Bel Ami Hermès for men

I didn't quite know what to expect with Bel Ami but was very pleasantly surprised. Very awesome, masculine fragrance. It's pretty rich, rounded and heavy. Slightly sweet. I don't like coconut and vanilla bombs but with Bel Ami, the vanilla and coconut are subdued and nicely blended. Don't know how else to describe it - have not smelled any similar fragrance. It's also more suited for the office and formal occasions.

Probably a bit heavy for tropical summer days but would work if you're in AC all day. Projection moderate but longevity is quite good. Even though it was released in 1986, it is not dated as some fragrances that old can be for some people.

Overall, very impressed with Bel Ami. FB worthy and it doesn't make me smell like a cad or scoundrel. hahaha

This smells very similar to Aramis which I do not like at all. The leather chypre genre may not just be for me though. 2/10

Hermes is my favorite designer for a reason. Niche level quality from a designer. This is such an incredible fragrance. Does not smell "dated" at all, but this will not appeal to everyone. Great office scent for the fall and winter. One of my favorite pickups from last Fall. A+ all the way!

Incredible fragrance.

It's a timeless classic from the 80s
10/10

It's basically Gres - Cabochard without the aldehydes and with coconut amped up.

I bought the new bottle of this fragrance, it’s fantastic opening citrusy with aromatic notes, unfortunately this fantastic opening doesn’t last more than 5 minutes then becomes spicy aromatic leather for about an hour, then dry down to Amber leathery semi sweet scent like the dry down of simple oriental leather fragrances

I've been waiting for three years to buy an affordable full bottle of this, and finally got the chance. The original sample I had when i first tried it back then was from the original formulation, so I have been curious when I ordered this how this compared to the vintage sample. (My previous review of this, which is very positive, is for the original.)

This is lighter and not as powerful as the original (and there is less oakmoss), but it is still absolutely lovely--a beautiful lemony leather chypre with just a bit of styrax in it to make it a little funky but not enough to keep it from being classy and respectable. This is one of the greatest of all gentlemen's fragrances, and you could wear this anywhere and feel like a million dollars. As elegant as it gets.

It saddens me how mainstream media reached the fragrance industry and influenced a lot of people’s opinions and ideas about scents including mainstream perfumers
Im here to pay tribute to Mr Jean-Louis Sieuzac
A man that chose quality over quantity
The legend who chose to be remembered forever for a few creations rather than spraying the market with nonsense
One of the better Chypre’s of the last century a complex elixir of masculinity that oozes maturity in full form
To start to state the notes and explain what I get in every stage of the scent will be very extensive so I believe I said enough

Heres how Puredistance M compares to Bel Ami.

The overall scent profile of Puredistance M is the Spice & Citrus opening of Bel Ami.

The Dry Down of Puredistance M is the Musky Spiced Leathery mid of Bel Ami without the strong Smoky accord created by the combination of Oakmoss & Vetiver.

If you enjoy the Spice opening of Bel Ami & wished it was stronger & lasted longer, then Puredistance M is the fragrance for you.

If you enjoy subtle Spice with a very long lasting musky Leathery mid that will remind you of the deep dry down of Chanel's Antaeus, suppoted by a Smoky backbone created by the combination of Oakmoss & Vetiver, then Bel Ami is the fragrance for you.

These fragrances do smell alike. But they're arranged differently. So much so that I dont find them redundant. Neither smell dated. However Bel Ami does smell a bit more mature than Puredistance M. Both fragrances however, are incredibly masculine with great projection & sillage.

Nobody will smell Bel Ami and think "cheap." It's a classy and sophisticated realistic leather and woody masculine masterpiece with a touch of freshness. It's one of those fragrances that smell best in that crisp cold winter air. 10/10

Imagine you are eating a piece of licorice candy that’s accompanied with some edible bark and spruce needles. It’s natural-smelling in the same way that getting sap stuck to your hands is. You realize that it’s literally from nature and that’s worth something I guess, but it’s also pretty annoying and hard to ignore. You’d rather just not be dealing with it at all.

This is truly wonderful! To my nose it has two distinct stages which remind me of other fragrances, which is not a bad thing at all as these are two of my favourites. The opening is very similar to Colonia Intensa from AdP due to the brightness underpinned by the leather. Stage 2 lasts the longest and it smells like Antaeus when it is in its deep drydown, wonderfully smooth. Highly, highly recommended.

One of the super leathery fragrances with good performance .

Quite good. High quality, well blended. Though I prefer Equipage I can see either being worn by the same person. It's a cool, classy leather. Recommend.

I recently blindly bought a full bottle of the current version of Hermes Bel Ami.

This is, without question, one of the top 5 best designer fragrances for men I've put my nose on until now. 

I have no idea what the vintage version of Bel Ami smelled like, but I'm completely blown away by the modern version of Bel Ami; it's one of the best leather-chypre fragrances I've put my nose to so far.

Modern Bel Ami is definitely more spicy and leathery than Bel Ami Vetiver and contains, to my nose at least, more oakmoss. There is no question that I prefer the modern or current version of Bel Ami over the Bel Ami Vetiver. The modern Bel Ami might even rival or surpass Aramis Classic as my favorite leather-chypre fragrance.

The vetiver note in Bel Ami Vetiver pretty much muzzles the leathery feel of the fragrance. It smells more like a woodsy and smoky fragrance with a prominent vetiver note and some leather in the background.

With Bel Ami, I get the full experience of a full-bodied, rich, and robust leather chypre, which, on top of that, is extremely elegant, refined, and polished. Bel Ami is a spicy, citrusy, smooth, and peppery leather scent, with a healthy dose of oakmoss.

What can I say about Bel Ami that hasn't already been said? It's one of the greatest men's fragrances ever made; it's one of the best fragrances from the 80s ever made; it's one of the best leather-chypre fragrances for men ever made; it's one of the most butch, virile, and masculine fragrances ever made; it's one of the most luxurious, opulent, rich, dandified, gentlemanly, classy, elegant, smooth, refined, and aristocratic fragrances ever made; and it might even be the ultimate CEO fragrance ever made.

Hermes Bel Ami radiates class, wealth, power, luxury, the high life, gravitas, and authority.
The scent definitely sends the conscious or subconscious message, that you are a man of authority, and that you are the top honcho or the top dog.

I'd say Bel Ami is ideal for gents above the age of 30, although "old souls" below the age of 30 could rock this juice. It's definitely a suit-and-tie fragrance, although I don't see why you couldn't use it on a daily basis. It's ideal for cold weather in spring, fall, and winter, day and night, for casual, semi-formal, and very formal occasions.

Bel Ami is ideal for life's greater celebratory moments, festivities, and celebrations, but it's way too classy and dignified for night-out events or clubbing.

Now, regarding the performance: Bel Ami radiates within arm length, and the longevity is within the 7-12 hour range.

Hermes Bel Ami from 1986 could very well be the best leather-chypre scent and, overall, the best leather fragrance for men that I've come across so far. And yes, Bel Ami has now officially replaced Aramis Classic as my favorite leather-chypre fragrance. I still love Aramis, but Bel Ami surpasses it.

Bel Ami is a titan amongst fragrances and a timeless and ageless masterpiece.

Final score: 10/10 easily!

just if you want to smell rich👔🌂👞💼🎩📝

This fragrance smell like " daddy just walk out of a brothel".

The ultimate gentleman's fragrance. That is the only way to describe Bel Ami. This is incredibly skilled, artful perfumery, elevated to the highest level. A work of art that is a true masterpiece. What defines a masterpiece is not trend disrupting, but trend setting and/or bar moving. Bel Ami takes the Chypre genre of the 80's and 90's and stamps it as its own. It's similar to design language used in cars and watches. Everyone knows what a Porsche 911 looks like. Everyone knows what a Rolex Submariner looks like. When you smell Bel Ami, you know what it is immediately. There's nothing else like it.

The blast of fresh mandarin in the first 5 minutes draws you in the same way a cold orange would on a hot summer day. When that dries down it lingers in the background behind the sage, basil, and jasmine. The dry down is a balance of creamy light vanilla, and earthiness from the oakmoss, with the herbaciousness lingering still. Sieuzac is surgically precise with the blend of this fragrance. It is perfectly balanced with such delicate ingredients that only the steadiest of hands could have crafted this one. All time great perfumery. Incredible stuff.

I will knock it in only one way: wearability. This scent suits a particular person - someone who has truly found their place in the world. This smells like internal peace and confidence. A true gentleman's scent in every sense. Definitely worth having a bottle, regardless of what you have in your collection.

Side note: I totally disagree that this is a winter/fall scent. I believe you can wear this in the summer. Perhaps not on extremely high-heat days, but certainly at night.

This is my signature fragrance since 1992. Elegant,
Classy and refined. In my collection I have other fragrances, mostly Hermès. I just recently discovered Terre Vetiver that is delicious too. But Bel Ami is the one I prefer!!

leather (old style), citrus, powdery notes, aldehydes.

This is a scent for Gentlemen, not men, not a masculine not a boy’s scent. Like Terre d’Hermes or Chanel Egoiste this is a Gentleman’s scent.

The man who wears this would not be able to name a single Instagram model, no idea what a Kardashian is, has a favourite novelist, a presentation to shame the devil has a vinyl collection of different surprising musical genres; a small library of books both fiction and non-fiction on display and a refined taste in tailoring, personal grooming and kinky sex

Drives a pristine car with enough power to escape the city but smooth and quiet enough not to wake the neighbours.

I really like this and will have a bottle of this soon enough, and when I’m say five years older will wear this with aplomb.

8/10

Old school scent every guy should own. 10/10

Spicy citrusy leather. Smells like it's from the 80s, yet it's so modern and timeless, effortless. This is what gentlemanly elegance smells like.

A classic and absolutely fabulous. Bel Ami is controlled masculine sexiness. If you like patchouli, leather, bergamot, woody, oakmoss, cardamom, amber scents, you'll like this. Smells expensive, refined, elegant, French. If I smell Bel Ami I'm always transported back to London, Autumn 1986.

Dear reader, some of the reviews on this site complain of "zero performance"...a number of people, young men in particular, over spray their colognes & perfumes. I'm guilty of this in the past. It's absolutely toxic to your olfactory nerve & sense of smell. And I'm not talking of the "Baby Colognes" you buy from the supermarkets, Nenuco, S3 etc, they're meant to be used liberally and are manufactured to be used, liberally, after bathing.

Give yourself a month's break from all colognes & perfumes and gradually reintroduce very small amounts of scent every few days or so. There's simply nothing worse than someone who's drowned themselves in cologne or perfume, enough to kill somebody, it's a real turn off, however fabulous the fragrance might be. I'm always rather suspicious of men or women who overdo their colognes, and always think they're using it to cover their body odour.

By the way, Bel Ami lasts. I applied it at 2pm & can still detect it on my skin twenty-four hours later. This fragrance really comes into its own and works particularly well in the autumn & winter months.

I love the name Bel Ami. This name predicts a classy and confident perfume, predicts a feeling when you wear something for your own joy.

This is the benchmark leather cologne and the best designer leather I have smelt. Yes, Guerlain and Armani Prive have some great leathers, Tom Ford too. But none of them has the balance what Bel Ami has. Bel Ami was built on a classic chypre frame, with leather and hot spices. Top notes are citruses and sage, but they fade away quickly. The mandarin orange note, combined with sage can be offputting. Then Bel Ami dries down into a clean patchouli, ambery and leather scent, with a hint of woodiness and vetiver. Spices are also prominent thanks to basil and carnation. Despite the fact that it's a leather dominant perfume, it never gets animalic or sweaty, it's just smooth, spicy and slightly sweet. Very formal and classic if you ask me. I am only 30 but love wearing it.

I never smelt Roja Fetish, but I heard it was inspired by Bel Ami. It must be outstanding to compete with it. On the other hand, Aramis is close, but without the refinement and smoothness of Bel Ami.

Definitely not for hot weather and not for teenagers. In cooler weather or in the evening, Bel Ami shows its beauty.

Hi, Is anyone (in the UK or Europe) willing to share/ sell some of this masterpiece as a decant? I am very interested.

Thanks

this thing is a beast, even reformulated. I love it!!!!

Aromatic, woody, ambery, carnation, old school, formalish. Been curious about old school Hermes scents and glad I got this decant, but not something I'd crave to wear. It's a snapshot of history, decades ago and I can imagine classy men in suits wearing this about town in post-war Paris.

