur le Toit.
2. Un Jardin sur le Nil.
3. Un Jardin après la Mousson.
4. Un Jardin en Méditerranée.
5. Un Jardin à Cythère.
6. Un Jardin sur la Lagune.
7. Le Jardin de Monsieur Li.

Even though Un Jardin sur le Toit is my favourite, I think Un Jardin sur le Nil and Un Jardin après la Mousson are the most original and probably technically the better perfumes. Nonetheless, if you’re a fan of fresh scents, this series should have something for everyone. I wonder where they’ll take us next.

What are your favourites from the line? Have you tried the new one?

Note: All images are my own.