Vetiver 46

I'd thought I'd commented on this fragrance already, so I was surprised I'd not. I first smelled this some time ago, and it left me very awestruck. This is vetiver?!? This is absolutely not a typical vetiver fragrance. While it’s there, it’s also augmented by incenses, Guiac, cedar, pepper, and labdanum. It defies that traditional ‘green’ association, instead replacing it with a much different vision of what can be done around the Tahitian Vetiver chosen. The experience is not so “meadowy’ as it is a view of what might be done with various woods, incenses, spices, and other elements to create a much warmer focus. Where another vetiver would come across as very fresh, albeit somewhat non-descript from other formulations, Vetiver 46 seems counter-intuitive. The result is a much deeper interpretation, unique, very natural and exceptionally captivating. Intriguing! V46 has a varied yet linear focus throughout, drawing gradually toward deeper notes as it reaches toward the base. Projection is moderate, longevity is excellent, and the concentration manages to avoid being a suffocating experience despite the longevity and sillage. It's stronger, it's warmer, it's not everyone else's uninspired take on vetiver. Thank God! I would very highly recommend this, especially if you want to turn your perception of this normally "green" note on its head.

Incense, though not especially churchy; vetiver, though not incredibly earthy; smoke, though not objectionably acrid. I can see how this might feel boring to some; indeed, it’s not spiky, or self-consciously ‘niche’. It is, however, superbly well-constructed and a marvellous perfume; a deeper, longer-lasting form of the better-formed woody perfumes that many of us grew up associating with our fathers in the 1980s. There is a passing resemblance to the late, lamented GpH, insofar as both perfumes have a cedar element, but the stronger spiritual connection is to the likes of Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur. Like those earlier wonders, this isn’t loud perfumery, and is therefore supremely adaptable; you can wear it to a police interview, your wedding, or to the papal conclave without a second thought. There is no need to accept the mediocrity of self-declared ‘grey vetiver’ perfumes for such situations when a better option - admittedly, one that doesn’t really smell of vetiver - is so readily available. My shelves are full of bottles containing perfumes which Fragrantica’s panel of experts informs me ‘smell like ass’; I get through 100ml of this at least once a year to cover situations in which I need to be absolutely sure that I do not.

I slept on this one for many years, having sniffed it, knowing it was out there, but mostly dismissing it as too similar to Comme des Garçons 2 Man (also by Mark Buxton). And the truth is, especially at the start, they certainly ARE similar. But while the CdG relies on a weird-fun synthetic and waxy quality, Vetiver 46 quickly moves from that initial candle-smoke effect into a rich, natural-smelling vetiver-frankincense-clove heart that has me swooning. I've fallen for this stuff hard, and can't get enough. Whereas the CdG 2 Man sits on a more overtly synthetic woodsy-leather base, here a natural-smelling woods and vanilla provide a sense of contemplation and comfort, and the whole thing wears with enough refinement that you won't be overstating your suave choice of scent. The CdG remains at a higher pitch, perhaps "fresher" and lemony-waxy, which I find tiring after a while, while the Le Labo spends most of its time in a more rustic, overgrown cabin in nature, sort of vibe. After much more time with the Le Labo, not only do I think it stands very much on its own with less similarity to 2 Man than I assumed, but it's also a top choice for me now. I'm so glad I finally gave it a real chance. Beautiful.

Comparisons to Comme des Garcon 2 Man are valid but I think Vetiver 46 has a likeness close to Encre noire also. It's less subtle than encre noire and more spiced like 2 Man, I loved the peppery, smokey, woody frankincense opening. The vetiver is present and earthy, clean and enjoyable but I found the smoke a little more intrusive for the first hour or so than the more elegant Encre Noire. When it's dried down it takes on a character of it's own and is less like anything else but just a pleasant woody scent. Again I have to say Le Labo are building accords around certain notes trying to create interesting perfume and largely failing for me, the likes of Comme des garcon as an example do a better job. I need to reserve judgement on the house until I've tried more but that's 5 now and not one standout fragrance amongst them. Don't get me wrong this is right up my street and smells good but I prefer the two I've likened Vetiver 46 to and if I'm feeling in a melancholic, cloudy mood I will rock them instead. I don't want it however, I'd never discourage anyone from getting this fragrance... its good.

As interesting as this stuff is, I didn't really find it to be very vetiver-prominent. It opens with a really intriguing mixture of spices: sweet and very sharp, reminiscent of incense. The sharpness slowly beomes muted, leaving what to me is a just slightly "greened-up" version of a standard incense...basically Avignon, which unfortunately has a bit of a cloying edge to me. This edge fades away somewhat into the base, though, leaving some sweet exotic woods behind, of which vetiver is a part, but certainly not any more than you'd find in the base of any other woody scent. Frankincense also reveals itself rather late into the base notes, giving a creaminess to the wood. Personally, since I expected vetiver, and since I already have sample vials of CdG 2 Man, Sequoia, and their whole incence series, I nearly dismissed LLV46 as a waste of time, but it does smell good. I doubt that I'll ever prefer sharp, incensey wood over regular old sweet, creamy wood, but this frag succeeds somewhat in splitting the difference.