Vermeil Pour Homme

Amazing. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Not entirely sure I like it but it’s so rare to find a beast mode powerhouse performer in this price range that smells like a high quality “natural” composition. Feels somehow familiar but I can't place it. Strange ... I've seen that face before At first I thought the name was some kind of play on words because, as well as being a proper noun, "vermeil" is an adjective that means “gilded” or gold-plated - Le Must de Cartier is well-known for its vermeil watches for example - but a "carte vermeil" is a discount card for senior citizens as well as a slang/comedic expression for old people. Many people dislike the presentation but I love it - the flacon is unique and well-made: looks exactly like an upmarket cigarette lighter. Form meets function . I have a 1950s Ronson table lighter that looks very similar. Definitely not cheap or tatty either - the flacon must have been comparatively expensive to manufacture, probably more than the content - the upper "gold" part is all metal except for the button. The mechanics are simple but effective (and possibly excessive) as the spray is somewhere between a pump and a hose. Plus it comes in a rigid plastic coffin case with a clear plastic window. Remarkable fragrance - potent but luxurious with allusions to tradition. Bit of an anachronism. Elegant in a classic style: oakmossy, floral, with a backbone of botanical musk, vetiver and patchouli. Similar in style to Davidoff by Davidoff. Vermeil smells expensive. High quality. It feels like the kind of thing a gentleman who’d carry an expensive lighter might wear - in the 1970s or 1980s. The impression I get is botanical and natural - not noticeably artificial. Had this on my hit list for ages, especially since so many people mentioned tobacco, specifically pipe tobacco, so when I found Vermeil Homme at an excellent price I took a leap of faith onto blind-buy-land and fortunately came up smelling fabulous. Well ... interesting, anyway. Unfortunately there’s nothing resembling pipe tobacco in mine, but I have a vague half-memory that there were two versions of this, which (if true) would imply I have the newer. Vermeil smells expensive, luxurious and very "natural" - the opening is aromatic citrus, enhanced by what is apparently a subtle berry note, and what I thought was a hint of civet, but in hindsight I'm not certain. Maybe it's an olfactory illusion, an accord, or just my imagination. In any case, I still wear Portos by Balenciaga and would have no problem wearing this. In micro-application. Fairly oakmoss-intensive with a very sexy muskiness that lingers through the woody dry down, which is dominated by patchouli, with vetiver on backing vocals. Compared to the sugar-plum-saccharine-ambroxan-and-gamma-isomer-cocktails of today's blockbusters, Vermeil Homme feels unabashedly old school, yet not exactly old-fashioned. A power fragrance with confidence, class and style that could as easily be worn by a CEO as a mafia Don. Vermeil Homme is a curious - but classy - throwback with beast mode projection and epic longevity. This is not a quiet inoffensive crowd pleaser for shy retiring wallflowers, but with micro-application it can be quite magnificent. It’s an olfactory spotlight made to be noticed. The expensive lighter suggests luxury of the kind one might associate with a gentleman’s club: Cigars and cognac quaffed by suited sophisticates, Chesterfields in wood panelled salons. Although discontinued, Vermeil Homme seems to be widely available at remarkably low prices yet given its unique and polarising DNA this might not become a retrospective classic, but definitely a legend in its own right. Not exactly a safe blind buy unless you’re into musky fragrances with a 1980s vibe and LOTS of oakmoss and patchouli plus nuclear performance. Best applied with a light touch. Sure is interesting though and if you are into this kind of thing the bang-for-your-buck ratio is off the charts.

I've worn this fragrance a half-dozen times since purchasing it back in March when I was madly buying vintage, little known, and Middle-Eastern oakmoss fragrances in the form of chypres and fougeres. To me, Jean Louis Vermeil Pour Homme is an elegant "Gentlemen's Club" fragrance to be enjoyed while wearing a blazer, sipping bourbon or scotch, and puffing on a stogie...which is probably why I haven't worn it much in public. As much as I love and appreciate this scent, it's not very versatile and it has that old-school charm that not everyone will appreciate. I'm still on the learning curve with chypre and fougere fragrances but, to give others an idea of how it smells, I can say that it's in the same family (e.g., a 2nd cousin) to Davidoff Pour Homme and Aramis Devin. Certainly not a clone, but you get the jist of what this fragrance is all about. Performance is good to above average and, overall, I found this to be a very nice fragrance...and it was certainly bargain priced. The bottle is pretty cool, but I'm on the fence on the cheap plastic coffret. The sideways sprayer shocked the hell out of me sine I've never seen one before. And I almost sprayed myself in the face which would have been far from decent, I must say! Okay, I envision this fragrance being the perfect scent for Ricardo Mantalban and Hervé Villechaize while waiting for guests to arrive on Fantasy Island. You whipper snappers probably have no clue who I'am talking about. If so, you may not be seasoned enough to appreciate this fragrance.

