Description
Created in 2004 by Jean-Claude Ellena, Hermessence is a collection of unique
fragrances conceived as olfactory poems using perfuming’s most exclusive
elements. As sober and intense as Japanese haiku, they reinvent a nature that is
as precious as it is unusual, as if rendered by the inspired writing of a composer
in search of the new.
Enriched each time the perfumer discovers a new country, a language,
a culture or simply extraordinary new ingredients, as of today the line
consists of eight fragrances, exclusively available in Hermès stores.
Paprika Brasil: hot pepper, iris and reseda, an original interpretation of
Brazilwood which sits between paprika red (it is the wood from which the
tinctorial pigment was taken) and the powdery note of the Brazilian spice
heightened by iris. “In between the association of ideas and the play on words…” Hermessence Paprika Brasil was launched in 2006.
Farbek-L14 – :
The opening is spicy, with wafts of iris threaded through the hot pepper, which gives the perfume a noticeable metallic tang almost reminiscent of certain Serge Lutens perfumes. Very soon it veers into violet candy territory, which you either love or hate (I love it), before taking a lovely sharp green edge that stops it from becoming cloying. The woods come through as a general sense of warmth, comfort and class, bringing depth and power to something that might have turned out a bit too church-lady or granny-ish. Projection and sillage are weak to medium and longevity is medium (I got about five hours out of it).
Paprika Brasil is definitely Hermès to the last drop: it’s chic, it’s confident, it’s timeless, it smells polished and expensive, and it has that purity and clarity you can’t get from anyone but Ellena. Is it incredibly thought-provoking or cutting-edge? No, but it’s still beautiful and unique in its own right, and almost 15 years later it still smells relevant. The work of a master never goes out of style.
ford_gt_500 – :
dry iris.
no paprika.
nice, though.
GreyMater – :
Green, spicy. OK. Not bad. Gets better. Dries down to violet candy. I like violet candy.
K_M_C – :
So damn good. I don’t understand how someone can dislike this. It is the height of modern sophistication. Completely unisex
sanek86 – :
Strong paprika / red pepper opening, with bright green-smelling, springy, rooty, powdery, floury iris. The spice and iris pairing is odd but interesting, and the spice is not too sweaty like pepper and paprika can sometimes be. It’s more diffusive, white iris and wood as it progresses, less spice, though really mostly iris – beautiful iris – and not like the iris from ukiyoe – it’s colder, clearer and more austere. I feel like this stage until the end does remind me of a refined older woman with good taste, creating a bit of a stylistic disjoin with the opening. It is beautiful though, and I find myself liking it despite dry, green iris fragrances being the opposite of my usual scent preferences. The sillage and longevity are better than usual for a Hermessence
plusuaturvili – :
I love this smell.. one of my favorites from hermessence line
kyrte – :
I love this gem. Very refined and expensive smelling. Like Paprika powdery soap but still somewhat modern. I’d love to test this again but I loathe walking into the Hermes store and getting looked up and down. It’s like walking into a bank vault.
wwwerttt – :
scent : 9/10
sillage : 7/10
longevity : 7/10
70% day / 30% night fragrance
nice green,violet and woody scent
Reminds me of Eau de Narcisse Bleu by Hermès and Sienne l´Hiver Eau D`Italie
sashalash1 – :
I’m among the few how seem to love the delicacy of this spicy iris scent. I love iris but find most of its recent reinterpretations are just quite repetitive and boring, this was a surprise. I didn’t even expected to like it, paprika is very present in my culture and I know it can be extremely intrusive and persistent, but here even when the name leads to expect paprika to have the main role, it is just a pinch in the blend, a small one which adds shine to a beautiful bouquet of fresh green iris flowers. It lies and dries on a noble wooden bed spiced with clove’s powder.
Its texture is semitransparent and delicate.
Projection is moderate but the perfume lasts for good 7 to 8h on skin.
An elegant unique and discrete oddity of underrated beauty.
volchok.jr – :
Portrait of Lydia Delectorskaya, by Henri Matisse 1947
pompyhaq437intitytek – :
Ahhhhh, this one is something to write home to your mother about. A very unusual and very mature scent that I still don’t quite understand in all honesty. It seems like it is very basic, with just powdery dried paprika and then all of these spices and woods come out. I can’t say which woods I’m smelling, or even really what spices there are (except the clove)
It smells exactly like a kitchen as you’re getting your spices together for a very very flavourful mexican dish.
