Our take
What does Un Jardin à Cythère smell like?
Christine Nagel added a new chapter to the Hermès Jardins collection in 2023 with Un Jardin à Cythère. She drew on the Greek island of Kythira. There she saw olive trees and tall grasses bending in the sea wind. The landscape is dry, and so is the perfume. Citrus opens lightly. Sun-dried grasses come next with a smell of warm hay. Fresh pistachio gives the heart a roundness that is almost milky, joined by a toasted cereal note. The base rests on olive wood, soft and a little nutty. Everything stays sheer. Compared with Jean-Claude Ellena's Un Jardin en Méditerranée, which is greener and full of fig, Cythère feels softer and hazier. The critic Persolaise found it too muted. It is easy to see why, as the central effect fades fast. The eau de toilette comes in a refillable bottle.
When to wear it
For hot days, holidays and weekends. Spray generously on skin and clothes since longevity is short.
It belongs to the Woody, Citrus family. Un Jardin à Cythère is one of 47 creations by Hermès in our encyclopedia.
