L'Ombre des Merveilles Hermès 2020

My favorite meal has always been breakfast. I love taking my time in the morning to prepare something nice and set the table with plenty of treats.

When my dad used to come home from the night shift, he prepared a lavish breakfast for me and my three siblings every day for years.
He was regularly home by 6:30 AM, and everything was ready and set by exactly 7 AM.
There were fresh rolls with croissants, sweet rolls, Berliners, or other slightly sweeter baked goods from the bakery. Cream cheese, sheep cheese, Gouda cheese in slices, various cold cuts, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red peppers were always included. Eggs, of course; sometimes boiled, sometimes scrambled in the pan. And alongside freshly squeezed orange juice, he always made us black tea.
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There are several types of tea, and in total, one distinguishes between six different varieties derived from the tea plant: black tea, white tea, green tea, yellow tea, Pu Erh tea, and Oolong tea.

In addition to these six traditional types of tea, there are of course many other tea-like varieties that do not contain any real components of the tea plant and therefore should not be listed alongside the aforementioned six. Examples of this include herbal or fruit teas.

Personally, I love to drink black tea the most (I don’t drink coffee at all, for example), and I still do so every day, preferably in the morning with breakfast. And this scent, L'ombre des Merveilles, immediately reminded me of my childhood when I tested it, as it brought back memories of the morning ritual of having breakfast together.
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So far, I have been able to test several fragrances that contain a tea note, but I have never smelled such an expressive and authentic tea scent as L'Ombre des Merveilles before.

The opening is very fresh and slightly spicy or herbal, where you can clearly perceive the typical Merveilles DNA. Here, you can smell an orange-like "earthy" note, which is characteristic of Terre d'Hermès, for example. In other words, if you know TdH and are confronted with the Merveilles DNA for the first time, you will notice slight similarities - at least in the opening, in my opinion.

This initial freshness is maintained by the fragrance until the base, where it becomes spicier in between, and then the black tea note comes to the forefront and takes on the main role, so to speak. For me personally, it smells incredibly fine and real, as if you were pouring freshly brewed black tea and inhaling the smoke.

The sweet tonka bean, which lightly resonates in the background, adds an additional minimal sensual nuance to the base, but it is clearly held back, which I personally find very good, as a more intense expression would, in my opinion, detract from the character of the fragrance.
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I tested the fragrance in the late afternoon or early evening on my wrist and could still perceive it slightly the next morning. Therefore, I can speak of exceptionally good longevity.
Due to its composition, I think the fragrance is easily wearable all year round, except for high summer, and for all occasions. However, I personally find spring and autumn to be the most suitable seasons.

It is declared as unisex, but personally, I would categorize it a bit more on the masculine side, as I think it might come across as a little too spicy and somewhat woody for some ladies. But of course, everyone has to find that out for themselves when testing.
Conclusion:

L'ombre des Merveilles comes from French and translates to "Shadow of Wonders" (it would also make a nice title for a captivating novel).
When testing, the fragrance evoked memories of my dad and our shared breakfasts and made me feel emotional. That’s why I appreciate this hobby so much...

I would like to sincerely thank the lovely Knopfnase for the sample and the opportunity to discover this wonderful fragrance.

For all black tea lovers, I can recommend it unconditionally. It radiates a fine elegance that is infused with both cool and warm aspects.
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Thank you for reading!