(homage to) Hemingway

I like it very much, it is for me at the same level as Hiram green Vetiver and Vetiver Royal Bourbon (ORIZA L Legrand), Hemingway has ginger opening without Ambrette musky smell. And I found better longevity than Bourbon Vetiver (Pd'E). Vetiver from Roja is too expensive though it's quite pricey also. Hemingway is very earthy and citrusy Vetiver fragrance with zing opening, not smoky at all. I can enjoy many aspects of different vetiver, and very long lasting. It also reminds me of Vetiver Coeur and Vetiver Royal Bourbon which are bright Vetiver fragrances. It is not that brighter than V. Coeur, Hiram Vetiver, nor than Roja Vetiver Parfum. However it is not as dark as Sultan Vetiver. Worthwhile trying! I have a 10ml VERY elegant bottle.. For the price 140€/35ml I think it is an successful mature men-orientating like Roja Vetiver PARFUM for their bottle design and pricing per ml. Hope to get one bottle with a good discount offer one day. Or hope they could make an 100ml bottle to lower the price per ml. Edit: just did the comparison of those four similar type of vetiver frangrances, and Vetiver Royal Bourbon from Oriza L. Legrand outstanded of the others in durantion, Hiram vetiver and Vetiver Bourbon gave similar duration and strenth; while Heminway faded away sooner than the others as skin scents. Interesting! Since the price counts, Heminway is not worthy of its price tag but for the complexity that it gives only. I noted that Hiram green and Vetiver Royal Bourbon from Oriza L. Legrand have also so natual ingrediant the smell than others.

Considering the price tag this is not something you buy on a whim. I'm a huge fan of vetiver so I did just that. I must admit at first I thought I'd made a mistake. My first few wearings left me less than excited. The openning reminded me of Givenchy Vetyver for it's earthy vetiver. In this case it's just way more intense and feels more natural, to the point that you almost feel like you picked a handful of vetiver grass and started sniffing at the roots. My mother, a fan of all things bold and daring in man's perfumery smelled this and to my surprise wasn't exactly impressed. her reaction was that it smells like some kind of medicine. In a way it does. But the beauty of this fragrance for me comes around once the vetiver subsides, giving way for the other notes to slowly appear. And it is simply amazing. I can't really make out which note stands out the most, which for me is perfect because it speaks of a good blend. So try it if you can, but be patient if the vetiver is too much for you at first. I will always own this and I have no regrets about buying it. I bought it when it was still cool (northeast USA), so perhaps that was a major factor in how my skin responded to this. Happy sniffing!!

A fantastical conjuring trick with smoke rings made out of something that isn't even smoke! A work of total olfactory illusion - and magical proof that Masque know exactly what they are doing. I could have sworn to you that this contained tobacco - not just generic 'smoke', not fluffy warm leaf tobacco like say Chergui, but actual high-class cigars, with their very distinctive herbal funk, made from carefully selected leaves - and some warm spices. But not a bit of it. This scent, which I love, has been built from a note I often loathe (vetiver), given a completely new guise with the ginger and rhubarb (notes I happen to love but didn't even detect as themselves in this one.) Somehow it's all wrapped up in a glorious, completely unisex drag act, with everything presented in a new disguise and completely working it. Rather astonishing, really: although not obviously the lushest or most opulent in the line, it has something supremely special about its aura of natural command. It has intense charisma. Very, very high-class work here. Like Hemingway's prose: Rugged. Manly. Terse. Uncompromising. But beautiful.

This is beautiful stuff. I feel vigorous, strong, confident, and soulful, wearing this. Ginger zings off the top. With... and I agree with the poster below... a thin incensy smoke, a light touch of fruity tartness, and a rich complex, stunning vetiver ensemble. It's as startling and rich as Encre Noir but runs in a different direction. Instead of misty and dark, it goes dry, spicy, and smoky. I can't stop smelling myself. Good thing my first wear is lounging at home. I think I'd look crazy taking long orgasmic huffs off of my own arm in public. Instant fave.

