Reviews of Vetiver Oriental (2002)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Personally, I prefer Vetiver Tonka by Hermès over Vetiver Oriental. I really don't like powdery frags and this one's no exception.

While Vetiver Tonka comes across as better balanced and fresher, Vetiver Oriental seems very unsure of its identity – for winter or summer? Fresh or powdery? Warm oriental or fresh green? Feminine or unisex? Also, Vetiver Tonka possesses the confidence and panache that Vetiver Oriental lacks, with its notes more elegantly refined.

Vetiver Tonka is the confident adult who has many admirers trailing closely behind in awe; while Vetiver Oriental is the cute but insecure teenager, who continues to sit alone in a dark corner, muttering incoherently...

[Original submission date: 25 May 2008]

Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental

I am an avid comic-book reader, excuse me graphic novel reader. One of the more fun books to read was a series called Marvel Team-Up, each issue Spider-Man would team-up with another superhero. Sometimes they were cool and sometimes they felt forced. The one constant to everything was Spider-Man. Vetiver sometimes seems like Spider-Man in that many perfumers look to team-up vetiver with new notes to see what will be found. So it is with the 2002 Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental created by Christopher Sheldrake. If I'm looking for a perfumer who knows the art of the team-up M. Sheldrake would be the nose I'd most likely think of first. His ability to find two different versions of chocolate and patchouli in Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 and Chanel's Coromandel is testament to this ability. In Vetiver Oriental the team-up is to put vetiver on top of a traditional oriental base focused on amber and see what this produces. From the top the vetiver comes out, this is the vetiver that feels sweeter and less woody. I characterize this as more grassy and green than rooty and deeper. This is the opposite tack taken from Borneo 1834 where it was the rooty quality of patchouli that was emphasized. The heart of this is centered around iris and this is a perfect choice to hold the middle ground in this team-up. The iris here is both sweet and slightly astringent and actually serves more as a palate cleanser than a real heart of this scent. The heart is the base which is a mix of chocolate and amber. It is the combination of these two notes that create the Oriental half of things. This is a sweet amber combined with a less-dominant cocoa powder accord to keep the sweet of the amber in focus. The best part of the development of Vetiver Oriental is when you get the contrast of the bittersweet green of vetiver, the floral sweet of iris and the deep rich sweetness of amber all together it is truly a beautiful team-up. It reminds me of when Spider-Man and The Hulk teamed up and what sounded forced turned out to be surprising and fun. Christopher Sheldrake has made a scent that is at turns surprising and fun, another successful team-up.

On a trip to Paris I went into the wonderful Lutens boutique expecting to buy Muscs Koublai Khan, but to my surprise this was the fragrance I ended up buying. It is delightfully strange in the way that many fragrances from this house are, with the dry vetiver working with the gourmand and sumptuous oriental notes forming a mysterious composition that seems to be greater than the sum of its parts. While it is very rich, it is never overpowering, and over time the rawness of vetiver becomes its dominant characteristic, making it a wonderfully masculine fragrance. It is well worth trying if you admire Lutens, but find his fragrances overpowering.

Next to Musc Ravageur, this is one of my favorite fragrances. I wore this perfume forever 'til I discovered Musc Ravageur-smile.

I agree with so many others who state that Luten’s Vetiver Oriental is a lovely, soothing, soft Vetiver scent. Yes, it IS a Vetiver but as another poster so perfectly stated, is is a Vetiver without the edge. Frankly, when worn by me, many Vetiver fragrances simply smell like cheap men's cologne. The immediate grassy-ness and woody-ness of most Vetivers usually overwhelm my senses. But with this Vetiver, I do not experience that sensation.

This Vetiver has a beautiful, smooth, creamy richness to it with hints of leather, greens, wood and a wee-bit of powder, which gives it the slightest sweetness. Also, some of the "softer" and less edgy Vetivers tend to be too "powdery" for my taste and this Vetiver Oriental is certainly not powdery at all.

This is a very pretty, feminine fragrance with good lasting powder. One last thing...I cannot imagine a man wearing this fragrance...it just seems way too feminine for a guy, IMHO! But, if that sort of thing doesn't bother you, than I guess it would be okay on a guy, too!

Begins a little gourmandy, but the vetiver/green notes kick in pretty soon after. The best is yet to come though -- when the labdanum and gaiac woods start to mix it almost takes your breath away. I would take this over Hermes's tonka any day. A winter fragrance to die for.

Starts off with that familiar metallic-grass scent of vetiver (plus the ice of iris), but layers of labdanum and amber lend warmth and sweetness. It turns woodsy and a little smoky over time, while the bitter cocoa in the base adds a nice touch of dust and earth.