Scent: 7 / Sillage: 6 / Longevity: 6

I've finally grown into liking Bel Ami. It's the kind of DNA that comes across a bit harsh to me, mostly because of what I perceive as a cumin-like accord. No cumin or caraway notes listed but the leather and warm spiciness go that way. My nose has issues with cumin, the "body odor" accord. But with Bel Ami it's more refined and controlled. And through the drydown, any harshness smooths and the elegance really shines. The primary comparison to Bel Ami from my collection is Aramis. They are certainly in the same ballpark. Although to my nose Aramis smells more like a sweaty construction worker who just ate a big Mexican lunch with Cholula sauce, in the best way imaginable. Bel Ami manages to just miss that olfactory association. I think I actually like Aramis a bit more. Even a bit more "classic" (or "dated" to vintage-hating modern noses). I've learned to like both. Another interesting comparison frag I have is Le Tresieme Homme de Caron . I can see the comparison, although it's so remote I thumbed the comparison down. Interesting that the movie "The Third Man" is showing on Turner Classic Movies at the very instant I'm writing this. That movie was an influence on the name of that fragrance.
Wow this Bel Ami is beautiful in the drydown. I can't stop smelling my wrist. Nothing harsh any longer. But I like Equipage even more.

Contemporary version of Bel Ami is very very good. I love the vintage versions as well (I own the first and the second iterations), but they are too austere for me. Even though the old ones definitely have more depth and resolution than the new formulation, but somehow I find myself leaning towards much more often to the new one.

For me the best one in Puredistance M (previous version), then contemporary Hermes Bel Ami, then vintage Bel Ami and Roja's Fetish sits at the back seat. Please really consider trying contemporary version of Bel Ami before buying Fetish. I haven't tried vetiver version and new Puredistance M.

I have been smelling on this unique master work since early 80s, because that was my dad's signature scent. And it smelled head spinningly beautiful in those decades, still used to be a bit heavy for me to wear it at my classmates birthday parties at that age in highschool. Around 2000 it started to smell slightly different, still full BelAmi DNA, but slightly lighter and just a tinest bit less characteristic, yet it was still one of my biggest olfactive heros and this new lightness allowed me to wear it in my college years in full confidence. I love that unique and heart conquering leather accord switching between shoe polish and burnt match smell, where you can find in no other leather perfume for sure, smells so authentic, raises my heart beat instantly, and to lighten it up and render the whole concoction even more desireable, there are these three combinations which also makes this scent so mesmerizing IMO, first duo is the the classic 70s fougere formula: the carnation-patchouli combi (backened up with styrax and amber, which frame the carnation so perfectly, still never falls back into being cloying thanks to the enticing clary sage on top), that gives to the heart of that addictive perfume a very dandy type of "special occasion" cologne character, then as second comes the jasmine-vetiver duo into the play, which gives the fragrance a whole new ambience like day dreaming while falling asleep on a south pacific shore, enhanced by the oriental cardamom for sure, and as third, a very french touch enters the game: the incontestable basil-orris root duo, the furniture vernish like classy orris root absolute aired up with dark and cool minthyness of basil, all tied together so fabulously with undefeatable oakmoss base, with a small surprise of waxy coconut accord in those heart notes, that somehow intrigues your nose at first, but in a very good way, like a smart gold colored grout between the black marble tiles as an alluring contrast, and all these exclusive and almost wall to wall thick compounds have been refreshed so masterfully by those first class bergamot and (IMO burnt) mandarine peel notes. I mean, they really did some hell of masterworks in the past as perfume didn't they? I still spray it on my pillow some nights before going to sleep, and I believe that it allows me to travel to some undiscovered paradises in my dreams. Breath taking work of an olfactive master piece, timeless and simply perfect.

First impression: I was impressed by the opening but the drydown smells like magic on my skin. I only tested a few sprays 2 weeks ago so I'll get a decant or bottle and write a full review.

One of the best leather colognes out there. And a classy one at that. I've had various bottles of this over the years, and the most recent one is still to my nose pretty good. I also find that longevity is still there (ok maybe slightly less than what it used to be) and moderate sillage, but you definitely know it's still there.
Sage and citrus at the top, and then it's heart and bass together, an ingenious combo of leather, oakmoss, patch and something flowery/green.

nice frag. I use this usualy in summer nights

Very old-worldly and American. There is something studious and well-travelled about this fragrance. It opens with a familiar bergamot and quickly dries down into a rustic, dry, aged leather. Then comes an aromatic greenness…. Tea, cardamom and a birchy wood that freshen the scent profile. I love how distinguished Bel Ami is compared to the ambroxan bombs everyone seems to prefer as of late.

The character: a mature, bearded, robust silver fox who carries a leather satchel full of obscure files, a whisky flask and cigars. He is thoroughly engrossed in his endeavours and seems to know everything about everything but says very little. I’m picturing aged denim, a rugged cowboy hat, weathered terracotta skin and a handsome learned face, his smile beautifully framed with lines of wisdom. He is riding a proud, chestnut stallion into the sunset. An adventurer and a perfect gentleman at the same time.

Keep this away from the hipsters.

My favorite part of Bel Ami is the sharp spicy citrus opening. I’d say I enjoyed this for about 1-2 hours. The ending seems a little confused— none of the base notes seem very prominent or identifiable. Fades too quickly overall. Dig that first hour though as a nice woody sweetness comes in while it stays pretty barbershop-y.

ooops--I'm back to edit. I would NOT say woody sweetness is the right description. It stays mostly in the same lane throughout on my other wearing later on.

This resembles a history professor’s briefcase.

1980s BOARD ROOM

Distinguished old school Men's leather-esque.

This is my favorite fragrance and I absolutely love it. I learned about this beauty when I was just a kid. My dad brought back a travel size bottle of it from his trip to France. Since then I always had this. Throughout years it has been reformulated but still smells great to me. Unfortunately, Hermes is not making this anymore so I have to say goodbye to it sooner or later.
To me, this is a masterpiece of balance between notes. Although, it's a strong fragrance but not an in-the-face mixture of screaming notes. It's a creamy and harmonic strong fragrance. If you love masterpiece fragrances then make sure you try this.
P.s. I do have a vintage bottle and a newer version. And I can tell with certainty that although my vintage bottle is around 15 years old but its depth and quality of each individual note to tell them apart is on a different level. This is something that you will know only if you got a chance to smell a well-kept vintage version and I hope you can if you love this fragrance like I do because you will admire it even more.

Such a distinguished smell!

When BA appeared, in the mid-1980s, it seems to have been the epitome of masculine perfume. Many commentators here look back on that time with nostalgia, probably because the former perfume world seems simpler and somehow clearer than today's. In the meantime, the leather note appeared in the perfumery in much more drastic ways, and, on the other hand, BA also underwent internal changes and reformulations. Its leather note is masterfully integrated into the whole so that it does not protrude from it. There is also oakmoss, bitter herbs, and some dark floral notes, but from the beginning everything is harmoniously composed and acts as a whole, not just a collection of ingredients. Today's BA no longer evokes hairy chests, but rather the tanned skin of some elegant dandy. It will not knock you off your feet, but will discreetly follow you like the best friend, but it is in this understatement that all his wisdom and beauty are.

A 'Double AMEN' to that, my Good Brother..!!

Don't listen to the reviewers harping on and on about how superior previous versions are (a good rule of thumb, in general, on Fragrantica). The current version is absolutely beautiful and performs incredibly well. If you want to spend your life trying to chase shadows of a past that is never coming back, that's fine. But don't put people off of what's here now. It's a wonderful fragrance.

Revisited Bel Ami today. [Batch: 15 September 1994]
Always been fascinated by the fragrance industry’s interpretations of “leather” - an idealised tribute to a finished product that (thankfully) smells nothing like a tannery.
In Morocco I once got lost and found myself in a very stinky part of Marrakech - where there were lots of tanneries. The stench was overwhelming and I couldn’t identify it until a friendly local gave me a tour of his tannery. Hides were soaking in putrid vats of liquid that smelled worse than the most disgusting faeces you can imagine, skins of tanned leather were drying in the sun, and the fecal stink was so intense it made my eyes water and permeated my clothes and hair for days. Which was very unpleasant. And embarrassing.
Whenever I think of “leather” that odiferous memory from Morocco springs to mind unbidden.
The process of making “leather” out of dead animal skins is very smelly. Putrid in fact.
Thankfully Bel Ami smells absolutely nothing like that.

Presumably our fascination with leather derives from the history of European perfumery, when master perfumers would sell perfumed kidskin gloves and other fragrant leather accessories drenched in concentrated perfume (in addition to powders, unguents and pomades).

Hermès - which is correctly pronounced “air-mess” by the way - pays tribute to its pedigree and its beginnings as an upmarket saddlery in many of its men’s fragrances, such as Bel Ami, Equipage and Rocabar -whose name is from a striped horse blanket (“roc à barres”).

Bel Ami is very classy, redolent of refined, understated and unpretentious elegance..
In the words of Chiswell Longhorn, “Etiquette is for those who lack breeding as fashion is for those who lack style”
Bel Ami is pure style. Individual, self-assured, and the epitome of elegance, Bel Ami isn’t “in your face” and doesn’t try to impress.
It doesn’t have to try.

It’s not a formulaic, stereotypical men’s Chypre, and unlike most other men’s fragrances of its time.
Bel Ami feels like flying first class: there’s no cramped discomfort, unnecessary clutter, or other people’s elbows in your space - it’s a luxurious, high quality, enjoyable experience.

It’s not easy to translate a sensory experience into words, so will limit myself to my impressions.
The citrus and sage in the opening are fairly soft and so harmoniously synchronised with the aromatics and floral notes that the evolution is seamless as resin, woods, leather and oakmoss take the stage in the dry down.

Bel Ami is like browsing in a high end boutique and evokes a classic gentlemanly aesthetic, like a Chesterfield armchair. Or a Perfecto.
The 1994 vintage isn’t all that different to the current version of Bel Ami. The DNA is the same as is the effect, although the latter doesn’t quite have the same “depth”, if that makes sense - the only real difference seems to be that the later incarnation contains less oakmoss

Bel Ami is a beautiful Chypre of superlative quality and one of my all-time favourites.
Like a Perfecto - stylish, unpretentious, elegant and sexy.
Not try-hard wannabe “Sex Panther” sexy but an effortless kind of sexy like a self-assured, young Marlon Brando.
Wearing a Perfecto.
Versatile too, it could be worn for any occasion and, even though it reminds me of gentlemanly elegance, it could by worn by anyone anyone regardless of the configuration of their crotch.

The current version is just as lovely as the vintage, and is strikingly different to just about everything on the market today.
A legend whose reputation is very well deserved.

Got an 8ml mini sampler off eBay of what I think is the current formulation in the round-shouldered bottle. Opening smelt as though it had oxidised slightly, and had that burnt kind of smell that seems to happen to citric oils over time. That soon disappeared and after 30 minutes on my wrist, this smells almost identical to Aramis classic, which I happen to enjoy a lot. It's probably more refined than Aramis and not so in your face. It does smell like a classic 80s scent, which are the type I happen to like. If you appreciate these type of scents it won't matter your age; you will enjoy it. But I can't see the bearded, tattooed hipster brigade wearing this.

Exceptionally elegant, even though this apparently didn't do so well for Hermès when it came out in 1986. It was probably the wrong time for it: the era for great big lemony chypres for men had been twenty to thirty years previous, with Chanel Pour Monsieur, Dior Eau Sauvage, and Monsieur de Givenchy all being released in the 1950s and 1960s.

It's a shame, because this chypre has roots in common with all of them, but it also has a nice soft leather note the others don't have that makes it even a tad more sophisticated than those famous fragrances. I often find it hard to wear leather notes unless they're combined with strong accompanying fruit notes because the leather is otherwise too harsh for me; but the strong balanced citrus here adds just the right touch.

My sample is from the older formulation; this has since been re-done and I cannot yet compare the two. I do know what's available right now is hard to find and is on the pricier side, though this is so nice that I could imagine paying for a full bottle (and what nice heavy bottles the first formulation had!).

I'll keep it short and sweet. A good friend of mine used these few words to describe the beauty of Bel Ami. "Roja Dove attempted to copy Bel Ami twice for a reason". The best leather on the market to date (and I have the newest version). I can't even imagine how amazing the vintage bottles are.

