Reviews of Vétiver Extraordinaire (2002)
by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

Recently, I've been looking at various vetiver fragrances. Up to now, the two leaders have been CdG Vettiveru and Guerlain Vetiver. I am trying to find something of a Holy Grail, something that captures the woody, nutty quality of vetiver essential oil, but in a complete composition that has good longevity.

The Malle VE starts grassy, dry and earthy, with a bit of an herbal edge which is almost like a mint or menthol. In some ways, the start is similar to MPG Route du Vetiver, but is lighter, and with an almost airy quality. As the top notes burn off, I am starting to smell the resinous nutty quality that I associate with vetiver. The airy note (almost ozonic on my skin) is getting in the way at this point. I also smell a little bit of an ammonia smell--I often get this with fragrances that have lavender or an herbal component. I hope it stays subdued as it is right now.

More time has passed, and although the vetiver is apparent, VE has become very woody and smoky. These notes were also prominent in Route du Vetiver. I must say, the VE is quite a nice fragrance, and I think among the best vetivers. However, the faint sweet, nutty and resinous quality has not really come out in this one. 4-stars for the fragrance, but my search continues.

Guerlain's was a revelation to me, old school, with its tobacco/spice debonair. Where the Guerlain is smooth and spicy, this one is crisp, herbal, and to the point. Where the Guerlain can take a bewitching turn on a lady, I'm not sure this one is anything but masculine. It has great lasting power, too. Virile Vetiver Extraordinaire!

I didn't like Guerlain's Vetiver at first. Too soapy. And I thought "why are there so many vetiver lovers?" Here's the answer. Vétiver Extraordinaire is one of the best vetivers available. May come across as too powerful for some but for me this is quality grassiness right here; like a very good pilsner.

Vetiver Extraordinare: ....close your eyes and VE does give an impression of moss and vetivers growing on the area of application, quite literally. smells very real and true. However, it smells very similar to Encre Noir (EN, please see my views on EN below). Im not indicating EN is Better than VE, what i'm indicating though is, i dont have the money for VE($210). both scents have enuff difference to stay in the same wardrobe...where EN may smell of Wood, Spices & Vetivers; VE smells of the very same vetivers used in EN + moss and damp forest smell. if you like EN, there is no way one is going to despise this one. nicely done.

Composed by the great Dominique Ropion and he quotes "a new essence of Vetiver, stripped of its bitter edge, which he matches with five woody notes to play up the scent's various facets. The result is something surprisingly fresh and crisp."

YES! Vetiver, vetiver, vetiver GALORE. Green, fresh, but not weak. Not for everyone though. Only vetiver lovers may enter!

This is easily one of the top three vetivers I've tried, and on some days I even think it's the best of all. Through an astonishing feat of perfumery magic, this manages to be bitter and raw yet moist and refreshing at the same time, all the while remaining true to vetiver in all of its moods. No verbal description and no other vetiver fragrance can adequately prepare you for your first encounter with this almost otherworldly scent, so just hurry up and try it already. Earthy yet luminous, it will always have a place in my wardrobe. Excellent sillage, outstanding longevity. Thumbs up all around.

This review is under revision.

Another vetiver hater converted, thanks to Vétiver Extraordinaire. However, it did take me a while to appreciate it for what it is. Now, it’s one of the first things I reach for during the warmer months. Fresh, moderate sillage and great longevity.

This is the only Frederic Malle frag that I really love.

Ropion's not pulling any punches here! Vetiver Extraordinaire starts off wickedly harsh and green, like a big, herbaceous uppercut to the jaw. Then, just as it starts looking too aggressively bitter to wear, the fragrance begins to transform. A bit of incense starts to peek through, along with some woods and a very subtle sweet note that I can't quite pin down. It's arresting and raw, and you have to LOVE vetiver to wear it, but Vetiver Extraordinaire is a very serious, remarkably deep, and beautifully composed fragrance. Stands with Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Route du Vetiver as one of the finest vetiver scents I know.

For me this comes across as Vetiver Insipid. The first note is one of rubber, followed by the dry woody scent of reeds blowing in the wind. Two hours later the faintest of vetiver scents emerges. A failure in my book.

Since receiving this as a Father's Day gift, Vetiver Extraordinaire has become one of the mainstays of my wardrobe, especially as we head into the hot days of summer. This cool, dry scent is very refreshing when the temp goes up, but works well on cooler days as well. I can't see a lot of change over the course of wearing it... Seems pretty linear, and very integrated. Nothing jumps out; just the slightly sharp, earthy, extraordinary vetiver, all down the line.