As the the reviewer below me said this is similar to One Man Show Gold. That is true. However, it's not as musky as OMSG, is much smoother, and has a freshness to it that OMSG lacks. Vermeil PH is like layering OMSG with Lapidus Pour Homme and with a little Kouros to give it some clean freshness rather than all out dirty like LPH. Although tobacco is not in the notes it smells like it does have tobacco with some wood and a touch of floral and powder done in a very masculine way. It does not have the staying power of OMSG and LPH, but it's not bad as I usually get 6 to 8 hours. I suggest a spray to the shirt because it increases the longevity significantly on clothes, particularly cotton, from my experience. Vermeil PH is as masculine as it gets and the value is hard to beat... I paid $15.99 for 3.4oz. The presentation is very classy and manly with its light brown cannister and shiny gold color top. It seems to be getting harder to find so I suggest you pick up a bottle if you are a serious collector or just looking for a masculine cologne to put in your rotation. Especially if you enjoy OMSG, LPH, Korous and other balls to the wall uber-masculine fragrances mentioned in my review. If you don't like fragrances with the composition of those... then you should avoid Vermeil Pour Homme. Lastly, Vermeill PH is more for mature gentlemen 30+. But I could see younger gents pulling this off with a gentlemen-like, mature, confident attitude. 9/10 easily.

A refined perfume, just bought a brand new bottle, did spray 3 times and this is a Powerhouse. It starts with a fresh sharp citrus (lemon) like the 80s powerhouses, than goes to a great fresh tobacco leaf with some sweet like honey or old cognac, a perfect well blended fragrance. This is the fragrance every man should try at least one time, not for young people lets say after 30 years old. A fantastic juice that remember us the great 80 ́s fragrances with quality and no IFRA restrictions. ASAP will try to buy more bottles because this fragrance is great, dress well in a suit for man that knows what he wants and with the confidence to live like a real man. It is a fragrance under radar and if you look well you can find them cheap. Rate: Smell: 9.5 powerhouse from 80's high quality and balanced Performance: in all aspects Beast Mode, longevity on fabric for days, in skin my top is 14hours but going strong... and after shower still persists... A masterpiece with its own personality, nothing like the new era of perfumary where it is hard to find something really special that delivers good smell and performance.

'VERMEIL' was a surprise....a blind buy based on the notes pyramid and Fragrantica reviewers. It's not going to appeal to everyone and it's certainly no Baccarat Rouge 540, Layton or Naxos. Strangely enough, speaking of Xerjoff, there's something about 'VERMEIL' that made me think about Xerjoff's Casamorati 1888 'REGIO' when I applied it (VERMEIL) for the first time. It's an EDT, and 'REGIO' a Xerjoff sillage/longevity EDP beast, but to me, they both share an elegance and sophistication that might not be understood... unless you're a person with a comprehension and appreciation of fragrance history. AND NOW FOR THE VERY GOOD PART- I found my 'VERMEIL' (made in France) for what might be the cheapest price in the lower US. It's exactly the same packaging and 3.4oz bottle that Fragrantica shows at the top of this page. It was from : fragrancebaba.com ...a company in NJ. Their total price was $14.99 - 5% = $14.25...free shipping, and I paid no tax because I live in NY. Shipping was fast, but might delayed now by yesterday's snowstorm.

I discovered this fragrance with the help of youtuber Lex - Fragrances with Lex - Vermeil For Men by Jean Louis Vermeil. What an amazing fragrance. The show begins with the fantastic looking bottle. From the first spray (not really a good spray) you know you are scenting a piece of jewelery. Vibes of respectful designers arise: Pour Lui from Oscar de la Renta, Tobacco Oud by Tom Ford, Davidoff by Davidoff, Bogart for man, Lapidus for man.... But not really the same notes or behaviour. It's more an association you make imediatly with bold, manly, classy fragrances for men with 30+ years old. Vermeil is the supeman of the fougéres. What an amazing fragrance hidden gem! Well above average longevity (12+ hours) and projection (3+ hours). Rating for Vermeil: Scent:9.5 Longevity: 8.5 Sillage:7.5 Versatility: 9.0 Uniqueness: 9.0 Quality:8.5 Presentation: 9.0 Average: 8.71/10,00 PS - I paid €13,00 for 100 ml

I think we're all being trolled with this fragrance. With buzz words like "powerhouse", "discontinued" and "hidden gem", I found this on Amazon for around 15 bucks... That being said, this fragrance is a strong LIKE for me, not necessarily a love. It does what all other late 90s, early 00s fougeres do, strong barbershop opening, followed by a powdery flower mid, capped with an sweet, vanillic, ambery drydown. It's a jack of all trades but a master of none. I can see this being lost in the crowd when it came out but today in a sea of blue ambroxan bombs and bubblegum aquatics, this will stand out. Not a bad fragrance at all. A sleeper frag you'll come back to more often than you think. Mature and masculine but I will say a woman can pull this off with confidence. UPDATE: Okay...I love this. It's the drydown...it's really good.

