Les Parfums Mythiques - Vetyver

The Les Parfums Mythiques - Vetyver by Givenchy bottling is a fantastic and exemplary scent that pays homage to the original creation, Eau de Vetyver in 1959 by Hubert de Givenchy. I have and know the original bottle - pristine & stored away (it is divine!) My review for that is on its own page - where it belongs. For wear, I bought this with a lot of hope after discussing it with people who have wonderful noses and a deep passion for vetiver, as do I. I've actually had this in my collection for a while, but held off writing a review, yet I adore it...so, it was only a matter of time. I have pointed several people to it as a truly exceptional vetiver that stays in the classic realm - yet is gorgeous & timeless. In the modern world of reformulation and with Givenchy's line of Les Parfums Mythiques having some bottles fall way short of their original juice (Xeryus, for example)...one must be selective and judge each bottle on its own merit. Vetyver shows incredibly well - elegant, refined and with the classic four-note composition. The splash of bergamot on top is wonderful - not too loud, but crisp and inviting. No bitters, just a nice squeeze of juice that refreshes with nice vibrant, sharp vetiver showing immediately upon application (not dark or brooding - this is beautiful, rich, and very green vetiver!) With the bergamot, it is slightly "wet" and very fresh - even a touch "rooty". Please note, this is a true vetiver composition - which will show as the dominant note throughout (from the moment it leaves the atomizer and hits your skin), vetiver is the absolute focal point. It is simply accented by the three other notes in the top, heart and base - but done so well. The coriander is a very key note in the heart, adding a nice earthy and wonderful spice to the composition. The vetiver gets a little drier at this point as the bergamot fades away and the famous "nutty" vibe begins to emerge. Still a radiant green, but slowly drying on your skin...the vetiver dusted by the coriander allows you to smell the earthiness of the root. The "nutty" vibe is different from other famous bottles and I will refrain from comparison. I will say, that this is simply amazing! I, personally, love the use of coriander here and understand the historical context back to the original bottling. Very warming on the skin...it also starts to wear a bit closer - but still very good projection for a "classic" vetiver composition. A little body heat, and this radiates wonderfully - but not too loud. The is a refined composition that exemplifies, not amplifies, the vetiver and the accompaning notes to offer you three different accords. It is about balance and displaying the glorious root from its opening of radiant freshness (with bergamot) to accentuating its earthiness (with coriander) in the heart and finally its woodiness with the final note in the composition, sandalwood. Late in the heart, the coriander slowly begins to fade - the vetiver root now has the dry, slightly crunchy nutty accord. One can breathe deep and it smells like the vetiver has been laid under the hot sun to dry out the root. The rich earthiness of the root shines through, slightly accented and assisted by the deft use of the dusty coriander spice. The sandalwood enters quietly and shows us the amazing depth of the vetiver in this bottle. It is very warm and woody at this point with a hint of earthiness (which is the vetiver itself, not the coriander - that has since faded). It is distinct and very gentlemanly. The sandalwood is smooth and has a light creamy texture. This never stops projecting wonderful, rich vetiver - but what you smell in the dry down is the woody vibe that still maintains the "nutty" texture that was established before. It is so brilliant! Although the sandalwood is not loud, it blends wonderfully with the vetiver - letting it breathe on your skin for hours with a nice subtle, smooth texture with a warm, radiant glow. Some have described this as linear - but I believe it is a perfect display of balance and symmetry. This is an olfactory metaphor for the life of the plant and its glorious root - pulled out of the ground and rinsed off, lied out in the sun to dry out in a bushel and then the root separated from the plant - becoming a semi-hardened 'wood' full of precious essential oil. The vetiver in this bottle is of very high quality. The use of bergamot, coriander and sandalwood is done to perfection - letting the vetiver root shine and offering nice touches & nuances of flavor. It has confidence, poise, beauty and perfect harmony. There is never a moment during the wearing that anything feels unnatural or out-of-place...all the accords and subtleties merge into one another. It is, if I may...a classic string quartet with a virtuoso violinist supported by a 2nd wonderful violinist to offer nice bright accents (bergamot), a mid-range viola that allows the harmony & sound to fill out and offers great ambiance (coriander) and finally, a cellist (sandalwood) who delivers the warm undertones and offers fantastic foundation. Most importantly, all follow the awe-inspiring lead player - who shines above all in the spotlight, and whose name is on the marquis... "Vetyver". Near perfection. Outstanding. A truly wonderful, modern bottling of a timeless classic. Bravo!

