Hiris fragrance notes
Head
- Iris, Coriander, Carrot
Heart
- Iris, Neroli, Rose, Hay
Base
- Honey, Almond wood, Vanilla, Cedarwood, Ambrette seed
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Latest Reviews of Hiris

on crumbling wood and bitter amber.
A Chopin Nocturne is played
and mourners stand around, their heads bowed.

It opens cool, yet not steely, more a salve of rosy, violet-tinged carrots and powdered rhizomes of all kinds. Then, there's a beautiful "key change," as it were, a minor key resolved to major. It smells not merely of orris root but what I perceive when one were to get intimate with one of those large, ghostly, translucent bearded irises, after the rain, damp, its pendant-like pedals saturated, leaves and stems. I did just this in a garden at Acton Arboretum here in MA this past weekend. What a mysterious scent that comes from certain iris flowers themselves if one is to lean in closer. Hiris seems to capture this in its heart.
The base is a phosphorescent cedar, glowing as if foxfire, bubbled woody ionones, traces of bitter almond, saponified dried roots and bark, still cool, still calm. It isn't any wonder that Olivia Giacobetti is behind this understated genius given her many contributions to L'Artisan Parfumeur and her skill in impactful translucency.
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This, from a boy who will top anything, with Truffled Foie Gras.
The charm of this scent is it's delicate, sculptured composition and gentle season of Coriander.
The Rosy Pink Petals wrap the cool, carroty Orris.
Cedar applied with care, to offer a mild Woodiness.
Sweetened with a dash of Vanilla Sugar countered with a whiff of Dry Clean Hay.
Ambrette has this finish ala nettoyer le linge.
Yummy!

At first spritz there is a burst of carnation mixed with the dreamy waxy iris and the touch of neroli. The carnation abates and then the rose becomes evident as well giving her some added vibrance. The persistence of vanilla and honey keep it from staying too soapy. It's ethereal and slightly wistful but also optimistic. Like a garden of irises after heavy rain. performance is great.

The drydown add bundles of dry hay, combined with a rose that is rather light, a bit mundane and more in the background on me. Hints of néroli add a bit of brightness.
The iris still is going strong, and does so well into the base. Touches of a dry almond-infused vanilla and of cedarwood are present, but they are very weak compared with the earlier stages. A musky undertone owed to the ambrette seed joins in at a later sees it out until the end.
I get moderate sillage, excellent projection and six hours of longevity on my skin.
In this autumnal scent it is the first half that truly convinces, be it by the good representation of the iris, or by the original approach that is taken. The second half is less titillating, but it is crafted well always. Overall 3.5/5.

I await the honey and vanilla dry down, but for me it never arrives. No matter, I am happy with what I have.
Orris based scents, when properly done, are entirely unisex, in my opinion. Depending on body chemistry the genre can seem cold and aloof, or warm and earthy. Hiris seems equally at home with both men and women.
As a rival to Iris Silver Mist, Hiris comes out ahead due to its very affordable price in comparison with the Lutens, and its availability since the Lutens has up until recently only been available as an import from Europe.
To summarize one of the very best iris based scents available, expertly balanced and blended and a joy to own.

I love it, I will definitely buy again. I only wish there was a more intense version, or products to scent layer. I think a man could wear this just fine.




There is a refreshing transparency about Hiris that distinguishes it from other iris scents I know. It is a dry iris with a crisp green accent and a slight bitter edge. It's more rooty and rougher in texture than Iris de Nuit, Iris Poudre, or Bois d'Argent, and much less sweet than Dior Homme. On the other hand, it's far less gritty and aggressive than Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Iris Bleu Gris of Serge Lutens's Iris Silver Mist.
The heart of Hiris is a lovely, soft blend of earthy-yet-clean iris, diaphanous floral notes, and cool cedar. Though Hiris is marketed as a women's scent, remnants of the opening's bitter greens and the snappy cedar note make it just as easy to wear for men. There is a point midway through the development where Hiris becomes noticeably "perfumey," as rose, neroli, and vanilla bloom on the skin. Then, a bit further on, Hiris relaxes into its honeyed cedar and vanilla drydown. Very nice, and a must-try for any fan of iris scents.

My favorite time of year to wear Hiris is actually winter. It feels like the perfect match to a morning walk at first light, as the sun is making the frost covered plants and earth sparkle and glitter. The fragrance, at first, is cold and almost sterile, but yet it already hints at the earthiness and connection soon to come.
Just like you expect yourself to do on your walk, Hiris starts to warm up, and also warm up to you - from cold and sterile introduction to a shy sharing of her natural wonders. The warming earthy rooty smell becomes soft powder coated flowers, still fresh from their frost bath. Even warmer is the hint of honey that will sometimes greet you (and sometimes not I have found!). The softess hint of wood completes the nature walk, as the last frost melts.
Hiris is soft to me, and is nearly perfect. It can serve as an introduction to iris, or it could be the end of the iris journey. It won't over power, or powder, you, but will somehow make you pay attention to it's subtle shifts and changes, offering the steady rhythm and hum of iris, iris, iris...whispered.