I agree compeletely with this review by 'Sacredsystem'. It's exactly how I see this fragrancce, also owning the Original Davidoff which by the way has NO Tobacco note in it! I don't know if there are multiple versions of this fragrance but I own two 100ml bottles, bought last three years and both are identical. Imo this is not very light at all but very strong, especially in the opening and the longevity is at least 8 hrs with above average projection. Maybe I have two vintage bottles if there are any. I also own Relax and Vermeil is not even close to similar to Davidoff Relax (imo). I also think the notes, listed by Fragrantica are wrong and incomplete on this one (where is the Tobacco?). Big thumbs up for this very maculine macho fragrance! Rating: 9/10

Despite the ridiculous bottle that's designed to look like an old-fashioned lighter (the button of which, as a poster below me notes, unfortunately tends to get stuck), this is a great old-fashioned spicy fougere, heavy on the oakmoss and the patchouli, as well as on blackcurrant and galbanum. It smells exceptionally rich, but very 80s, and suggests to me many of the beloved masculine fragrances from that era. I can't imagine the likelihood of a younger man wanting this, but to a more mature guy it smells like heaven. It projects like nobody's business, so be warned this is not for someone trying to be subtle.

VPH might be the best buy and hidden manly gem in town. Take my beloved Davidoff (1984), file down its rough edges, add some light florals and musk to make it more "wearable" and what you have left is a smooth tobacco and floral adventure that is perfect for a mature and established gentleman. It is very linear and somewhat transparent.......So what? I am currently sitting outside smoking a cigar and enjoying my favorite Scotch (Lagavulin) wearing VPH and I am very happy. It is not in the same league as Davidoff, but sometimes one needs a smoother touch to iron out the wrinkles of the day.

What a fantastic leathery oakmoss and green floral scent. A little spice from the carnation and coriander. Brightness from the freesia and citrus. Very well blended and tenacious. Nothing synthetic smelling to me... just pure strength and endurance. The strength is quite a shocker on first spray... very old school on the heart notes shining through even on the initial spray. This classes up there with some of the greats like Aramis Classic, Oscar De La Renta Pour Lui, and Aramis 900. If you like extravagant fragrance and performance, you need to buy this very classy scent.

@LWJM is on target...aromatic or even spicy floral fougere (NOT amber) Galbanum, black currant , masculin floral thanks to carnation/rose (not overwhelming) so don't fear easy for date nite, or office but then I was never one to care about seasons or occasions I just wear what smells good and makes the statement I want a little weak though maybe 4 hours think of its own character along the lines tuscany per oumo or Lagerfeld photo or Givenchy insense - definitely unique in the vintages department Released 1997

The more I use Vermeil, the more I am enjoying it. I have also been using the after shave balm and shower gel to magnify the manly journey. I'm amazed that some get limited longevity with this beauty. Three sprays for me and I'm set for 8+ hours. This is not a scent that most would gravitate towards, but for those that understand and appreciate something different and special will wear this with joy. The price is too good to ignore, especially when Vermeil is a first cousin with Davidoff Original.

So I just purchased a bottle of Kouros and couldn't wait to try it. Unwrapped it as soon asI got in my car and sprayed on the back of my hand .Inhaled deeply and wow...this smells familiar.Got home and sprayed my other hand with Vermeil. Wouldn't you know it , they're almost identical. Vermeil has a louder opening. So I smelled it throughout the evening from one hand to the other and the middle notes and dry down are almost identical. Beautiful my friends, enjoy!

Vermeil.!! It was a blind buy and I want to thank the reviewers! This perfume makes me imagine a rich boss (of any business) in 1970's - he possible holds a cigar or pipe, his face is serious but this man is generous, large, confident. Vermeil is 100% for men, it is a quality sweet tobacco with aromatics, not like the most of others.. and the price...!!!! £ 16. I believe every classic man should have it on his shelve!

At first, Vermeil Pour Homme is not very pleasant, but within an hour it becomes a warm, glowing, spicy soapy scent that's comforting and distinguished. The spray bottle is no good. I ended up taking the outer sprayer off and replacing it with one from a used-up bottle of a different fragrance.

Nowhere need Boss #1 or original Davidoff. Just look at the difference in the notes. If you like this buy it now because the ebay and epsty hawks are buying the $18 bottles and selling for $50+ because it's discontinued. Within a year clowns will be paying $100 for this fragrance.

ON THE EDGE OF BARBER-SHOPPY/PINEAPPLE STAND/FRESH CUT PINE WOOD OR WOOD IN GENERAL/AND TOO MUCH MORE TO DESCRIBE...LOL...THIS IS A FUKN AMAZING BOUQUET OF FRAGRANCE IT TRULY IS......9.0/1O.......VERY VERY AFFORDABLE...FOR NOW

@vitop Hard to believe you find Vermeil similar to Kouros as they both are completely different in smell and notes. They only comparison I find (owning 8 bottles of Kouros, also vintages) is the soapiness. Both true Kings!