VE is my favorite vetiver out of all of the ones I've tried. It has such a dirty yet clean smell to it that makes it intoxicating.

Similar to Creed's OV, but at the other end of the scale. No lime and soap, just vetiver and some woody notes. The opening is a little rubbery, but that dies down fairly quickly and paves the way for the vetiver onslaught.

There's not much that I can say that hasn't already been said. This is an extraordinary fragrance that lasts and lasts, I've gotten over 24 hours out of it.

2 thumbs way up! Worth every penny.

VE is a terrifically sophisticated vetiver fragrance. It is not overstated nor too strong; nor is it a vetiver trying to bring out the "true" vetiver note by imposing a contrasting citrus element on the user. It is so perfectly blended that the mid-tier and basenotes are hard to discern. Eventually, VE tends to disappear into the skin, and yet it hovers over it in a edifying way. Very masculine, not sweet, but not rough, brash or dissonant either. Where other vetivers can be a bit difficult to wear, this one is a sheer pleasure to put on. The only bad news: greatness does not come cheap.

I never use Vetiver (the one I tried is Guerlain's) but bought a bottle of VE after having tried it for few days. A revelation, fresh and lasting, very pleasant slight citrus note. Quite dry, very usable. Other fragrances I used are Creed GIT, Creed Erolfa, Frederic Malle Angeliques sous la plui,Caron Yatagan and Pour un Homme. I believe VE could become a real classic.

I'm among those who have not been fans of Vetiver fragrances typically, but this one works very well for me. I received a couple of samples when I purchased Musc Ravageur while in NYC and boy, did I make them last! It has a real freshness to it without smelling like a mass-market clone (not that it should at this price point, granted). I find it vibrant, earthy and masculine without any of the "sour" quality I've experienced while wearing other Vetivers which shall remain nameless. And the longevity for me is almost unmatched. Between this and Terre d'Hermes, do I need any other daytime mainstays? Not for now anyway...Bravo!

What's most interesting to me about this scent is how it seems to go against the grain of most fragrances and yet still creates a totally unique, enjoyable experience. This one is very crisp, very green (purplebird's descriptions are spot-on). But, unlike most fragrances, there isn't even a hint of sweetness thrown in, even for good measure. Nor is there anything very spicy, or deep. If Guerlain chopped off the sweet bottom of their scent, and added 10x's the Vetiver, then it might be something like this.

DEFINITELY worth a try for vetiver fans, but don't expect non-fragrance fans to find the appeal. The lack of usual fragrance "talking points" (where's the vanilla? where's the patchouli? etc.) might leave them wondering why you crushed beansprouts this morning and rubbed them all over yourself instead of just spraying on some cologne.

Unusual, fresh, green, dry, unsweet. Smells like citrusy lemongrass from the Thai grocery, with a little salty celery, and a bit of smoky, dusty cedar. Very refreshing. A good palate-cleanser from all other scents. Airy, not particularly long-lasting, but avoids harshness very well.

Delectable. Serious. Crisp. Earthy. Straightforward. Cold. Warm. Wonderful. (So many adjectives; so little time.)

A definite power scent for me -- great one to wear for meetings with clients and (gulp!!!) family.

I was really excited to smell this at first. It's such a different interpretation and the vivid first impressions stuck: leaves and needles frozen in ice, or freeze dried, or laminated. I also smell water which is quite fantastic. I don't know many vetivers yet but I'm surprise there hasn't been drawn the comparison to cdg vetiveru, both are kind of like pale washes.

this one is so elusive though, you could spray the live long day and nobody would be any the wiser. discreet. private, kind of repressed!

It's a beautiful scent but before that it is a fragrance that says, "oh no you don't". Which is alluring, but. . .. I don't want to be denied satisfaction.

At least its titties and balls are not all hanging out like Musc Ravageur!

I usually hate Vetiver, having been turned off by Guerlain's raw, earthy version. When I first applied this, I was thinking it might be more like Creed's Vetiver, which is a soapy sort of scent. Well, could it be possible that the Malle take is somewhere exactly in the middle? I will have to see about longevity, but this version of Vetiver is very wearable for me.

Sam

One of the great things about this scent is that despite being a mostly linear vetiver heavy scent, it never becomes overbearing for a non-vetiver fan like me. It contains a searing vetiver note which pierces through the top, middle and basenotes while being flanked by slight citrusy and maybe spice notes which keep it from coming into the hard-to -ingest vetiver scent categories dominated by MPGs offerings. Although it lasts for atleast 8-9 hours on me, it might be criticized for being a tad linear.

