Vetiver
Guerlain (1961)

One of the great perfume houses In history has really put out some classics and those classics don't get the recognition they richly deserve. One of them is Vetiver (1959). I personally have the relaunch from the year 2000 and the bottle is quite eye catching. As far as the scent itself goes, well, what can I say? The Vetiver note is dominant and prominent throughout from start to finish. These bottles now for sale go for upwards of ($200). I, however didn't pay nearly that much 8yrs ago.

I still have well over 75% left and I don't wear it that often. It's a treasure and it'll remain as such. You can just tell how good the quality is when it comes to the notes inside. The fact is this house does everything the right way and even the reformulations are done with Impeccable care to detail.

I have a few bottles of Vetiver based fragrances from a few different houses like Creed and Karl Lagerfeld to just name a couple but this one is at the top of my fragrance chart, with Performance very impressive at well over 10hrs it's definitely a silky smooth winner that should only be worn sparingly

10/10

This is such an evocative scent for me. When I was a child, I went to a friend's house, and her house always smelled so great. It wasn't until years later when I applied this for the first time that I realized HER HOUSE SMELLED LIKE GUERLAIN'S VETIVER! So now I always have that happy memory when I wear this.

Apart from that, this is possibly the best vetiver scent out there. It's gorgeous. Can be worn at any time of year, daytime is preferable. It feels clean and crisp, and also soothing and competent. I have finished my decant/sample, and will look into getting another, just as soon as I finish up some other vetiver scents I own. This is a classic for a reason, and I recommend it unhesitatingly.

Guerlain Vetiver EDT (current version)


This is my first experience with a Guerlain fume. Upon initial application, I had no poetic transformative experience to speak of, although this one doesn't offend.

I get soap and grassy vetiver for pretty much the entire life cycle of around 6 hours.

A sense of tobacco may be present in the air, but I personally didn't detect any as the vetiver remains the dominant player here.


With a reverent tone - "Neutral"


2.5 / 5 stars

The scent itself is a spicy, woody, citrus aromatic that has a very dominant green earthiness because of the intense vetiver. It also has that depth that I love, a lot more complex than most other vetiver fragrances out there . Even though it is a bit dry, that depth is making me like it a lot.

It is a timeless classic that will always smell awesome as the time goes. It performs really well for a fragrance of this type, and it lasts for a long time 6 hours of longevity easily. Plus,it is very versatile because of the scent's depth.

This ones’s an icon for a reason. Cool, fresh, and refreshing but with just enough warmth to stop it being metallic (like Atelier Cologne Vetiver Fatale.) But it’s a bit more subtle and fresher than hardcore vetiver offerings like Timbuktu which can smell a bit like old books. And the florals are a bit more balanced versus some of the more neroli-heavy fresh colognes. In short, it’s amazing from start to finish. Perfect for the summer, for the office, but worth having as an easy go-to for general wear.

What can I add that hasn't already been said about this icon? This is a reference vetiver and one of the first commercially successful vetiver-centered fragrances (see also the marvelous Carven Vetiver), but to my nose, and may do agree, this is just as much a tobacco-forward fragrance as it is vetiver. Its citrus aromatic opening is classic Guerlain and no sooner than this develops does the vetiver and tobacco, supported by some carnation and spice, flourish on my skin contrasting with the green grassiness and hesperidic delicacy.

Today is a rainy, damp late August day in New England, and Guerlain Vetiver is a sublime accompaniment as it really blooms in this weather, with its woodier elements coming to the fore, and the dry and dusty qualities contrasting with the wet air. Be that as it may, Guerlain Vetiver could be worn in any season and on the sunniest of days as well; I find it has that sort of versatility. I also want to draw attention to the concept of scent association and ageism. We are all free to have our own personal response to scent and choose to pass something because it is evocative of something for which we do not want to associate. However, there are so many other ways to assert this stance without using "old man" or "old lady" tropes. We all will reach "old" in what will seem like the blink of an eye, but will we have the wisdom to match? Just like how "I" statements are better than "you" statements, perhaps just say that we feel "too young" or "not mature enough" for a particular fragrance? That really shifts the tenor and puts things in perspective; at least I think so.

Back to Guerlain Vetiver⁠—I absolutely adore it. It excludes, class, elegance, a certain sprezzatura that cannot be said for a lot more "modern" fragrances that beg for attention and leave a nagging trail of synthetic woody desperation or saccharine artifice in their wake. It smells like someone well-read, worldly, yet compassionate and approachable. Cerebral yet warm, thoughtful yet playful. Some things are better left in the past, but to be a gentleman shouldn't be jettisoned, but distilled in the 21st century, leaving in place these qualities and the pillar fragrances such as Guerlain Vetiver.