Vetiver Ambrato

Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Neroli Vetiver led me to this. I got a sample and was just sold; bought a whole 100 ml bottle. It was expensive but it is worth it. I absolutely adore this incredible greenness, the same deep green the box has. The simplicity of the box and the fine artistic pattern on the box cover fit together so well: they seem to hint that this smells simple and deep, yet there could be fine details. The immense greenness here is much stronger than GAA Neroli Vetiver, although that too is an exceptionally good and green scent. I see the rich list of notes but I guess I can only smell the vetiver part. Actually, I would've avoided this immediately if I had to choose based on these notes only because cloves, amber and vanilla are mentioned, also lavender that adds sweetness. But I smell none of these here, not even lemon, or I just don't know how they smell as a fragrance note. I also like that it's not jumping into nose but is rather reserved and calm so I can use it when going out, wherever. I don't want to disturb my colleagues at work with things like that and this seems to be both exceptionally good and also safe for that purpose. Also, it has a spray nozzle that seems to be better than any other I've seen: it sprays out wide and it seems to create very fine pieces that try to float away, like partly a mist. I think this is for men only.

I am truly perplexed as to why this is rated so low against summer. Perhaps it is just my preferences, but to me this is almost the perfect summer fragrance. Yes, it is not your traditional fruity citrus bomb that seem to be preferred by most in summer, but if you prefer something a bit more refined, with that subtly sweet, woody and powdery dry down, this is a great summer fragrance as it does have that clean, unoffensive citrus/floral open. Its only real downside is the performance relative to its price point. Granted, it is cheap for a niche fragrance, only slightly above more expensive designers, but for the price you burn through it pretty fast. Despite other claims in the comments, the bottom of my bottle clearly states that it is an EDT (and it is a new bottle). The performance isn't bad. On skin and clothes the dry down lasts for a long time... well over 24 hours on clothes, at least 12 hours on skin. But if you apply this at home in the morning before you leave for work, don't expect anyone else to smell it, unless they come in for a hug. But this is actually its strength as a summer fragrance. You can go hard on this, and it isn't going to offend anyone, and the heat will actually help it get a bit of sillage. Even a few hours in. 9/10. It is one of my Top 5 fragrances at the moment.

The house Bois 1920 was acquired, and as a result, the EDT's have been reformulated into EDP's. I'm not entirely sure how extensive the overall "reformulations" were, but this review focuses on the EDP version. Firstly, I find the name somewhat misleading, as vetiver (although there) is not a major player here. It opens up with a beautiful blend of bergamot, lots of lavender, and petitgrain, someone else mentioned neroli, which I also get. It has a very herbal and familiar aroma that very well reminds me of Pour Monsieur. It dances around that ballpark, and over time, develops into a creamy, powdery barbershop style base reminiscent of Bois du Portugal. From what I understand, the original EDT version was somewhat similar to Shalimar and contained tobacco, hay, and patchouli -- which this version does not have. So, these are likely two different compositions.

I am always, and I really mean it, always amazed of every one of fragrances by Bois 1920, the quality, depth, complexity is simply amazing and breath taking, even if the fragrance doesn't suit me or I don't find it to be "my style". The same thing is with this one, it opened lovely with burst of lavender and spice mix followed by marvelous, warm resins, amber and tobacco. It is definitely not my kind of scent as if I wouldn't like to wear this, but I would sure love to smell it on other people. I don't find this to be extremely masculine, okay, the opening might be too harsh for some woman, but the dry down is well suited for a woman - warm, comforting and very inviting. Do try, worth every penny.

Vetiver Ambrato is very refined and old school, and I love it. There are a lot of ingredients listed, but really, it is what the name says it is. There is a somewhat fresh opening, which very quickly gives way via a slightly powdery barbershop route, to the heart of this fragrance, which is all wood and vetiver, with just an edge of patchouli. Over time, it becomes a real amber, smoothed with quite a lot of sweet vanilla and musky tobacco. More than anything else this reminds me of Mäurer and Wirtz's classic, Tabac, but more refined and tasteful... just better. It's supposed to be unisex (or as they say, 'shared') but it smells almost stereotypically masculine to me, at least until the drydown.

My love could not stop sniffing this on my wrist after we walked out of Barney's. She was literally ready to rip both our clothes off before we even got to 5th Ave. Needless to say, I went back and bought a bottle. Deeply complex and intensly masculine, with spicy amber resin notes surrounded by tobacco topped with sandalwood, lavender and vetiver. This has become one of my favorite scents, day or night. Probably won't appeal to boys in the party set, this one is for men who are comfortable with their maturity and taste. As noted, close to the skin but stays with clothes. An aura that one wears like a bespoke wool suit.

Along with Ambre Précieux... best ambers, ever.