I agree with most of commenters who have known the old version of Bel Ami: the new formulation is nowhere as vibrant as the original one. The new one smells good. It's rather masculine. But that's about it. My father used to wear Bel Ami and as a boy, I was dying to be old enough to wear it myself. Now that it is the case and that I have been given a bottle of the new formula, I feel cheated. It feels like Hermès emasculated its product : it's still masculine, but lost it's animalistic radiance, it still a leather scent but not a seductive one, rather a quite "harmless" one, like a commenter said here.
Maybe the original formula was too expensive or less appealing for younger men with a different sense of masculinity. Yet I feel we should be given a choice : there is already a wealth of gender-neutral scents. Hermès should be bolder and give us back the original one.

Dated? If you mean dated like a 288 GTO, then sure. I'll take two.

again another masterpiece is reformulated and toned down! why? fragrantica doesn't talk about that !!!!! recently hermes done it and bel ami it's not the same it used to be!!!!!! such a waste! no need of that ! bel ami lost his greatness and power and now it smells weak! shame on you!

I cannot fathom how not one of the previous reviewers mentioned how close this is to Caron Yatagan. On my skin it's almost a copy of it. I don't know which of two is earlier, as a creation, but the similarities in the drydown are striking.
All in all, an incredible frag, a bit less 'fresh' than Yatagan, if that's an adjective you could use for such a chypre beast. I don't get the leather as such in this one; no reminisce of a leather jacket or shoes or saddle or boots. There are spices, incense, oakmoss, castoreum and many other things I can't objectively identify. It's still less than 1 hour on my skin, so I'll put an edit in a couple of hours to check how it dries down. As of now, i'm glad I got it. Not for millenials. You must be over 35 to enjoy this.

New bottle bought in 2020.
I have no experience with the older versions.
Love at first wear!
I was very impressed by the opening. A citrusy spice that I wish lasted just a bit longer. The scent soon goes into the heart and here is where all the magic happens. It does feel as though it is very linear but it evolves in such a subtle way that it puts you into a trance.
Personally great frags to me have that "I recognize this!" moment, not as it would remind you of a similar frag, no it reminds you of feelings, fragments of life events deeply embedded into what makes you You.
The blend is rich, lush, exotic, animal, seductively erotic, a daydream of wealth.
I honestly don't understand any comments that put this into the "dated old man" category! This is classy, not dated!
The overall feel of the scent is LEATHER. It does have a very homogeneous feel to it but also as noted a very subtle evolution from start to finish.
If you love timeless classics this is perfect for you. If your a modern guy this could also be for you because its timelessly graceful and will show just how hip you are by not following the trends.
Masterpiece!

Wow. This fragrance laughs in the face of unisex, and simply oozes masculinity. Perhaps the most overtly masculine fragrance I have run into.
Smoky leather, spiced woods, and just a little bit of citrus.
It's deep and complex, and superbly well blended.
I wouldn't say I find it to be dated or old man. It's not old man; it's grown man. Only for the big boys.
At the same time, it's not screaming loud either. It's just there, doing its thing, not picking a fight. But if you look into the eyes, you know you'll probably lose if you tried. This guy would give the Sauvages of the world a bloody nose and send them crying back to their mommies.
Old-school masculine in a very sexy, mature way.

I can imagine Bel Ami at the start of the fragrance when the leather is seducingly joyous, citrusy fresh and well, arrogantly charming. At its heart the leather feels woody muted and grey, and I find its base to be lacking in expression, colour and feelings. The 80’s edition may have been great, but my 2014 version is only a like, to me this Bel Ami is unexpectedly harmless.
***(**)

Just received a vintage mini bottle. I can say right away that the opening of this and vintage Antaeus are one of the best things I've ever smelled. Similarly to Antaeus, Bel Ami begins with a blast of earthy and spicy castoreum leather (not the leather jacket leather) drowned in resins, herbs and bold flowers (supposedly rose in Antaeus and carnation in Bel Ami, but they have a similar function here). Not very sweet, but sweet enough. Add just a hint of old school soapiness to that. You can call it "dated", but it is also very well blended and comes across as virile, so definitely not an "old man scent", unless you have an unusually randy old man in mind. If the modern version of Bel Ami translates as well as the modern version of Antaeus, I would definitely recommend it.

I've recently been hung up with all the fuss of reformulations, easily persuaded by the opinions of those who decry current formulations of multitudinous classics, to the point where I thought I'd never really get to experience the authentic spirit of these icons.

However, I decided to give in to the current reform of Bel Ami as the vintage is prohibitively expensive, and I was really pleased; I am sure that if I smelled a vintage I'd be floored and I'd understand the difference, but even in its current incarnation, it really is impressive, mesmerizing even, to my nose. It is opulent, yet wistful; robust, yet mildly sweet. The leather starts off as raw, animalic and rugged, but smolders into a tender and refined entity, genteel yet still of solid constitution. The supporting notes of vetiver, orris and carnation do add interest to the experience, imparting texture and leverage to the leather. Overall, this is really a moving wear for me.

One day I am sure I will experience the vintage and really understand what others claim, but I know what I like, and what I have now surely is a keeper to my nose. 9/10

A leather scent from leather goods company:Hermes.
A spicy sweet leather that will lose its sweetness at the end.
The leather is masculine, a little harsh and bitter like oil.
This leather is accompained by a sweet scent like vanilla and coconut. But this sweet scent decreases as the time passes.
I can feel spicy notes of cardamom and a little cloves in it.
Bel Ami is a classic perfume but indeed it's not oldschool and outdated.
It reminds me Moschino pour homme, Xerjoff homme and "M" Puredistance as well.
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"هرمس" ، برندی که کار اصلیش تولید محصولات چرمی مرغوب هست حتما باید چندتا نماینده چرمی بو هم بین عطراش داشته باشه که بل آمی یکی از بهتریناشه.
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رایحه ی عطر نسبتا خشن هست اما نمیشه گفت کهنه یا خیلی کلاسیکه چون این نسخه، نسخه ی به روزرسانی شده توسط جناب النا هست و حتما کمی سعی شده با ذائقه ی امروزی تطابق داده بشه. .
استارت رایحه با لیمو زده میشه. ولی این لیموترش تر و تازه که زورش به سلطان عطر یعنی چرم نمیرسه کم کم به حاشیه میره و عرصه رو برای خودنمایی نت اصلی مهیا میکنه گرچه بیراه نیست اگر بگم لیمو تا آخر عطر به صورت یه هاله کمرنگ حس میشه.
سبک بوی چرمِ عطر آشناست، مثل بوی یه جفت کفش چرمی نو توام با کمی حس کهنگی و تلخیِ نفتی طور.
اما این حسِ چرمی به تنهایی چرخ رایحه رو نمیچرخونه، بلکه یک شیرینیِ وانیلی نارگیلیِ برجسته و در کنار اون دارچین و میخک با حس تیز ادویه ای هم نقش مهمی رو در شکل گیری رایحه ایفا میکنن و از ابتدا تا اواسط رایحه حضور پررنگی دارن.
رفته رفته سایه ای از بوی خاکی و تلخِ وتیور به رایحه اضافه میشه و وزنه ی تلخی رایحه رو سنگین تر میکنه.
به مرور حس نفتیِ چرم درترکیب با وتیورِ تلخ و خاکی، افسار رایحه رو به دست میگیرن و شیرینی کذایی رو به پس زمینه میبرن و تا لحظه آخر باصلابت قدرت نمایی میکنن. .
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نکته ی جالب درمورد این عطر برای من اینه که درعین قدیمی بودن، بخاطر اینکه سبکش مثل خیلی از کلاسیک های مردونه فوژه یا آروماتیک نیست تکراری به نظر نمیاد و کلاسیک بودنش رو فریاد نمیزنه و همچنان قابلیت استفاده داره بدون اینکه بازخورد منفی از بابت قدیمی بودن بده.
قبلا درمورد شباهت رایحه ی موسکینو پورهوم با این عطر گفته بودم.
اینجاهم میگم که عطرایی مثل ام پیور دیستنس و سرژف هوم تو همین فضای رایحه هستن.

Sniffing from the atomiser it’s sweet, floral, sharp, citrusy and a bit resinous. There's a rather unpleasant urinous note. If I was smelling this in a shop, I’d quickly move on and wouldn’t bother testing further.

The very initial opening, after spraying on skin, before the alcohol has dried off properly isn’t nice at all. It’s less sweet and floral, but more animalic and sickly. I would swear there’s castoreum in it. Definitely reminiscent of Knize Ten and the opening of Chanel Antaeus.

Within five minutes everything changes and it becomes completely different. It’s no longer sickly and pissy. The sweetness dies down and it becomes dry, woody, smokey and leathery. I’m aware of the citrus, but it’s not a citrusy scent.

It seems every time I sniff it, I smell something different, but mostly woods and leather. Gucci Guilty Absolute smells like a new pair of shoes, but Bel Ami is a vintage leather bag. I also get waxy polish and then pepper. It feels very dark and extremely masculine, but there is a slightly sweet, floral undertone to balance the earthy spiciness.

As it dries down more it becomes dusty and powdery, but with the leather and woods, particularly cedar, still in evidence. Eventually I begin to notice a little amber sweetness and feel the floral elements a bit more, but it never approaches being feminine. Eventually it becomes somewhat herbal and the bitter oakmoss starts to dominate. The far drydown is like old man’s talcum powder.

Hermès Bel Ami is perfectly balanced. Dark, leathery, woody, smokey, bitter, herbal and spicy with just enough florals and sweetness to stop it being harsh. It's soft and powdery, but also sharp and textural. It's butch and rugged, aswell as gentlemanly and refined.

I'd say it's most suitable for autumn and winter, but also wearable on cold nights in spring. I wouldn't want to wear it in the heat though. It's probably going to appeal mostly to older men. Projection is strong, but not overpowering for a good few hours and it's still detectable on skin after twelve hours.

It's exactly the kind of perfume I love, masculine, sophisticated, mature and complex. Within a couple of hours of sampling for the first time, I ordered a bottle and a sample of Bel Ami Vetiver. It has already become one of my top three favourites. I'd definitely recommend sampling before investing in a full bottle, but if you like "old school" masculine and realistic leather scents, you really need to try this. Just don't judge it in the first five minutes.

Riding across the USA on horseback from south to north, across orchards of citruses, through great plains and pine covered hilltops, with the wind caressing your skin

Out-of-this world attractive

There are so many good reviews here that trying to articulate my feelings about this fragrance would be simply superfluous. Bel Ami is so well orchestrated that I would almost dump the rest of my collection for falling so short of this perfection. One of the surprising things for me is that I was starting to wear fragrances as part of my regular regimen back in the 80s but never once encountered the original version of this beauty. I therefore cannot compare it to this version in 2019.

Clean, warm, spicy, rich, restrained yet bold. It's all there in Bel Ami. The composition's evolution is stunning. The harmony between the notes is so well sustained. Time for a Macallan and a fire in the fireplace.

Hermes Bel Ami in my view is the definition of bold restraint and therefore an example of ultimate refinement. It has just the right sillage, just the right kick, just the right level of naturals and it is oh so comfortable. I never smelled the original formulation, but this is wonderful!

Classic old school masculine spicy leathery chypre, from that class of fragrances that you can easily wear for a highly formal meeting and will never feel outdated..

Opens with gorgeous spicy( black pepper) and slightly zesty ( lemon) notes but very quick gets heavy on patchouli, leather and touch of vetiver. These powerful base notes give Bel Ami an aura of masculinity that goes on for next 6 to 8 hrs. A huge room filling silage and a very polished grand feeling is really a hallmark of this timeless classic.

Definitely not for the youngsters and a must have for a middle age confident man who is comfortable in stamping his authority over his contemporaries.

Bel Ami is probably my favourite fragrance in my collection. Whenever i come back to it i'm amazed how sophisticated and classy it is.

After reading all the reviews about the old formulations i got myself a little decant of the 1st formulation. It's more animalic, darker, more castoreum-like but in all honesty both versions are absolutely amazing. The newest reformulation is still very true to the original in my opinion.

EDIT: 12 hours later i can still faintly smell the new BA while the original 80s formulation is totally gone but maybe i've become ansomic to it cuz even few hours in i sometimes couldn't smell it on my skin at all whereas the new BA was always there...interesting.

