Sea Quest

Sea Quest opens on the signature accord of Voyage d'Hermes - bright lemon and piquant cardamom with a coniferous flick of juniper - in budget form. That cardamom runs throughout, lending a fresh, sophisticated warmth that lifts the whole composition. The heart brings a soft tea note with green and floral facets and a touch of rose, that crisp, slightly stern character the original is known for. The drydown is clean and woody - woody notes, sandalwood, amber and musk - a refined, skin-close finish. Where the Hermes is famous for a tight, personal projection but impressive longevity and an unmistakably elegant, unisex signature, this take reads flatter and simpler, the cardamom less nuanced and the woods thinner. Still, it captures the distinctive spicy-fresh, woody-musk elegance of Voyage - lovely as an office and everyday scent across spring and the cooler months - at a fraction of the designer price, even if the original's refined depth is only suggested.