Just bought my second bottle after realizing I missed it. As a 2nd bottle buy it has become an underrated fave for me. It has a unique scent palate that I find very enjoyable to wear in varied moods and settings. Exercise. A walk. Work. Lounging around. I love the very real, organic, authentic notes. It doesn't wear like a fragrance so much as the herbal presence of all the separate ingredients. A real classic in my collection. Which I keep tight, and actively curated. Selling off or trading anything I don't consistently enjoy over time like this one.

Hemingway is a refined woody fragrance that places vetiver at center stage. Masque Milano masterfully blends three types of vetiver with rhubarb, leather, and ginger, creating a scent profile that is bold yet balanced. While it maintains a strong presence, it never feels overwhelming. With impressive longevity and solid projection, Hemingway is a must-try for vetiver lovers. Though it may not break new ground in terms of uniqueness, its execution is undeniably well-crafted. Rating: 4/5

It is a remarkable vetiver fragrance, with a green fruity touch of rhubarb and ginger. These two make a boozy vibe. There are two different kinds of vetiver in it: clean and greener from Haiti and smoky dusty from Java. They smell very different and together make an unusual perfume texture and also illusions of cigarettes' smoke, soil and wood.

Reminiscent of Encre Noire; less sour vetiver and more smokey dryness. Excellent on its own; might also be nice in a blend well with some dry mint or angelica, or complemented by a contrasting warm, sweet scent like ambergris, musk or cinnamon.

Easily my favorite in a sea of vetiver abominations. Highly recommend the elegance of this fragrance.

Masque Milano (Homage to) Hemingway, or just “Hemingway,” Act 2, Perfume 3 from the line that I first smelled in sequence at Perfumology’s introductory event for the Masque Milano in June. It’s palpably a vetiver-dominant fragrance, and, as owner/creative director Alessandro Brun emphasized, entails at least two types of vetiver (from Java and Haiti) and is, to my nose, a fairly sharp and bright vetiver experience while being sufficiently dark and smoky, really a jack of all trades. I find that it obtains an interesting middle-ground between ashy/smoky and fresh/bright. I wouldn’t really call it fresh at all, but it’s not a smoke monster (shout out to fans of Lost). It opens with a pungent sharpness, the top notes of ginger and rhubarb no doubt facilitating this effective, with a heart of vetiver, drying down to a balanced blend of cedar, patchouli, and leather. Really, though, the blended vetiver heart tells most of the story as a sort of nod to Ernest Hemigway’s tenure in the Caribbean. I do not typically associate vetiver with the tropics, even though that’s where it comes from, since it feels like a suitable fragrant ingredient for the colder weather, but the same can be said of a lot of organisms that grow in hotter areas but whose yield nonetheless seems more apt for colder weather (i.e. coffee, chocolate, vanilla, oud). My vetiver knowledge is far from extensive, but it’s far more to the ashy side along the lines of Lalique Encre Noire than to the fresher side like Guerlain Vetiver, though that’s a gross oversimplification. Surely this strikes me as a vetiver for vetiver fans, however, and fans of vetiver will love it and those less familiar with vetiver may be confused by it. Hemingway is an immersive vetiver experience, somewhat intense but not overwhelming. It performs very well, though, a significant scent cloud coming from a few fairly minor sprays from the sample atomizer, but its cost, $145 for 35ml, even with the beautiful presentation, indicates that, like most of the line, you should sample it and love it before buying. I personally find it to be a fun fragrant experience though I know that I tend to reach for vetiver fragrances very seldom (I’ve a few: Guerlain Vetiver, Roja Vetiver Extrait, and Lalique Encre Noire a la Extreme). 7 out of 10