I have 250+ fragrances. This one is my all time favorite for winter formal occasions. Elegant, masculine, addictive. Perfect leather scent. Do not overspray this is very strong. Masterpiece.

I've owned a very old sample for many, many years.

A couple of weeks ago I just had opportunity to buy a fresh bottle from 2013 and so I did.

I totally disagree that "Bel Ami is long gone." In my opinion it's still is a great fragrance, not so bold, raw and in your face as it used to be though.

It became more round, mellow, not so sharp, pungent, raw and in your face. The animality of older Bel Ami is pretty much toned down. Castoreum is still here, but it's not as loud as it used to be. Today's. Bel Ami is a suit and tie leather match for gentlemen.

Longevity is 7+ hours, sillage is up to medium, but stays rather closer to the skin.

I still like it. I think all reformulations of powerhouse fragrances should look like this one.

One of Hermès's older offerings, this is a marvelously rugged, rich fragrance. Sweaty, sun-worn leather and a ton of oakmoss and sage. The carnation softens it a bit—a stubble-borne kiss. The styrax is deliciously woven in here with a host of other notes, and the result is a vintage masculine scent (more so than, for example, Guerlain's Derby) with a lovely heft and depth. The dry heat here is so intriguing, since it seems to contain within it so many lush, delicate nuances. Not really dated, either. Any guy wearing this would make me melt.

Haaaa.... Bel-Ami!!! A great leather fragrance, with a noticeable support of spices, patchouli, styrax, carnation, oakmoss and some sweetness in the background (vanilla). It's a pretty linear retro-style spicy/boozy/smoky leather. Not dated, but different compared to the other takes on leather (Vetiver/woody leather as in Gucci Guilty Absolute, citrus/musky/spicy leather like in Guerlain Cuir Intense, floral leather like in Knize Ten or Givaudan's mainstream rasperry leather aromachemical like in AdP Colonia leather, Dior Fahrenheit Parfum and the Tom Fords). That said I can see some similarities with Puredistance M in the drydown, which is indeed considered to be a step up compared to the masses (and a reference, together with Bel-Ami).

A masterpiece essential for leather frags collectors, but not the first bottle I would recommend to someone just starting his collection. While I love the drydown, I have to say that the mandarin/spices combo in the opening might sometimes result cloying and 'too much'. Also, it might not be the easiest to wear because nowadays, with the average joe being used to sephora freshies, this one (despite NOT being an 80's powerhouse) may be considered an acquired taste for many. In other words, I'd suggest to avoid wearing this one at work, in clubs or for dates.
I would gladly wear this for myself, at home, casually on colder days or when going out with friends for a scotch. One downside though: overall performance is below average. Still, a love for me!

Fall/Spring, 30+

This is the fragrance that led me down the rabbit hole of vintage fragrances and into becoming a serious fragrance enthusiast in general. I read about it first from older blogs (specifically Now Smell This, by Kevin on August 30, 2007) and reviews depicting its spicy leather nature and I kind of fell in love with it...without having even smelled it, nor understanding what styrax or oakmoss was.

The current Jean-Claude Ellena version is rounder than its 80s predecessor, with more of a rosewood replacing spicy, resinous, and mossy notes. It’s very wearable and pleasant as an update to a well-loved classic, with available materials due to allergen restrictions.

There have also been comparisons to two more recent Roja Dove creations that echo the original formula, but at a steep price: Puredistance M and Roja Dove Fetish Homme. It’s been a while since I’ve tried Fetish so it’s not as fresh in my mind, but starting and midway through Puredistance M’s development, I’d swear that it was a very refined, vintage Bel Ami, with all the original notes present, just stronger and longer lasting. Whereas Bel Ami will go through a journey of development, eventually smoldering beautifully into a hum of a leather chypre, Puredistance M retains all its resinous spiciness for the entire journey.

I don’t know if I have a preference for one over the other, necessarily. I guess it depends on whether you prefer the Jean-Louis Sieuzac, Jean-Claude Ellena, or Roja Dove dry down.

I’ve also recently gotten to know Tom Ford Men Extreme, which also feels like it borrowed just a twinge from Bel Ami, but it’s only referential, and not enough to serve as a substitute. It’s an all around great, drier, spicy fragrance on its own.

At 7am this morning, I spray on my Bel Ami; one spray on each side of my neck, then half spray on each side of my jaw. The first impression is a heavy leather, zesty mint, sharp peppery spiciness with a touch of vanilla. This is a very sophisticated scent. This is a fragrance that says I am the shiznit! This fragrance screams quality, so I can't speak for vintage bottles. Mine was made in June 2018. I just purchased it. Today at 3:15pm I can get whiffs of it still, so, it's now a skin scent, but it's pleasant. Definitely high quality, long lasting with moderate sillage. Wear it on special occasions, but why not when you just feel like it!!!

Bel Ami is one from the bottle or tester strip that you would say no upon initial smell but give it time to mix on your skin and mellow it is a true masterpiece. There is some leather, oakmoss, vetiver, and faint citrus going on here but the leather is the king. You will smell mysterious and unique with this one. It is niche quality and so is it's younger brother Bel Ami Vetiver. Love love love this one.

Y
So you're afraid of animalic notes but you plaster your package all over TINDER



?????????

bel ami is a super masterpiece, i love it so much. the juice is deep, complex, dense. it's a mix of a oakmoss(not so strong), warm spicies and leather. in the opening the "forest vibe" is mixed with the cinnamon and something like cardamom(maybe my nose is cheating..), giving u an irresistible and classy scent. the leather is more detectable in the drydown, but not strong and "pure" like, for example, in trussardi uomo(vintage). it reminds me a room of a mature professor, a collector of vintage stuffs. the smell is rich and a bit conservative, for 30 and up, for casual and nightime occasions, not for playful situations. better for something like dinner, museum or meetings. the performance is good, 7-8 hours of longevity, good sillage and projection for the first 1-2 hours.
the review is based on the current formulation, i never tried a vintage version of bel ami but i think there are some differences. i have few pieces from the 80's and the most are quite strong, the oakmoss is dominant and the smell is a bit pungent. the last formula of bel ami is very smooth, balanced, a good compromise of old and modern. so the integralists of the vintage fragrances can say "the last bel ami is a trash bla bla.." , but for me this scent from hermes is still great, unique, fantastic and luxurious. per me un grande capolavoro, ancora.

scent-9
long-8
sillage-8
versatility-7,5
uniqueness-8,5
bottle-6
compliment factor-6,5

my vote-9

in one word- rich

alternative- moschino pour homme

اخر دل رو به دريا زدم و از ديوتي فري فرودگاه رم این رو خریدم.مردانه و شیک.مناسب هوای پاییز‌ و روزهای سرد اوایل بهار.یک اشتباهی که فکر می کنم خیلی از ماها انجام می دیم اینه که در هواي سرد زمستان و پاییز ادوکلن گرم رو می پوشیم و بعد میریم تو محل کار یا تحصیل در اتاق های گرم که سیستم های گرمایی اونها رو مثل سونا کرده یا بلعکس اون ادوکلن سرد رو تو تابستون می پوشیم و بعد تو اتاق هایی که سیستم های برودتی اونها رو سرد کرده اند کار می کنیم و گله که چرا ادوکلن ما پروجکشن و سیلاژ ندارد.اين
پروفیوم ماسکولین باید در هوای سرد یا خنک قرار بگیرد تا شاهکار بودنش مشخص شود.رايحه ان بسيار شبيه پیور دیستنس ام است.در واقع می توان گفت پیور دیستنس ام رایحه بل امی رو پرفکت کرده است

Warm, spicy, vetiver. Something in it reminds me of the fairgrounds. Not bad at all.

I have an almost full bottle of the original formulation circa 1988 and it smells amazing. It can stand tall with any scent on the market today and doesn't feel dated in the least. Having read all of the comments above I don't think I can add anything more. After approximately 30 years it still smells the same as when I purchased it. It helps I have kept it in the dark in a cool locker.

I am so sad to hear about the newest reformulation not lasting. I have the second reformulation currently and it LASTS for hours, Usually all day, and I get a ton of compliments. I am not a vetiver fan, so I don't care much for the Bel Ami Vetiver version. After my bottle is empty, I will either need to shop for a vintage bottle or rethink my top 5 fragrance list..

Puredistance M with a less refined / more raw leather note. Picture Bel Ami as moccasin leather and Puredistance M as premium, smooth, leather bucket seats.

This is timeless, not dated at all. How is that even possible? Up there with Eau Sauvage, Acqua di Parma, Fahrenheit, and Green Irish Tweed as one of the all-time greats for men. I've sampled Roja Dove Fetish Pour Homme, and that modern $500 fragrance smells more dated than this. The Roja also smells too ostentatious. Bel Ami never stops being classy. It is the perfect scent for an accomplished, bold man. Pass on Bel Ami Vetiver and go for the original, you won't be disappointed

The drying down becomes so tender. I melt with it. If I could lock in my most dear memories with the smell of this fragrance, I would. [Watery eyes].

Hermes' masterpiece!

When you wear it, the notes are so perfectly in sync that you can't help but smile confidently, knowing that you smell amazing.

Yes it's very refined, but a woman gave me a "mmm mmm mmm", Unless she thought I was a can of Campbell's soup, it's sexy. Love this fragrance.

If you happen to find yourself invited to the Reform Club and wish to leave no doubt as to your taste, refinement, and sophistication, simply follow this recipe:
Carefully combine...

1 - Saville Row suit
1 - Turnbull & Asser shirt
1 - Hermes necktie
1 - Pair, John Lobb shoes
1 - Snifter of Hennesy XO
2 - Spritzes of Bel Ami

Welcome to the Club. Enjoy!

A rich, polished, cared-for leather that oozes class. More "Gentlemen's Club" than "Nightclub". More "Riding crop" than "Motor Cycle Jacket". Hugely sensual.

i had the original formulation......it was richer and heavier in all aspects...however...plainly the newer formulation(s) do not disappoint all in all...still an amazing fragrance..a classic and still adored.

If you like chypres and leather you will love it. Puredistance M developed Bel Ami to perfection.

Bel Ami ranks among the last of the great chypres, and remains one of the greatest masculine leather scents conceived. It is thrilling, easy to wear and deeply intoxicating.

Composed by Jean-Louis Sieuzac a full two years before his iconic Fahrenheit for Dior, Bel Ami followed closely in the steps of two of the best masculine chypres of the 1980s - Jacques Polge's Antaeus for Chanel (1981), and Jean-Paul Guerlain's Derby for Guerlain (1985). Bel Ami was less woody and animalic than Antaeus, less spicy and herbal than Derby, and more leathery than both, with a beautiful creamy-resinous incense note courtesy of prominent styrax.

Bel Ami also paid tribute to two earlier Hermes scents - master perfumer Edmond Roudnitska's Eau D'Hermes (1951), with its hesperidic-leather accord, and Guy Robert's Equipage (1970), with its rich blend of spicy carnation, vetiver and oak moss.

What sets Bel Ami apart from its contemporaries is its deft lightness. It strikes a rich leather accord, but never feels quite as buttoned-up as Derby or as scandalous as Antaeus. Much of that is due to the lightly floral facets of bergamot, along with a hesperidic-herbal twist of mandarin, basil and sage in the top notes. The overall effect is sexy yet secure - and it smells phenomenal.

Bel Ami truly is an outstanding accomplishment, and a great scent to this day. Truly wonderful stuff.

Loltara, I agree with you wholeheartedly. This stuff is scarily sexy to me and yes, it sends my head somewhere else as well. Leather, styrax, basil, sage, citrus, hell, this is unapologetically seductive. Should come with the govt health warning *wear with caution around others, may cause palpitations and fevers*.

this may smell similar to Roja Fetish and puredistance M, however there is something skanky / rough that i just don't like in bel ami. personally, out of the three, fetish gets my vote. no arguments about the performance or sillage in this; this is a beast

Pure elegance. It's loud but not too much. I like the leather and spices. I remember it from the 80's but I think it travelled nicely through time. I have actually never met anyone else who wears it these days so that's a bonus for me.

Performance is very good too. I reckon it's definitely a scent for fall and winter. I tried the Belami Vetiver but it left me no good impression. I prefer the original and I pray that it never gets out of the shelves.

Apre forte come un cocktail in spiaggia sotto l'ombrellone.
Maschile,maturo,agrumato.piccante anonimo dopobarba anni 90.
Buono.semplice.inoffensivo.
Un bel regalo per la festa del papa'.