Highly recommend this one, it’s not for everyone!
were12 – :
I would expect more reviews from a scent that has been out a decade but I now see why. This is not a popular scent amongst the Hermessence line and is a confusing scent. Trust me folks, the stars are Ambre Narguile, Vetiver Tonka and Rose Ikebana. You probably know that and decided to test this one just like me. Sure it has a nice paprika and iris note in the opening. Then comes the dry down of clove. I pretty much dislike anything with clove except for Copper Skies by Kerosene. This has an almost sickening smell to it. As mentioned by others it is more of a skin scent so it won’t offend too many but the wearer of course. Hopefully the clove no is not so apparent on your skin as it is on mines. Total scrubber and the price tag is RIDICULOUS!!
yur7349 – :
A very nice makeup scent. Smells like lipstick with pimento, cinnamon, and oregano. Similar to Balenciaga Paris.
mikimausis – :
‘Paprika Brasil’ begins with a demure paprika and pimento accord, which is punctuated lightly with clove. The pepper is softened and muted here, seemingly blunted from becoming too spicy or irritative. Its typical piquant qualities have been toned down as if being diluted by brush strokes in a watercolor painting. A beautiful vegetal accord follows, carrying with it hints of green bell pepper and freshly snipped English ivy. Floral, powdery iris enters next offering a delicate counterpoint to the bolder paprika of the top notes. The grey, powdery tonalities with which the iris conveys act to temper the peppery facets as well as add lightness to what could have become an otherwise heavy and dense composition. Mignonette flower further adds buoyancy with its highly fragrant scent. The sweet, ambrosial odor is a much needed respite from the proceeding savory notes. Finally, the composition comes to rest on an assured linear, woody accord which is both as comforting as it is satisfying.
A true unisex fragrance, ‘Paprika Brasil’ can clearly be worn and appreciated by both men and woman alike. The fragrance is an enigma in that the fiery temperament of the pepper has been so well blended with soft florals and woods as to become nearly unrecognizable. It is a true olfactory delight. ‘Paprika Brasil’ seems fitted for year round wearing, with my own personal preference to wear during the cooler days of spring and autumn. The projection, silage and longevity for this “eau de toilette” are light to average with fragrance becoming a skin scent soon after application. I wear it as a treat to myself, capturing glimpses of its unique beauty and artistry via whiffs throughout the day. One of my personal favorites from the Hermessence collection.
Read my complete review at my personal blog
Fragranceemergency.blogspot.com
Sergey1994 – :
Applying Paprika Brasil on my hand, is like as if I just sliced open a fresh chilli pepper, and its juice full of vegetal sweetness and spiciness got on my fingers. But this initially fresh spicy scent turns drier and more fiery in no time, as if the fruit is being dried and turned into paprika. I can also smell some peppery nuance around the edges.
The spices reach its peak at around 15 minutes and gradually cools down afterwards. The fragrance is then dominated by iris after about 2 hours. The iris here is gently rooty and carroty, which pairs brilliantly with the vegetal characteristics of the chilli pepper, allowing a seemingly unexpected yet seamless transition between chilli pepper and iris.
Just when I thought Paprika Brasil would remain a subtly spiced powdery iris, the clove starts to emerge after about 5 hours. Its spiciness turns the fragrance into a spicy violet. I can even catch a glimpse of its meatiness.
Paprika Brasil remains close to skin throughout its 9 hours longevity.
I’m not familiar with brazilwood, and wasn’t able to discern it from the woody base. Instead, iris plays a such important role that I tend to agree that Paprika Brasil seems to be a misleading name for this fragrance. Although there’re plenty of excellent iris fragrances out there, combining iris with chilli pepper is quite unique and works surprisingly well in Paprika Brasil. The hot spices and cool iris make an interesting contrast, while both present a vegetal quality that keeps the fragrance coherent. Moreover, comparing to L’Artisan Parfumeur Piment Brûlant which is almost entirely of chilli pepper, Paprika Brasil’s elegant iris drydown makes it more wearable and all the while stay interesting. I think Paprika Brasil definitely worths a try, especially to those who are interested in fragrances with a certain vegetal quality.
svinopapka – :
Starts out spicy, and ends up spicy. My nose didn’t see a lot of depth in this one.
tuban – :
A spicy Iris scent. Something unusual and unique.
Jean-Claude Ellena was inspired by Brazil when creating this fragrance, with a specific focus on Brazilwood (from which the name of the country originated). In any case, I see this primarily as an Iris-based fragrance.
I like the spicy touch with the pimento/paprika vibe. Upon first application I initially thought it smelt a little like food (I happen to use paprika a lot in cooking), but I’ve since grown to appreciate the Iris note, and I know that I like it very much and would happily wear it.
