FRAGRANCE | Un Jardin En Mediterranee EDT by Hermès: For an uplifting, garden-fresh feel

Un Jardin En Méditerranée is the first fragrance from Hermès's green-themed Un Jardin line. The bottles in this collection all come in a characteristic ombre design, with each release assigned a specific color. I'm particularly loving this bluish one for En Méditerranée, which instantly calls to mind just that—the Mediterranean (although I've never been there).

Anyway, some 16 years later and I've finally given it a full wear.

A bright citrus combo accompanies a distinct fig leaf note in the opening, effectively tempering the latter's inherent bitterness. There's some sweetness coming through, which renders the fig's green character moist and perhaps more appealing to more people. By comparison, the opening of Diptyque's Philosykos is really dry, at least on my skin, something that certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The scent soon makes a coniferous turn but with everyone else almost still intact. It's a beautiful green vibe that makes for a perfect summer wear. It's not so much on being a clean type of fresh scent but rather of an uplifting, garden-fresh feel. The fragrance is quite linear in terms of development but that doesn't take away from its beauty. I find that both projection and longevity are generally moderate, and that resprays are almost always necessary to get you through the day.

Un Jardin En Méditerranée is unisex, no doubt, pleasant and inoffensive. I think it's a safe blind buy as well. It's not the cheapest of fragrances but it's surely worth a try.