Fragrance Reviews by Peter_Dane

I live in a pathetic little country, which shall remain nameless here. Well, the country is so small that Guerlain Vetiver was taken off the shelves shortly after the relaunched 2000 version, apparently due to poor sales. Another blow to quality and another victory for hyped designer scents and provinsialism.

The good thing is I can have this one for my self. And a very good thing it is.

GV has one of the crispiest citrus openings I have experienced, it wakes you up and gets you ready for a challenging day. The coriander can be a little over the top, and comes off as somewhat synthetic, especially if you overapply on the same spot, but it's just a passing odd note. From the invigorating top notes it moves on to the heart of the scent which is a synthesis of pepper and tobacco, wherein the scent turns from crisp to warm. From here the intensity fades slowly, and again the scent takes a new direction, into a discreet, green vetiver that stays with you for the rest of the day.

The diversity and progression of the fragrance, while retaining its harmony and deliciousness through every phase, is amazing. The ingredients have the right masculine connotations. All in all, GV has class in abundance, and it will gladly lend you some.

It's a timeless masterpiece, that transcends any discussion about old fashioned/modern regarding fragrance. Certainly I can't detect any old fashion-ness in GV, despite what some think in this forum. But it is very different from contemporary trends in fragrance. And thank you for that!

A couple of observations:

Cons:
1. To me, GIT doesn't live up to its name, I get an association to purple, not green at all. It must be the violet and iris.

2. GIT is from 1985, which I didn't know when I purchased a bottle. Strangely, one of my first thoughts when I tried it for the first time was "this is 80's stuff". It's rather generic, and there's a certain coldness to the composition,in an 80's kind of way. I can't pinpoint it further, it's just a feeling.

3. I would love to love this much talked about fragrance, but a chip on my shoulder keeps whispering "This smells cheap", because of the above mentioned reason.

Pros:
1. There are no odd or false notes. The composition and development is logical and flawless.

2. On my skin the sillage and longevity is very good. Lasts most of a day.

3. I get an uplifting feeling from GIT. It's a positive fragrance, albeit in a 80's kind of way.

Erolfa is not bad! It's "modern" for a Creed (which I consider a positive quality). But I find it is a narrow scent, that could have been so much more. I pick up 4 notes; lemon, salt, ozone and light wood. What I miss here is something like seaweed, tar and other sea/harbour related "dirty" notes, notes that would have broadened the olfactory picture of a seaside environment. Erolfa is too clean!

Yes, it's true that La Base is object to some amount of cult following, judging from reviews on the amusingly selfindulgent Lucky Scent website (their descriptions of fragrances is pure poetry!).

Despite the prizetag, I couldn't resist blind-buying this one. As usual, it was quite different from what I expected. I expected a green scent, but this is more a woody/smoky kind of scent.

The topnotes reminds me of some swizz health product. Very herbal, very soapy, but natural, and also very complex (La Base is said to include 1000+ ingredients). The middle notes are the most interesting, revealing an accord of smoked light wood, birch I think, quite nice and unique. In the drydown it gets very subtle, slightly green, with the smokiness still lingering.

My character to La Base: It might deserve a thumbs up, because it has a clear concept, is of high quality in every aspect, and is an alternative take on a natural scent. But because it wasn't quite what I expected, and because the drydown, which sets in rather early, is just too subtle, it's a neutral.

IMO Polo is more than a flashback to the 80s at their worst. In its creation it was nostalgic, and it is that quality I like, and that makes it a classic. The blend of pine and leather stands out from contempary fragrances, so if you're under 50 and wear this, you're making a statement. Forget the 80s, this is timeless seriousness with a twist!

Cyprien is very summerlike, with a dominance of the mandarine note, and just a hint of the "ocean spray" and cypress. If you're longing for spring and summer, wear this! Similar to a variety of fresh, contemporary scents, but still recognisable. Very well balanced. Good longevity. Not very masculine, more metrosexual, which makes me too old to wear it, but who cares...