Bel Ami original is in my opinion the most seductive heady gorgeously constructed aftershave a man can wear. I absolutely adore it. Sends my head somewhere else.

it is very deep and classy, opens with lots of woody notes and spices
for me, i loved it as it is my alley, i like strong though mysterious perfumes,
i felt in love with it because i adore something called "sandalwood" and i believed that it's of sandalwood but i was surprised it is not listed above with the ingredients.
i did not smell any citrus or vanilla in it, it is just earth and earth and earth, layers of wood & leather and dust and spices... it is a call to love nature and earth, it is just Hermes, if i did not read the brand i would immediately recognize Hermes because i know Hermes and i know the orientation of this brand and i encourage it.
the bottle is very very pragmatic and practical... i do strongly recommend this perfume for those who like powerful presences and mysterious absences...
it will stay one of my favorites

I've never smelled a vintage version of this stuff, so here's my take on a bottle I purchased in 2016.

At first, I wasn't a huge fan of the scent. There's definitely a spicy, woody note in there that mixes initially with a very natural smelling orange. Think of this as a navel orange note and not tangerine or clementine. It's not a very fresh scent. It's classy and very deep and that's why it took me a while to appreciate. There's a lot going on and there are a lot of layers to this. The spice that I smell is similar to opening up your spice drawer or cabinet at home. The dominant note I can smell is almost like a mix between curry powder, sage and cumin although neither are listed in the notes.

What I don't get out of this is traditional leather like you'd get with TF's Tuscan Leather or a Varvatos Dark Rebel Rider. This leather note is much lighter, almost like a smooth suede.

It took me a few wearings to fully appreciate this scent, and though it's not 100% up my alley, I do really like it. It's super versatile. It likely wont offend and the performance is great. 1 spray to the chest or neck and 1 on each arm and you are set for an entire workday. This is a mature fragrance in my opinion. If you are under 40 or under dressed, it may not be for you.

Beautiful perfume! I adore it on my husband, and on myself. I think it's truly wonderful.

6/10

This, along with Santos de Cartier, Davidoff Zino (or Guerlain Heritage) and Chanel Egoiste (derived from Bois Noir) are, for me, in the top of 80's powerhouse pantheon.

Even more modern gems like Gucci Pour Homme I and the CDG line are quite subtle when compared to stuff like this.

Still in honeymoon with this masterpiece, for now will give it:

9,5 out of 10.

I understand I'm in the minority here but I like the current formulation just as much as either of the vintage formulas. Performance is still good and to my amateur nose the differences in the scent are pretty subtle. That may change as my nose develops but for now, I'm totally happy with the JCE concoction.

I randomly picked up a small mini splash of the original vintage version without doing any prior research and it BLEW me away. I had no idea that in my hands was one of the greatest leather fragrances second only (in my opinion) to Fahrenheit but composed by the same guy who brought us Fahrenheit. I have since picked up a 100 ml of the latest reformulation in the orange box, and I'm not going to lie it's not as bad as a lot of the purist will lead you to believe. The main difference is that it is lighter in the air, not as dense in the air as the vintage, but what 80's fragrance is in these modern times we live in? Very few.

My main concern with buying the new reformulation was it losing that beautiful subtle animalic castoreum accord (I think it's from spices not actual animalic notes) it has but it's still there and very lovely. I'm sorry to say to the die hard vintage chasers that this new reform is very well balanced and easier to wear to work than the vintage at least for me. Other than the reformulation being lighter in the air, I would say it and the vintage smell 98% the same. Just because this new one is lighter in the air than the vintage doesn't mean it's weak, it's still way stronger than most of the fragrances in my collection, I would be afraid to do more than 3 sprays.

Bel Ami is not dead trust me.

Vintage 11/10
Current 10/10

HELLO, GENTLEMEN!

I'm sampling a different fragrance every day for the next couple of weeks (the search for the perfect work fragrance...). Today I swung by my favourite store to grab a couple of spritzes of Kelly Caleche. There was a man in the store browsing, and he was uhmming and aahing between getting a different scent or sicking with his usual, Bel Ami, which he had on.

... He should stick with Bel Ami. OH MY WORD. I am not at all surprised by the "People Who Like This" list; I find it very coherent. Bel Ami is indeed to Hermes what Antaeus is to CHANEL. Grown and sexy. Very mature, somewhat old fashioned, but suave and powerful, and is perfect for executive suit-and-tie types. Sexy, successful, mature bachelors, you know? Oh my goodness, yes.

I'm a little surprised by the note pyramid, as to my nose the scent had an old fashioned barbershop quality to it (as opposed to the heavy chypre implied by the notes here). I'm also pretty sure I detected a soapy lavender on him, and an animalic musky something (or maybe that was just him?).

Anyway, I just came in to report that if you are in search of a genteel, masculine, almost domineering fragrance that manages to evoke power without being unpleasant or overwhelming, this one joins Antaeus on my list of men's scents that deliver this magic.

Bruce Wayne would wear this. :)

(Vintage 1986) This was a very great blind buy, better than I expected.
Katie Pucrick on her YouTube review of Bel Ami (vintage) I believe, compared it to Tom Ford Private Blends, "they want to announce themselves, laud and proud", she said. Thinking of Tuscan Leather perhaps, whereas Bel Ami is more smooth, herbal, spicy fresh.

My first impression was, where's the leather, this smells dark, I got the styrax right off, some nice blending of oakmoss, and then some nice Mediteranian herbs and spices, reminding me of vintage Azzaro Pour Home, or vintage Equipage. Bel Ami also reminded me of another recent discovery, Tom Ford Man Extreme.
So I thought this is a great fragrance, but similar to what I have and know... Then, wooow, the LEATHER kicked in, wowy-wow. Yeah, this is the best leather; aromatic, rich , oily and smooth.
I like the review just below describing notes not listed, butter with salted caramel, that's what I'm getting, making an accord with the rich leather.
Also Jack twist review said accurately that it's in-between Equipage and Knize 10.

I thought it was going to be a heavy fragragrance, but it's not, because of some fresh herbs, spices and light citrus. It can be suitable for cooler Summer days or nights, and of course great for Fall and Winter.

There is a timeless beauty to it. I have two great vintage classics, Givenchy Insense, and Hermes Equipage, now this will take it's place with those two.

Note: For anyone interested in purchasing a vintage shaker bottle, I received a 100ml tester for $175. from sweet baby perfume plus.com. The tester bottle comes with cap and looks just like the regular bottle, 1/2 the best eBay price...
Some of the citrus and herbal top notes where faded from my vintage 100 ml compared to the fresher decant vintage I received earlier. When ordering a a 20-25 year old vintage bottle you take that risk of some having lost a bit with age.
Still good, and love the beutifull antique bottle, dark and classy.

PS: I got the 2006 vintage, and it is quite good, the leather is dark and rich, not as buttery rich as the 1986 BA. It is a very comfortable wearable classic.
I thought the 2006 vintage Bel Ami would be a shadow of the original, but no... It is rich spicy,dark. It could stand alone on the wood, spices, and Balsamic notes, and yet it has an aromatic dark leather that is very noticeable, but well blended in to the whole.
I stole a bottle on eBay auction for $75, but they are still less than half the price of the original 1986...

Rating:
1986:. 10/10
2006:. 9.25/10
2016: 8.75/10

God bless. John 3:16

I parted with my vintage bottle around 3 years ago, I gave it to my Dad who wears it sparingly and loves it. Yesterday I went to buy a bottle of the new formulation - here are my thoughts.

It is no longer the "extreme" elixir that it once was. To give you an idea - complimentary bottles of Bel Ami used to be provided in hotel suites of the Burj Al Arab in Dubai - that gives us an idea of the kind of luxury and opulence one might associate with the scent. It was heavy in notes of butter and salted caramel with vegetal undertones of sweat and moist leather. Totally masculine and the most erotic of the classics... (in my opinion)...

These notes are toned down in the current manifestation so fans of the old formulation may be left bitterly disappointed. To be fair though, it's a more balanced and modern composition, but hey - purists and connoisseurs don't always want absolute harmony - the want raw beauty, wild and untamed. For me, however, I had problems with the old Bel Ami in hot weather, it got quite sickly and cloying in certain climates. Where I live it's hot all year round pretty much so even my rich/heavy/complex scents must have seasonal versatility. For this reason I prefer the new formulation and I can see myself wearing this much more frequently due to an added airy/clean factor. Yesterday's wearing saw 12+ hrs performance (awesome), during which time it faired the cool temperatures of an A.C. chilled mall, a bit of outdoor humidity in the afternoon and a dry/comfortable heat in the evening. It remained subtle, balanced and got a few compliments. So all round, I am very pleased with this new bottle.

The older bottles are still widely available so anyone who wishes to seek them out can do so quite easily, surely that is what being an aficionado or a collector is all about(?). If a watch collector wants a 1950's Rolex Submariner he will seek it out and aquire it, it won't be as easy as buying a brand spanking new one but it will be much more satisfying and he will own a thing of timeless beauty, if that's what he truly wants. (He certainly won't approach Rolex and demand that they bring back the vintage model, if you get my meaning - for better or worse, things change. That's life.)

To conclude, yes - Bel Ami has lost it's old magic, but it is still a beautiful scent with great lasting power and I will take this over most of the designer/niche releases out there today.

My first purchase of Bel Ami EDT spray was from a Hermes Boutique in the early 90s. I still have that bottle, about 25ml remains. Date of manufacture 1991.The heart and basenotes are intact. A few of the notes missing from the pyramid above are Cumin, Clary Sage and the Absinthe of Wormwood, possibly Caraway. A purchase of 1987 Aftershave and 1986 EDT recently, confirms.
The topnotes have faded particularily the lemon.
The charm for me was, although it was a BIG 80s fragrance for Hermes, it carried an elegant, restrained Leather heart, reminiscent of Knize Ten.It was ahead of its time in that it pointed to this direction of restraint at a time when bombast was King.
A few have said that it is Old Fashioned, dated.
I can agree in that it suggests an elegant, seasoned Masculinity.
The colour it evokes with me is Caramel its palette that of sweet butter. Brought to the door, led through, to the transcendence that is Meditative Mysore.

The current formulation suggests a contemporary Masculinity. It is brighter, cleaner,leaner, drier and carries the bold incense needed to compete. I find it luxurious, vibrant.
It's colour is Conifer Green and palette is Dry White. Brought to a door, to the transcendence that is Meditative Fir.

Ellena has brilliantly brought Bel Ami into the present while still paying homage to the original. Brief sniff to the BA Vetiver leads me to believe that Ellena has done further masterful work and perhaps, leads me through the door.
The Vintage remains as the Masterpiece to this old man. Today's,well not really, but certainly close.

I am a BIG fan of traditional masculine scents, such as Leather, so this one should have been perfect for me. I did a sample swap awhile back and was able to get my hands on some Bel Ami. I was really looking forward to trying this. After putting it on and wearing it all day I was not that impressed. "Meh, Its OK, but not all that" I told myself.

At the time I did not realize that Bel Ami of today is a mere shadow of Bel Ami from yesteryear. Fast forward to a couple of months ago and I was able to find a bottle of the vintage Bel Ami in the shaker bottle. THIS is what I was expecting! A deliciously beautiful scent on my skin.

Wow! This stuff is AMAZING! A very well blended masculine leather with just the right amount of supporting notes to make this fragrance shine. The citrus, herbal, floral, woody and spices are blended so well, they are like a practiced orchestra with each note working together to produce a symphony of aroma.

It is a very rich scent, sexy and somewhat soft, but does not sit on the sidelines. I find Bel Ami to be very classy, with a bit of an old world feel, but not too dated. I love to wear this in a suit, but it also works well in casual attire.

I get a good 10 plus hours on my skin with good projection.

Bottom line: If you can find some of the vintage Bel Ami, you should try it. But I would pass on the current formulation.

I wanted to wait to have a vintage version of the fragrance for comparison with the present in order to give an opinion.
The current version of Bel Ami is not bad but when compared to the vintage, I'll take the latter.
It's like a car you put a less powerful and simple motor. Leather agreement now is as a patch in comparison.

citrus and aromatic delicious and fresh, promising, much like the current version opening, the rest does not look like much. The development is classic, old school, infinitely better done in the vintage.
Vintage is all a woody dry balsamic Cyprus dyes and has a delicious sweet and crunchy dried leather, rich in nuances, very powerful, durable and has a trail so well made, balanced it reaches perfection.

