Vetiverus

The note pyramid currently posted is wrong (fig leaf, basil, grass, green pepper, etc. - it corresponds to Ambergreen by the same brand). Notes listed on my bottle of Vetiverus: ambroxan, bigarade orange, clove, coriander, labdanum absolute, osmanthus absolute, patchouli, styrax, vetiver, white musks (slightly different from the notes listed under the Oliver & Co Vetiverus entry on Fragrantica).

This one is identical to the homonymous fragrance by Oliver&Co. This is just a rebottling/rebranding. I am thus copying my review: This opens very spicy, with a blast of cloves (reminding me of Lutens Serge Noire). After 45-60min, the apricot-y osmanthus appears (reminding me of the osmanthus note in Elie Saab Santal No.8). It's only in the drydown that the vetiver will show-up and fully sing its earthiness, dancing with the creamy osmanthus, and a support of a spicy suede in the background. A great fragrance with great performance (the projection is heavy in the first 2 hours). I agree with some previous reviewers who think that the name is misleading, given that the main players here are osmanthus and spices, the vetiver being present mostly in the drydown... but what a drydown!! I now love it, and got myself a 16ml travel spray. Fall, 25+.

Usually, when we say "dark", it's about woods, incense and ashes. Vetiverus manages to be dark without them. It is, in fact, more like a peachy darkness, a thick osmanthus tincture lit by an almost watery vetiver in the style of Guerlain. A candle-lit darkness, a coziness with some bite. Leather is an ingredient too abstract to describe, but the closest comparison (structure-wise) would be Serge Lutens Daim Blond, boosted with cloves and no longer "blond", it's moist but not fresh, the green aspect of vetiver comes as a strange side effect, resulting in some kind of mentholated bitter leather, urban and almost punk in its statement, suitable for night clubs and avantgarde rock music.