Scent of the Day 6.2.10 - Hermes Hiris

Another favorite scent to wear when the weather is hot and moist is Hermes Hiris. Originally, I was not a big fan of iris-based scents. To my nose, they were too "rooty" and smelled far too much of soil. If I want to smell like I've just worked in the garden, I'll go work in the garden, thankyouverymuch. But there's something about Hiris that enchanted me completely and has turned me into a fan of the fragrant rhizome.

Hiris has tons of iris in it, some of it quite rooty, but it lacks the metallic buzz of soil and is instead quite refined and elegant with a nice touch of warm vanilla and honey. The musky qualities of ambrette (one of my favorite notes) shine through in the drydown, making this scent a cousin to another favorite of mine, Chanel No. 18.

I wish I hadn't fallen in love with Hiris so completely at Bergdorf's, because when I got home, I found I could purchase it at a much lower price at one of the many online fragrance discounters. Live and learn.

Notes: iris, neroli, carrots, coriander, hay, rose, ambrette seeds, almond wood, cedar, honey, and vanilla