Vétiver Vert (2011)
by Czech & Speake

Vetiver Vert is a fairly nice vetiver scent that never really all comes together. It opens with a bright and refreshing combination of tangerine and petitgrain / bergamot (good for recognition tests, this - I passed on this occasion). There is then a hint at some kind of resinous ingredient before the vetiver and sandalwood take over. They are not the easiest of bedfellows, those last two - at least not here - and they stick around in tandem sniping at each other until the end. Longevity and sillage are below average.

The think the comparisons here are instructive. VV is far ahead of Boss Orange - the former has notes and development. However it does suffer by comparison with more well known vetiver scents, which are among the most famous and well liked in masculine perfumery. So I'm not entirely sure how one would come to favour this scent; it reminds me a little of the REM concert I saw once on the TV in which they played exactly none of their hits. It's OK, but you're left wondering how it couldn't be better than it is.

Vetiver Vert (Green Vetiver) is actually not that green as the title may suggest. It opens with a citric zesty accord of bergamot, tangerine, citrus, on a sweetish base of vanillic sandalwood, with initially just a hint of vetiver hiding behind a vague dusty woody feel. Cloves and sugary-balsamic dry resins (galbanum, I guess) complete the base. Once the fresh head notes evaporate, which occurs quite quickly, the vetiver note reveals itself: classic, but lacking a bit in "substance" and depth. This does not mean it smells bad, just a bit flabby – at least it smells somehow woody and rooty, not that rubbery, waxy, unrealistic and plastic vetiver ŕ la Encre Noire which looks so trendy these days. Plus, the vetiver note does not manage to "resist" for not long, soon ending up buried under spices (they are not listed but I smell something like cloves or eugenol) and more "generic" woody notes in the drydown. So basically Vetiver Vert is like one of those parties with VIP guests which show up for 10 minutes, sign a couple of autographs and go away. To give you an approximate comparison, the citrus-vetiver axe makes Vetiver Vert ideally close to scents like Racine by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier (although Racine is uncomparably better to all extents). Sadly the vetiver family "suffers" from the presence of biblical marvels like Guerlain and Etro, which make basically almost all others smell inferior... However just to make clear, as I said Vetiver Vert is not bad, just a bit dull and with a (too much) weak presence of vetiver; decent, but unworthy the price in my opinion.

5,5/10

meh

This could almost be a a good vetiver, It is certainly green and a decent smell, but but I find it a bit of a downer to be honest - something about it is unfriendly and stand-offish. Also it didn't last that long on me

Pros: it is a green strident vetiver
Cons: sillage is short"

I think C&S have missed a trick with this one, they could do with a decent vetiver in their line-up and sadly this isn't it. It is well-named, for it does smell 'green' thanks to the galbanum; the best part for me is the first 30 minutes when the citrus and bergamot are strong; after that it is all downhill, with a lacklustre, messy base of timid vetiver and rasping, incongruous woody/balsamic notes. Sillage and longevity are both poor. A shame.

I do not know if I really like it or not. The vetyver is stifled by other woody, smoke and incense notes; the mix is not bad anyway, but a little bit cloying; if you're looking for a real vetyver fragrance, don't search it here.