Hermes • Vetiver Tonka (Hermesessence series) • Fragrances
(33 reviews)
| Average Rating. | 3.6 |
| Would buy this product again. | 60% |
| Package Quality | 4.2 |
| Price | 4.5 |
| Ingredients | |
*TOP REVIEWER* zeynepd on 5/9/2013 11:15:00 AM more reviews by zeynepd
Age: 30-35 Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium Hair: Red Eyes: Hazel
'With its caramel, praline and blonde tobacco notes, tonka bean draped vetiver in softness and gave its woody notes a mellow roundness," says Jean-Claude Ellena on the Hermes website. Given his fondness for transparency, I guess at least for some of us this is a delectable vetiver gourmand probably enjoying the sophistication of more than one genre.
On my skin, however, it is a light, subtle and very wearable vetiver without hazelnut or other impressions. I like the fragrance but I'm kind of disappointed that I don't get any caramel or praline. If I spritz more, I can smell something akin to roast hazelnuts - though it reminds me of licorice, too. In either case, the scent dries and becomes a subtle vetiver again. I like it a lot but I don't love it enough to stray from beautiful Dzongkha, which is darker, deeper and more complex on my skin.
I had a 4ml sample of Vetiver Tonka which I have gifted to a male colleague of mine and it reveals more notes on him - delectable really.
Vetiver Tonka has very good lasting power on my skin.
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bookwyrmsmith on 5/30/2011 2:57:00 PM more reviews by bookwyrmsmith
Age: 30-35 Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine Eyes: Hazel
Trying in a sample pass ,Vetiver Tonka is a lovely fresh unisex scent.
On my skin it smells like it should be from another House.Specifically :Prada.
Vetiver Tonka smells as if it were a mix of Prada Prada(approximately 1/3)and Prada Infusion D'Iris(2/3).
I would definitely like a bottle ,but it would be slightly redundant (and a expensive indulgence)as I already own the other two.I will be on the lookout for a good deal on it later.
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whitecountess on 8/10/2010 2:16:00 PM more reviews by whitecountess
Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination, Fair Hair: Brunette Eyes: Blue
Another Jean Claude Ellena triumph!
Vetiver Tonka is one of my favorites this season.
Nutty, warm, sweet, and almost edible without ever crossing the line over to food-y scents. A man or a woman could wear this and be perceived as gorgeous smelling.
This one really attracts and wears closely on the skin. A treat for you and someone who loves you.
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*TOP REVIEWER* Wyrmiax on 3/13/2010 5:29:00 PM more reviews by Wyrmiax
Age: 44-55 Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium Eyes: Hazel
A wonderful scent, but hard to describe. My husband, who also loves it, said, "It smells like a little bit of everything, but not too much of anything." There is vetiver, there's a nutty quality, and it gets sweeter as it dries down, but is never too sweet. Very wearable, yet distinctive
EDIT: I had to take this down a notch. The nuttiness in the drydown gets to me eventually and makes me a little queasy.
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*TOP REVIEWER* proximitythe53rd on 3/4/2010 10:33:00 AM more reviews by proximitythe53rd
Age: 25-29 Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine Eyes: Green
This review is based on a small decant of Vetiver Tonka.
I've been slowly working my way through the Hermessences, and I haven't found one that I don't like yet.
Vetiver Tonka is a mostly dry, smoky, grassy/hay-like composition made creamy with the addition of a great tonka bean note. It's sweeter than other Jean Claude Ellena/Hermes fragrances like Poivre Samarcande and Terre d'Hermes, but not sweet enough that it's feminine. I find Vetiver Tonka quite firmly unisex. There is a nutty, rich undertone, and a slightly fruit-like suggestion which, along with the tonka, you might think could give a gourmand feel to this fragrance, but it's balanced out by smoky hay and vetiver, so that it's really more of a smoky creamy green than it is a gourmand. It has depth and richness, without becoming heavy - I think this is a fragrance that you could wear all year long if you were so inclined.
Vetiver Tonka has an unusual aspect to it, while still staying familiar and universally appealing enough to make it very wearable. It's a flexible scent that will adapt well to most situations. It wouldn't be out of place at work, relaxing at home, on a date, or even at a more formal occasion.
As Vetiver Tonka develops, the light citrus of the opening quickly fades, and over time the base notes become more apparent, eventually, in the dry-down the vetiver drifts away leaving a soft creamy sweet skin scent. The lasting time is moderate, maybe about 5 hours on my skin. I think for more lasting power you could apply a little more heavily, and it would be unlikely to be overpowering provided that you wait 5 minutes before going out.