One more of those samples that I pulled out of my stash during our lockdown. Without having an idea yet of what i'm supposed to be smelling here, the first blast is pretty sour and medicinal to me. Now after reading, that it's supposed to be rhubarb and ginger... fair enough, I can see that. It's fresh and interesting, but to be honest the very first moment the first thought that came to my head was 'Oh no, mistakes were made'. Anyway, no reason to panic. The medicinal vibe evaporates within seconds and it becomes clear that vetiver plays center stage, layered with what I (just like another reviewer below) could have sworn was tobacco, but after consulting the notes is supposed to be leather. In that phase I find this fragrance quite interesting, fresh yet earthy. Unfortunately after about barely and hour in an AC room all I'm left with is very soft one-dimensional albeit nice vetiver. It does last on me decently while at home - i smelled it slightly even the next day still - yet sillage is basically non existent. Summed up, it is a nice offering, but to me it lacks a bit in complexity and performance, considering the price tag it comes with. It could definitely be a personal feelgood 'at home' scent for some people. If price is a point of consideration for you, however, I feel you're very likely to get disappointed. All things considered, even though I think it's quite nice, personally I certainly wouldn't be buying it. There's one more thing, I'd like to mention, which stood out very positively to me; and that is the nose behind the fragrance being mentioned on the little tester card, the tester vial and also on the full size bottle under the cap i think. I really liked that. I wish more perfume houses went ahead and prominently gave credit to the nose behind their fragrances.

Quality vetiver with an asterisk. Boy I sure do love me some vetiver, and while the journey for "my" vetiver continues, Hemingway is a worthwhile outing. Unfortunately I need to first address the aforementioned asterisk, because it's apparent on first spray: A big blast of neutral alcohol that only increases in strength until the dry-down. While it doesn't really interfere with Hemingway's many vetivery nuances, it does diminish the rhubarb and ginger. Rather than being full notes, they barely announce their presence, like a zingy corona around a boozy vetiver sun. The vetiver concoction itself is amazing. Autumn leaves, smoke, licorice root, iodine, pepper, peat, oudy-soil... basically all the staple notes and associations are present in this excercise in vetiver. The cedar and patchouli do not encroach on the vetiver's territory, they're strictly present to round out the fragrance. If it weren't for the incredibly invasive alcohol note, Hemingway could've been a top 5 vetiver, but it simply demands too much attention. Nonetheless an excellent (mostly) solinote experience.

Very very vetiver. This begins on a farm, with the rustling of pleasantly scratchy fresh hay scrubbing beside the vetiver. There's a pleasant tang of ginger or rhubarb that emphasize the aromatic qualities of the vetiver as well. In the heart I smell something surprisingly smooth and buttery, almost like a hidden iris or orris note. It opens up into something airier and menthol green, perhaps cade oil or eucalyptus? Cedar and patchouli firmly stake this to the ground with wood and earth. I really like this. There is a twist of fresh greenness and chunk of richness that I did not expect from the notes - perhaps the kaleidescope of vetiver varieties is playing tricks on me. The earthy and aromatic richness here is very satisfying, like a warm sunny afternoon on a beloved family farm. Edit: I just sampled Molecule 03 from Escentric Molecules and the scratchy hay vetiver was very familiar. Escentric Molecules website identifies this as "Vetiveryl Acetate".

This is not your average veriver perfume. It isn't earthy as most vetivers are, but rather airy, green, fresh and very refined vetiver. If you're vetiver lover you will be on 7th heaven. I'm not crazy about vetiver itself, I like it more when it plays supporting role, not as main player as it is here, but even for me combination of fresh Haitian vetiver with Java vetiver smokines is more attractive than same amount of regular vetiver would be. I wish I could smell more ginger. To me it's all vetiver and rhubarb. If it some ginger there, it's more like uncut still in outter skin ginger roots, not juicy cut ginger. Longevity is excellent, easy 12+ hours. Projection and sillage are heavy in first 5-6 hours, and moderate for at least next 4 hours. It is probably must have for vetiver lovers, but price of it doesn't make it full bottle worthy for me, unless I would find it at 40% or more discount or sale.

I've got a sample, did a spray on my left hand, and tomorrow I'll fully wear it. This one has potential to be full bottle worthy. But I also have a whole 90ml bottle of Gucci's Guilty Absolute (pour homme). I can't believe nobody here has compared it to that one yet? The similarities are many, but the Masque Milano take on that earthy, dirty, animalic vetiver is a lot smoother and more creamy and elegant than the Gucci. Two very similar, yet very different experiences, both worth a try. Edit: I am currently wearing it, and I've come to the realization that this is a fresher, greener Gucci Guilty Absolute Pour Homme. Slightly more elgant and easy to wear, and it'll definitely please more people, but in my opinion not worth the money. Settle for the Gucci instead imo.