Very creative, balanced and wearable for pretty much any occasion. I don't ordinarily trumpet praise for Lutens (so many other people already do), but this is a terrific piece of work and is well worth checking out.

A sleeper. Goes on kind of soft and then slowly unveils its charm. A bit of a gourmand scent, with a mellow chocolate note, it is mainly green, slightly floral, and woody. The list of notes reads a little like an evasive suspect being interrogated by the bad cop, not wanting to be too specific: sap notes, undergrowth notes, woody notes — who knows what these things might really be? The fact is, however, that they work. Some think this rather too pale, but its beauty is in the subtlety of composition and in the balance of the elements. To me, it's just lovely and very smooth, suave.

Luxury luxury luxury luxury luxury. It is not always conventionally pretty. But, in the same way that pears and bleu cheese, melons and prosciutto, and fish eggs and creme fraiche go together perversely well, so does vetiver and everything Sheldrake put into Vetiver Oriental. It conceptually doesn't smell "good" like a rose smells good or like vetiver itself smells good or like and apple smells good. No, it's smells... better than good... it smells exquisite. It's so odd in that funny way in which a royal family could be purveyors of good taste in all their gaudiness, or a Jaguar, though (once) infamous for its horrible reliability, maintains its luxury edge based on the sweet smell of its hides and wood varnish, and secondarily, its smooth ride. I don't know why but this fragrance does so many things so very very well, and it inspires all this confusing prose in me. There isn't an obvious moment in the journey, and the contrasts are so well balanced that I get excited every time I wear it. I first tried it 6 months ago and have been VERY eager to own a small amount in order to experience it at will. The vetiver hides itself in a warm, rich, nutty cloak, and peeks out, never losing itself, always present, but never really starring. To be sure, this is not the sweet nuttiness of Vetiver Tonka. While I love that, this is much more unique, much less conventional, much more quirky, far more odd. I just can't describe the following sensation but I see old libraries, a harking back to tradition, cigar rooms, stodgy people, but with gobs of funky, quirky class, similar to the feeling I get when I wear Annick Goutal Sables.

I can't imagine it garnering many compliments but for some reason I'd feel so happy and weird wearing it. There's something leathery and unrefined about its refinement and I just love it. Love it love it love it. I've given this fragrance a great deal of thought and I'd like to say that this iris note gives way to that chocolate one and hands off this to that, but it doesn't play out that way for me. I do notice the vetiver and the sandalwood as particularly key players, there is a great deal of richness here, never pillowy, always resinous but creamy. It's hard to call it a vetiver fragrance, honestly. It's a creamy woody fragrance with a good amount of vetiver. It's also not particularly spicy on me, so I don't know how oriental it is. But whatever. It's just one of the most satisfyingly unique, anti-trendy fragrances I've had the pleasure of smelling, well, ever.

Vetiver Oriental is bright, sweet and earthy but still manages to have a great depth and warmth about it. The first note that jumps off the skin is that of a lush, dark chocolate. This is followed by a heart of earthy vetiver, sweetened with just a touch of amber which is balanced by a dry woody note that lasts into the dry down where it is joined by a touch of musk. This is another fun scent that just feels good to wear. Light enough for wear in warm weather, but warm enough for cooler days as well. On me this has great longevity (6-7 hrs) and stays fairly close to the skin. This is probably my favorite of the Serge Lutens Export line; its a pity its a limited edition and will one day soon become available only in Paris.

This is unlike anything I've ever smelled. Except maybe, and don't be put off by this, a really nice cardboard box. One that you've had to tramp through jungles and scale cliffs to get to.
Vetiver Oriental is a shapely, velvet-like fragrance--no sharp edges, no single dominant note, about as far from a soliflore you can as get. Here vetiver is clearly present but transformed into something very urbane, though still powerful. Slightly sweet, especially the first two or so hours, but with a sweetness that is beautifully balanced with strong woods. In the drydown the sweetness is joined with a bitter bark note, like the most austere cinnamon imaginable. I suppose it handles sweetness in a way similar to several other of the woodsy, quasi-gourmand Lutens. It has a thread in common with Equipage that is apparent only very late in the story.
To me this is at once interestingly complex, absolutely original, and imminently wearable.

Luten’s Vetiver Oriental is a lovely, velvety scent; it is vetiver with all the edges smoothed and polished. And therein is its strength or weakness, depending on your perspective. I like a vetiver that is a little leaner and edgier than this. I appreciate the beautiful rich notes here but they don’t quite suit me. I find that the benzoin lends its usual vanilla-balsamic notes and they are the deal-breaker. There are hints of wonderful woods but they are not developed to my satisfaction. For me, this scent is the usual case of, “I’d rather meet the woman wearing it than wear it myself.”