A triumph of a fragrance that is criminally under marketed. If you skip the rest of this review that’s a fairly good summation. I started on my vetiver journey innocuously enough with Bal d’Afrique, a fragrance that has the #1 note vote of vetiver on this website that I would not really describe as a vetiver fragrance at all. I then went to everyone’s starting point of Guerlain’s offer and stopped there for quite awhile. There just aren’t that many vetiver forward fragrances readily on hand to someone who’s just sort of searching through their journey in this hobby, compounded with the fact that there are other notes that pull in someone grasping for something new much more readily than vetiver. Fast forward a few years and I went on a tear. I rediscovered the old bottles of Encre Noir/Extreme/Sport I had laying around, Chanel Sycomore, Motif Olfactif Vetu de Vert, and the ever present Tom Ford Grey Vetiver. Fantastic fragrances, but each seemed to stray on either the too dark/earthy for all day every day wear or just a bit too light. Enter Givenchy’s Vetyver. A fragrance comically difficult to have heard of or even find on Givenchy’s own website. It’s considered part of the Les Mythiques line but if you navigate through their drill down menu to the Les Mythiques section it is not listed whether you go through men’s or women’s frags. It is also not listed if you click on view all. It does however show up if you open the search function and type the actual name of the fragrance in. This is listed nowhere else on the internet, discounter or no, as far as I can tell. So what we have here appears to be a fragrance that Givenchy does not actively want to sell you. Why is that? This fragrance falls somewhere between Grey Vetiver and Guerlain’s Vetiver for me. It does open with a very bright citrus note that makes you think you’re in for something familiar, but the undertone that comes through in a few minutes is much darker and earthier than the initial blast implies. This eventually develops into a dry down that is quite creamy with hints of vanilla to my nose and this is where Vetyver sets itself apart from the TF which is much drier throughout. On the other hand Vetyver is quite a bit lighter feeling than the Guerlain, something that makes it very suited towards office wear where heavy vetiver might be more of something that challenges the noses of your less hobby inclined coworkers. Projection is moderate as you’d expect and longevity is in the 6-8 hour range depending on how much you’re willing to agree your semi creamy smelling skin isn’t naturally how it is. Both ok for what you want this to do. My one gripe is reading that this used to be had regularly for under $40 where the price tag now is $96 and your only real option of getting it is through Givenchy themselves. That being said if you like vetiver, this is an excellent pick up as it sits in quite a Goldilocks zone for the more light/approachable offerings out there - more people should be wearing this or at least exposed to it. The fact that it is almost nowhere to be found (even clicking through Givenchy’s own website!) means this currently is more of a hidden gem that only those really looking for it will end up finding. Hopefully you’re one of those people.

a very nice vetiver for people who love vetiver, preferably straight up, and dry. one could say this smells like carpet cleaner, or bug spray, like comments about other vetivers like Guerlain for example, but I believe true vetiver lovers like the scent of vetiver, and i like the scent, plus I have laid on a carpet many times before, and so perhaps have an affinity for it. This vetiver is a very dry straight up vetiver, somewhat thick, with minor nuances of a citrusy touch (but not more that just a touch, not juicy for example), and a touch of twangy herb and a touch of warmth as time goes on, and perhaps even a light touch of woody sweetness hours in. This scent has a quite fantastic rich and dusty dry opening. It some ways, the scent has a slight similarity to the dry patchouli and herbal parts in Givenchy Gentleman, particularly as it reaches the mid, but I am not sure if there is patchouli in this, it is likely just the dry and slightly smokey vetiver, and the cilantro (coriander leaves), but you can tell a bit of the Givenchy herbal dna. In the late stage a slight touch of sweetened woodiness is detected. Great scent and great vetiver scent for people who love vetiver. This vetiver is perhaps the dryest of the trifecta, atleast in the earlier phases, by trifecta i mean the Carven, Guerlain and Givenchy, since they all came out in the late 50's early 60's. This one is dryer than the Guerlain, at least in the open and in the mid, though the Guerlain does dry out a lot in it's late stage, like a dry sheet of 94 brightness copy paper, and dryer than the Carven, though that one can also get dry later on but also has an amber scent in it in the base. The Givenchy is very dry (and wonderful) in the earlier stages, but mellows in the base and becomes sandalwood. This scent is not as complex or a bouquet of notes as the other two, but that does not mean this scent isn't intruiging, rich, and just wonderful smelling. It's more of a purist sort of vetiver in a way, but does have a few complex nuances, and that mix of vetiver is just so good.. And there are probably other complexities and notes under the surface, blending and complimenting the 3 vetivers in it's make up. Anyways, this scent is fantastic. I quite like this scent. I also, like all three of these classic vetivers. Givenchy lists the following on its website. 3 varieties of vetiver, with bergamot and coriander head: bergamot, vetiver heart: coriander leaves, vetiver base: sandalwood, vetiver

