Fragrance Reviews by arlecchino

Forget the name of this one, it’s much more than vetiver. This is a first class lavender-green Chypre created by Silvana Casoli and dedicated to “an elegant man, sure of himself, bold and daring, yet who knows how to appreciate the magical pleasure of fine literature in front of a fireplace, burning and freeing suggestive and seductive aromas of the forest.” (from website)

The opening is a very sharp green lavender together with bergamot, very high pitched and pure, slightly sour and herbal. This is my least favorite part of the experience, but after a minute of two everything settles down and a really beautiful herbal/forest scent emerges and joins the lavender. This is the heart, and it’s composed of birch, cypress, vetiver, rose, and patchouli. Smelling the heart of the fragrance, it really smells like those notes combined, but with a savory complex herbal feeling that I’m guessing is the oakmoss working it’s magic (evernia prunastri is used). I do get the rose if I concentrate on it, but it is very tame and integrated, a piece of the overall puzzle and lending a tanginess. This stage of the fragrance thankfully lasts a very long time, through the workday if I apply in the morning. The base (around dinner time) is gentle, woodsy, and warm; to me it seems like there is sandalwood in the basenotes, but again, maybe just the oakmoss.

My overall impression is that this fragrance is like a “sophisticated” Aramis 900! Aramis 900 not sophisticated? I like Aramis 900…that is, I like the herbal/patchouli parts of it after it dries waaaaaaay down. But it is so loud and rosy that I find it impossible to wear (and my wife HATES it!). I need more subtlety than Aramis 900 gives me; I am literally blasted away by one spray! Vetiver de Java, to me, is a more perfectly balanced take on an herbal chypre that doesn’t overtake me and I can wear very easily. Love it!

First review here...

I received this as a sample, and I have really grown to love wearing this.
All marketing aside, just focusing on the scent: on me, copious amounts of nutmeg issue forth immediately, joined with warm spicy ginger and some cool fir way in the background. This nutmeg/ginger combo is very strong (even a little penetrating) and reminds me instantly of eggnog!
Then after about five minutes other notes emerge that seem to bring the fragrance into balance: patchouli of a kind that seems very green and bright, black pepper, and an exquisitly pure and rich balsam pine. I very much agree with odysseusm about this pine note, for me it is the real heart of the fragrance. Luckily on me it lasts quite a long time, seems like upwards of eight hours. I actually think the pine works extremely well with and is fixed by the patchouli, particularly because the latter is of such a high, bright, and cool quality that it doesn't sink the accord down into deeper, dirtier, more serious places.

Vibert nailed the drydown when he wrote it was leisurely and comfortable. With notes like artemesia, pine, and black pepper, one could assume this to be extremely aggressive and volatile. I find it instead very peaceful, cool, introspective, and calming. Perhaps this is due to the fact that to me all the notes smell completely natural.

Wearing this is actually a nice break from the more elaborately composed fragrances like Heritage (which I wear often and love). The quality of the overall fragrance combined with the conservative nature of the accord (very barbershop IMO as well) suggests a certain level of formality, yet it remains relaxed and natural, allowing me to dress this up or down as the situation requires.

This is a must have for me!