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*TOP REVIEWER* Dagney on 2/8/2010 3:03:00 PM more reviews by Dagney
Age: 30-35 Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm Hair: Black, Straight, Medium Eyes: Brown
Very nice. Vetiver Tonka is a complex blend of sweet and dry notes. I smell green grass and sweet neroli over a light vetiver base. Truly unisex - I really like the sweet grassy notes but my DH said he would prefer to buy this for himself. As other reviewers have said both warm and cool at the same time so I think Vetiver Tonka can be worn during any type of weather.
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ekma2008 on 12/17/2009 8:15:00 AM more reviews by ekma2008
Age: 25-29 Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium Hair: Brunette Eyes: Green
A definitely full bottle worth. When my husband uses it I cant stop sniffing. And it is rather good on me too. Mostly smell vetiver, nuts and dark chocolate.
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zazie33 on 7/22/2009 5:25:00 AM more reviews by zazie33
Age: 30-35 Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium Hair: Brown Eyes: Hazel
Vetiver Tonka is a deliciously gourmand Vetiver scent, very different from the classic, clean and rather masculine vetiver colognes that we are used to know.
Official notes: vetiver, neroli, bergamot, grilled hazelnut, dry fruit, cereal notes and tonka bean.
Vetiver Tonka is all about the amplification of the natural nutty facets of vetiver: the grilled hazelnut and cereal notes are deliciously prominent and enlaced with the juicy greenery of vetiver. This is the heart of the fragrance, and it is very much there from the beginning through the end: the opening is sparkled with the hesperidic notes of bergamot and neroli ( that feel juicy and “round”: they are not harsh in the least) , while the dry-down is warmed by a delicate tonka bean, lending chocolate-vanillic undertones to the composition. Sometimes I perceive a faint smoky facet, sometimes I don’t.
Vetiver Tonka is foody and gourmand, in a non-conventional way.
It is sweet but not particularly so: it is very refined and smooth.
From the notes and description it may sound quite heavy and more of a winter scent: but in fact it is airy and luminous, and can be worn all year round. Good lasting power.
Me and my husband both wear it with joy, so I would say it is perfectly unisex. A bit pricey, though.
It is quite a unique scent: I think is worth a try - even if you think you don’t like vetiver…
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flipmode1505 on 4/10/2009 11:05:00 PM more reviews by flipmode1505
Age: 19-24 Skin: Acne-prone, Dark Hair: Black Eyes: Black
haven' t bought it yet, smelt it for the first time today and I am in love! Have always been a foody/fruity scent girl but have been trying to expand and appreciate other scents. Have never liked green scents until I smelled this one! I was pleasantly shocked- it is divine- the mixture of beautiful fresh grass, a hint of sweetness and sexy tobacco- aaah im in heaven. Reminds me of my last Caribbean holiday. This and ambre narguile are amazing in my humble opinion. I would advise a trial of both before dismissing them...
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*TOP REVIEWER* tessture on 3/22/2009 1:35:00 PM more reviews by tessture
Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium Hair: Brunette Eyes: Brown
Wow, I get none of those cool notes. I don't even get tonka, to be honest. All I get is vetiver, which is fine enough as it is, smooth and woody, but it leans to the masculine on me and I get nothing but that. Vetiver, full stop. Nice for that, but not particularly great for a scent that's supposed to have grain and dried fruit and for heaven's sake, TONKA.
Sigh.
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*TOP REVIEWER* GlamDiva on 3/18/2008 9:26:00 PM more reviews by GlamDiva
Age: 56 & Over Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm Hair: Other, Straight, Fine Eyes: Hazel
Hermes Vetiver Tonka is perfectly balanced, subtle, sweet, classy.
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ciuwawa on 1/1/2008 7:10:00 AM more reviews by ciuwawa
Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination, Medium Hair: Red Eyes: Green
Utterly, utterly BEAUTIFUL. A truly unisex fragrance. A month ago, I stepped into the Hermes store in London with some friends and the lovely SA gave each of us a different Hermessence sample. I got this beauty. I kept it on my desk at work and sniffed it daily for at least a month before I succumbed.
theres something quite special about this. It connects with me, personally. I'm no perfume expert...I work on instinct and attraction - so I cannot break down the notes...all I know is that this fragrance seems to encompass the type of fresh, green, citrus yet warm goldeness I adore. It has great sillage on me..it envelops, doesn't evolve or change...just stays beautifully the same - which is actually what I want, in this case.
Heavenly.....I'd love to encounter a man wearing this - if there is such.