This is a wonderful vetiver blend. The first effect is of a very light, very dry green vetiver. This is soon supported by a myrrh/amber base. The great thing about this cologne is that it is very light but persistent - lasting 12 hours+ on my skin. It is very subtle, sensual and sophisticated and is among my very favorite vetivers. Highly recommended.

Mmmm. Vetiver wrapped in a suede blanket.

I can't really recognize any of the notes in here aside from ther vetiver, so I can't make any intelligent comments, but some of the other popular vetiver's like Guerlain's or Creed's "original" vetiver which accentuate the crisp and fresh aspect of the grass, Vetiver Oriental's vetiver is muted, and soft, bringing out the earthier aspects of it.

I don't particularly see what's "Oriental" about it - no strong spices here, and it's not the usualy Lutens fruitcake, not being particularly sweet. All the notes are muted and it's a very fuzzy and warm "comfort" aroma. As such it does not project very much, and has only a minor "aura" sillage.

If not for the name and the note pyramid, I would have thought this was a leather with a strong vetiver component.

In any case it's quite wonderful.

Head: Sap notes, Padilla iris, undergrowth notes

Heart: Vetiver root, gaiac wood, woody-accord, chocolate

Base: Musk, ambered mosses, sandalwood, rockrose labdanum

Out of the dozen or so fragrances in my newly acquired collection, this is the one that I treasure the most. Somehow this scent works for me on every level, and i find myself adding spritzes of it to other fragrances to lend its distinctive nutty-sweet texture, like a cherry on top (that is, when not giving it the solo star treatment). Something else that i have been doing a lot of lately is wearing VO on my left arm and FM Vetiver Extraordinaire on my right. These contrasting scents, held together by the Vetiver bridge make for an intoxicatingly dynamic overall effect that short-circuits any tendency toward olfactory habituation. I"ve also worn that combination to bed and had sweet, sweet dreams.

Intriguing…After sporadically testing this over a period of three months, I’m still not sure what I think about it. One minute I think that I’m smelling some wonderfully edgy accords, the next minute I feel that I’m not sure that I like what I’m smelling. The opening is an unusual one: It has a lot more going on than the typical vetiver fragrance. There’s iris, green, gaïac, and balsam in quite a unique accord—especially for a vetiver fragrance. This is one of those accords that challenge. It’s a little bit sweet and sharp and quite a bit aromatic and resinous. I believe that the gaïac note has a lot to do with the aromatics and the uniqueness: the myrrh can account for a lot of the resinous vibration; and the licorice provides the tar-like sweet note. I don’t get a clear chocolate note. To my nose the vetiver functions at the edges of the fragrance rather than in the mainstream of it, and, if I have a problem, this must be a part of it: I love vetiver, and I would like a stronger vetiver presence in this fragrance. The base is sumptuous with typical Serge Lutens ambiances and longevity. This is an excellent fragrance—at least I think so most of the time...other times I’m not so sure. What I really like about Vetiver Oriental is the gaïac note and, also, that I find it a quite wearable fragrance—probably more wearable than most vetivers. But, the truth is, there are gaïacs that I prefer, vetivers that I prefer, and Orientals that I prefer. So I just don’t see how or why I would fit this into my collection.

I really like this interpretation of vetiver--wearable, elegant, and still capitalizes on the actual vetiver note. Oh, this isn't a vetiver-loaded powerhouse a la Route de Vetiver or LV vetiver, but I've come to a point in my fragrant life where I appreciate vetiver (in fact, I bring the sample vial of MPG's out often to sniff it and wear it in private), but when it's the complete and utter main attraction, roots and all, I can't find an occasion to wear it.

Smelling Vetyver Oriental, from top to base I get vetiver, but even from the title, the scent has no shame in admitting it's doing something creative with vetiver.

On first smell, I though Hanae Mori for men, NOT because they are identical, but because I find them in the same fragrance family. Looking at the HM pyramid gives a bit of insight--some fresh and earthy notes mixed in with an oriental/gourmand base (specifically chocolate in both). I find them in the same fragrance family, for sure, though.

One last thing--using chocolate is a wonderful idea here; it capitalizes on vetiver root's almost chocolatey nature in and of itself. This is a big thumbs up for me, though I don't need it and can't justify spending the money for a full bottle right now.

A most forgettable vetiver. In fact, after the top notes die down the frag itself begins to forget it.

Luten's fruitcake/honey schtick is beginning to wear a bit thin. May work on other scents that thrive on creamy smoothness above all else, but it sure doesn't work here.

A comfortable and trustworthy vetiver in the beginning that soon turns into a ginger baklava of sorts. One of the better Lutens in my opinion, but too run-of-the-mill to waste money on.