The vintage Bel Ami is arguably one of the pillars of men's fragrances of all time.

Moreover, it is one of the finest leathers I've had, if you can get the bottle shaped shaker do not hesitate.

vintage Rating: 8.5

I have a 100 ml of the Vintage formula and have to confess , It is not all of that , It is a very bitter fragrance in my opinion , I have it for an estimated 6 yrs and only spray it once.

This is currently my favorite scent. It's incredibly seductive and intriguing ALL DAY LONG. When first applied it's quite sharp but immediately settles down and morphs throughout the day into a kaleidoscope of wonderful notes. Not surprisingly, it runs out of steam after about six hours.

Blind buy success
Oh my oh my :) I just got a full bottle that was stored at 65 degrees in a cool dark and dry place, with that batch code 6LADF. This is from November 2006, almost 10 years old but still like new! So I got a decant of the original from 89' and it smells NO DIFFERENT than my formulation. I can't say the same for the newest formulation though, it really is different and just way toned down. This is coming from someone that thinks people make way to big of a deal out of reformulations. So that's all about that...now...
This fragrance is just amazing. I get a hint of citrus but this fragrance is just dark smokey and leathery...so masculine. I can't imagine any type of lady pulling this off
This is in my beast mode line up. This stuff just keeps going like the energizer bunny
That smoke is just there through out the whole composition
I don't use the term "niche quality " because it doesn't make sense, that would be niche. There's niche and there's designer. I do however see what people are trying to say and it's just that they see a correlation of what they would expect and experience from a niche house. This fragrance is definitely high quality. No complaints or corners were cut here.
This is something I would expect to smell out of a niche house too for sure.
Hermes is a high end designer that have been making fragrances longer than everyone else in the designer game almost too so they know what they are doing.
Scent 9.5/10
Quality 9/10
Longevity 9.5/10
Projection 8/10
Masterpiece- Yes
This is signature scent worthy and full bottle worthy hell even blind buy worthy (original formula) however, as a fragrance collector I will be wearing this in the cooler months of fall and winter. This is my top Hermes fragrance at the moment for sure

I just obtained a recent one (March 2014 batch code), and I'm surprised at how much I like it, considering what I've read. No, it's not as complex or dynamic as the original (I have yet to try the second bottle design), but it's a pleasant, dry leather scent with perhaps a hint of sweetness. There may be a slight woody element, but for me, as someone who likes leather scents (of the "old school" type especially), this could be worn by itself or layers with other leather scents. What comes across as some sort of citrus to me lasts quite a long time, but offers a little contrast without clashing. However, if you've already got some vintage Knize Ten and don't want anything weaker, this might disappoint you (though spraying more might remedy that issue - I only used one spray to the chest).

UPDATE: Over time I do get a chemical-ish quality, but it's not as blaring as in several other "masculine" designer scents with a similar element. And I don't understand how anyone could say it's like Equipage except with some sweetness and leather, or whatever, as that one has a strong rosewood note that dominates the scent.

amazing! Imagine I have an after shave shaker- before 1990- and it lasts on my skin like an EDT. I tryied the new formula, sorry but it is light-years far from the original!

Mr Ellena ? You re kidding, fragrance destroyer!!!!!!!

I just received a vintage little bottle and this stuff is just too good. It's all gentlemans club, leathèr wingback chairs, smoky, cognac and with a secret door leading off to an s&m dungeon. It's boozy dry and sweet at the same time and deliciously Sexy skanky. I'm hooked.

It is unfortunate how reformulations happen where the original character is changed, and not for the better or even just different. The current incarnation of Bel Ami is a nice fragrance, but lacks the depth and character of the original.

The original Bel Ami comes in this artful bottle shaped like a cocktail shaker (see photos above). It is exquisite and does the liquid in side much justice. A unique leather, with spices, vetiver, oakmoss, woods, and more. It is strange to behold at first. You need time to get to know this beautiful friend, this Bel Ami. Is it very much like Moschino Pour Homme? Well, it is similar, but there is vetiver instead of rose. You could own both and feel you have two different fragrances.

I've tried Pure Distance M and don't see much similarity to Bel Ami, at least the vintage version..

Vintage Bel Ami is something special. Get it and you will enjoy owning a legendary piece of perfume history.

@michael.j . You say the exact words about the differents eras of this fabulous scent. Why kill the art, Mr. Ellena? ??

Holy dilutions, Batman! I just received a new bottle of this from Neiman Marcus. It's really beautiful, but I am shocked at how neutered it is compared to the bottle I last owned from 1993. It's almost a completely different fragrance. Gone is the roaring leather and in its place is a polite patch of leather sewn on the elbow of a tweed jacket. I love you, Hermès, et vous aussi Monsieur Ellena, but you guys have really cut the huevos out of a once great pillar of leather fragrances, making it altogether too safe and "transparent." I know "transparency" is your schtick, M. Ellena, but you should have left well enough alone, or at least have given your version a different name -- something with "léger" in the title so we'd be fully aware that it's definitely not Sieuzac's beautiful monster. I do like the increased prominence of the citrus in the newest version, which is, Ellena, your calling card, but I miss the chest-beating proclamations of the original, which announced one's presence two rooms away. It was jet wash in a bottle and I loved it. I suppose one can't stop time or fashion, or even one's shame at having given in to the latter, but every once in a while we need to recognize canonical creations for what they are and let them live peaceful lives untouched. Bravo on this new version, but let us remember also the institution that was Bel Ami's first, glorious incarnation.

Good Stuff.

I wanted to try this perfume after so many years because I didn't have a clear memory of the original, even if I'm sure it was a larger-than-life male scent or the typical "hairy chest" as someone mentioned.
I tried the new version at a counter and was not glad I did.
Along the years my tastes changed and I never wore male perfumes on myself (as a pure matter of taste, nothing wrong with it), but... I'm not sure what Hermes did here.
It smells harsh, smokey, dry and bitter wood, but not in a nice way. It smells more like a messy mix of all and the final result is what you would call a hairy chest more than male man, but here it is too much and never settle to a more mellow perfume. It stays like burned tyres with dried herbs and spice thrown in the fire and a dash of leathery something.
It might have lost a part of daring elegance in the process of renewal.

I am outing myself....as a Belle Amie :-) Yes, being female and wearing masculine scents now and then might produce a frown or an amused look on other people´s faces. Well, I recently discovered Bel Ami more or less by chance and without expecting anything by the sheer look of the bottle. But.....one sniff, one test spray later and I was won over by this grand herbal leather concoction.
In the beginning BA starts off very citrussy and herbal, a bit rough maybe with a hint of petrol and also reminding me a bit of cough remedy but very soon (say after 30 minutes or so) changing to a sweetish amber breeze (styrax ?) and then this refined leather note kicks in. I like leather if non-butch, if it resembles either a beloved old leather furniture or a brandnew suede accessory. Spices are noticeable if not prominent : cinnamon and cardamom could be involved and I like these warming ingredients. BA is a herbal leather or a leathery herbal scent. Admitted, it does scream "Man !" any minute on my skin but at the same time is not unwilling to allow a rather muffled "Daring lady!". I love the nostalgic, gorgeous classic feel BA gives me. Elegance is an issue and you will not feel casual when you wear BA. Never would have guessed that this is an 80´s creation but rather a trip down memory lane backwards to the 60s/50s when men dared more to be elegant and ladies wore these cute pillbox hats and having Doris Day in the top 10 billboard charts. After all, the perfumer is the same who created Opium...well, then I do not wonder why I fell for BA as well.
I take the risk of frowning faces when I put BA on but so far this has not yet happened.
Needless to say I am a Belle Amie that dares to smell different sometimes :-)

Hi pals. Being a huge fan of this marvel, I have a bottle from 1988, other from 2006, and a new one from 2011. Well, my nose says the three are different. Between the shaker and the 2006, the differences are very tiny, I mean, the smell itself is almost the same, but the older is much stronger and has better sillage. The third one, yes is different less bold, softer and you perceive Ellena's nose. Gives you a more tender and velvety feeling. Anyway, the three of them are great. 11/10 for the vintage, 10/10 for the 2006, and 9 /10 for the last one. Didn't test the one that comes with new packaging. I'm a little afraid about it... Any comment???

I feel very lucky to have a vintage[shaker shape]bottle of this in my collection.
Its a very unique perfume composed by great Louis Sieuzac.
Very strong i could say offensive in the opening but the drydown is excellent and smooth.
Quality is amazing such as longevity and projection.
Its not an easy perfume at all.
Only for mature men with trained noses.

Bel Ami year 1988 vote 9/10
Bel Ami year 2013 vote 6,5/10

Bel Ami is long gone....
What you get today is nonsense and Hermès take us for fools.
So sad !

I tried this fragrance not long ago. I don't remember seeing it in the stores I use to go to in the malls back in the 80's,so I don't remember if I tried it or not back then. This is a very heavy, strong fragrance, in fact too much so to where I don't like it. I do detect the leather and tobacco notes in this. This is a classy fragrance but it's just not for me.

smells like firewood burning

I could grab online another bottle of the vintage version that is perfect . Two spritzes on my wrist and 12 hours later I can still smell it as a skin scent . Wonderful perfume indeed but who loves "hairy chest" leather fragrances would not maybe appreciate it so much .
I cannot help stockpiling it , both the original, which I prefer , and the second version .

Hey Bigsly. Be careful. The potent is the smell itself, not the sillage . it's subtle but the odor is very potent. Aramis is ten steps behind, the smoothness of this giant is far better. My nose says....

Latest opinion: I went back to the vintage sample and this time I used more. I'm not a big fan of the opening but I do appreciate the drydown more than the first couple of wearings. It also has that great vintage feel (complex, dynamic, natural-smelling, rich, etc.).

First review: I have a little of the vintage and perhaps I didn't apply enough, but I didn't because of all the claims that it's incredibly strong. I'm not sure what the appeal is, at least at current ebay prices for vintage bottles, but being a leather scent fan, I'll say that it's just not outstanding, and that is what it would have to be at those prices. Is this a case where hardly anyone under a certain age knows that scents like Aramis may be superior (depending upon what you're seeking)? I'm not sure I even like Bel Ami, other than that I'd wear it as a leather scent if none of the others I like were available to me.

UPDATE: Over time this becomes a bit more interesting, with some mild birch tar and animalic qualities, but as the review above this one points out, Bel Ami is rather smooth, unlike Aramis. However, it does have more than a couple of stages, so it's possible to like one but not the other. I look forward to wearing it again and updating.

Bel Ami does stand out in the suspiciously overcrowded leather genre but in ways that are more subtle than overt.

For one thing, it’s more complicated and daring than most contemporary leathers. There’s an iris that’s chilly and bitter, merged with a cardamom note that spins the scent into musty, somewhat raunchy, animal territories. You can almost feel the texture and deep grain of the leather as the result—as though it still carries a pulse. Furthermore, it’s a bold, confident kind of scent with some forceful cedar/coniferous notes jutting out, only slightly tempered by a bilge-like lactonic effect. In other words, there’s a lot going on here aside from just leather, and it’s all stereotypically "manly."

But more than anything, it smells like an old leather sofa to me—a heavily used one at that. It’s had drinks spilled all over its surface, and entirely too many cigarettes have been smoked in its presence. Furthermore, it’s a bit ratty and worn down now; its filling and frame have succumbed to age, emitting a characterful stink that sits somewhere between mildew and dust.

Yet that’s what makes it interesting: it’s unapologetically characterful and totally brazen in its demeanor. And I think it’s designed for a wearer who would like to view themselves in a similarly egotistic light. However, it doesn’t just smell old and worn, it smells dated as well. This is big-gold-chain-over-unbuttoned-polyester kind of perfumery, and I’m going to assume it was something made popular in the 1970s or the 1980s with the “refined gentleman of the disco" in mind.

Consequently, despite it being complex and evocative, it’s bit of an anachronism these days. It underscores a paradox from that period of fragrance's history when men would wear perfume in order to supposedly bolster masculinity. Today, there are better options on the table. This feels too costumey now; too much of a throwback to a moment that wasn't very good to begin with.

Why 105 people says that Moschino pour homme smells similar?? Bel Ami is 100 times better, both of them are excellent, but MPH lacks the incredible creamy and velvety dry down that BA has. They are just a little bit similar, but I find more differences than similarities.