If Davidoff for Men, Balenciaga Pour Homme and Boss Number One had a 3-way love child, Vermeil PH would be their progeny. An amazing scent with a great longevity and sillage. It's like the 80's never said goodbye.

Vermeil was a blind buy for me. I had read a lot of good things about it, so I took a chance. It is very nice! The one con is the spray button gets stuck sometimes.

Don't you dare to die before trying this fragrance. Punishment will be to go straight to hell or to reincarnate as dum ameba.

Here we have a heady, pungent, soapy nod to the 80’s green powerhouse signature, parted as a floral tobacco comb-over. Unfortunately housed in a cheap pop-up lighter with a faulty mechanism that sprays clumsy spurts through a sideway slit, it surprisingly dazzles as a quality composition likened to an illusory burly leaf dipped in porto wine, patchouli and oakmoss... Surely, it has nothing in common with its peers apart from the tobacco floral trend of the 90’s in spirit and more kinship with the likes of Oscar de la Renta Lui, Salvador Dali Pour Homme, Loris Azzaro Acteur, Giorgio For Men, Zino Davidoff and even Grey Flannel... Vermeil opens as a bold apparition of ‘cherry’ leather fumes that emanate from a mix of galbanum greenery, citrus hints and plummy blackcurrants before springing up bright and rosy with indolic soapy florals that are honeyed, dusted, and even spiced with a coriander pinch before being grounded to a powerhouse base of oakmoss, patchouli, musk and vetiver. Overall, the effect is beguiling given that there is no apparent tobacco per se in this seamless blend yet it is very much one in its balance... This is a mature seasoned fragrance, one that has remained plainly under the radar since its '95 christening and one that manages to hold up distinctly well alongside its wheelhouse of inspiration... That said, Vermeil Pour Homme would be far more enjoyable if the darn trigger worked effortlessly! Certainly one for the lore, one for the collector, one for the connoisseur, one for the curious, one for the budget minded, who happily steer in this aforementioned direction.

Wow, this stuff totally caught me off guard. This is really, really good. To me, it smells like a cross between a 70s/80s aromatic fougere and a 90s/00s gourmand. No surprise there I guess, given that this is from ‘97. Everything goes together beautifully: The aromatic freshness is there, but it’s not too sharp. That’s mellowed out by a layer of warmth and sweetness, but it’s not too cloying. These contrasting notes play nicely together and don’t get in each others’ way. It’s really a lovely blend. I quite like the bottle as well even if it’s a little kitschy (I like kitsch, fight me). However, the atomizer feels like someone is playing a prank on me. It’s awkward to handle and gives out this pathetic little spurt of liquid, easily the worst atomizer I’ve used. That’s hardly a deal-breaker, though, and as others have noted, this juice is pretty strong so maybe it’s for the best that the atomizer isn’t dousing you in it. I don’t adhere to age limits for fragrances (wear whatever the hell you like!), but I think Vermeil could work for any guy. Young or old, day or night, and every season maybe save the high heat of summer. Really great stuff. It’s also astonishingly cheap. It’s one of the best values in my collection so far given the quality and performance. I see some saying this has been discontinued; I haven’t been able to verify that, but I’m still doing some digging. If that’s true then I’m grabbing another bottle while the gettin’s still good. I don’t ever want to be without it.

This scent has the same ingredients as my loved Rutan eau de toilette. Rutan was a German perfume producer. They claimed to be specialized on making natural perfumes. The scent of Rutan (grey bottle) is much darker and has much more notes than Vermeil. While Vermeil is a light scent for everyday use, Rutan is for night use. Rutan is much darker than Vermeil, it's the darkest scent I know so far. When you wear Rutan, every other scent is hidden. So let's come back to Vermeil. Vermeil is a linear and light tobacco scent. It's sweet. Some people say it reminds them of davidoff relax. Not to my nose. For me it's 1:1 like Rutan, just extremely watered down. But that's what makes this scent so attractive for wearing. While Rutan is just a killer, it kills every other scent around you with its dark tobacco scent. A gianfranco ferre for men hinds behind it like every other of the former powerhouse scents. Vermeil is a soft, sweet tobacco scent. It's saying, I want to be a part with you. I don't have the aim like Rutan to show everyone around me that I am the strongest. That's it, vermeil is soft, sweet, beautiful. It last long. The silage is not that big. It's just that I have found a good alternative to the super Powerhouse Rutan.

Wow what a surprise ! A really nice scent ! For the price, the natural rendition of tobacco and the ingeniousness of the composition are really stunning ! Almost a miracle ! How they managed to achieve such a simple, awesome, naturalistic and yet totally affordable tobacco fragrance is beyond me ! As Karlovonamesti has pointed out : who the hell is Jean Louis Vermeil ?? The guy deserves an award for this awesome scent hahaha ! The opening is quite strong and in your face (not the best part of the pyramide) but it settles down nicely to something totally wearable in spring days.. I don't get all the notes listed here, what I get is soft tobacco and flowers.. and a bit of sour orange at the top.. It's a very assertive scent though not "powerhouse" assertive.. it stays perfectly polite and gentlemanly.. what a good surprise this frag is ! Addendum : one bad thing about this frag, the sprayer is really lame ! One of the weakest I've ever tested ! One pressure delivers a really meager amount of the juice and you have the sensation you'll almost break the cap.. for decent longevity and sillage you have to double your usual application...

