La Collection Couturier Parfumeur Vetiver

One thing that’s always amazed me with vetiver as a fragrance component, is how the perfumer has always been able to interpret it in so many ways when it’s used as the dominant note in a composition. Whether that be a clean, green, bright fragrance from the grass itself, like Dior Vetiver or Vetyver Givenchy or the earthier & dirtier vetiver root derived offerings like Chanel Sycomore or Lalique’s incredible Encre Noire, the possibilities seem endless. Of the cleaner more green vetivers, I’ve always wanted Dior Vetiver to be my absolute favourite but for me, it’s always fought for first place against Givenchy Vetyver, which I regard as the ‘Gentleman’s Vetiver.’ I owned my first bottle of Dior Vetiver in 2012 and was amazed at the minimalist composition; pure green vetiver and coffee which was refreshingly clean and simplistic but the coffee note was more prominent and added another dimension; almost a light cacao/coffee nuance, whereas the 250ml bottle I purchased in Paris just prior to it’s unfortunate discontinuation, seems to lack the distinct & obvious coffee element of before: it’s still there but very subdued. Given that it’s unlikely that the coffee note in my new bottle has been altered due to any ingredient restrictions, I can only presume that the 2012 version I still have a small amount of, has just improved with age in the bottle like a fine wine. Although I’m slightly disappointed by my new bottle, in comparison to my 2012 purchase, I wouldn’t part with it for anything and I get a ton of compliments from it in autumn/early winter or on a crisp spring day. I do go for the dirtier, root vetivers in really cold weather because I find this a little too delicate for those days but it does still work, although with less longevity & sillage. I would also say that it is a very unisex vetiver because it is so bright and clean. I know a lot of women steer clear of vetiver dominant fragrances because of their ‘heaviness’ but I’ve always found it as a component, very sexy on a lady and Dior Vetiver would most definitely work very elegantly, no question. It certainly is a very modern vetiver that is classy, chic and refined but quite clearly, its discontinuation has sent the secondary market price stratospheric from its already sky-high cost, so if it’s on your ‘must have’ list, grab it if you see it because I can see this one disappearing into collections, never to resurface unless Dior re-release it. That all being said though, I can’t quite help but think that despite it clearly being a minimalist work of the perfumer’s art, because of its discontinuation, it has become a little over-hyped for what it ultimately is. Yes I love it and I’m very happy that I own it but I’m not sure I’d scour the ends of the earth to find it. One final observation..... I am greatly surprised that Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum (2012 original version) wasn’t released as part of Collection Couturier/Dior Privèe in place of Dior Vetiver because it’s just an incredible composition with the Myrrh note but I guess that just comes down to timing. As Dior Vetiver was a 2010 release, I can only assume that Demachy thought them too similar to place within the same line but given the current crop of mediocre Maison Dior offerings, I think it was a missed opportunity within the Privèe line.

Number of times tested: 12+ wearings over the past year on mild to hot days. Typical Application: One spray on the back of wrists and one on neck/collar. Opening through drydown: Bright, almost tart, opening which mellows into a long-lasting and nicely linear drydown. Longevity: Assertive for 12 or more hours...I pick it up until I shower at night. Sillage: Mild to moderate sillage. Projection is polite. Value: $180, until April, for the smallest bottle (125ml). At this price point mortals need to sample before buying. Once you fall in love you'll save up and purchase Vetiver with no remorse. This is a large bottle of a high end fragrance that will last for years. It is a good value. Appeal: D. Vetiver has a learning curve. It was more curiousity than love at first sniff. Instinct said to stop and spend some time with this one. It gets better each time I wear it. This is not typical designer fare and it won't have broad appeal. Select fragrance lovers will come to appreciate this deeply. Wearers will subtly stand out from the crowd wearing this alternative to better known vetivers. Impressions: I adore Dior Vetiver. It is integral to my fragrance wardrobe. This is unisex tilting slightly masculine. Men and women over 25 cannot go wrong here. This clean elegant perfume makes sense on warm days for casual and casually dressed up occasions. On hot days it is fresh but not cooling like light aquatics. One doubts Dior's minimalist note list of just vetiver and coffee is the real story. It is fascinating to compare this with it's younger and more masculine cousin Eau Sauvage Parfum, another hidden gem which boasts only three notes; vetiver, bergamot, and myrrh. Dior's Vetiver is an impeccably crafted scent. It is a reference vetiver. I tested this alongside vetiver centric offerings by Creed, Guerlain, Jo Malone and even the nice and dusty Encre Noire and found it overall more pleasing and wearable. I reach for it often, no small indicator of the connection one has with a fragrance. It is intentionally simple. The dry down is not dramatic nor does it need to be. It is confident, classy, modern and pleasantly well mannered. This collection by an iconic designer is arguably the most diverse and artful set of fragrances on the market. La Collection Privee is an ambitious and modern portfolio based in the best traditions of the craft. And Vetiver holds it's own amid the powerhouse lineup which includes Mitzah, Bois D'argent, and Ambre Nuit to name a few. I consider Vetiver transcendent and highly recommend collectors take a studied look at this unassuming treasure, if you can find it. Enjoy.