2007’s redressing of Eau de Vetyver de Givenchy (1959) is a wondrous ode that mercifully captures the lush essence of the brilliant original at every notch of its vetiver accord and very much an appraisal of past glory fluidly flowing through revived veins, or least now through a frosted bottled... Its delectable charm unfolds with the crispy spirit of bergamot whetting a vetiver thirst with its naturally cool tarty swill before entering a heart seasoned with coriander, pepping an earthy spicy vapour into a slightly sharp, herbaceous green flavour, before an illustrious base pairing delivers a nutty, leathery facet to the balance with a creamy heft from a delightfully buttery sandalwood, possibly butt-ended by a bare cedar edge, that leaves this composition perfectly rounded and free. This minimalist accord with its triple decks of vetiver supported with three perfect hints is absolutely feverish in its suavity and simply soigné. Here we have a full bottomed celebration of vetiver in a classical template of floating elegance, one that is cheeky clean with its Haitian/Bourbon variant loosely held in a velvety barbershop guise; subjectively speaking, one of the best of its kind. Certainly, the longevity and projection is on par to modern standards yet far more satisfying than any other selection from Givenchy’s Les Parfum Mythiques series. That said, this frosted version is all that remains of this beauty and faithfully restores its lore for another generation. More than a penchant; Vetyver de Givenchy/Vetyver is for those who enjoy timeless tradition with their seamless blends; regardless of whether one leans a sentimentalist, modernist or a futurist; collectively this is for the enthusiast... In fact, a big hail to Eau de Vetyver de Givenchy (1959), Guerlain Vetiver (1959) and Carven Vétiver (1957) since all three have a common yet distinct thread sewn between; all three were at the forefront of a male regiment change, all three fashioned vetiver as a newer cosmopolitan drift and all three remarkably tailor made for a fine gentleman’s wardrobe... Ain’t tradition grand!

I have the reissue with the dark brown box with the green label, long frosted bottle with the brown and green label. Givenchy vetyver is a straight forward, minimalistic, dark, refined vetiver scent. Absolutely gourgeous, it's quite linear but so well made in its elegant semplicity. More on the earthy-dark side of the vetiver compared to tom ford vetiver and guerlain vetiver. In my opinion the one from Givenchy is on same level and maybe better, and it also can beat my favorite vetiver based fragrance which is creed original vetiver in terms of quality and performance. For 30 and up, in every occasion, better in spring and summer. If you like the vetiver smell and find the same version i have u cant go wrong, the version with grey-silver box is a bit lighter. A true vetiver masterpiece! La versione che ho è quella con la scatola marrone scuro e l'etichetta con la scritta verde, bottiglia lunga e opaca con l'etichetta marrone e la scritta verde. Questa versione è un po' migliore di quella con la scatola grigio argentata. Comunque, questo è un fantastico profumo al vetiver, lineare, elegante, terroso e minimalista. Raffinato e dritto al punto, un edt per uomini maturi e decisi. Scent-9 Longevity - 7 Sillage-7 Versatility-8 Uniqueness-7,5 Presentation-7,5 Compliment factor-8 Black up bottle? Yes My vote-9 In one word- minimalistic Alternative - guerlain vetiver, tom ford vetiver, creed original vetiver, caron vetiver, malizia uomo vetiver..