However, Vetiver Extraordinaire has joined my club of Vetiver scents that I would be willing to wear (the other members of which are Creeds OV, Vetiver '48 and Guerlains Vetiver). Despite being the most earthy smelling of the group, Vetiver Extraordinaire is a very well made scent and a must try for all Vetiver fans.

I was bit of a pyro when I was younger. My friends and I use to burn things and blow things up. Vetiver Extraordinaire reminds me of our failed attempts to make napalm in a milk jug. Melted Plastic Extraordinaire.

This one of my top 3 Vetivers. Such an amazingly potent scent. There is not much going on besides the amazing vetiver but that's all I want and need anyway. Longevity is excellent. Goth babies should be nursed with this stuff :)

Funky.

It takes a while for the other notes to disappear. They smell nasty to me. Someone said lighter fluid and I think that is pretty close.

Then the funky bad vetiver from testosterone hell kicks in and stays.

I wouldn't wear it out but sometimes a few drops at home to round off a few days of different vetivers......

..OOOOwwwwwww!!!! Baby!!!! Get on down!!!

Vetiver Extraordinaire doesn’t unlock its secrets to me. When I try to analyze and categorize it, I keep finding ambiguity. At first sniff it seems raw to me—a basic scent that is not too different from the vetiver it’s made of. But the next sniff tells me that it isn’t raw, it is highly evolved and refined—ozonics and everything—fully incorporated. It seems linear to me because the same basic note continues from beginning to end, but then I keep picking up a rich variance in background and support. Finally, it seems so rooted in the natural and the earth, and yet I never for a second lose the feeling that there is something ethereal in its emanations. This challenging and cryptic fragrance is liquid genius.

I feel really guilty saying this, because they were so nice sending me free samples and whatnot. But this smells like death. Someone described this as smelling of musty basements. I think a crypt comes more readily to mind. Probably the worst thing I have ever put near my nose. When my friends come over I let them have a sniff just so I can watch the revoltion on their faces. 24, CA, USA

My Favorite vetiver is Creed 1948. This FM VE would be my third perhaps. It is a little bit raunchy for my liking but overal not a bad fragrance. Although this will most likely not get any wear from me, I will still give it a thumbs up.

I love Vetivers and have tried several of them. The first time I smelled this fragrance, it immediately set a different standard and quality. Claire, the staff at Edition Frederic Malle in Paris made it clear that it has 25 percent more vetiver and I'm hooked. I bought the shower gel and the fragrance. This Vetiver Extraordinaire is on the top of my vetiver list!

I hate Vetiver. I've tried again and again to incorporate a Vetiver based fragrance into my collection, but I could never find one that I liked, or was even tolerable. VE is the exception. It has an incredibly high concentration of Vetiver in it, the highest in modern perfumery, I believe, and yet, it isn't harsh or astringent in the least. It's just a beautiful green scent that is pleasant from application to drydown. I imagine, that if you are a Vetiver fan, you will absolutely love this fragrance, as it was able to convert one so anti-vetiver as myself.

My favorite Vetiver. Damp and minerally - it reminds me of good Pinot Noir, musty basements, wet stones, a grassy field on a cold misty day. The citrus opening is similar to the bitter orange in Cologne Bigarade. Sharp and peppery.

I think that there are two categories of vetivers: the first category tries to conserve or to copy the natural beauty of the simplicity of vetiver; the earthy, dry and wet – meagrely and intelligently - character. The second tries to merge it in a complex context to make a “cultivated” scent.
I would say that the vetivers of the first category are products of great “craftsman” and the vetivers of the second category are from “artists”.
VE belongs into the first category, Route du Vetiver and eg. L´Artisans in the second, and both ways can be marvelous.

PS: Try the soaps of VE!!