Again, I find some of the Hermessence line creations a little fleeting, and for the price that is certainly an issue here. However I won’t deny that I like this fragrance. I find it different and unique. Earthy Iris and chilli, giving off a spicy-green floral vibe. Good stuff.
saboter103 – :
I’m a huge fan of pepper, Brazil wood and clove based fragrances so I knew from the start this was going to be a must-have for me. Pimento is rather prominent here with its tangy sharpness. A dry, earthy paprika is perceptible with just a hint of smokey clove. I love the added “green leaves” note, which offers a much needed vegetal quality amongst all the other arid ingredients (it reminded me of freshly snipped English Ivy). Iris lends a powdery sweetness, perfectly accompanying the resonant Brazil wood. Classically elegant, masculine, and debonaire. (99)
daulet20 – :
This has become my signature scent…So intriguing, warm, and unexpected. It smells like nothing I ever wore before, some people say it reminds them of A-Men, personally I don’t think so, not at all. It reminds me of aa woody forest right before night falls, when humidity is returning and you can sense the smell of leaves and soil.
denisjkytf – :
Smells nice. A great second after Poivre. Similar to it but Paprika has more pepper and includes Iris. For this price Id rather choose Poivre Sarmaconde since its amazing. Just get A*Men A taste of fragrance since its similar just more darker and not expensive.
FriendIsabella – :
I agree with sherapop, the iris note is prevalent here. At least how I see and smell it 😉
Then it goes herbaceous and woody. It’s a clean and neat fragrance. Projection and silage is medium. It’s expensive but I only got the travel size 15ml bottles box with 4 bottles inside and that way you can choose 4 different kinds. I also find it more interesting than Iris ukiyoe.
ali69751043 – :
Mmm! Like a wood filled gourmet hot tamale. At first spray it smelled a little soapy to me, but as it warms up the chile’s really start to shine, and I start to smell cedar. I’m a huge Jean-Claude Ellena fan, that being said I personally would not wear this, but I definitely admire it for it’s uniqueness. Stays close to skin, and has excellent lasting power.
Mekdk217Unlogrere – :
I am thoroughly intrigued now by Hermessence PAPRIKA BRASIL, having donned the last few drops of a small sample this morning. I must say that I was taken totally by surprise. Without any knowledge of the notes, this seemed to me an incense-iris perfume! I think that I was expecting something unpleasant along the lines of the AP salsa facsimile (PIMENT BRULANT). Instead, I am sufficiently pleased with this composition to want to acquire more so that I can wear it again.
There really is a hefty iris note here, and I’m a big-time iris-phile. I’m beginning to wonder, actually, whether some people simply have very weak iris receptors. Or perhaps mine are super-sensitive? To my nose, there’s a hefty dose of iris in this composition, which therefore has been completely misnamed! That’s no criticism of the perfume, however, which I intend to seek out.
Although others have complained of flimsiness, on my skin, this elixir has good projection and clinging capacity. On my wish list!
alenkaS – :
Paprika Brasil is a very unique woody-spicy unisex scent from the Hermessence line. Suitable for most occasions and seasons. Yes it`s expencive, but it`s worth the money. On my skin the longevity is great, and the sillage is moderate. This one actually last longer on my skin than Poivre Samarcande. I`m very impressed by the scents from the Hermessence line, and I think Mr. Ellena is a true genius when it comes to create unique classy fragrances. Highly recommended!
Upliliect – :
Paprika Brasil comfortably sits between all other fragrances of the same line (Hermessence), with its thin and minimalistic structure. Peppery spices and woods pleasantly balanced to create a traslucent and very gentle smell. Nice and well executed but I expected a little more from a supposed”exclusive” line by Hermes. A serious contendant if just half priced.
Rating: 6.5-7/10
AERS – :
Paprika and brasil wood softened with iris.Seductive,ardent,unexpected.
Arrelladarjex – :
It starts fresh, soapy and a bit floral (I would have said that this contained rose). Two minutes later, I can get raw red or green pimento, pepper and cloves and the scent starts to be really gourmand (but not sweet at all). It smells “culinary” and the food/spices are very true to the reality.
But I wouldn’t say that this smells pleasant to me. I like spicy fragrances but this smells just like the hands and fingertips after cutting pimentos and cooking.
The scent doesn’t change after the opening and it stays several hours on my skin, but sillage is only noticeable for an hour.
PROrabix – :
As with all the line, the prices are not in my range, bur honesty i think that i would’nt even spend the half for paprika brasil although it’s pleasant enough. It starts dry and fiery,but soon iris kicks in and i kind of love it.But i find it lacks interst in the drydown when it smells like a laundry softener with apple flavor. Not bad but it seems unfinished.And i don’t think that the name or the inspiration suits it right