Collection Hermessence

Vétiver Tonka Hermès 2004

Bottle Design Alnoor Design

7.8 / 10 464 Ratings

A popular perfume by Hermès for women and men, released in 2004. The scent is woody-green. It is still in production.
Pronunciation

Main accords

Woody

Green

Spicy

Sweet

Gourmand

Fragrance Notes

Tonka bean

Vetiver

Hazelnut

Sandalwood

Tobacco

Lily of the valley

Praliné

Perfumer

Jean-Claude Ellena

Ratings

Scent

7.8464 Ratings

Longevity

7.3334 Ratings

Sillage

6.2324 Ratings

Bottle

7.8318 Ratings

Value for money

6.055 Ratings

Submitted by Sani, last update on 11/26/2024.

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the "Collection Hermessence" collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Vétiver Fatal

Nuit de Megève

Bal d'Afrique Eau de Parfum

Fat Electrician

Audace

Vetiver Gris

Reviews

7 in-depth fragrance descriptions

10/16/2017

RhythmnHues
30 Reviews

RhythmnHues

Helpful Review 4

The Different Vetiver

First things first - Hats off to Jean-Claude Ellena! I believe no one else could've done this. He is undoubtedly one of greatest contemporary perfumers and also one of my personal favourites of all time. If one could perceive perfumery as music - for the nose, then JC Ellena could be likened to a contemporary composer mainly influenced by impressionist masters like Debussy & Ravel but with strong shades of late romanticism from Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. He takes his main motif/idea and juxtaposes it with some dissonant contrasts while keeping it very minimal and transparent all the time. But at the same time he embellishes each stage of the movement in a very romantic manner choosing very traditional, pleasing, consonant harmonic ornamentation. One can see this across his compositions, especially for the house of Hermes. (I think he probably got the most freedom from this house in terms exploring of his own creativity.) And I think Vetiver Tonka is, arguably, his pièce de résistance.

Vetiver is a grass native to India but is also found in abundance across Haiti, Indonesia, China, Java, and Reunion. The oil extracted from its roots has a distinctively complex scent ranging from wood shavings, wet earth, fresh green grass, roots to ink, licorice, nutty-roasted sugar, and cold-humid air - depending on it's origin. So a perfumer is to not only know what material to use but know each strain of that material intimately well to know what works best for the brief at hand. For instance, in my opinion, the vetiver used here is Bourbon vetiver (Reunion, Madagascar etc) which has more of the nutty, chocolate-y facets. Using Haitian vetiver or another kind would've taken this composition to a completely different place. Ellena takes this main motif of Vetiver & Tonka and gives it a form going from nutty (hazelnuts) to caramel-y/cacoa (praline) to an almost burnt sugar accord. And embellishing this main idea is a touch of flowers (Muguet) in the heart and some soft woods (Sandalwood and cedar probably) in the base just to balance the composition from getting overwhelming. And a dash of tobacco for some contrast and probably to accentuate the dry hay-like facets of tonka beans. Utterly fascinating! It's light, airy, sweet and extremely pleasant to wear. Quite a unique take on this multi-faceted root. Highly recommended if you are open to a different vetiver.

9/10

06/29/2014

5
Bottle 7.5
Sillage 5
Longevity 10
Scent

MasterLi
375 Reviews

MasterLi

3

The "Sweet" Vetiver

This is a good one. It's also a good contender for the best performing out of the Hermessence line. A sweet Vetiver fragrance that combines a nutty, almost edible like smoothness with the dry, earthy Vetiver root in the background. I really like it.

I feel that what is different here is Ellena's use of Tonka, Caramel and especially Praline to give the standard vetiver a nice "twist", and make it likeable to many people. It almost reminds me of a marriage between Lolita Lempicka au Masculin and Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver. The Vetiver itself here is dry and earthy, but is balanced perfectly well with the almost gourmand like sweetness of the Hazelnut, Tonka and Praline notes.

That being said, Vetiver Tonka is definitely not a gourmand type of scent. It has the balance just right between sweet and sour. I also notice the Lilly of the Valley note which gives a soft floral touch in the dry down, which slightly reminds me of Andy Tauer's Vetiver Dance.

Highly recommended, especially as a very unique and different take on a vetiver perfume.

04/23/2021

Pepdal
238 Reviews

Pepdal

3

Tonkanut Vetiwhere

My third review of a Hermessence perfume, the popular Vetiver Tonka. It's not really imaginative naming, but maybe it is just an accurate depiction. I thank you for watching and hope you enjoy the review.

12/19/2012

5
Bottle 5
Sillage 5
Longevity 4
Scent

Drseid
821 Reviews

Drseid

3

Sickiningly Sweet Vetiver...

It is rare I find a vetiver scent I dislike... Unfortunately I have found one in Vetiver Tonka.

