I am a woman of terribly predictable tastes. If a dress has a fitted waist and a full skirt, I will like it. If a movie involves a starship with a rakishly charming captain, I will like it. And if a perfume is warm and sweet, I will like it. When I read up on the Hermessence line, I knew exactly which one would be coming home with me.
Hermès Ambre Narguilé smells like spiced apples that have been stewed in rum and smothered in cinnamon. Ambre Narguilé does not smell like perfume. It smells like food. Delicious food, but food nonetheless. People who do not particularly want to smell like food will probably not take to Ambre Narguilé; people who don’t mind a little foodiness in their perfume will most likely adore it. As the late, great Abraham Lincoln once said, “People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.”
I think the reason that I am able to enjoy Ambre Narguilé so much is that spiced apples are not one of my favorite foods. (Mushy foods make me uncomfortable. Yes, I am that freak who intentionally undercooks pasta.) So while I definitely consider Ambre Narguilé a delicious gourmand, I do not find it exactly edible.
SCENTS OF SELF 
I need to go back to my Ambre Narguilé because i don’t remember smelling spicy apple anywhere in it. HAH! My nose is mental. I will retry,
Portia xx
That doesn’t mean your nose is mental!! We all smell different things in perfumes. From the name, this is clearly supposed to smell like nargila (hashish), but I don’t smell that AT ALL. And thank the lawd for that, because nothing smells cheaper than apple-flavored nargila!
XX
Recently got a sample of Ambre Narguile and it is all gone! I definitely think it is full-bottle worthy .
I just got myself two little 15 ml bottles! I’m not sure if I would have gotten them if I hadn’t been under the impression that Hermes was discontinuing it (of course, it’s now right back on the Hermes website), but I’m definitely loving it.
Yay for undercooked pasta! (me too) 🙂
Also, I love AN.
I knew you would! It might be too soon to declare us scent twins, but I feel confident in saying that we are at least scent siblings 😀
Looking at the Hermessence line, they all look super lovely! Rose Ikebana looks particularly great to me, but hopefully there’s enough rhubarb!
I feel as though I may have to go to the Boston Hermes store for some sniffing this week. Wonder if it’s available in all stores…? (I’ve never been in the Hermes store here.)
I would think it would be in all Hermes stores, yes. You’re so lucky to have one near you! Please report back on the Rose Ikebana- after the disappointment of Jo Malone White Lilac & Rhubarb, I would love to find a perfume with moar rhubarb.
Rose Ikebana has a tiny bit of rhubarb, but not tons. And while it isn’t a perfume, Mrs. Meyers liquid hand soap in rhubarb is a serious real intense rhubarb scent – just got some at Target! CdG makes a Rhubarb, which I haven’t tried, but I see it is still at Luckyscent. Maybe it’s time for some samples!
Ambre Narguile is my favorite Hermenessence, I also thought spicy apples the first time I smelled it! I especially like it in winter around Christmas.
Oh, I bet it would be awesome around Christmas. Can’t wait to find out!
VIVA Capt Mal!
And Captains Kirk and Solo! 😉
Well, I’m with you on the fitted waist and full skirt. And the rakishly charming starship captain. But I adore cooked apples!
And I think I LIKED the Nazgul but didn’t LOVE it. You know? Just – “hey, this is nice. Kinda appley-spicy, pretty sweet. Don’t wanna wear it myself, would be happy to smell it on someone else.”
I’m sure I would enjoy the taste of cooked apples. It’s the texture that I can’t handle. It also freaks me out when a dish has two or more different textures (for example, I get really sad when people put crunchy bean sprouts in my pad thai).
Crunchy bean sprouts, yum. 🙂
Damn, I so need to get a bottle of this – and it’s so not around – and I so don’t want to get it RIGHT NOW. Frustrating!
However, I so love photos of Zelda noshing your bottle!
Now I’m curious to re-test my sample: I do not remember anything like you described in this one! (I’m with mals – I do like cooked apples).
Hmmm, now I’m trying to remember if I’ve tried the Ambre Narguilé sample I’ve got upstairs. I do remember that despite all the blog love, Ambre Russe does NOT work on me, but there’s a big ol’ blank in my head for AN. I think I’ve been waiting for my spray atomizers to come so I can properly enjoy my little stash of Hermessences – those skinny vials are ridiculous little dabby things and I want to spray, damnit! (Uh-oh, did I just use my outside voice?)