Hermessence Vetiver Tonka
“Hermessence Vetiver Tonka by Hermès is a Woody Chypre fragrance for women and men”
The Quick Read
Well loved by wearers — a woody, sweet composition with a aromatic undertone. Voted best for spring and fall wear — and genuinely unisex.
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Launched in 2004 by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès, Hermessence Vetiver Tonka is a Woody Chypre fragrance that balances the earthy roughness of vetiver with the velvety smoothness of hazelnut and tonka beans. The composition opens with powerful notes of vetiver, which are softened by hints of praline and tonka bean's natural sweetness. This combination creates an enveloping warmth that is both tender and intense, reminiscent of a carefully crafted olfactory poem. Ellena’s vision for the Hermessence line was to create fragrances as distinctive and precious as Japanese haiku, capturing unexpected facets of nature.
Composition & Character
Notes Pyramid
How It Wears
Application Tips
Apply two sprays to ensure that the powerful vetiver notes have enough time to blend with the sweet base. The fragrance develops slowly over an hour, so it’s best to apply it in the morning for a full day's wear.
Jean-Claude Ellena
Founding perfumer · 104 fragrances · French
As a disciple and close friend of the legendary Edmond Roudnitska (creator of “Le Parfum de Thérèse”), Jean-Claude Ellena began his career with a minimalistic approach to perfumery. Since then, he has developed this approach into his own distinctive style, which is continually informed by his elegant and quiet way of being, and has been compared by his contemporaries to watercolor sketches and chamber music. Jean-Claude says that a perfume must be like “a soft caress; nothing must shock, nothing must shout”.Jean-Claude Ellena was born in Grasse into a family of perfumers. His training began at age 17, in the most prestigious laboratories – in Grasse, Paris, New York and Geneva – where he always saw himself as self-taught. Roudnitska’s minimalism never left him, however, and his compositions remain focused around a single ingredient, avoiding repetition.
Also created
Designer Hermès
More from Hermès
Edited by Scentsation Editorial
The story behind the bottle.
The quiet intimacy of a dimly lit study, where the earthy richness of vetiver is softened by the velvety sweetness of tonka beans and praline.
Fig. 01 — Hermessence Vetiver Tonka, Hermès
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