Parfum des Merveilles Hermès 2005

If a perfume makes a woman mysterious, then this one does!
It is clear that the Parfum des Merveilles and the Eau des Merveilles are siblings.
However, while the Eau de Toilette wants to go out into the sun, takes long walks by the sea in the light summer breeze, and moves lightly and flutteringly like a butterfly, the pure perfume seeks out a deep autumn forest, full of dark fir trees and mossy ground...
Right at the beginning, after spraying the perfume, a bitter wave hits me, almost sour.
As already mentioned, the signature is recognizable from the very first moment.
After about half an hour, the scent becomes smoother, gentler.
The bitterness remains until the end, but one can sense a hint of cognac, and the fragrance becomes creamy and radiates a spicy warmth.
Still dark. By no means gloomy.
If you know a bit about fragrances, you can definitely pick out individual notes; amber and oakmoss play a significant role, but in my opinion, patchouli remains the star until the end.
A perfume that has style. Without heavy sticky sweetness and without the bitterness taking your breath away.
While the EdT develops in a fresh, light direction and the orange dominates almost to the base, the perfume contains nothing fruity or light; only the oakmoss brings minimal freshness to the scent.
Creamy, spicy, a bit nutty, the perfume evolves towards the base, and the patchouli, a gentle non-scratchy patchouli that has been present from the start, now spreads out and stays. For hours...
For my part, I cannot say which of the two wonders I like more, as they are very different in essence and application despite their sibling relationship.
The perfume is definitely an evening companion and suited for the colder season.
For me, it radiates calm and warmth.
I believe it is definitely wearable for men too!
If I were to express the perfume in music, it would be Kurkdjian's favorite piece by Ravel, "Pavane pour une Infante Défunte"...