Let me preface this by saying that I have been pretty well documented on the forum about my dislike of Vetiver as a dominant note in scents (even beyond that wretched Guerlain concotion which I still don't understand that appeal of ). I have found some scents that can use it and be wearable, LV's was nice but too earthy as a whole and the entire MPG line, which I call the Death by Vetiver Series which contains Racine, Centaure (the most wearable of the lot) and the crime against humanity Route du Vetiver. MPG's line as a whole reminds me of a surgical patient in post-op who's allowed to hit the morphine bottom to their heart's content. It's used so heavily that it renders the whole thing unwearable. It gets to the point where the vetiver strangles every other note in the scent. Creed' OV I have warmed up to but still find too safe and uninspiring to be hold in the regard that I hold this scent in. Vetiver can have a post meltdown nuclear reactor vibe on me but this scent takes vetiver to places I could hever have dreamt of. This scent removes all things foul and unwearable about vetiver and turns it into a fresh, citrusy and musky edge that puts all other vetiver scents on the market I've tried to shame. I have worn this scent, on several occasions for over a week straight (unheard of for me) and still never fail to love it any less. The dominant notes at the top are citrus. However, unlike many of the higher end scents, this scent is not a jumbled mess like many of them are. This scent begins with a beautiful simplicity it would seem but the true complexity of this scent takes many wearings to truly fathom. It has a pleasant lemony and orange feel with bergamot quietly mingling with the vetiver at the top and then evolves to show its multifaceted wonder througout the wearing. The vetiver is simply the note that holds it together. IT's not so much a focal point, but a catalyst which all the other notes play off. The vetiver never goes too far away or too far upfront and makes this scent one of something that is a challenge to the senses and a delight to wear to see the balance of this scent appear. While there are soapy feels at times, and other times a brief, mildly, earthy stage but the citrus never truly goes away (how Ropion pulls this off is a testament to his genious) this scent is a mind blower in every sense of the word. This scent isn't defined by a note, it's a sum of the parts. This scent is a symphony with all the parts put in place for balance and a specific purpose. It's not an assault on the senses so much as a delight. Brilliant scent and this one may eventually overtake my beloved Piper Nigrum as my signature. Brilliance and elegance combined.

This gem is an unusually potent blend. The fragrance consists of about 25 percent Vetiver, but it smells surprisingly robust and clean. A very unique scent that smells unlike any other vetiver scent out there. There are more beautiful Vetivers (like, for instance, Racine by MPG), but this one is incredibly pronounced and raw. I unreservedly recommend this to gents of all ages.

The only downside to this line is the price (160 for a 100ml EDT of this particular one), but the Malle line truly does sparkle in its originality amidst a sea of blah. The fragrance industry, as with most modern industries, is today out of control and lacking authenticity. With such lines as Parfums DelRae and Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, authenticity is thankfully making a comeback. You can purchase Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle in the US exclusively at Barney's.

One of the best vetivers out there , even if it doesn't feature the eponymous note dominantly ,alongside Vetiver Oriental by Serge Lutens and Vetiver Tonka Hermessences( which is very sweet and completely different ).
Needless to say too much here. Just TRY it , even if you think that vetiver is a musty smell that can't possibly be good on a woman. It can and here is proof of it. A different one! Bravo

VE is a very nice vetiver rendition, but I can’t help but feel there isn’t much to it. I mean, I don’t feel VE is much different from vetiver in EO form. It’s got a few twists and additions here and there, but I don’t really feel like it’s very complete or well done. I do, however, love Vetiver, and this is the closest you can get to Vetiver EO in a fragrance.

Vetiver Extraordinaire is one of the strangest fragrances I've yet encountered. The first minute smells like a BBQ grill that badly needs cleaning. In the beginning, it has a potent cumin note that really gets to me, but it does diminish quickly. I am also not a big fan of the bitter bigarade orange note that Frederic Malle uses in their fragrances and this one has it strong. The bitter bigarade oranges mixes with the strange musty ozone note and gives it kind of a dank, sour feel for the first few minutes. Afterwards, when the uber-strong bigarade orange and spice rack cools down a little, the vetiver shows up along with lovely fellow base notes of musk and amber. VE is sharp bigarade oranges, hot spices, smoky cedarwood, a dank, musty ozone note, grassy vetiver and a warm amber and musk base. It is very smoky and I still get teriyaki chicken cooking on the backyard grill out of this one, but I still like it a little for some reason. Maybe because it is so different and yet still okay smelling. Though kind of nice it is still slightly novelty and reminds me a lot of a less sweet version of the sickening Gobin Daude Biche dans L'Absinthe. It's kind of fun to wear out but only when you want to be extremely different.
NOTES: Bergamot, Bigarade Orange, Pink Pepper, Nutmeg, Floralozone (muguet ozone),
Haïtain vetyver, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Oak Moss, Myrrh, Cashmeran (synthetic spiced floral), Muske-tone (synthetic musk), Tonalide (synthetic musk)

I love Guerlain's Vetiver and believe it is a classic in men's fragrances. But it is a little weak in some areas, and Vetiver Extraodinaire corrects those flaws, making it the ultimate Vetiver fragrance. Whereas Guerlains is almost dominated by citrus notes, Vetiver Extraordinaire leans more to the woody and spicy notes, making this almost more of a fougere than a chypre scent. The quality is excellent as with all of Frederic Malle's perfumes, and my only complaint is that it is exorbitantly expensive($150 for 100 ml bottle.)and the scented cards they send you don't do it justice.