Stunning nutty/earthy vetiver supported by ginger in the top, and shortly after by a hint of fruitiness (but not sweetness), probably thanks to the rhubrab. The base is a bit less impressive, with the vetiver that becomes damp/leafy, and the support of woods and oily patchouli is made clear. Projection is moderate in the first 1-1h30, falling to skin scent after that, and the longevity reaches barely 4 hours. While the scent is heavenly, I can't recommended it because of an overall below average performance, hard to justify at that price point. Spring days, 30+

This is really nice, but also pretty basic. The Vetiver is beautiful, but the whole thing is very similar to a lot of other Vetivers. It’s a bit of Sultan Vetiver, but not enough. And a lot of Encre noir and mark Buxton’s emotional rescue. If I’d smelt this first, I’d think Encre noir was just a cheap version of this for a way better price, but having been familiar with Encre noir for a very long time, this just comes off to me as a very expensive version of it. It is beautiful tho, but I expected, I don’t know...more I guess.

An earthy but tart Vetiver that also has this sort of green thing going on, giving what feels like tobacco with maybe a bit of a light cannabis vibe to it rather than the immediate thought of rhubarb. After those early green notes, the dry down goes quite leathery...nice. I think Vetiver lovers would enjoy this a lot, I certainly do. It's a little different to your Guerlain or Roja Vetiver but not warm like Sultan Vetiver is, so sits in its own unique spot.

I like this scent - it's not very original in profile - but it's a bright, grassy summery vetiver. This smells so similar to Hermes' Eau Intense Vetiver, which I also enjoyed, on opening, anyhow. What these two also share is poor performance for me, and that's a real shame since both make a gorgeous, effervescent entrance.

smells very vetiver with a hint of ginger, reminds me of the living room in my grandparents' house (dark, woody room in mountainside japan). I pick up smoke after the scent dries down I personally think it smells dignified and alluring. the scent runs masculine and performance is just ok

I agree with Mimas_ below, I also get a burst of alcohol upon application. It really detracts from the first 5-10 minues. Afterwards, I think it's a great vetiver fragrance, but those first 10 minutes are a challenge to power through.

Received as a sample. Average vetiver fragrance, nothing special compared to others out there. Performance average as well. I like the concept celebrating Hemingway but not bottle worthy imo.

Smells like the soil of my grandmothers vegetable garden...very nostalgic for me. Not sure if I would wear it daily however.

I think the second some ppl smell a hint of vetiver in any given perfume they start voting for Encre Noire lol; this does not smell like EN at all! On paper, this perfume smells nice: fresh, zesty, earthy with subtle hints of leather but, on skin, and even on clothes, it's very one dimensional; all I get is a lemony, slightly earthy vetiver. It feels like Haitian vetiver mixed with elemi, or something like that. Lasts alright, but zero projection on me(and I sprayed skin + tee!) Way(WAY) overpriced for what you're getting. A pass.

Hemingway opens with juicy, tangy fruit — I guessed pineapple — plus an underlying smokiness and darkness that’s slightly unwholesome. Then I get a lightly bitter, woody vetiver note a few minutes in, and that’s mostly what dominates going forward. Vetivers are mostly very similar — they smell of vetiver roots, dusty and bitter — and this one is as good as any but not remarkable.

I think this scent was inspired by Sultan Vetiver; it's just a more wearable version. Leather and Vetiver. I can also smell something fruity and sour, grapefruit maybe. Lasts OK but med/low projection.

for me, the opening was pretty sharp and bitter, but it was interesting enough to keep me smelling it, and then it “clicked” for me to the point where my mouth started watering

I smell a lot of vetiver. A little leather and a friendly patchouli. Reminiscent of Timbuktu by L'Artisan. The quality is apparent. But this one is not one I love. -

Wow! It's a zingy, spicy Vetiver. Quite a trio of notes. I can detect all three of them ok. Does it work? Not to my nose. I love Vetiver and ginger but the tart rhubarb sends it spinning the wrong way for me. Thankfully after a short while the three ease off considerably and the leather prevails. I like it much more now the patch and wood come through. It's now warm patch and wood that has a touch of zing. I'd say it's unisex and nice for cool weather wear. I'm puzzled that some see a similarity with Chanel Sycamore. Sycamore is dominated by Vetiver and doesn't have ginger or rhubarb. Sycamore is vibrant and feisty Vetiver and not heavy on the patch. Moderate longevity and sillage.

