Perfume Review: Paprika Brasil by Hermes
November 30th, 2006
Paprika Brasil is the sixth scent in the Hermessence collection, created by the Hermes in-house perfumer Jean Claude Ellena, (also known as the creator of The Different Company fragrances, Bois Farine and Ambre Extreme by L’Artisan Parfumeur). The scent is said to be inspired by the popular in the 50s “Tristes Tropiques” book by Claude Levi-Strauss that focuses on the loss of rainforest in Brazil as well as introduction of exotic spices to Europe. Paprika Brasil is a sort of an olfactory tribute to “bois de braise” (Brazilwood – where the name of Brazil is derived from), rendered with predominantly pimento and iris. Paprika Brasil has already been reviewed on several perfume blogs, and, while I can somewhat relate to the general impression of it being rather insipid (based solely on anticipation of a dense spicy oriental), I must say I’m actually pleasantly surprised by how much it appeals to me. I don’t find it insipid – moderately rich would be my pick. Very much in the style of Jean Claude Ellena, yet significantly less transparent than, say, Terre d’Hermes.
Paprika Brasil features the notes of pimento, clove, paprika, iris, green leaves, reseda, ember wood. In contrast to its name and inspiration, Paprika Brasil is more about iris than anything else. It starts out with a mix of fiery pimento and dusty paprika that softly settles on skin bringing out the slightly powdery and carrot-like iris note. The scent develops a gentle green accord that very much reminds me of Bois d’Iris by The Different Company with its mild woody undertone. The drydown is quite surprising: from the burning hot top notes the scent morphs into an almost mellow, creamy-soft orris. It stays close to skin, it doesn’t beg to be noticed. It just puts you in a state of reflective tranquility.
Paprika Brasil is availabe at select Hermes boutiques.
Image source: www.cosmoty.de
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20 Comments
1. Tigs | November 30th, 2006 at 1:18 am
Looks like its your week to be contrary, Ina! All I can remember about this one is Robin’s descriptor “wan” – what a great word. It’s nice to see an opinion from the other side of the fence, though, and I was very pleased to see your BO review. Right with you on the smothering, overly vanillic, cacophonic impression.
2. Patty | November 30th, 2006 at 6:35 am
Hey, somsone else that liked this one! I put it fifth in line in the order I like it in the Hermessences.
3. Elle | November 30th, 2006 at 6:37 am
OK, I shall have to give this a second chance and mentally rename it “Triste Iris” or something so that my expectations are set at the right level. I like meditative, tranquil scents, so it really may work w/ a new name and deletion of the first three notes you listed. But all I could think of when I read the name of the book it derived its inspiration from is that it certainly was about sadness and loss – the sadness I felt upon trying it and the loss of all my expectations for a rich, spicy scent reminiscent of the less depressive side of Brazil.
4. Lucy | November 30th, 2006 at 6:46 am
Seems like it has a certain melancholy quality, I am certainly interested in trying it…
5. chaya ruchama | November 30th, 2006 at 6:51 am
I think that our expectations were for something entirely different, hence the disappointment when it was released.
I think it’s pretty, and it lasts quite awhile on the skin – but it appeared on the scene after we had already sniffed Dzongkha and Cuir Ottoman-
In comparison, it seems one of many renditions of these notes.
I’d like to see JCE blow us out of the water with something we don’t expect- something sumptuous and non-transparent.
6. Judith | November 30th, 2006 at 8:36 am
It may very well have been my expectations, but I did find it, if not insipid, just uninteresting. I sent it away to a friend who really wanted to try it, but haven’t heard how she liked it. I have no regrets, though I guess I should sniff it again at Hermes sometime. . .
7. Marina | November 30th, 2006 at 11:37 am
Totally insipid on me.
I so wanted to love me. Paprika Brazil…my god, the very name had me salivating. Me sad. 
8. Robin | November 30th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
I don’t think I was expecting a dense scent, and certainly nothing oriental. But spicy, yes, and something Brazil-ian-ish. I’ll stick with my Terre d’Hermes
9. Leopoldo | November 30th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
I’m hoping they’ve bunged a sample of this in with my Ambre Narguile order. I can live in hope – the SA on the phone was hopeless though…
3 hopes in two sentences. Ah well.
10. Nina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
I’ve been wearing a sample of this today, and I’ve been surprised by the softness of the drydown compared to what smells initially like very dry, strong incense, and also by how long the drydown lasts. It’s a skin scent, definitely, but it has a haunting, elusive quality that I’m finding surprisingly attractive. There’s a silvery sharp note that keeps drifting in and out, that reminds me of Fleurs de Narcisse. Not what I’d expected from a Hermessence, but one I think I might fall for rather deeply in time.
11. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
Tigs, contrary is good, once in a while.
12. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
Patty, give me five! *smack*
13. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Elle, you really should take your perfume less seriously, woman. Ha! No, I can see what you mean. It’s a lovely iris on me, though, nothing sad about it.
14. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Lucy, it’s definitely worth a try! It’s not exactly melancholy, more meditative.
15. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Chaya, I’m with you on JCE blowing us out of the water! Enough with transparency (although, in this case, I don’t mind it so much).
16. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Judith, do sniff it again.
17. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Marina, sorry you sad but you have many perfumes make you happy, so ‘s okay.
18. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Robin, yeah, same here.
19. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
Leo, I hope against all hope you’ll get the sample of Paprika Brasil in your package, hopefully.
20. Ina | November 30th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
Nina, ditto to all! I’m thinking I might need one of those 15 ml bottles at some point…