The rooty bitterness of vetiver, the dark, warm, humid mustiness of earth, the almost citrusy freshness of greenery and a metallic hint of rain and fresh air. Nice, but a slightly generic single-note vetiver.
I've learned to appreciate the sharp, piercing, men's cologne-y bitterness of vetiver but I still prefer scents with more body and warmth. This is like a high-pitched scream and a bit too close to soapy and "clean" for my taste.

This is a lovely scent which I did not expect to like, as I'm not a big fan of many vetiver fragrances. This, however, is truly original (what else would you expect from Lutens?) -- there is an interesting relationship here between the vetiver and the slightly powdery, quite spicy and vaguely gourmand drydown, which I absolutely love. This combination was completely unexpected for me, and I am beginning to consider this a favorite for me. It is a rich, warm vetiver scent - who'd have thought? Great lasting power, too. It's best on me when applied lightly.

My first vetiver scent and still one of my favorites. Lutens' version blends the vetiver into a unique and complex rendition, which is great with me, as I am not a huge fan of vetiver in the way it's usually presented. This is an almost gourmand use of vetiver - I get a complex, smooth, slightly powdery (iris?) scent with subtle notes of very dry cocoa. The vetiver is prominent, but not overwhelming. I don't get a lot of musk - just a touch, and mainly toward the end. It's not a dark scent, not brooding to my nose and mind, but more an alone, having some down-time, comfort scent. Sillage is moderate and longevity is good, but not quite that of my other Lutens fragrances. It's about as good as I can imagine vetiver being. I would say I give it about 4.5 stars.

Vetiver, sap, sandalwood--and chocolate?! Normally the slightest gourmand note makes me terribly queasy, but VO is simply beautiful.

Interesting problem with this scent. When I got a sample vial of the scent, It was extraordinary.....second only to Malle's brilliant Vetiver Extraordinaire. However, after getting a fully bottle, it turned horrid on my skin. So I returned to the sample vial and then loved it again. Figuring I had a bad bottle, I tried it from the sample vial applicator and then found it was great. Here's the problem: in doses so small you have to hold your wrist to your nose to detect it, it's fabulous. In any semblance of a dose big enough to project, it didn't work on me. Too bad because it's very interesting. Just doesn't work with my chemistry.

My favorite vetiver fragrance hands down. Just enough vetiver to give me what I need, but tempered by creamy, soft iris. The middle and basenotes of sandalwood, chocolate, musk, benzoin and gaiac wood wrap me in all the things I love.

Vetiver Oriental is my favorite Vetiver interpretation. Most of the vetiver fragrances on the market are just a bit too boring. Most smell just like a vetiver essential oil with a little bit of citrus mixed in. Vetiver Oriental, on the other hand, is a deep, rich, and complex vetiver based fragrance. With hints of dry coco, this is a sensual and exotic vetiver.

This scents stars vetiver, with a supporting cast of freshness, muskiness, and darkness. I have a partial bell jar and it makes me happy. The scent seems straightforward--vetiver, right?--until you realize how amazingly well-crafted it is. The vetiver manages to be fresh at first, then darker, muskier, almost chocolaty--while still retaining its fresh greenness! It's like stroking a plant leaf to stem to root but holding on to the tips of the green leaves even as you dig in the rich earth at its roots. In terms of temeperature, it starts out thin and a bit cooling like many vetivers but 'cooks' quickly and ends up 'hot' like a great skin scent should be, in my opinion. And yet the vetiver does not wilt in the heat or disappear in the supporting cast--it flourishes. It retains an airiness throughout. I love Muscs Koublai Khan and while these are very different scents--mkk is raunchy where VO is classy and cerebral--I think they both possess a musky, androgynous heat of which I am quite enamored.

I've waited to possess this charmer for forever and a day. It is an ingeniously constructed multi-layered, slightly powdery, brooding vetiver with a tantalizing chocolate edge. Very, very classy and unusual.

I can sum up this fragrance with one word, "rich." The top notes are green, but somewhat acrid (though not at all unpleasant). Vetiver certainly makes quite a statement in this scent, as it takes center stage; it comes through from the second it landed on my skin, evolving from something bright and green to a more stately, earthy stage about an hour into it (this is my favorite phase of the scent), then a drydown that's "musky". There is nothing subtle or understated with this fragrance. It shares many of the same characteristics with Frederic Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire. But, unlike other vetivers, Lutens' is not just warm, it's downright "hot" in composition. I think musk and sandalwood makes a presence to justify the second half of its name: oriental. And on me, this aspect is not necessarily a good thing; musk and sandalwood gives me a headache. I'd still wear it, though...perhaps on a very cold evening, especially rainy/snowy weather. I think I'm not exaggerating when I say it'll render some added warmth.