Bright and sparkling are the words that fit the best this vetiver. Very uplifting, and moderate/good performance. It is still available in Paris stores, together with the other supposedly discontinued frags like Eau Noire, Leather Oud, Mitzah, and Cuir Cannage (just ask an SA, they are all stored "under the counter", and will pull them out only by request). Did I buy one? No, because the vetiver frag offering is massive, and many great vetivers can be found for 2-3X less. This one is a great vetiver, but after having smelled 40-50 vetiver frags, and owning 20+, I have not been wowed. (unlike my encounter with Jovoy Private Label, that obliged me to buy it immediately). A very good alternative to this one is Elie Saab Vetiver n.6, that currently retails for 4-5 times less at discounters. Ok, the performance is a little lower compared to Dior's, but the scent is close imo. Dior's may be a hint earthier than Saab's (reminding me of Chanel Sycomore during some whiffs), but still, the current price difference is unjustified imo. Chanel Sycomore (and the low cost Lalique Encre Noire a' L'Extreme) is a little more interesting imo. Also, did you know that despite Demachy is signing all Dior's fragrances, the SA admitted that in reality they hire several perfumers "incognito", and keep Demachy for the "in-house" perfumer marketing story? ;) I wouldn't be surprised if one day I learned that Francis Kurkdjian and/or Christopher Sheldrake is/are the perfumer(s) behind Dior's Vetiver... Spring/Summer, 25+

I have worn Guerlain Vetiver since my high school days back in the 80's. To me there was no other Vetiver in the world that compared. Sadly I have to say that my beloved Vetiver of Guerlain has found a superior. Dior Vetiver is more refined, elegant, fresher, and durable. This is Vetiver in your face and a high quality one at that. This is is a minimalist Vetiver fragrances, but it is adorable and excels in elegance. It is all about the quality of the ingredients and the making what makes wine, food, colognes, etc stand a few nodges above the average, and Dior's Vetiver is proof of it. And as an EDP this one lasts a long time on me which Guerlain's and others could not do. Chanel Sycomore (which I own and cannot compare to Dior because of the dryer and much different Vetiver note), you have found a companion in your category and my collection, with a longevity that you don't offer. Well done Dior. Guerlain Vetiver, I still love you; but you'll just have to step down from my pedestal. On the negative side for coffee lovers such as myself, I wish I could smell the coffee accord. I don't get any. Lucky you if you do.

A deconstructed, elegant, minimalist, and superb take on vetiver. And by far, my favorite. The effervescence and tartness of grapefruit gives the fragrance a youthful and fresh opening and tempers vetiver's inherent earthiness and medicinal green-ness. While the coffee note at the base adds a complexity and heft to it without weighing it down. Seamless and superbly blended, it beguiles. Definitely unisex and a good introduction to those that generally feel vetiver is not to their liking. Sadly discontinued. I wish Maison Dior would have the good sense to bring this back, instead of their current pale and aquarelle offerings that are wan and bloodless. A masterpiece in my book, and highly recommended!