This fragrance is honestly pretty nice, but sort of an "acquired" taste. As a young, college student myself, I can tell you, you're not going to be picking up many dates wearing this stuff. Girls don't tend to prefer guys who smell like their grandads. But for myself, I think its a wonderfully spicy, citrus, tobacco, scent with excellent lasting power. I've found that my other male friends my age really like it too. It smells timeless and classic. I am reminded of a library full of old books or maybe a study room of some classic writer. Another setting that comes to mind-- an elegant bar in 1960s New York, where smoking is the social norm and high-end Scotch flows freely into the late hours of the night as live jazz plays. Its the scent of a true "Man Man". Really a great fragrance. And if the ladys don't like, well, dont wear it for them, wear it for your self.

I blind bought Yatagan, Vermeil for Men, & Salvador Dali Pour Homme simultaneously, primarily based on the similarity between the three and the very favorable reviews. I am somewhat disappointed. Yatagan is multi-faceted, but I can't get past the cat urine note. Vermeil is complex as well, but there is a cloying sweetness to it (maybe the black currant & violet leaf?). By layering Yatagan with Vermeil, a more palatable scent results; Yatagan's cat piss note is masked and the cloying sugar of Vermeil is somewhat neutralized. So, I guess that's how I will use those two. I find Dali the most intriguing & enjoyable, it is very complex, with many notes detectable simultaneously. Although at times, there is a down & dirty funky note that is off-putting.

Nose Note #436 That opening blast, oh mama ... This is an old man's powerhouse. What a scent... I get huge amounts of carnation and oakmoss and thus it's reminding me of Red Moscow and Vanderbilt, but a manly version. And this black currant on top is nicely readable. What a nice sharp smell. And very aromatic, very herbal. It's an acquired taste, but I think it's easy to like if you are into 100% mens fragrances. I hope I'll find something similar, because I only have a small decant of this... 8/10, beautiful, but a little challenging

I will sometimes read reviews about different fragrance brands that state, "It's a blah, blah, soapy, blah scent." For whatever else Vermeil Pour Homme may be for its first few moments, it dries down quickly to soap. ### That said, it's a very pleasant, clean scent that possesses strong performance and can be had for an incredibly low price for a big bottle, albeit a somewhat wonky mock "lighter" bottle. I think you're safe either way.

This is the scent of a snobbish preppy school boy This is the scent of a confident creative professional This is the scent of a cool gentle father This is the scent of a calm smiling grandfather This is the scent of a 90 year old stylish man This is the scent of a poor man This can be the scent of a rich man I like it This UNsophisticated scent of a true man needs to be there...all the time... 7,5/10

Thank you Bigsly for the valuable input ! So you confirm they were at least two different bottles ergo two different formulas.. The old formula sounds just like heaven to me because I really had a crush on this cheap cologne..

Reminds me of my grand father, hence it has a certain nostalgic value in my books, but nothing more.

I'm not sure what all the hype is about for this fragrance. It is simply a weaker version of Sung Homme. It has many of the same notes as Sung Homme, and performance is not good on my skin or clothes. It's a bit soapy. I wish I got tobacco, but I get none. I wish I got the cat piss note from the black current, but I get none.I am very confused with what others are comparing this to. In fact, I'm so confused it prompted me to order another bottle from a different seller, to see if my bottle is bad or something. It is nowhere near Oscar Pour Lui, Zino, Giorgio for Men or Grey Flannel. Someone below mentioned a vintage bottle with a short ingredients list. I doubt this has ever been reformulated. My bottle has the short ingredient list (alcohol, fragrance, water), and it doesn't perform even when dramatically over spraying. I will update when I get the new bottle. I doubt it will be any different. UPDATE: 03-16-2022 Got the 2nd bottle from FragranceBaba as suggested by a reviewer below. Everything is the same: the plastic case, the bottle, the ingredient list and unfortunately, the scent and performance. No tobacco, a little soapy. Just MEH! I'll set them both on a shelf for a few months to see if they get any better. I doubt they will. I also got the Red and Black flankers, and I would not recommend wasting your money on them. Lastly, if you do decide to order from FragranceBaba, be aware. I also ordered the White flanker and it was completely unusable. The bottle had obviously leaked out long ago and the plastic case was glued shut from the juice that had solidified. I broke it trying to open it. The silver paint on the atomizer had melted from the alcohol, and the sprayer button was glued so tight that it wouldn't depress. It didn't matter, because the bottle was completely empty. They did refund my money.

