Hermes Terre D’ Hermès EDP 100ml

I’ve worn the EdT of Terre extensively over the past year and, being a fan, recently picked up a bottle of the parfum version for a steep discount. Try as I might, I can’t quite parse any major differences between the two formulations, at least not enough to justify the latter’s higher price. At a push, I think the parfum sparkles a bit less but feels more rounded and bass-heavy, with a stronger emphasis on the spicy, mineral and woody notes of the original and less focus on citrus. What baffles me slightly are the reviews I’ve read that claim the opposite – that the parfum has more orange, less wood and mineral aspects. The problem with both formulations is that they fatigue my nose rather quickly, so consecutive days of wear give me skewed impressions of the scent, if indeed I’m able to smell it at all. (I blame that slick-haired showoff of the perfumer’s palette, Iso E Super, for this effect.) I may eventually detect more dramatic differences between the two concentrations as I continue to wear and enjoy both, but for now, I throw my hands up and dismiss the decision to release a “parfum” concentration as a marketing tactic to spike sales over at Hermés. Don’t knock yourself out and/or bruise your wallet to get your grubby mitts on the parfum version – the original plays essentially the same tune, and performs just as well.