Poivre Samarcande

Poivre Samarcande, inspired by Hermès Hermessence Poivre Samarcande (2004)

Pepper is the subject here, though not the cosy kitchen kind. Black and green pepper come through crisp and slightly aromatic, with a touch of chili for bite. Oak takes over beneath them, smooth, dry and faintly smoky, and oakmoss gives the wood a shaded, forest-floor feel. The whole composition stays transparent from start to finish.

About the original

Jean-Claude Ellena composed Poivre Samarcande in 2004 for the Hermessence collection. Hermès says it grew from his memory of a felled oak, which smelled peppery, musky and slightly smoky. The house describes its profile as spicy and dry and presents it for both men and women. It is still sold, now in a refillable 100 ml bottle.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Hermès stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Compared with most peppery men's scents, it is lean and dry, with no amber or vanilla to cushion the spice. A buyer hoping for a dense, enveloping spice may find it too sparse.

Related scents

• Hermes Vanille Galante Hermessence
• Hermes Terre d'Hermes Eau Intense Vetiver

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Notes: Black Pepper, Green Pepper, Chili Pepper, Oak, Oakmoss

Black pepper opens it, with green pepper adding a fresher, almost leafy edge and chili a brief prickle.

The oak soon comes forward, smooth and dry, with a faint smokiness that suits the pepper. Oakmoss settles underneath and gives the drydown a muted, mossy shade.

Is Poivre Samarcande a men's or a women's fragrance?

Hermès offers it to any wearer; it sits in our men's section.

Is it hot like chili?

Not really. Chili appears among the materials Hermès names, but pepper and dry oak lead, so it reads as crisp spice rather than heat.

What is Hermessence?

Hermessence is a separate Hermès collection, and Poivre Samarcande has belonged to it since 2004.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Hermes and Poivre Samarcande are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Hermes in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.