@Mango Plantation - there is no coconut in here.

I've noticed that fragrantica often confuses castoreum with coconut. Same thing happened with 5 other classic fragrances.

Fragrantica, could you fix it?

I've never smelled the original but the version I've smelled is a little too discreet for me. It's lovely but too mild..

8/10 scent

I will always remember the scent of the man I once loved. Bel Ami, and it had to be the vintage version. I have never experienced any men's perfumes that can compare with it, besides the smell of my husband whatever he is wearing, fortunately (-:
It have to be one of the best perfumes ever made, but it have to be a grown up man with a big smile,
well aware of the effect he has on the environment to wear it.

This is a great fragrance but I've the newer version. I don't know the difference. It seems nice but not indicative of the time in which it was introduced. Maybe it's my sample? Maybe it's been dulled down. Not sure. We'll see how it goes in the next few weeks.

I believe it is just my age, i am 21, but i recieved this as a gift and i believe i just don't appreciate the scent just yet. I can acknowledge it is a very well blended frag, with quality ingredients, but all i smell throughout the entire life of the fragrance is powerful charred wood, and burnt leather. with a touch of dirty sweetness. doesn't fit my age, maybe in a couple years i will think differently.

5/10

bel ami was a masterpiece! the new formula has lost it's charm but still it's a great scent for classy men to wear!

Fragrances I thought I loved much more have been impossible to find in vintage formulation, so it's a strange little thing to me that I managed to run into three vintage bottles of Bel Ami over the last few years, without half trying. I've smelled the newer stuff and of course it's different; still nice, but a good part of the zingy strangeness is gone. Few fragrances work on me like Bel Ami does. I love it now. It seems to kind of cloud around me, where others just sit there, as you'd expect something you spray on skin to do. It's fruity and floral and leathery simultaneously, a slightly oily leather which has the impression of having rubbed off on the flowers. Castoreum, vanilla and styrax do some devilishly good stuff in the base of this beauty, reminding you that before a guy smelled sporty as a rule he smelled out of this world.

In retrospect, Hermès Bel Ami marks the midway point between the dry woods of Chanel Antaeus and the gasoline slap of Dior Fahrenheit. The connection is leather, which both the Chanel and the Dior hint at, but the Hermès wraps itself in.

An intermediate species can by definition only be identified after the fact. So, here we are, after the fact, and Bel Ami deserves its niche, its genre. The woody petro-cuir.

Chanel Antaeus is classified as a woody fragrance. But it hasn’t been given the typical Chanel face-lift of aldehydes, iris and velvet (Bois des Iles, Cuir de Russie). Antaeus is woody by virtue of the range of its notes, not for any affiliation with nature. This is a wood product in the same way that turpentine is. Where most woody perfumes emulate botanical woods, Antaeus reminds me of touching my tongue to a frozen chain-link fence at an outdoor skating rink.  Antaeus feels chilled by virtue of an extreme dryness that conjures freeze-drying. Dior Fahrenheit matches Antaeus dryness with a cool hiss. The chill is the feeling left behind on your skin as gasoline evaporates, leaving only a brisk whiff as memory.

I recently came across two bottles of vintage Bel Ami, the cocktail shaker model.  They were boxed testers that had been well stored and were perfectly preserved.  I never smelled it at the time of its release but I wish I had. The combination of botanical and proudly synthetic notes make Bel Ami a large-scale fairy-tale of a perfume. No Disney back-pedal for a G rating, though. Bel Ami is an olfactory history in the school of historical oral history. Fairy tales were principally a means of reinforcing the super-ego, were deliberately frightening and worked by reinforcing irrational thought. Fairy tales told you, “don’t go outside the boundaries of tribe and kin, or monsters will destroy you.” Less specific, but equally promissory of harm, Bel Ami taunts with a smile: ”Go ahead. Fuck with me.”  

Bel Ami plays with a gasoline note that Fahrenheit would eventually take to maximum expression. The top notes are a big opening and grab your attention, settling pretty quickly into the heart. The leather note in Bel Ami is irresistable. The wood and the gasoline notes set the tone for the fragrance and the leather is dry and crackly-stiff. It has the quality of an imagined leather object like a leather blanket.  I've never heard of one, but I'd love to have one.

I've never tried the current model of Bel Ami, and I'm leery too.  Vintage Bel Ami reminds me of everything that I loved about the early men's power fragrances.  Vintage Bel Ami is not the shaved steroid gym queen of this millennium.  It precedes the contempo-masculine poodle-tailored facial hair , and it certainly precedes topiary pubic styling.  Bel Ami has honest-to-goodness chest hair, the kind you want to run your fingers through.

Fucking hot.

from scenthurdle.com

Brown/tan leather, soft, rich, oily, citrus/mandarin, resinous sandalwood, cinnamon spice, old world/old money yet contemporary, timeless, classic, utterly masculine, high class and sexy. Hand-picked for me by my lovely wife, Bel Ami is a head turner that unapologetically announces "there is a man in the room", it's luxurious richness gives the wearer an 'aura' of strength, dominance and finesse; sniffing the bottle cap is like nosing a fine XO cognac. The perfect scent for a romantic weekend in Paris. Beautiful.

Me es un poco familiar con Perry Ellis for Men. Es solo mi humilde opinion sin ofender a nadie.

I'm not getting leather so much as intense powdered spices over crackling dried cedar. Especially black pepper and cinnamon, with a bit of synthetic amber. A bit of a disappointment.

Aqua de la vita+10 !!!!!!! .
Poetry in a bottle
Maybe the best masculine ever made.
Nothing even comes close.
Wow effect: 100%

One of the bests!

Bel Ami from Hermes is absolutely AMAZING and SOPHISTICATED frag. I some what agree with those who say that the vintage is much more bolder and better. Having bought both the vintage and the current version, I can say that I enjoy the current version just as much. The main difference between the two is that you can smell the note of leather and Amber with the heighten patchouli coming through more.
The current version is more tame and not as heavy when your wearing it. I just need to spray it once and I can still smell it even when I returned home from work...that's a sign of a good quality frag.
The first upper notes blend well eventually giving way to the robust aroma of a very masculine scent of leather combined with cedar and patchouli making it a very desirable and appealing frag to wear during the day or eve. This frag is perfect during the fall/winter days. Longevity and Silage are both excellent, even after 8hrs of work and with family and friends they can still smell it on me. I'm always getting compliment on how good the frag smells on me so I wear it more often than others.
Overall opinion,
This fragrance is PHENOMENAL...the more you wear it the more you can appreciate the appealing qualities that radiates off you. This frag is like gold if you can get your hands on it...it's worth every ounce. This frag is also timeless frag...if you can acquire this fragrance you won't be disappointed. Without any hesitation this frag is AWESOME and deserve 10/10 ★★★★★★...one extra because it's worth it. Bravo Hermes

This really deserves even further appreciation than it has.

As a Winter/cool Autumn fragrance, Bel Ami exudes a classy sophistication and charm through its exquisite leather note. The resinous supporting notes seem to give greater depth and offer an altogether effortless beauty which could happily be worn in formal, work or social settings. It is really wonderful.

Not much has ever been made of the title of Bel Ami as a reference to Guy de Maupassant's famous second novel (as much as ever really can be made of the link between a fragrance title and its artistry of notes and accords). However, the story which chronicles journalist Georges Duroy's corrupt rise to power from a poor ex-NCO, who has served three years in Algeria, to one of the most successful men in Paris - most of which he achieves by manipulating a series of powerful, intelligent, and wealthy mistresses - somehow seems to fit so well the slightly discordant, debonair easy charm and underlying sensuality of the fragrance. Bel Ami can work so well in an ambitious setting - but also gives the confidence to lean close to anyone when needed. That quality should never be underestimated in a fragrance.

All said, Bel Ami is one of the finest fragrances I have had the joy to wear. It is probably the greatest offering for men from the Hermes house and is an excellent example of French perfumery at its best. Just don't cross my path when I'm wearing it....

The original in the shaker bottle is amazing, simply GREAT! the reformulation is poor, go for the vintage one for sure!
;)

I have found the reformulated version at lenght and it is heaven in a bottle . I am not into florals that much in this period and I guess Bel Ami bottle is going to get a lot of visits :-). I cannot stop sniffing my wrists ! I love its smoothness ans subtle sweetness . A fragrance for men with no harshness and suitable to ladies who love intoxicating masterpieces like this one .

EDIT : I found a bottle of the first version and I love it even more ! Sieuzac should be "worshipped" for creating Bel Ami as much as for creating Opium

I love this scent, since from 1988, when was in a shaker bottle, very very elegant and classy.......

Only after read the base notes i discovered the leather.....but it's not so strong and evident for me, pheraps because all the notes are like "weaven" each others in a very dense way.
I remember especially the cloves from an old sample miniature, i still have it, and i'll try to comparate the vintage with the current version, pheraps reformulated.
However a fantastic, elegant and classy scent, suitable especially in cold times, but no for young people......

It's really affordable, instead M of Puredistance (it's a fantastic and rich scent, but with a very high prize), very similar to Bel Ami.
I'll update my rewievs soon.

My God , this is PERFECT. I can't believe the quality of the materials and how it smells. Amazing and perfectly balanced, one of the best and classiest ever. Glory, glory, alleluia!

In my opinion, one of the best masculine fragrances ever made. It probably is more suitable for colder weather and for evening wear. It oozes class and sophistication and probably fits better a mature adult rather than a youngster.

I have tried both the current version and vintage (probably 20 years old) and they smell very similar. The vintage is somewhat more raw and perhaps slightly longer lasting. But both are long lasting on me, and the similarities are at least 95 % I would say.

After reading several reviews not only here but other sites I bought a bottle of Bel Ami to try. As soon as it arrived I spray it on my arm and ask my wife - don't like it- she say although she sat in the opposite side of the family room she smell it right away that's how strong this is.I didn't like it neither to be honest but now I'm stuck with a $120 bottle of cologne that I won't wear, not good!

Almost a thumbs up. This is what Z-14 should have smelled like, and Bel Ami in fact strongly reminded me of Z-14 when I first got it. It's a fascinating blend of herbs and spices over honey, which opens with a piecing sharpness that keeps the sweetness well in check. Masculine throughout, it stays markedly herbal and becomes a bit musky as it dries down, with a stage in the midnotes that is too sour for my tastes. I think there may be a tiny bit of anise/fennel/whatnot, but not quite enough to bother me.
While the product is great, the associations ruin it for me. For whatever reason, this smells so 70s to me that I can hardly wear it. Objectively, there's nothing wrong with your Harvest Gold refrigerator or your Avocado Green blender, or your sofa with the cream and light brown floral patterned fabric, but all of them reek of the 70s so much that it's immediately obvious to anyone seeing them. I'm giving Bel Ami up in favor of newer scent infatuations, but it was a tough decision because we still have some chemistry together, sitting on the leopard-skin couch listening to disco by the shifting light of the lava lamp.

This must be the most sophisticated and well balanced scent. I feel that one needs to reach a certain age or maturity to make this suit you. I have it for 6-7 years but whenever i tried I felt uncomfortable after a while. Until now. Now its perfect. The nice citrus at the top, the smooth and laid back woods speak of a well balanced life and things achieved during its course. Yet is energetic enough not to be an old mens style scent. Its going confident and well mannered yet ready to concur new worlds. Total class! Its from 1986 but its not dated at all. Projection and sillage are perfect, top, mid and drydown all amazing. One of my favourite fragrances! Iam 41 now.

This is an absolute titan in the industry. sillage and longevity rock. this is the best male scent that Hermes has, for my money. I love this stuff. unique and leather based powerhouse that blows out Rocabar and Terre Hermes. This juice is indeed expensive, that is the only down side. It does have an 80s feel to it, but it is more mondern that the others. Highly recommended. women love this juice. timeless elegance.

Bel Ami is elegant, rich and mysterious. One of the best leather fragrances in the market. Great longevity and sillage.
9/10

mmm mmm GOOD, this juice warms the heart and draws ooohs and aaaahs. After being seated for dinner the other night, the hostess came up to me and asked what I was wearing that was so good, because another couple I had walked past asked her to inquire for them, because they loved it so much.