File under 'guilty pleasure'. This is an initially great smelling, full bodied and complex fragrance, but it's not subtle or smooth, and yes it smells dated (and a bit cheap, which it is). There's prominent galbanum here, which along with the oriental hints make it similar to 'Vol de Nuit'. So that plus the slight soapiness is giving the fragrance a classic old-school smell, as well as standing proud in the 80s full blown fougere category. Not only dated, but 'old man'. Not only is this referencing bygone eras quite faithfully, it's also themed around 'old man' pursuits - think pipe tobacco and dark spirits. Is it too mean spirited to say there's also a pine disinfectant smell in there which suggests an old people's home? As the fragrance evolves it seems to become more fragmented and harsh, and not to mellow out. Havana by Aramis springs to mind, but this is something a little more deranged. Where Aramis is a cosy night in by the hearth with rum and cigars, this is more a cosy huddle round a bin fire in the park chuffing on a roll-up and slurping Jack Daniels from a paper bag. The sweetness of the blackcurrant combines with some of the astringent (medicinal) bitterness of the other notes and reminds me a lot of 'Acteur' by Azzaro. But here, replacing the expert pathos of the tragic rose is its fumbling understudy, the foolhardiness of the courageous tobacco. A flamboyant fragrance, but not a safe one. This seems to be covering every base but subtlety. A manlified, crass, unapologetic Vol de Nuit - what was smooth has been pulled out, hammered down and made angular. The fearless may enjoy with abandon.

Their is a bunch of notes going on here. Tobacco is not one of them. I don't know which version I have but it's more floral than anything. Also some earthiness due to the patch and vetiver. Very on lasting with mega sillage but I don't see myself reaching for this again. I go it in a lot so at least I did not expect much from it s it was basically a throw in. Not bad but their are far more interesting scents.

There are at least three different bottle designs, from what I've seen (I've tried two of them). The original, which I swapped off a few years ago when my sensitivity was very high, has very strong top notes, including a lime-like quality, musk, and an animalic element (which I'm guessing is mostly if not all castoreum). The newer bottle design (which is more "linear" and the metal trim on the bottle does not jut outwards as much as the original did) has hardly any top notes, relative to the first bottle I bought. The drydown for both is similar, but it's weaker for the new one, and there seems to be a bit more woody/patchouli and a bit less tobacco (along with a slightly "synthetic" background hum, so to speak). The list of notes above does not seem consistent with my experience of either bottle, and I'm wondering if it's supposed to be for some other scent (I'm guessing it is for the women's version). To me the strong notes (of vintage) are citrus, musk, castoreum, and tobacco. The citrus and musk are very strong at first, with the castoreum and tobacco shining through after an hour or so. I'd say there are some florals and spices (indistinct), a bit of lavender (providing a bit of soapiness), along with light woods/patchouli and a bit of amber to soften and sweeten if up a bit. I don't get any strong herbs. All in all, if you like "old school" tobacco scents, this one is worth the present prices, though if you already own the original Davidoff scent and are a stickler for "naturalness," you may be disappointed (though the Davidoff doesn't have a tobacco note). Those who think vintage Kouros is too strong but like the idea (along with an added tobacco note), may want to sample this one, especially if you don't mind strong top notes in the original formulation (which seems to be quite difficult to obtain now anyway). UPDATE: I saw a bottle that was old and scratched up. The design was a bit different, so I thought it might be "vintage." I think it is! The difference is huge to me, because with the newer one, the notes are really "sticky" and a bit "synthetic." Over time, it gets somewhat irritating, whereas with what I think is the vintage bottle it just gets better and better over time. I also noticed this same phenomenon with Acteur, and I really wish I knew what caused it, because if you take a "quick sniff" they do smell quite similar. It's only after wearing it for a while that the difference becomes really significant to me, though as soon as I sprayed on this scratched-up bottle I said to myself, "that stickiness is absent." Vintage of this one is a top ten scent among all those I've tried over the years !

I was really surprised by this. It's good, and it will appeal to youngsters graduating from perfumes that smell of blue/oud/food, AND those on something of a fragrance journey. The presentation is hilariously naff, and a piece of pure comedy. I'd love to have been at that marketing meeting. The address for Vermeil on the box takes you straight to a huge kosher catering company's industrial unit in a Paris suburb, so I doubt that the GENIUS who decided that "1970s lighter in massive, rigid, thick plastic presentation case" was the best marketing ploy actually works there, but who knows? Consider it next time you're at a Jewish wedding in Paris. You never know - the person serving you latkes could be Jean Vermeil himself... The address is surely part of the "myth" that is Vermeil. Scentwise, it's a good quality, vivacious fougère with lots of interesting notes - on the fougère side, it's remarkable how well blended they are. The first 4 "voted for" notes above all have near-identical scores - and they're all completely different scent profiles. Fragrantica calls this an amber fougère, which is nonsense. It's a wearable, pleasing aromatic fougère with a twist. I reality, the notes are so naturalistically put together that not a one of them stands out except blackcurrant. I think this should really be called _cassis_, so the Fragrantica perfume snobs can better accept it. It *is* fruity, but not at all a bubblegum type "cliché" that we see sold to da yoot these days. Performance is excellent. As such, young'uns could rock this, but so could a perfumista, and anyone who wants: A) fantastic perfume B) at a deceptively cheap price C) served in something which is ether a work of art, or a joke, or both.

