Rocabar by Hermès

I have very little of this fragrance left; it’s the second time I’ve used it. Today, when I went out, I noticed a scent very similar to Roja Dove RDHP15, almost identical but with much less intensity.

Although it is not even a shadow of what it used to be, I think it is worth it if you can find it at a good price; it has a citrus and balsamic opening with creamy touches that evolves into fine woods. Poor projection, but the new version is certainly worth it.

Before discovering Terre d’Hermès, my first encounter with the house was Rocabar in December 1999 or 2000, when I was about 14 or 15 years old. A family from the provinces came to visit us in Mexico City; one morning before school, I saw a relative open a square box with special colours. He took out a square bottle with ochre liquid wrapped in a kind of cloth. I asked if I could see and smell it, and I did so without knowing about reviews, YouTubers, or prices, relying only on my nose. Upon smelling it, it was a madness of sensations; I had never smelled anything like it: like being in a forest full of trees, woods, and autumn leaves at my feet. It was a strong, rich aroma with indescribable class and elegance. The description by gelo999 is brilliant: it smells like a wool sweater that warms you up on an autumn dawn; it is autumn in a bottle. When I asked about the price, I was disillusioned; it was very expensive and I had to save up a lot. Around 2002, I finally bought it, with the same square box and bottle, without the cloth, but the aroma was exactly as I remembered: potent, elegant, and characterful. At high school, I received many compliments; I finished that first bottle and got another around 2009. It was no longer the square bottle, but a vertical rectangular one with black letters (like on Fragrantica); the scent was the same: brilliant, strong, spicy, woody, with great presence and projection, and I still received compliments. Time passed, and in 2022 I wanted to get Rocabar again so my wife could experience that great aroma that accompanied me since high school. In department stores, they told me it was out of stock until late November or December. One afternoon in the historic centre, at a small perfumery, I found Rocabar and noticed the bottle had changed: now it is more stylised, with a round cap and a label that, viewed from the back, simulates the old cloth. I bought the perfume and, when I got home, showed the box to my wife. After spraying three sprays on my forearm and starting to smell, I was bewildered: it was a similar scent to what I knew, but lighter, more citrusy, much less potent and spicy. It had the DNA, but it didn’t generate that previous sensation. I wondered if I had bought a fake or if it had been reformulated. I went to an official Hermès store to clarify things; although it was still out of stock, I could smell a tester. Indeed, it was the same aroma as the bottle I bought in the centre, confirming it had been reformulated. Is it a bad scent or a bad perfume? No, but it is not even a shadow of what Rocabar used to be… what a pity. My opinion on the last bottle (2022): Age: I used it at 15, but I’d say it’s very good for 20+. 85% Masculine – 15% Feminine. Seasons: Autumn and Winter. Occasions: Work and outings. Scent: 7.8/10.0. Sprays: 10-15. Longevity: 8.0/10.0. Duration: approx. 6 hours. Sillage: 6.5/10.0. Projection: 7.0/10.0. Versatility: 8.0/10.0. Value for money: 8.0/10.0. Final score: 7.55/10.0. Thanks and see you next time.

I smelled the model of the bottle shown on Fragrantica some time ago, and although I don’t remember it exactly, I think the new one is quite ‘etherealised’. Very ethereal and abstract. The truth is it smells good and lasted about 8 hours, but with very weak potency.

Rocabar is a warm woody scent like a wool sweater, unique in Hermes. Its drawback is that after half an hour the projection drops. To @arp I say that the original version is the flat bottle in the small photos, while the current one is the one on the left: it is more citrusy and less floral, being fresher; the old one has more intense flowers and woods, with cypress and fir that make it warmer and retro.

I am only just beginning to get to know Hermes fragrances, but they have high quality and elegance. It opens with soft citrus and flowers, then cardamomo appears. At the end, an anise-like blend from patchouli and vanilla. It does not have much projection but good skin longevity. I see it as timeless, ideal for autumn and winter, or for the office with a casual blazer. It reminds me of Cartier Roadster and Lalique pour homme in how they combine flowers, woods and vanilla.

At first you notice soft floral and spicy notes, without very marked citrus at the start. In the heart, violet, carnation, cypress and cardamomo stand out. At the end, a soapy and vanilla sensation with woods like cedar and a powdery touch from patchouli and vanilla, nothing gourmand. I agree with Jesús and Juan, but in my case it lasted more than twelve hours with a moderate trail that stuck to the skin at the end. It is special, with that timeless elegance of Hermes. Although it is woody, it has no spicy spices, so it suits autumn, winter or cool summers, better for the day. I tested it with a flask-style miniature.

Rocabar smells like a dense pine and fir forest, a spiced and balsamic woody scent that fits perfectly in cold weather or formal events; although it fades for daily wear and has a short trail, it is comfortable, masculine and unique, with a mentholated touch I haven’t felt in another fragrance. I give it eight points.