Gunpowder . the only thing I can think of is gunpowder, perhaps gunmetal too. One sniff, the smokey and slightly metallic tang will fill up one’s skull, like Hemingway did with his own two-barrel shotgun. If this is why they named the perfume after the deceased writer, then it truly is the sickest perfume naming I’ve known.

This was a blind buy. Big mistake apparently. Smells just like soil, grass & something burning. 1/10

Vetiver... you either love it or you don't like it there is no in-between with Vetiver. Now it does smell a bit dated so that's a big part of why so many people don't like Vetiver plus it is usually used with citruses and only recently we have had Vetiver mixed with gourmand notes which give some depth or in the case of Bal d'Afrique use of Musk and Florals. So some people said old Aventus batches smelled like 3D well I don't know about that but for me, Vetiver is a one-dimensional note (when is dominant), now having said that here we have a great quality of ingredients, and not only that but we have a perfect blend as well so this smells so gentlemanly distinguished it is a must try even if you don't like Vetiver and you have to give him some wearing not just test it. It has all facets of Vetiver, it is dirty but just it is also very clean, rooty, woody, grassy a bit bitter... but as I said it is such a great blend with the highest ingredient quality that I consider this a Veriver masterpiece. If you love Vetiver this is Holy Grail if you don't like Vetiver go try it, and give it some wear.

Some kind of booze note is pretty much inevitable if you're going to make a Hemingway inspired perfume, but Masque Milano take the less obvious route, and recreate the essence of something like a gin and tonic by using tart rhubarb instead of gin. It sits amidst an absolute explosion of parched, shrubby vetiver from both Haiti and Java. This is maybe the sharpest, driest vetiver I've ever come across. Its smokiness mirrors that of a drought or the afterglow of a forest fire somewhere in the tropics, the vague citrus from the rhubarb making this a very Caribbean scent indeed. In concept they hit the nail on the head, as this leathery, dusty vetiver seems like it would fit perfectly wafting by sometime in the late 1920's. I'm weary of "concept scents", but this period piece was executed tastefully. It goes on harsh, though is actually quite calming and soft after it settles. Clearly not for everyone as with most vetiver heavy fragrances, but you don't have to be as rugged as you'd think to pull this one off.

Earnest Hemingway was a "man's man" - bold, outspoken, chased adventure. Went big game hunting in Africa, deep sea fishing off Key West, bull fighting in Spain, was an avid world traveler. A perfume created as an homage to this 'larger than life' American writer would have to be be bold. Masque Milano's Hemingway is bold. It smells virile, as if you hugged Hemingway and adventure gripped you. On my skin, it's predominantly Haitian vetiver. A wildly fresh and spicy vetiver that rolls up your nose and announces its exotic origins. Practically a new species of vetiver and my favorite vetiver to date! Add leather that swathes you in strapping luxury, and the combination exudes masculinity. Underneath there's a strong smokey presence, like wood burning in the background. Accented with prickly ginger, a peppery-lemony highlight. Also, a very faint patchouly and rugged juniper/gin, outlined by rhubarb. Facets that give this scent a character and charisma that matches Hemingway's swagger. Love it!

Upon first spray I immediately picked up on the alcohol blast many are complaining about, but this only lasts under a minute. As it begins to dry down the Vetiver takes center stage along with an earthiness that combined with the Vetiver to give off the smell of a freshly mowed lawn immediately after rainfall. It smells amazing for a Vetiver lover, just the right balance of Vetiver to keep it from going astringent like sultan Vetiver, yet it has earthy tones that keep it from coming across super clean like lunar Vetiver. This is the happy medium that every Vetiver lover looks for in a great Vetiver fragrance. It lasts a full work day, but may come across too bold for the office as Vetiver is divisive. Overall I give this a 9 out of 10 if only the alcohol weren't there in the opening it's a perfect 10. Amazing juice.