The rumor is that Vermeil is a lighter carbon-copy of the original eponymous Davidoff fragrance, which makes it a very good and straightforward tobacco frag. I think it's also very similar to Davidoff's Relax, with a similar handling of rosewood. The top accord is one of those retro citrus/musk pairings, with healthy shots of geranium, a suggestion of lavender, basil, thyme, and perhaps a little bit of urinous blackcurrant bud to segue into a very dry and "brown" tobacco. This is not a cured tobacco, it's more of a picked leaf scent, but there's a clever mix of highly blended floral notes that keep it from smelling simplistic or "dirty." To my nose the most notable florals in all-day wear are carnation and rose, and the drydown yields a pleasant rosewood/sandalwood/musk accord. I've read that this has been reformulated, and was once more aggressive, particularly in the top notes. I can't verify that, but I don't really believe it. The provenance of this fragrance is murky, it's a very cheap formula, and to my knowledge there has never been a packaging change - old and new bottles are perfectly identical, despite what some photo comparisons might show. The smoky pattern on the lighter can look different depending on the light, but when you peruse online merchants and Google images, you find there is one standard appearance. Also the top of Vermeil is definitely in your face, but it lightens up and wears comfortably with time, as most reviewers elsewhere can attest to. Vermeil for Men is one of the best tobacco fougeres out there. If you like old-school tobacco fragrances, and you haven't smelled this one, you might want to get on that.

This is a bold, loud, and, unapologetic scent in the same vein as Kouros and Furyo. It's a powerhouse. A classic masculine bomb. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the release date. 1997? This could be 1975, or 1985. The atomizer is awful and you get about 1/2 a puff at a time and that's more than enough. You could easily overspray this and have a bad time. To my nose it starts out bitter and loud. The floral comes in, the citrus burns off really quickly. The mid comes and goes and can be a touch animalic. The dry down is the money maker. I get cedar, powder, leather, patchouli, florals, and even though it's not listed a strong scent of tobacco. If you look at my profile you'll see an aging street gang of primarily sub $50 classic bottles minus a few curveballs here and there. And consider this is a $20 discontinued bottle... Easily one of the highest quality cheap classic juices I've ever smelled. Shockingly good and I say that with no hyperbole. It's not a fragrance I could wear daily as it's a bit much. Not cloying. But I have one tiny baby spray on the back of my left hand right now and I can feel this pulsing in my eyes and nose demanding to be noticed. This is a chest hair, gold chain, big moustache, leather seats, big man bush, confident, 40+, loud, and unapologetic scent. It's been discontinued for 5 plus years and you can still find bottles around $20. Who knows how many are floating around but it's worth every penny.

Vermeil definitely falls into the “powerhouse” category without question! Upon initial spray I get a deep and animalistic oakmoss kick alongside a sweet, almost boozy black currant. I can see where one may say that this is similar to Salvador Dali Pour Homme in it’s animalic nature, but Vermeil is much sweeter and I can only make that connection in the opening...and it is fleeting at best. The Dali Pour Homme is much more dry to me and has this sort of fermented quality to it. I definitely smell the carnation and a tiny bit of galbanum in the florals present here, and although I don’t really pick up on much patchouli or citrus independently at this stage, I can only assume that they are helping to create the freshly-opened-pack-of-cigarettes accord I notice in the middle stages of this fragrance. The carnation note really supports the ‘cigarette tobacco’ feel honestly. The tobacco accord is another characteristic that is lost in the dry down and in the end you are left with a slightly musky, wood/cedar with a bit of oakmoss and a light patchouli. Although this ended up not really being my type of fragrance as it was bit too “heady” for me in the opening and middle stages, it is a great option for someone looking for an affordable powerhouse that has an animalic/oakmoss kick! The longevity on this one is powerful as well and it definitely projects, so be careful upon application.

**This review is for a vintage, short ingredient list, bottle** Picked up a vintage bottle of this fragrance because I'm a fan of Davidoff Classic and wanted to see how similar they were. Currently have Vermeil on the back of one hand, Davidoff on the other. While I do detect similarities, mainly in the opening, I would not say Vermeil is a clone of Davidoff. That late 70's/80's-esque shrill green opening blast is present in both fragrances and this is where I find them the most similar. After the opening, Davidoff takes a medicinal, leathery, pungent, mature turn towards drydown that keeps punching hard and (pleasantly) sharp. Vermeil, on the other hand, heads off into sweeter territories. I'm assuming the sweetness comes from the blackcurrant and perhaps rose. It isn't a cloying sweetness, but a mature boozy sweetness that I find in other winter fragrances listing tobacco as a note (though it's not listed as one here). It's a warming, almost gourmand, "sit by the fire with a mug of apple cider" base. Another reviewer said Vermeil is 95% Davidoff, but I would have to say it's about 30% Davidoff. Lovely fragrance nonetheless.

