200ml EDT (vintage) 7.5ml miniature (2001) 100ml EDT (modern) 7.5ml EDT (vintage) 200ml EDT (2001) 30ml EDT vintage 100ml EDT (2001) 75ml EDT in Leather Atomiser (1990s) (by DemonHead)

Eau d'Hermès Hermès 1951

7.7 / 10 267 Ratings

A popular perfume by Hermès for women and men, released in 1951. The scent is spicy-animal. It is still in production.
Pronunciation Compare

Main accords

Spicy

Animal

Leathery

Citrus

Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bergamot

Cardamom

Cinnamon

Lavender

Clover

Heart Notes

Geranium

Tonka bean Vanilla

Vanilla

Jasmine

Base Notes

Birch

Leather

Sandalwood

Tonka bean Cedar

Cedar

Perfumer

Edmond Roudnitska

Ratings

Scent

7.7267 Ratings

Longevity

7.2197 Ratings

Sillage

6.5190 Ratings

Bottle

7.9189 Ratings

Value for money

7.363 Ratings

Submitted by Profumo · last update on 02/06/2026.

Source-backed & verified

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Reviews

25 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/27/2012

8Scent 5Longevity 5Sillage

MemoryOScent
37 Reviews

MemoryOScent

6

rude eau de cologne

Created in 1951 by none other than Edmond Roudnitska, it is a piece of olfactory history by anyone’s definition. And reformulations aside it smells like it. Nothing out there smells like this. It opens with a greasy bergamot note that comes hand in hand with earthy cumin. This opening is the most challenging part of the composition. It is not fresh or clean like an Eau should be. It is dirty and sour like no one would expect and with a vinegary vibe. Soon after the weird opening accord hits you with its individuality the heart notes come into play adding warmth. Cinnamon, cardamom and tonka are the unlikely continuation of the rude opening walking in on a bridge of geranium. The cinnamon is hot, peppery and is the most prominent of the spice notes. Up to this point there is nothing in the composition to justify naming this an “Eau”. But soon after the heartnotes establish themselves the entire composition takes an unexpected turn. It starts to soften, becomes rounder and more mellow. A delicate slightly powdery leather starts to develop leaving the strange opening behind. Eau d’Hermès becomes a light, airy composition that manages to incorporate the plush leather note in a delicate way that reminds me Cuir de Lancome. All in all It is remarkable scent that transcends perfume genres and styles. It starts citrusy and spicy to end up luxurious and soft. From aggressive opening to delicate base. It is old fashioned in the same way that Bandit is old fashioned: it showcases that there was a time were perfumers took their audience with them on an adventure, rather than recreated the familiar.

Notes from my nose: bergamot, cumin, vinegar, cinnamon, cardamom, tonka, leather, powder

07/15/2012

jtd
484 Reviews

jtd

Helpful Review 3

Most eaux de cologne smile dumbly. This one laughs sarcastically.

I wore eau d’Hermes today. Eau d’Hermes is my favorite eau de cologne. I think I wear edc for different reasons than most men. If I want simple, fresh and bracing (what I think most people want or expect from a cologne) I’ll rub on a little tea tree or lavender oil out of the shower. I turn to my colognes for a timeframe and a progression that grabs your attention when you pour it on, excites you as it fills the air around you for a few moments, then quickly quiets down to Something Else. Mugler’s cologne’s something else is that odd nose equivalent of a tuning fork crossed with a dog whistle. CdG’s Anbar’s something else is that hint of amber that would take you 12 hours to reach in an amber-oriental but you find 15 minutes after applying Anbar.

Eau d’Hermes’s something else is funk. I enjoy the decadence of stepping clean from the shower and inducing that wonderful skin scent that might otherwise take some sweat and a good few hours of ripening. I love the fact that skin smells. EdH just gets me there faster.

(note: I only know the copper cap version.)

06/06/2022

BrianBuchanan
363 Reviews

BrianBuchanan

3

Edgy d'Hermès

Balanced between vibrant citrus and sweet & sour leather, Eau d’Hermès is a strange minor key chypre.

Roudnitska was not content to make pretty – or even beautiful – scents, he was something of a surrealist, and liked to give his works an unsettling ambience: see Francis Bacon, who was painting his screaming popes around the same time as Roudnitska did this - his only perfume for Hermès and their first release. I wonder how happy they were with it, they did put it on the market, but didn’t come back for more.

The subtlety of his compositions is second to none, but I am still left feeling that his taste was somewhat thrawn. Wearing Eau d’Hermès is a bit like having a surrealist painting on the wall, maybe not as disturbing as a Bacon, but one that subtly challenges nonetheless.

Updated on 01/17/2023

05/02/2020

10Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Iseabail
25 Reviews

Iseabail

3

A well behaved little beastie

Such a special scent. A true masterpiece that is standing the test of time. Even if the newest version is not quite as nice as the previous ones, it is still amazing.

I inhale deeply whenever I wear this scent. The beginning is marked by an explosion of citruses, herbs and spices! The fragrance of the leather is clean and feels expensive. A very classy animalic scent. The smell of clean sheet with the subtle musk of two people's bodies.
*Some people find the animalic notes skanky so this is a sample first frag.

Updated on 05/02/2020

04/14/2014

9Scent 5Longevity 5Sillage

Cumulnimbus
119 Reviews

Cumulnimbus

3

A elegant, peculiar and sensual eau by monsieur Roudnitska

Eau d'Hermes had been in my want list for a long time, I've had a mini of the vintage copper cap version for ages. It has been a long term obsession of mine and have rejected to buy it in the contemporary version several times. Finally, I could recently find a full bottle of the vintage version and I am so happy I finally added it to my collection that I had to write a review as an homage to the master.

This is indeed a strange animal but such a beautiful one. It is a time capsule too, and is like nothing you know. Eau d'Hermes isn't what you usually expect an eau to be, it develops from a spicy citrus (I would swear there is some coriander and clove apart from the cardamom and cinnamon) which blends to a floral stage with lavender and geranium to end in an amazing slightly sweet, soft and animalic close to skin leather scent made from the mixture of cummin and birch notes in combination with cedar, tonka, vanilla and I would say some moss too. This glorious drydown is like the smell of your warm skin kept under a high quality leather jacket.

I don't find it dirty, I find it altogether elegant, sensual and discreet. Perfect leisure eau de cologne that maybe not for everybody but just some leather lover men and women, young and not so young.

As an eau de cologne its sillage and longevity are moderate.

Updated on 07/08/2025

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