I'm not a huge fan of vetiver in general, but this one is very good. There's a little bit of everything in Hemingway. You've got the earthiness, a bit of smokiness, a bit of brightness, and a bit of playfulness. It's never too austere or too serious which I like a lot. The dry down has a nice soft leather accord, which provides suede-like petrol smoke -- then there's an elegant pencil shaving accord reminiscent of Malle's Vetiver, that smoothens everything out. Ginger adds a spice to balance and keep everything in check. Overall just well blended, with no rough edges. A classy vetiver.

Writers: the stars that get most unsolicited homages in niche: Hemingway himself has at least three. I guess it's because contemporary niche is so much connected to writing anyway, be it website descriptions or user reviews. As for the scent, it's a well done vetiver with just the right amount of smoke and dry leaves. Great calibration, no surprises. As if too much marketing was involved in the process. Reminds me of Etro's and a handful of other vetiver-centered fragrances, all of them less balanced, but more interesting because of that.

I pick up all the notes listed as none of them are stronger than the other. They are all up front clashing with eachother, Grassy, leathery, earthy, woody and the touch of Rhubarb gives it a slight herbal and fruity charm to it. This is that type of scent you could compare to Terre d'hermes. Just real earthy like the wet dirt on the forest floor on a rainy day. And the vetiver gives it a wonderful grassy feel to it. Give this a try if you're into natural smelling earthy grass.

I got a strong herbal, medicinal opening that is reminiscent of herbs (angelica?) in chinese medicine with a subtle rhubarb supporting from underneath. I didnt detect any ginger at all. The medicinal note slowly transforms into a woody, earthy vetiver, with the final drydown being very similar to Encre Noire. Didn't realise there was so many facets to Vetiver, and each so distinct. A very interesting scent, but definitely not for newbies. Not blind buy safe.

Opens with a shot of alcohol with some pickled ginger sitting at the bottom of glass. Soon a beautiful vetiver emerges. Damp soil with a smoky waft over it. Patchouli seems non existent to my nose in this or at least it's used as a garnish. Shame it only last all about an hour and a half on my skin before fading into a memory of a leer of vetiver.

I realize we all smell things differently - who could come away from reading these reviews without arriving at that conclusion?! But to me, this is a cousin to Sycomore’s creamy, well-blended, “upper-class vetiver”. It gives me, anyhow, a similar warmth surrounding the vetiver’s contrary, sharper raspiness. If it lasts on my skin, I may buy it.

Tried it in a store - it very much reminded me of TDH Eau intense vetiver with a little more spice. I like that TDH one, so i liked this too. But it's just not bottle-worthy. Longevity is also pretty bad. Smell is good, but just designer-grade like TDH vetiver.

A burning, moist, forested and smoky vetiver predominates. There is a strong hint of leather that corroborates this smoky sensation that goes well in this combination, with the vetiver woods exhaling inside a closed and wild humid forest.

Heming NO WAY -- this plays as STRAIGHT vetiver on my skin. Little to nothing else WHATSOEVER. I know there's a lot more going on, no doubt, I just can't personally detect it. 100% no from me. Moist, vegetal, dank, noxious and foetid.

yuck. this one is disgusting. not a slight on the brand/perfumer, just on the ingredient. vetiver, front and centre, with a smidge of fresh rhubarb and sweet spices in the back. but it's mostly disgusting vetiver. total scrubber...

یه وتیور شیک و رسمی و متفاوت از عمده وتیوری ها ----------- Scent & Quality: 8/10 Longevity: 7/10 Sillage: 7/10 Creativity & Uniqueness: 7/10 Affordability: 4/10 ----------- Overall: 6.6/10

I actually like this one but it's not my everyday style. I'm looking to swap a 99% full bottle~

This leans masculine for me..its ok..for my taste is a bit spicy, but the dry down is nice.

Nice scent , It is very close to Sycomore imo but a little sharper and less buttery.