Vetiver

The best opening (ex-aequo with Hermes Bel-Ami Vetiver) over 30+ vetivers-centered fragrances that I had the chance to smell. Smoky, earthy, a dark grey sensation. The opening reminded me of Encre Noire's opening, but this one is definitely a step higher in terms of quality, less rough, but still very sharp. Shortly after, a roasted nutty note appears, trying to round the vetiver, but the vetiver resists and refuses to leave the stage, signing the start of a dance, or should I say: a duel. This is the vetiver fragrance that stays the closest to pure vetiver oil, that I've smelt until now. Etro's vetiver&nut duo shares strong similarities with Givenchy Vetyver, with the latter being slightly more polite, and Etro's being slightly wilder. Unlike Givenchy's there's no (or very little) citrus in this one. The drydown is similar to Guerlain Vetiver, with a noticeable tobacco note. Unfortunately, I have to confirm what has been stated in previous comments, in that Etro Vetiver also shares similarities with Givenchy's in terms of low performance. That makes it miss the masterpiece title: too bad because - like for Zegna Haitian Vetiver - I can clearly feel that Etro's plays in the niche league, but given their higher price point compared to other vetivers (Guerlain, Lalique, Givenchy, Carven...), performance issues are hardly forgivable. While Givenchy's low projection is a good point for wearing it at work, the smokiness of Etro's makes it quite earthy and dirty, and thus - imo - is not office safe. (That said, if you're used to wear Encre Noire at work, you should also feel comfortable with Etro) Despite that, I'm in love with this beautiful blend, and I suggest to well hydrate the skin before spraying (unscented aftershave, or Etro Vetiver aftershave), or simply re-spray 5 min after the first application. Would I recommend it? Given the price, yes, but only to vetiver nerds like myself. Otherwise, there are great very similar options out there for half or a third of the price. For colder Spring and Fall days, 30+. Edit: if I have to compare the evolution of this one with other fragrances, I would say: Top: Lalique Encre Noire a' l'Extreme Heart: Givenchy Vetyver Base: Guerlain Vetiver Late drydown: ELdO Fat Electrician If I had to compare to just one? Givenchy Vetyver.

When first I inhaled this scent, I connected with it in a primitive fashion. This is the scent of the Romans of the Old Republic, before the Empire's pomp and debauchery. It spoke to me across the eons of time immemorial. Wearing it amongst the subhuman Trogdalytes of London's Underground system I could smell my own feral aroma...how Roman...how Romantic.. but wait! Was it perhaps too much hay? Too pungent? Too acrid, dry and unforgiving? Suddenly a panic gripped me - had I in fact paid £89 for 100mls of a cologne that was reminiscent of hay and saw dust saturated with rat's urine in countless cages of pink eyed rodents in some University laboratory? My worst fears were allayed when I arrived at work and in a bloody minded determination to overcome my fear of rats pee pheromone cologne, I sprayed two bursts to my jugular...and then.. from across the arid waste of our open plan office, my female colleague exclaimed "that smells absolutely amazing!" Roma Invicta... Yesssss...This was the scent of a Roman who spends his summers campaigning in the legion to return home and tend to his horses, his familia, his land. A time when men were men, albeit in rustic tunics. Towering cedar, dry and rugged, its needles sweating oil in the hot Roman sun. A breeze rises from the Mediterranean, the warm wind dragging its fingers through the wild bushes of clary sage and across the fields. Deep damp Italian earth, leathery tobacco, cloying and close to the skin. Vetiver like the very roots of the land, a grassy pungency that fills the nostrils like oxen under the yoke, straw and hay broken and bleeding into the clods of herbaceous soil, the most manly reek of the land. A land of horses, hay, clay and sage, cedar trees and a warm salty breeze. Not a land of rodents breeding in pitch black, cold urine soaked warrens. Ahhhh time to book another Roman Holiday...

I just got a vintage version of gold cap. And was thinking to buy the newest version with silver cap, but anyway, I am going to enjoy the experience without spending extra money just to keep the vintage collection.......such a nice opening and inmadiate vetiver raw oil scent. Oh my goodness it is going to beat down my other favorite Vetiver fragrances. But it seems that it is a EdC version, the longevity will stay where it should be. My favorite ones might still be Sultan Vetiver (Nishane), Vetiver Royal Bourbon (Oriza L. Legrand) and Fat Electrician (ELDO). The Clary Sage opens wonderfully with Artemisia green note, acompanied by Bergamot and Petitgrain. That's nice. And there's huge amount of Vetiver supported by Tobacco leaves and Amber accord. And finally, it becomes musky, just like the musky Vetiver from Parfum d'empire (Bourbon Vetiver), which opens with a lot of musk scent from the beginning to the end and is not my style It seems to lineal to me all the time. This one, Etro Vetiver brings me a great lovely journey. That's so nice. Won't spray anymore until I get the new version with silver cap just to keep this vintage version with gold cap forever ^^. Surprising discovery!!! The sillage is very low and longevity is like Fat Electrician they are both weak projecting perfumes which can be for self enjoyment and for intimate partner. If I want to buy more, would wait for more discount to purchase it because the retail price dose not match it's performance, says it's name already EdC (vintage)/EdT (new one) If one wants projection: Sultan Vetiver, Hemingway (Masque Milano), Hiram green Vetiver and Vetiver Royal Bourbon will serve much better.

Last month I was visiting Italy and came upon a selection of Etro fragrances at a little shop. I sniffed several, but Vetiver was easily my favorite. At the time, though I loved the scent, I thought I could live without something that essentially smelled like single-note vetiver. I considered the fact that I had other scents with strong vetiver notes, and I left it on the shelf. But it's been haunting my dreams ever since, and I am giving serious consideration to hunting some down. Vetiver by Etro is simply a perfect vetiver. It is exceptionally earthy. Not too clean, yet not dank. Not overly smoky, nor grassy. The supporting notes are just there to enhance the vetiver, playing off of the natural nuances of the note. Cypress is the most detectable of those. It is a very earthy, woody, dry scent, and even, as others have said, stark. No frills, no padding, nothing to try to make it more accessible to those who aren't in love with vetiver. Very masculine. When I smelled this, I felt that it smelled precisely like vetiver was meant to smell, just stripped of all the baggage that often accompanies it in perfume. And that's probably the biggest reason it didn't come home with me that day. It was so natural, so effortless that I mistook it for "simple." I expected all vetivers to live up to this standard. Yet when I got back to my collection, none of them quite did. None of them satisfy that craving for this pure, dry, earthy, and wholly unpretentious vetiver.

This seems to have all the best bits of vetiver as I've experienced in other vetivers, all present together, in just the right amounts. Maybe this is what plain old vetiver smells like, without being overly adorned with either lemons, tobacco, cypress, hazelnuts or coriander - yet little pieces of all of them. I get some of the damp rootiness of Encre Noire, but slightly reining in the dark, damp inkyness and piney-cypress; some of the bright opening of Guerlain or even Tom Ford, but without anywhere near close to the citrus of either, or as much of the musty carnation/tobacco of Guerlain; and some of the nuttiness that is highlighted in Hermessence Vetiver Tonka. It feels linear but complex. As others have said, it's most similar to Givenchy's but isn't as dry and 'austere' (I quote someone else -possibly Luca Turin). It certainly doesn't have the coriander note to deviate over into curry territory (which scared the heck out of me when I blind bought the Givenchy). I'm sure it would work in most of Spring and Autumn quite easily; I wore the Etro on a wet spring day. In short, this is great. I must buy another sample, just to make sure it's worth buying and replacing Guerlain and Tom Ford. Edit: I may check the longevity most of all.