I never thought I'd find a vetiver fragrance I enjoyed as much as vintage Guerlain but personally, this has quickly displaced it. Apparently, it makes use of three different varieties of one of my favorite perfumery notes, and the result is an elegant, chic, and restrained fragrance that smells unpretentious and timeless. Not the scent of a teenager but the scent of a gentleman. This is a truly lovely rendition of vetiver - I do not want or need another vetiver after adding this to the collection - with a light sandalwood touch, smoothing out vetiver's natural tendencies to veer into sharpness. After the initial green & citric opening - which feels more like lime than the listed bergamot - the fragrance settles quickly and manages to feel a bit languid and soft-focus but present. Compared to the vintage Guerlain, this is both softer and less angular and for me, easier to wear. Worth mentioning: There’s a stealthy floral accord employed here, and for well over a year, I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Thankfully, I still had the box in storage so I dug it out to doublecheck the ingredient list. While not listed in the official notes, the INCI list reveals hydroxycitronellal, which is what perfumers use to create a lily-of-the-valley accord. Performance is solid; I get 5-6 hours of wear from 3 sprays but your mileage may vary. If you enjoy vetiver, this is not to be missed.

The return of an old friend.. I was reminded this morning how much I enjoy Givenchy's Vetiver fragrance. Exceptional, clean, outdoorsy fresh, and distinguished are all appropriate adjectives describing this beautiful blend. While I love this fragrance, I am somewhat disappointed with longevity and projection performance. After four hours, I found this blend stayed very close to skin level. Pity.. Performance aside, this creation by Givenchy is truly extraordinary and should be added to any collection. The scent itself is superb and ranks high among vetiver renditions. Flexibility and/or versatility is first class allowing wear to most events across all seasons. The fragrance is office safe and is a crowd pleaser. Worthy of mention is Givency's presentation of this fragrance - the "frosted" bottle is a nice touch - well done, Givenchy. Final tally for Givenchy's Vetiver is 4.1 stars out of 5 stars. If performance were better, definite consideration for Top 5 ranking. All considered - I highly recommend adding to any collection. You will love the fragrance and flexibility - and the beauty is - you can always reapply, if needed. This fragrance also comes with a solid love for the fragrance community. Enjoy your day and happy fragrance hunting...

Thumb slightly up. I got a sample of the recent reissue a few months ago, and for the most part I like it as a straightforward green scent with a persistent limey component. At first I couldn't tell that much difference from the pre-2000 Guerlain, which was my first and only vetiver at the time. Now, however, I see that the Givenchy is lacking some of the soft, sweetened roundness of the Guerlain (which I thought wasn't entirely necessary anyway). It has some of the sharp medicinal edge of Etro or the early stages of Encre Noire, but is still not as light, reedy and streamlined as the post-2000 Guerlain or the later stages of Encre Noire. For now, I still tend to like cleaner vetivers, such as the latter two, relegating the super soapy ones like Mugler or OV to a different mental category. From this house, I'd honestly be more likely to buy Monsieur de Givenchy for its citrusy green, because it just stands out more to me, and I can only expect finding unforetold vetiver scents in the future that I might enjoy even more than my current favorites. So for me, Givenchy's rendition is just a mile marker on the route to vetiver (:-D). Plus I don't know how long it's gonna be before they re-discontinue the re-release.

Finally got my hands on this. More aldehydic than Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver (TFGV). I would say sillage and longevity are slightly weaker than TFGV. Overall, a very nice frag. Suitable for hot summer days. It lacks the tobacco of Guerlain's vetiver. Givenchy's offering possesses somewhat less character and more of a "straight vetiver" / linear character. It lacks some of the interesting characterizes found in TFGV and Guerlain Vetiver. Certainly won't offend. I wouldn't however classify this as a "blind buy" unless you are a vetiver lover and have somewhat of an idea of what you're getting into. B+ would buy again. **Update - longevity and sillage seem overall pretty weak. Sprayed two spritzes on one wrist this morning before coming into the office, 3 hours later - I can barely smell it if I hold my wrist up directly under my nose. Scent is overall nice, but longevity and sillage overall don't come close to either Guerlain Vetiver or TFGV. **Update #2 - I still love this after all these years. To me, this is THE perfect vetiver for HOT summer days. Picture 90+, smart-casual wear at an outdoor family bbq getting your swear on.