This is a semi-exotic and surprisingly challenging scent to rock for me. I think it is the amber, as I typically don't like amber. I think this fragrance is just too grey and powdery. It really needs a bit more of that itallian bergamotte sunshine or something to stretch its legs into the evening like some resinous notes. As it sits, this is just too challenging for me to find a place to pull this one off. Too dark to wear during the day and not dark enough for the night. My Score: 6

Opens with a spicy burst of citrus and green notes, like opening a can of cola. Within minutes it settles as a classic fragrance for gentlemen. It’s mature, ambery and slightly powdery. It’s not screechy or annoying in any way, it’s sophisticated. While I do get the old-guy-on-yacht vibe, I could see it working for most guys 30s+. Very pleasant, high quality perfume.

vetiver and amber? yes please! I reallly loved the opening, complex edgy, non-compliant. an hour later on the drydown, however, is not doing me any favours. turns into a woody smelling soap which is not really my thing. Someone mentioned barbershop and this is something I can agree with... could be alluring on a man tho...

Very warm, wintery. Somehow I don't get any vetiver in this but I only tried it on once. Feels somewhat old-fashioned and soft / feminine. Does not get overbearing or otherwise unpleasant even after a long wearing.

A green, rich and intensely complex example of a vetiver scent with lots of galbanum, labdanum and patchoulli,. It settles into a play-doh type scent with hints of amber. In the drydown there's hints of tobacco, benzoin and vanilla under the gobs of labdanum. A very masculine and odd take on a vetiver scent. There's little to no grassy, smoky or peppery vetiver in this one! A shame, the name should be labdanum. I much prefer warmer, dryer vetiver scents like Montale Red Vetiver and Terre d'hermes.

Men 60+ wearing red pants at a yacht club with a lime sweater over their shoulders, was my first impression. Then my grandmother, god bless her soul. Talcon powder extravaganza. Expensive talcon powder, but here we are.

Too much of nothing. States for women and men here but on a sample as masculine cologne. Powdery diapers dried close a vetiver shrub...

My niche emporium-procured sample of this perfume is labeled Bois 1920 Vetiver e Ambra, so I assume that it is really Vetiver Ambrato, since nothing else in this house's line-up comes close. As I have come to expect from Bois 1920, this perfume smells very fine. In this case, there's lots of both labdanum amber and ambergris, the texture of which really comes through in the dry down. The woods are assorted--not only vetiver, but cedar and probably others as well. In the note pyramid I saw that tons of different components are listed, so Vetiver Ambrato is rather far from being a simple vetiver coated with a touch of amber. In fact, the name seems reversed to me. Vetiver Ambrato is first an amber perfume, then a vetiver (woody) composition. Others have called this a green composition, but to my nose it's more brown than green. Brown with a golden gleam. Anyone who enjoys the Bois 1920 treatment of amber is bound to like this creation. Smooth, rich, enticing. An excellent wintertime amber perfume, it seems to me. It also smells nice on a cooler summer day. I love both labdnamum amber and ambergris, so it's not that surprising that I find this perfume quite pleasing. I'm pretty sure that other amber aficionados would agree.

This reminds me of walking into an old-fashioned barber shop, the ones with stripey poles outside and cut-throat razors, all manner of vintage brushes and soaps on display. I used to sometimes wait for my father to have a shave & haircut in such a place - there are a number of these shops still running in my town, which favours its historical establishments. My first choice of the Bois 1920 line had to be this, as vetiver is one of my all-time favourite base notes. From the first spray the vetiver is apparent, but not in an overpowering way - this is a highly fresh, clean smelling fragrance that I think would mostly appeal to men. Certainly the top notes are - to me - intensely masculine. These settle quite quickly into a soapy, sandalwood fragrance that is nostalgically comforting and I would be happy to wear. An autumnal or winter daytime scent, this isn't going to offend anyone. The lasting power I found to be very good, but subtle - not a long silage that will fill a room. The type of fragrance one would notice most when cuddling with your beloved and kissing their neck. Very pleasant, but a bit too subtle for me. However, I may purchase this for *my* beloved man and enjoy the scent this way. ;)

Vetiver Ambrato opens with a sharp, yet, woody opening. As the fragrance evolves, it rests in the soft (not too soft) sweet powdery neutral zone; there is the sandalwood, ambergris character found in this fragrance that brings out the fragrance.....Vetiver Ambrato yet, restrained. Gentlemen, enjoy smelling like an aristocrat!!!!

Woody, resinous vetiver and amber. Tons of galbanum and benzoin, very elegant and very unisex. Sample it first, it can be perceived as old fashioned. It has no aldehydes but somehow it reminds me a little bit of Chanel No 5 and..well someone who is very rich, with very old money.

Strong herbal opening, I smell neroli. Might be the galbanum / artemisia. Dries down nicer, though soapy, too many non-balsamic notes for me. I guess next time I'll steer away from "aromatic" dominance when looking for a balsamic...