One of my first fragrances and my first cheapie. I bought this at a mall after wandering into a perfume shop to kill some time. Being new to perfume I thought everything generally smelled good. When I eventually got around to getting my nose on Vermeil I recall thinking ‘wow, I really like that!’ It made a stronger impression than anything else in the store, especially since it was one of the only old school scents in the place. Iirc the set came with a body wash and moisturizer and cost $15. Smells anything but cheap, underrated in my opinion. This is great classic men’s fragrance that I think is actually pretty approachable. Opening is a bit intense, as is the case with many vintages, but after a few minutes it settles into a very enjoyable floral soapy scent with some sweet fruits and woods. It’s a relatively complex scent that has just enough edge to be squarely masculine. It’s all very well balanced and, imo, better than many other vintages I’ve tried. Upon revisiting it I’m just stunned with the price/performance. I’ve paid much more for less interesting fragrances.

Why haven’t I worn this fabulous fragrance in such a long time? Simply wonderful. Vermeil is definitely a fragrance for a mature gentleman. This isn’t for a callow manhoy who wants to reek of candy or the wimpy unisex crowd. No this is one for the grownups, which doesn’t necessarily mean old. As for the fragrance it is a powerful but smoothly balanced melange of spicy citrus aromas fortified with some black current sweetness and galbanum ompf; next a gorgeous bouquet of masculine florals emerge staring ylang ylang, freesia, carnation and rose that stand opon a traditional base of oakmoss, Vetiver and patchouli. Yes, of course detractors will whine “80’s”, “old man”, “barbershop” and the like but that means this stuff smells great. If you enjoy wearing a well cut suit (not today’s silly skinny and too small popular cut), cuff links, fedoras, and enjoy an occasional fine cigar and Scotch Whisky you’ll love this fragrance. And women (not little girls) will love smelling it on you.

This is another throwback to the 80s Powerhouse Era, definitely a lot going on here. Vermeil Pour Homme is a mossy patch bomb drizzled with syrup. I didn't get any tobacco from this at all. Has this really been reformulated or is the bottle design making us think tobacco is a note? Hmmm... What I do get is a lighter version of Salvador Dali Pour Homme with just a little more sweetness in the opening. The middle floral notes and the patchouli/sandalwood dry down are almost identical...but Vermeil Pour Homme isn't as heavy and the berry notes in the opening burn off quickly. Not a bad scent but you have to love patchouli to appreciate this one. Longevity and projection are high...probably not safe for the office but good for a night out.

Oh Yes!! Although there is no indication of tobacco as a note, the collection of ingredients creates an accord of tobacco in this Masculine perfume. The opening has an astringency reminiscent of Maxim's. The sugar content is kept to a minimum by using the natural floral sweetness of Freesia, Rose, Ylang Ylang. Whispers of Fumerie Turque(pissy Currant) and Lagerfeld Cologne. Mossy, musky background creates a little earthiness and adds longevity. Reminds me, in some ways of Criminal in Love by Killian because of the Blond tobacco. Both perfumes use "interesting" bottle shapes. Nice quality for pocket change.

While this is supposed to be a "tobacco" scent, the bottle looking like a classic lighter, I don't notice anything tobacco like here. It certainly isn't at all like the "Cuba" type frags. This is simply a delightful but full bodied fragrance, very rich but balanced. Ir starts off just very "perfumy" in a nice way but dries down to a balanced bittersweet, floral, herby scent. Vermeil is assertive but not agressive, strongly sexy but in a refined manner. This is an alpha male scent. If you're not a alpha male don't even give a try. If you are spray and enjoy.

@omar.melmo: I know the two bottles I've had were not identical in design and by looking on ebay I see another one that looks a little different than the other two. The new one with the more linear design seems a little weaker in the drydown but the first 45 minutes or so is what I find very different, mostly in terms of intensity. Another one you might like is Joint for Men, which I doubt was ever reformulated. However, as a "cheapo," nothing beats this Vermeil scent (for the kind of scent it is), even in the linear design bottle!

A great oakmoss fragrance with a healthy amount of patchouli, carnation and musk. Actually. it's much more complicated - notes come and go, from citric accords in the opening to woody-musky in the drydown. Strong but not overpowering. Long lasting with decent sillage. A true classic (who said they don't make cologne like this anymore!), but by no means old-fashioned. Try it - and nobody will suspect you're a time traveler :)

Definitely a high quality cologne. Strong, but refined. I get tobacco mostly, with some cherry vibe and a bit of animalic touch to it somewhere at the beginning of the scent development. Two fragrances come to my mind. Bogart pour homme and of course Mugler Havana. Vermeil leans morer towards old school direction and that is why I prefer it. Nice, cherry, piped tobacco. Well done Vermeil.