Givenchy is all Vetiver !!!. Yes there is some notes of Bergamot and Sandalwood which both makes it more a summer/fall scent with a spicy aroma. Givenchy uses different Vetiver's grown in different parts of the world. The blend of all three create a earthy vib with a slightly smokey scent. I found this one incredible, one spray is a real blast of Vetiver which goes on and stays with you all day. If not Givenchy...a good alternative is Gurelain and Tom Ford also having an excellent aroma of Vetiver. Tom Ford Vetiver, has is slightly lighter base with a more citrus angle. Guerlain Vetiver is definitely more spice with a sage/leather base. Both longevity and Sillage are rated high and I can't say enough...VETYVER ROCKS. An excellent masculine aroma, perfect for the daytime and evening occasions. If you can find Givenchy Vetyver in the store buy it, it's worth every dollar. It's a shame that Givenchy Vetyver isn't sold in the stores where I shop anymore. I personally like to smell the frag and buy it if I like it. After searching I finally found a 100ml and bought it. ALL I CAN SAY IT'S AMAZING !!!!!!! 9/10****

Givenchy Vetyver is an excellent vetiver fragrance with a solid, intelligent construction and nearly flawless development. From it's bright bergamot opening to it's earthy, nutty base, Vetyver is a great option for someone looking for a vetiver based scent that is not excessively dark and dirty or too clean, green, and soapy. Yet, at the same time, it is a little bit of each of these. It can be worn all year round, easily straddles the casual and formal, and has good projection and longevity. Vetyver is a multi-dimensional scent that remains interesting and dynamic throughout its duration. One of my favorite vetiver fragrances, and definitely worth looking into. UPDATE: Watch out for the new version of this--it come in a gray and silver box and the bottle is frosted glass with a white and silver label. It's been reformulated, and isn't nearly as good as the juice in the brown and green box and frosted glass bottle with brown and green label. I don't know what Givenchy did to it, but they screwed it up. When you buy it make sure you ask which one their selling.

I'm not sure,but I think this fragrance is the one I've been looking for, for a long time. I didn't have any name or brand to go by to look for it. I just knew it smelled dry and elegant. Well, I ordered this fragrance blindly without trying a sample of it and I just received it today. I tried it on,and it does smell dry,and I can smell something a little nutty,then that goes away and then I smell something aromatic,maybe like carrot tops.? It is nice and I think I like it. It has an elegance about it. I don't like 2 other Givenchy colognes,"Givenchy Gentleman" and "Xeryus". So I hope I like this one. I will have to wear it more often to see if I like it. The only thing negative,I think, with this cologne is it doesn't seem to have much strength and projection is very low. Even if this is the cologne I was looking for,it's hard to tell cause they reformulate some of the ones they bring back,and then there's the thing about my skin chemistry or ph has changed since the 80's when I tried the cologne out.

This is the one that makes you love Vetiver. Clean. Fresh. Green. Super masculine in the most straight forward and direct way. I love it that Givenchy didn’t try to reinvent the wheel here. Like the perfectly executed Mediterranean entree, it’s all about the best quality ingredients selected to compliment and bring out the best in the main component, then prepared simply so they don’t get in each other’s way. Longevity could be better but I can’t see how that would be possible while maintaining the integrity of the composition. The bergamote makes way for the sandalwood to show at its best. And the vetiver shines from beginning to end. On the plus side, it’s priced right so you can re-apply at will without cringing. This fragrance has SO much going for it as it is that I can’t quibble about things like “it used to be better” or “ it used to last longer”. Maybe it did. But worrying about it brings nothing to the table. I’m going to enjoy this for what it is because it’s really good. 4+ out of 5.