Add a cup of elegance, tablespoon of manliness, teaspoon of sensuality
and a pinch of attitude and what you get is the magnificent Bel Ami. A true
masterpiece that simply amazes me every time I wear it, actually every time it wears me. A well balanced perfume with a slightly dirty leathery haze consistently hanging on with both hands. The best masculine perfume Hermes has ever created. Only Equipage can be considered a very close second. Vintage Bel Ami is better, but the reformulated version is still excellent. When combined with the after shave you are literally a breath away from paradise.

Tried some of this on my arm at the Hermes store. It is WONDERFUL. A nice, rich leather. I like it better than Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, which smells great, too, but more bookish or perhaps like suede. Bel Ami smells more like luxury and quality to me - which is interesting because it's less expensive than the Tom Ford scent!

I WANT A BOTTLE!

My wife says it's the best thing I've tried thus far, so my chances of getting it are good.

UPDATE: I noticed that it has notes in common with Tom Ford Sahara Noir, a sort of pine board/sawdust smell. This is a good thing, by the way.

Also, it doesn't seem to project much on me.

wprofumo: Why oh why do perfume houses think they have to make fragrances "more accessible"?

Because it is not about a few of you (us) old grumpies - who will always long for the good old times and scents - but about the bottom line. Barely any of the youngsters will go anywhere near a scent like this and they are the future of the market and the profits.. Sadly so. For us.

True, the new formulation does not have the bite and the dept of the original but it still has the same DNA and sophistication and it remains a masterpiece!

I have the vintage aftershave splash and it smells fantastic.

On the top you have some lemon citrus that leads into a wonderful spicy leather. The leather smells like a old leather jacket or a old worn leather sofa.

Out of this you get hints of jasmine and cumin which add character to the scent. It is warm and aromatic and I agree it does smell like a toned down version of Puredistance M.

A real pleasure to smell!

All above its a Hermes fragrance; natural,sophisticated,unique,classy,masculine,long lssting 10/10

PICTURE IMPRESSIONS:

Sex, Leather and Cruelty: sweet cruelty.
slightly sweaty skin: a young playboy addicted by luxury.
An Orient Express through Russia.
Dracula&Cumin: A Medieval Party.

incredibly aromatic and mysterious, guess is for those who like heavy and complex scents, to me it's 9/10

This is dry And rich.

One of the many male perfumes that are cross-gender.
Received a decant, and I don't know if its the new or the old version, but I guess it is the new. Not very heavy on the leather, I think.
Must ask the seller when she's back from a holiday.

I love the complexity and the warmth.
I love the subtlety and the strength.
I love Woody Chypres.

In the end it has a lovely light drydown.
One of my new favourites for sure.

Edit:
Longevity is great

This is a product that has undergone change over the years. What you buy at the department store now is possibly a slightly more sheer, less intrusive version of the original. Either is AMAZING. You cannot judge this very masculine cologne until it has been on the skin for over 30 minutes. It really has to dry down to start emitting its charm. It will begin to smell like well-worn, musky cowboy boot leather. What happens is an amazing transformation from top notes to dry down. At first, it smells like tarry chemicals with a burst of old-fashioned 80s lemon. Then... it evolves into the scent of a real saddle after a cowboy has been riding on it all day. It's a sweet, musky, masculine homage to leather.

This scent is so sweet and smooky... that you really can feal the gothic vibe in it. Thats the scent of a Vampire if i close my eyes.
About the question which Version to chose i can only say there is no big differnce.
As i own both Version i have to say the Vintage is a bit more leathery and the recent one is more sweet. I prefer the new one but as i have them both i dont need to think about which i love more!

EVERGREEN ★★★★★
This perfume is one of the extraordinary unique ones.
At the same time it's warm, elegant and serious as well. It invites me
to come closer, to feel welcome and protected.
I'm glad it can still be bought and hope it will always be there.
Chapeau!

Bel Ami de Hermès es un glamouroso y temperamental perfume de la familia chipre-amaderado. Para mí, el mejor perfume de la casa Hermès después de Equipage, toda una delicia masculina que se abre con notas cítricas y se va caldeando a lo largo de su evolución con especies como el cardamomo que terminan con un exquisito fondo de cremoso cuero, patchulí, sándalo y vainilla. En mi humilde opinión, uno de los mejores perfumes de la historía.

Thank you, Grottola, for your review of the original formulation of Bel Ami. Indeed, Patou Pour Homme is the best scent for men in existence - or, sadly, not in existence any more. I want to get something as near as possible to Patou Pour Homme for my husband, and was thinking of Santos (Cartier). However, based on your analysis, I think I will try to find the original Bel Ami. Why oh why, do perfume houses think they have to make fragrances "more accessible"? It's an insult to the original creator.

Okay, time to review the current version of Bel Ami.

The current formulation, in the main picture seen above, retains the character of the original for the most part, but isn't as full, rich, or leathery. The predominant note in the current formulation of Bel Ami is a powdery, salmon-colored rosewood note, in the style of Tiffany for Men. Surrounding this is a resinous, woody chypre structure. After about an hour when the rosewood note finally poops out, the leather starts to rear its head. Again, I found the leather in the vintage juice to be a bit more prominent and stark. Here it's a lot more toned down and plush. I guess I could say that the differences between the old and new Bel Ami are, in a way, like the differences between old and new Antaeus. The fullness and richness have been reduced, and the predominant notes have been switched around.

As a final consensus, I guess I'll say that the new Bel Ami is a more accessible version of the original. If you like the new stuff, you'll probably love the old stuff. And if you hate the new stuff, you'll hate the old stuff. Either way, Bel Ami is a fantastic masculine chypre that exudes the warmth of wearing a leather jacket on a cool, breezy fall day.

When I first bought this cologne, it was the most expensive bottle I'd ever purchased, so I used it very sparingly. Bel Ami is a heavy, full-bodied scent that is made distinctly for the darker months of the year. The scent brings to mind many places and images from the autumn and the holiday seasons: Chrysanthemums, fireplaces, woods, cloves, burning leaves, wreathes of fir, bayberries, juniper, freshly cut wood. If you're a nostalgic man, you would love to have this around and wear it once in a while. That first bottle lasted me over three years without any noticeable denaturing of the scent, so it survives well.

Women who like leather scents should try it too. Bel Ami smells perfect on my skin. I get leather and vetiver with a little bit of lime - a thin slice of this accord. Then comes oak moss and patchouli plus the orris root at the dry down. Very nice, classic and elegant. Superb sillage and longevity.
Thank you, Hermes.

The vintage formulation of Bel Ami is one of the best masculines ever, period. Bel Ami is a chypre by smell - not so much structure, but it definitely has a chypre feel. No bother, as it's done flawlessly and I guess could in a sense be called "MItsouko Pour Homme".

However, another thing I have to add is that the vintage Bel Ami is extraordinarily close to Patou Pour Homme. Now, Patou Pour Homme is richer and denser with an oriental character, but they both share a spicy leather chypre smell, which is essentially the central accord to Patou Pour Homme. Seeing as how Patou Pour Homme is probably the most perfect masculine in existence, I could roll with Bel Ami as a replacement so I don't have to take out a loan to buy the last drops on Earth of Patou Pour Homme.

I haven't tried the current formulation yet, but the vintage version is something I'd definitely recommend for anyone interested in classic masculines or chypres.

Love it.

I just received the package of this fragrance from my friend overseas, since I could not find it here. I have to admit that I have been putting high expectation on this perfume. Then I sprayed it on my wrist...oh man! The opening is so strong, so strong like someone just slapped me on my face. I could not detect citrusy note, just sage...the smell is hypnotic. I was hoping that it would be milder then...but it is not! To be frank, this perfume is overpowering me...therefore I should wear it only when I have big confidence. But don’t have mistaken, I do like this perfume. It shows class, and purity…the impression is like a gentleman on his peak! Bravo!

Bel Ami

This was one of the best perfumes in the Hermes range and another one that has been somewhat changed through reformulations. It's still absolutely pleasant but no more compareable to others masterpieces of the genre as Knize Ten or Cuir De Russie. Nice but you can have better leather scents at any price.

Rating: 7/10

Bel Ami (1986)

I found the original Ble Ami in a small store where they were selling vintage perfumes in their original formulations and packagings at ridicolously cheap prices (I had Insensè and Le 3 Homme De Caron for 10$ and Givenchy Gentleman for $5). At the beginning I thought it was a joke, but after talking for almost an hour with the owner (a very old lady who almost witnessed to the first launch of Jicky back in 1889) I realised that what I just found was the closest "real thing" to paradise. I immediately got a bottle of Bel Ami and realized that this is a way rougher and more compelling version of the new reformulation. It has a weird, challenging, almost strident leather accord that is now gone to be replaced by a quite conventional one, as well as for the animalic notes, once aggressive and now desappeared. An unique and not for everybody fragrance that if you'll have the chance to find in its original reformulation, you should buy very fast!

Note: If you'll ever come to visit Tuscany, just drop me a line and I'll tell you where paradise is..

Rating: 9/10

Now this is the kind of masculine I like. The moment I put this on and inhaled deeply, I thought to myself, all men should smell like this.

A ruggedly masculine man makes my heart skip a beat and this is the essential fragrance for such a man. Rich, leathery and clean. Bel Ami is the scent of those 1950's Hollywood cowboys. It's a fierce fragrance, not for the shy.

You need to like leather in order to enjoy this fragrance. For some, the leather note may be too strong, however I find it fascinating. There's a hint of sweet incense mixed in there somewhere too, that gives this fragrance a rather luxurious feel.

The heart is mostly leather, pepper, herbs and earthy patchouli. This combination is strangely clean yet a tad dirty. Bel Ami has an almost dizzying effect on my senses. To be honest, I'd much rather smell this on a man than on myself. The mystifying masculinity of Bel Ami goes to waste on my feminine skin.

The longevity of Bel Ami is very impressive, as is the sillage which will leave the air around you beautifully scented for all to enjoy. A true classic in my opinion. A fragrance that separates the men from the boys.

it is complex in good way, woody citrusy leathery ,

longevity 6 hour and still smell strong on paper .

classic , i love it, Hermes talking good here.

I came to know about it 5/6 years ago, but never could find one in Asia or even in Dubai. Just got it 2 weeks back. Heard a lot of praise about it, read a lot of reviews too which certainly made me crave for this masterpiece. After hearing and reading a lot about it I imagined it's smell. So I couldn't resist myself from taking a sniff of it right on the spot where I first received my pack. WOW. Could there be anything such precise what your heart desires in a perfume? I'm not gonna elaborate on the description of notes in it, and why would I? The description people have given so far need no further elaboration. I've read everything before, so did you all. So, I'm just certifying and endorsing every good words that have been said about this. Deep, dark and mature people, if you guys are listening then you MUST get one. And now.

Bel Ami the perfume with master class
the opening is well defined with Lemon with a mixture of dry sage and velvety
citrus note of bergamot dries the top note, the middle section becomes a bit
more spicy consisting of Carnation with
the herbal scent of basil with the nuance
of pepper Jasmine in diluted form makes
it's presence known and orris seems to
quiet the jasmine with it's earthy aroma
dries the middle with sharp ceder,
Patchouli is elusive and heard to detect
in Bel Ami that is perhaps the most elusive note in this fragrance,

The drying down starts off deep resinous
of styrax with undertone of leather for
an glossy texture and semi-sweetness of coconut then dries to an mossy
feel of oakmoss and dry vetiver.

Bel Ami conjours for me a vast hunting den in the Scottish estate in the highlands of some pompous Earl with deer antlers a bear rug in the floor with red velvet chairs a huge ornate fireplace
meticulous crafted ebony table and a vast library of old books from great masters on a dusty shelf musty in scent
sitting in his luxurious chair sipping
his blood red Vino in his Burgundy colored robe and idly listening some
depressing violin adagio almost falling
asleep,

Bel Ami is for a man or for a few brave
women who appreciates the finer things in life this is one of the finest cologne in perfumery there is nothing
cheap or kitschy about Bel Ami they only
make the top of the line of ingredients
to make this masterpiece.

I bought it a fews years ago with the low price,It's a perfect leather scent for men,rich,warm,a little spice and masculine.

Leather at its best - rich, warm & dark - very strong but oh so cultured. And just a little bit slutty. Great sillage too. Love it!

Incredible. The "Gucci pour Homme" for grown ups. Very warm leather. Did not get any citrus notes or god forbid vanilla. One of the simplest leathery perfumes, it does not have too much complexity which may not be a bad thing. Lasts forever.