Vetiver Tonka opens with a very clean vetiver note, before quickly adding a very large dose of sweet tonka bean coupling with a hazelnut accord that really is the star here. The combination is wearable I suppose, but it is rather strange. There really is not much development in this minimalist scent, with the exception of a small amount of sandalwood joining the few other notes later on in the base. Longevity and projection are both below average to average.

I really don't like Vetiver Tonka at all. It is just way too sweet, and I think the hazelnut accord is really out of place. I love hazelnut, but prefer eating it in Ferraro Rocher chocolates, not wearing it with my vetiver. If sweet scents containing vetiver are your thing, I strongly recommend you check out Coeur de Vetiver Sacre from L'Artisan instead. It, like Vetiver Tonka does not really feature vetiver as its primary note, but it definitely is there and for less money it smells excellent; to my nose and preferences Vetiver Tonka doesn't. A very weak neutral here... 2 to 2.5 stars out of 5.

02/03/2019

8
Bottle 7
Sillage 8
Longevity 8
Scent

Meggi
212 Reviews

Translated Show original

Meggi

Top Review 44

Bübü and we

The squirrel whose humans we are is called "Bübü". A name that only children can come up with - because it's a nickname, of course, we haven't officially gotten to know each other. Nevertheless we get along very well, we humans may even live on a good piece of Bübüs precinct. The peaceful coexistence is not a problem, after all, Bübü tends to occupy the area one floor above us and also shows no visible enthusiasm for land register entries. By the way: The mole one floor below us never imagined himself by name. A mole, so to speak.

Since Bübü does not come close enough to us that I could have obtained his consent to the processing of personal data (specifically: photos) pursuant to Article 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO, I refer to Article 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO and assert a legitimate interest in the completeness of my present documentary treatise: parfumo.de/Benutzer/Meggi/Bild/133580 und .../133741.

Bübü trained us to lay two nuts on the terrace for him once or twice a day during the sparse months. It gets it (with squirrels, more exact is not to be recognized without plentifully indiscreet examination without it) then sometime individually picks up itself up, after it has carefully located the situation from the swing-scaffold before; sometimes this can be observed. Usually we don't see Bübü, but the gifts are regularly gone by the following day at the latest.

Bübu's motivation regarding nuts is only too understandable. Concerns, on the other hand, could - and we are now finally in the topic - arouse my gradually almost obsessive relationship to the appearance of alleged hazelnuts in fragrances. But we are among ourselves, here in our support group.

My curiosity about 'Vetiver Tonka' (for the rehearsal I thank Garcon!) was awakened at the time by the test of Pal Zileri's 'Viaggio d'Africa', which is rightly attested to be close to Hermès. As I progress, however, I would prefer to make a separate effort with another sparring partner.

Mr. Ellena is off to a good start: After a short solvent-like start, the sourness of the vetiver (presumably -ylacetate, possibly supported by a splash of bergamot) experiences a downright liquorice-like lycra-like turn due to the added sweetness. Haribo, not Danish Saltlakrids. Nevertheless, the idea of hazelnut gradually penetrates obediently only half a minute after spraying, initially due to the continued presence of acid rather similar to a corresponding yoghurt - although this association is not nearly as compelling as liquorice
After an hour 'Vetiver Tonka' seems a bit soapy, harsher, less sweet to me. A persistent light cheese foot speaks indeed for a contribution of bergamot. But most of all, the as-if liquorice accompanies me reliably over the course of time and this aspect led me to a parallel test with 'Contre Pouvoir'. In a direct comparison, the differences are clearer than expected, although I notice that in the Brecourt Vetiver Vetiver might play an even bigger role than I thought.

Back to the nut: Young, green hazelnuts have an olfactory creaminess which may be mirrored by musk - if the nut idea is to be further pursued against the sweetened vetiver mixture. Hmm. Up to now I had hazelnuts mainly in natural scents, which of course bend around musk. In any case, the nut smells different here, less needle-sweet than yoghurt-creamy.

The creamy addition is the final point in the differences between 'Contre Pouvoir' and today's candidate, because it is missing in the Brecourt. On the other hand, the Hermessence also seems to involve a proper ladle Ambroxan, which - to stay in the picture - shares the territory with Vetiver(-ylacetat). It can also be used to diagnose a, let's say, sweet-creamy pseudo-nut by the evening. It is questionable, of course, whether this would have been equally recognizable as such without any prior reference to it.

The nut, the nut, the nut...

I wonder if I could ask Bübü for a favor sometime I could spray 'Vetiver Tonka' (or some other nut scent) on the terrace. If Bübü should sniff the stain with interest, contrary to expectations, I will never again doubt the distillation of hazelnuts. Is it a deal? Bübü...?

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