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*TOP REVIEWER* ayala on 7/25/2006 11:34:00 AM more reviews by ayala
Age: 30-35 Skin: Combination Hair: Brown Eyes: Green
Vetiver Tonka, my most favourite so far, is simple and interesting at once. It is one of the best Vetiver scents I tried, equally revealing the sweetness and freshness of this magnificent root. The opening reveals the green freshness of Vetiver, as it is accentuated by citrus notes – a very common maneuver in Vetiver scents, but one should not dismiss it because of that. As it dries down, it reveals the sweet earthiness of Vetiver as it is accompanied by the rich cigar-flavoured tones of tonka bean. What I love about Vetiver Tonka is its rich simplicity. It does not have that many notes or facets, does not go through any significant transformation (once the initial fresh citrusy opening subsides, it is Vetiver and Tonka all the way), yet it stays interesting all the way. Both Vetiver and tonka are very complex notes, and there is something quite magnificent about two notes so different from each other working together so well. It lasted for a very long time as well, despite the fact that this is just an Eau de Toilette.
Notes: Neroli, Bergamot, Vetiver, Roasted Hazelnuts, Dried Fruit, Cereals, Tonka Bean
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gingele on 3/5/2006 11:09:00 AM more reviews by gingele
Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination Hair: Red Eyes: Brown
Just beautiful. Fortunately I don't get much sweet or sugar here. VT's sister AN is sweeter on me (honey). This wonderful surprise is a slightly spiced, smokey and *almost* masculine scent with very little green or citrus that I usually get from Vetiver (must be the tonka). After reading some of the other reviews here , I am starting to understand why this one gets so much less attention thatn AN. Lucky that it works for me, I guess!
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sydklg on 1/5/2006 9:57:00 PM more reviews by sydklg
Age: 56 & Over Skin: Other Hair: Other Eyes: Brown
I hate to say it, but something smelled off to me when I tried this, both times, and after reading the reviews, I get it! It does smell a little like marijuana!
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mysticaldeath on 1/4/2006 1:14:00 AM more reviews by mysticaldeath
Age: 30-35 Skin: Combination Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown
save your money and pick up Guerlains classic vetiver for 1/10 the price. nobody will know the difference, as a matter of fact, challenge yourself and see if you can. creamy & nice enough vetiver, with the "rough spots" ironed out unlike the truly bizarre MPG route du vetiver, but crazy to spend 180+ on anything less than a perfume in a crystal flacon. doesnt even include Hermes Leather case, and for that price it better...
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cora-lu on 8/21/2005 1:34:00 PM more reviews by cora-lu
Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium Eyes: Other
This is a wonderful vetiver, unusual to start with - that's probably the tonka bean, that lends a touch of hazelnut sweetness. This dissipates rather quickly though (about an hour on me) and leaves a superbly dry, smoky vetiver, similar to Guerlain's but maybe even drier, with a very slight touch of hazelnut lingering on. I love to spray it at the back of my neck and have it waft from my hair all day long (yes, it lasts _that_ long!).
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*TOP REVIEWER* Maller on 8/20/2005 7:23:00 PM more reviews by Maller
Age: Unknown Skin: Other Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown
My friends rave about the burnt sugar and grilled hazelnut notes they get in this. The wonderful, rich sweetness and complexity of the dry down with the notes of cereal, dried fruits and tonka bean. I have tried this again and again...and again. I have considered tracking down a Santorian priestess in the East Village to see if she can invoke the spirit of these obstinately elusive notes in VT on my skin. I get a quite sweet citrusy vetiver, but the burnt sugar and grilled hazelnut evade me altogether. If you like lemony vetivers, this may work. I don't...will continue to pray that one day I find the magic in this scent.
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wolfie13 on 7/21/2005 12:55:00 PM more reviews by wolfie13
Age: 36-43 Skin: Other Hair: Other Eyes: Other
On paper, this seemed like it would be great as I love most of the notes listed for this: vetiver, neroli, bergamot, grilled hazelnut, dry fruit, cereals and tonka bean. In actuality - ugh! This smelled like a combination of burnt sugar and smoking hay on me. Not to mention a very "perfume-y" quality. Points for originality is the only reason I gave it two lippies instead of one. (Thus far I have not been excited about any of the Hermessences and am grateful that I just got a set of decants on ebay.)
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*TOP REVIEWER* freskagirl on 3/17/2005 7:03:00 PM more reviews by freskagirl
Age: Unknown Skin: Combination Hair: Black Eyes: Green
An unexpected combination of these two notes, Vetiver Tonka starts out with a sweet vanilla/tonka blast, and then morphs into a lovely, citrusy vetiver. The tonka pretty much disappears on me as it dries down, lending just a slight sweetness to the vetiver. Overall, I find this more of an earthy/fresh scent than a gourmand one--which is fine by me!