Le Loden

As a child, I had a Loden coat which I really disliked wearing, its green thick material everything I didn't want to wear or be, such as well behaved and polite, in addition to being quite scratchy - a big no-no for any child whose dreams centred around becoming either a fireperson or a circus princess. It did, in fact, make me want to scream, and I'm sure I did on many occasions during the winter when the coat fitted my small frame and I had to wear it; after all, the winters this far north can are very cold most years and it was a choice of either wearing it or not going out. Even now as a grown up, I cannot stand the type of coats made of Loden, so it must have been quite the traumatic experience. But - Le Loden, by Jacques Fath. Needless to say, the mere name gives me flashbacks and I have been reluctant to even try it since receiving the sample set from the house several months ago. For some reason, today must be the day and, while I cannot reconcile myself with ever wearing Loden the fabric again, the fragrance is a different matter. Thankfully. Vetiver is the star here - front, centre, back - and exceedingly strong; I also get considerable amounts of patchouli, juniper berries and tobacco with some geranium providing a pleasant spicy floral note. The initial blast is strong enough to put hairs on your chest - but the overwhelming strength presently subsides and leaves a more mellow, woody aroma. Some may say it's more masculine than unisex, but it really isn't - rather, I find Le Loden something which wouldn't be out of place worn by anyone with a strong character, who knows what's what and really couldn't care less about what others' opinions may be. Not in a narcissistic or condescending way, just intelligent, wise and experienced enough to pull this off without drama. Old Hollywood perhaps, or one of the Mitfords, but more up-to-date and timeless. Grown-up, with silks and tweed. This is fabulous and I may very well need to invest in a full bottle.

Its a pretty linear, vetiver prominent fragrance with hint of juniper and ginger and a nice greeny geranium. The tobacco gives a subtle smoky vibe that adds to the java and hatian vetiver. The other notes I cannot smell to my nose. The vetiver is not soapy or nutty. Its got a smokiness to it but the juniper and ginger "cool" it down and the geranium and patchouli gives it a very grassy green earth quality, bit not in a "dirt/soil" way. Its surprising a sweet leaning scent, well blended and refined. It doesn't have an edge to it like so many vetiver focused scents. It maintains that in your face vetiver quality I love so much but comes across much more elegant and approachable. Its a very prominent vetiver perfume, similar to Nishane Sultan Vetiver in terms of prominence, not necessarily scent. Where Sultan has a strong nutty earthy accord, Le Loden has a grassy green with a nice bite to it, but i wouldnt consider the bite "spicy." It smells very organic and fresh with a touch of sweetness that makes it feel less dark and earthy yet retains a natural smell. I own a bottle of vetiver absolute oil and Le Loden definitely has that grassy natural smelling vibe. The sillage is within 6 feet and longevity is great. Its a well rounded scent that carries from colder months to brisk spring days. I feel summer it would be a bit much and "choking." Very masculine leaning in my opinion. As a vetiver fanatic, this definitely is one of the best ones out there. If you're looking for a prominent vetiver centered fragrance but a more green sweet smell instead of soapy (Guerlain), nutty (Nishane Sultan), or earthy/smoky (Encre Noire, Chanel Sycomore), Le Loden fills that spot. Owning all of the mentioned fragrances, plus several other vetiver perfumes, Le Loden is NOT a redundant buy. I consider it the most natural and green organic Vetiver perfume I have smelt thus far.

In view of the fame of the Jacques Fath house, and given my passion for vetiver I had high expectations, that unfortunately have not been fulfilled here. Yes, it's a good vetiver but there are plenty. At $150 a pop, I expected a live rock concert with lightshow at a stadium... that revealed to be just a firecracker shot in a backyard, filmed with an iphone2 and broadcasted on youtube in low definition. Oh well...

Jacques Fath Le Loden is a truly unique fragrance that masterfully blends sweet, woody, and vetiver notes into an unforgettable composition of Vetiver, delivering a bold and distinctive character. The sweetness balances the earthy, smoky facets beautifully, creating a harmonious yet intriguingly complex aroma. I love it and it is underappreciated

Fantastic! If you are fan of vetiver fragrances this is a must have. Highly recommended. Great quality. One ding for me is the longevity is about 2 hours at most. For the right price this is a safe blind buy IMO. Enjoy!