Just a warning: Vetyver has been reformulated...again. The newest formulation doesn't feature the brown and green box and bottle with the brown and green label (as pictured here). It comes in a grayish silver box and the label on the bottle is gray and silver. It's been around for at least a year now, maybe two. Unfortunately, it's a shell of its former self. Givenchy has more or less ruined it. The previous version was excellent--my favorite vetiver of all time. This one feels so flat and boring and thin it's not even worth wearing. I usually don't get too offended by reformulations, sometimes they're for the better and sometimes the fragrance loses a little bit of what it had before...But in the case of Givenchy Vetyver I was really disappointed, and sort of annoyed that they messed with a masterpiece and left us with something completely mediocre in its place. If you can find the brown and green version, jump on it, as there can't be too many floating around out there anymore.

quite like the vetiver Givenchy. it has a strong ingredient of coriander leaves, with give the fragrance a very dry almost dusty carpet type of flavor. If I smell the coriander leaves in one of my spice jars, it has the same scent. The vetiver is very nice of course. there is a light touch of citrus, but just barely. This is not a juicy or green vetiver, but is a very dry take and quite simple in it;s complexity, but it is a very good vetiver fragrance. It is excellent. If you want a dry vetiver with some herbal influence I would get the Givenchy. If you want a green green focused vetiver with some citrus I would go with the Guerlain. If you want a vetiver fragrance with some amber resin and light floral elements I would go with the Carven. All in all, since I love vetiver, all 3 of these fragrances are excellent, and have their own style. But in each one, vetiver is the star component.

A timeless classic that exemplifies sophistication, elegance and class. Very unique and made with a variety of vetivers to bring out all the characteristics of vetiver with a touch of citrus, coriander and sandalwood to create a true masterpiece. The result is an earthy, nutty, warm yet crisp vetiver that is not loud and aggressive, but gentlemanly and humble with sparks of attitude. Not for everybody, only mature and confident individuals wear this who know what they want from life. Longevity and projection is average. Now I know why Hubert de Givenchy wore this and it suited him perfectly. Class wearing class! I adore Guerlain Vetiver and respect Sycomore, but Givenchy's Vetyver is majestic and stands high above both of them. Highly recommended. I sampled the vintage version and it left me speechless. What are you waiting for? Go out and try it!

It's written vetiver (vetyver to be precise) on the label: you'll get vetiver. Or more exactly: THE vetiver. No tricks, just vetiver, pure vetiver, beautiful vetiver. Ok, ok.... just a support of citrus to sharpen it, and a barely noticeable hint of coriander and hazelnut to round the edges. The perfect definition of vetiver. The only weakness is the performance, but that actually is a strength as it makes Givenchy Vetyver the perfect work fragrance for dressed-up environments. Guerlain Vetiver is business casual, Givenchy Vetyver is business formal. Guerlain's is dark green, Givenchy green/grey. That said, both drydowns are very similar, with Givenchy's having a lower projection overall. I own and love both. Spring/Fall days, 25+. Edit: just one question: why having opted for a stupid plastic cap on top of a nice polished glass bottle?

Pure, slightly bitter, refreshing, rooty clean citrus and vetiver. That's it. Simple. There's not much to dissect or analyze here. You either love vetiver or you don't, and that will decide how you feel about Givenchy Vetyver. But as far as vetiver fragrances go, this is such a fine example of an uplifting, classic, clean gentlemanly version. It doesn't get the mentions that Guerlain, TF Grey Vetiver, and some others get, but belongs at the beginning of that conversation, without a doubt. Perfection!

So good. Uplifting and perfect for dog days. It has decent staying power compared to other vetivers, too. I usually go to town with it out of the shower with six or seven sprays all over. It isn't the kind of scent that is going to choke anybody out, so no worries there. A good coating of it and it will last all day, and certainly people comment about it, how nice it is. Vetiver is kind of an addiction of mine, but so few get it right. This one nails it. It is to me the quintessential vetiver.

Another vetiver! A very good one! Givenchy Vetyver is a vetiver fragrance that's as serious as it gets. It's dry, medicinal; slightly spiced up with a coriander note, a little squeeze of some bergamot, and an added woodiness from sandalwood. All those are just about 10%, everything else is straight dark vetiver. Although a soft projector, it last quite decently.