FRAGRANCE | Un Jardin Après La Mousson EDT by Hermès puts the happy in green

One of the earlier releases from the Hermès Un Jardin Collection, Après La Mousson is a perfect fit in this line of garden-themed EDTs. It carries that familiar, green, Un Jardin DNA that permeates these fragrances bottled up in such colorful, ombre flacons. (If anything seems out of place in the series, it would be Sur La Lagune.) 

Running atop its green but sweet backbone is a fresh and watery accord that's lovely in its transparency. I don't necessarily think of it as aquatic because it's devoid of any saltiness or anything that gives me even the slightest marine association. But then that's just me because what I smell is essentially still a green fragrance. What the watery accord brings, though, is a refreshing quality that washes away any residual bitterness from the greens that be. Its interaction with the sweetness—and with whatever else is at play—produces this very likable, melon-like scent.

Après La Mousson then introduces almost immediately a certain spiciness fronted by ginger. It doesn't overpower, however, and blends well with the watery melon accord, as if it were a palate cleanser that balances all the flavors. For comparison, not in terms of scent but of how ginger is treated, Après La Mousson is more akin to Gucci Envy for Men than Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Ginger Piccante. 

Over time, the spiciness slowly fades and the scent grows a little sweeter. As with everything else in this line, daytime wear in warm weather is its best fit but not when it's exceedingly hot and humid because the sweetness is likely to give you an unwanted sticky feeling. It doesn't project as much, especially after a couple of hours, so resprays would come in handy here. Still, I like Un Jardin Après La Mousson a lot because it's a happy scent, it's pleasant, and is easy to wear.