Vetiver (1961)
by Guerlain

At first, I really didn’t think much of this – a very soft vetiver, citrus and tobacco scent with a soapy drydown. However, I’m finding that I’m appreciating it more as I get older (or is it more to do with my sense of smell becoming more sophisticated?). Its longevity was, initially, disappointing but I’ve found it to improve both with consecutive wears and during warmer weather.

I still wouldn’t consider this to be the best vetiver scent on the market (for me, the title belongs to Malle’s Vetiver Extraordinaire). However, the fact that it’s transcended time without ever being considered outdated, makes Guerlain’s Vetiver a true perfume classic.

An excellent office scent for the warmer months.

I have been wearing Guerlain Vetiver (GV) for over an year now, and its strange that I haven't reviewed it yet. It's probably because I have been enjoying this fragrance so much that whenever I put it on, it imposes on me a feeling of calm, its earthy yet tranquil vetiver note intoxicating in its expert realization in this manly potion.

Wearing GV is like having a knowledgeable and friendly tutor help you accomplish a task which absolutely has to be done. In this case, the task would be to familiarize oneself with the vetiver note, a note which many find too pungent and ghastly for their taste. GV makes the note apparent from the very beginning - BUT, like a good tutor/teacher, it eases you in by flanking the note with crisp citrus notes. The top construction eases you in - from there, GV evolves to a more rich and heavy base of tobacco and vetiver. During intense summers, the tobacco note may become more pronounced and might even be offputting to some - I find that if applied evenly using no more than 3 sprays, the notes flow better. Longevity and sillage are near perfect.

GV is ultimately one of the easier introductions to vetiver. Some may prefer Creed's Original Vetiver (an excellent offering itself), but it comes at a price...no, I am not talking about the less intense vetiver note, I was hinting at the $195 price tag. If you are willing to venture out of Original Vetiver's protective cocoon, GV will be an excellent choice. Its easy on the wallet, and a top tier fragrance to boot. Citrus, grassy, with a base of tobacco. JP Guerlain created this when he was 22 years of age .. a hell of an accomplishment that. Be a man, take the plunge.

Rating: 8.5/10

I recently bought this classic fragrance. It was a blind buy based on the list of notes combined in this extroordinary fragrance. Guerlain's Vetiver is different to all my other fragrances. It is complex and changes from fresh, green, citrussy top notes to earthy vetiver, leather, and tobacco as well powdery and soapy notes on the dry down when to me it smells less like "old man" but more like baby powder - sort of lavenderish. Still, it does not smell soft or flat but strong and lasting with character. Even my fiancee likes the fragrance, although she usually does not like earthy fragrances, especially patchouli. Because of the contrast between the top and the base notes, this fragrance is very interesting and unique. But I can perfectly imagine that this frangrance does not work on everybody. If Goutal's Duell suits you well, this fragrance might be the perfect choice for you.

This review is under revision.

My favourite along with Nantucket Briar...

Jean-Paul Guerlain was the first (and last) family member to create several fragrances for men, and Vetiver was his first masculine creation. Ever since the company's great cologne period, Guerlain hadn't created another men's fragrance except Mouchoir de Monsieur and Jicky. Vetiver filled this gap. In fact, Vetiver was first created for Mexico, one of the biggest consumers of Guerlain's 'Vetiver extract', but in 1958, Carven's vetiver scent became a threatening presence on the market, and director Jean-Pierre Guerlain wanted it modernized. It became a job for his 22 year old nephew Jean-Paul, who let himself be inspired by 'the smell of a gardener' - tobacco and earth. It was launched in 1959, and its spicy earthy-freshness deriving from the Indian vetiver grass root proved to be an instant success. The fragrance is from the outset dominated by a distinctive, slightly bitter nutmeg note that is considered uniquely delightful by fans, a bit harsh and 'medicinal' by some others, but the scent rounds itself upon wearing and ends in a surprising, sweet tobacco note. Although Guerlain maintains that the composition of Vetiver has not been changed during the years, most Vetiver-lovers are convinced that it has been made brighter, fresher and less 'earthy' in the current edition. It's still up for debate, though, if the oldest edition's earthiness and darkness is only due to ageing of the fragrant juice. In 2000, Vetiver was launched with a modern bottle, juice color, packaging and advertising, and it's still a favorite among many men. Recently, several modern variations on the Vetiver-theme has been launched, like the spiced up Vetiver Extrêmewith added vetiver root, tarragon, licorice and smoky frankincense, and the more tender and flowery Vetiver pour Elle.