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EdP Vetiver Extraordinaire

post #1 of 11
11/29/07 at 5:54am
Thread Starter 
I received a sample of this the other day, thanks to perusing the samples thread here and writing to some companies (highly recommended, many thanks to all who contributed) I must say,"Highly unusual," probably kicks the a** of any of our interpretations of the scent. It's extremely complex...I'm still not able to grasp the different notes, but I can smell different smells. However, the initial onslaught that I smell is, well, hospital. Mid notes, while spicy and fresh, is again, hospital. And as a basenote...hospital.

Now, does vetiver, either as an extract or as an organic or synthetic liquid, smell like iodine? Or does anyone else associate this smell with the sterility found in medical practices? I love the scent, however, for its complexity after I get past the rubber gloves and cotton swabs. Very good.

Alex
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post #2 of 11
11/29/07 at 8:05am
Hehe I got this as a sample from F.M. together with Musc Ravageur and French Lover. I appreciate the scents. However i'd rank those three
1. Musc Ravageur (for obvious reasons)
2. Vetiver Extraordinaire.
3. French Lover.

V.E. is the only vetiver scent i've tested so no comparison here =)
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post #3 of 11
11/29/07 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
How is French Lover? My other scent I received (besides MR) was Noir Epices (amazing to me).
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post #4 of 11
11/29/07 at 9:21am
I recently got a partially used bottle of Vetiver Extraordinaire (my first Frederic Malle large full bottle) and experienced the same 'strange' notes you're describing. They really delighted me.

Before this, I had tested Route du Vetiver (which I own) and found it so dirty and wonderful, I was not expecting Vetiver Extraordinaire to move me. But it did. I think it was Indieguy who described the notes perfectly as: 'It has kind of a 'new car' smell about it. And you may laugh, but also that smell of leaving your goggles and snorkel out in the sun too long as a child- that sunstruck rubbery kind of thing. When I smell this, I get vetiver, snorkels, and a new car. I like it!'

VE continues to fascinate me, as the juice in my bottle dwindles down I wonder how I'm going to afford to replace it.
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post #5 of 11
11/29/07 at 6:44pm
I also get that rubbery smell for the first couple minutes with VE. I think it adds an unusually nice touch.
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post #6 of 11
11/29/07 at 7:03pm
Vetiver Extraordinaire has an ozone note that persists throughout the development.
I find the scent great, but then I really enjoy vetiver scents in general.

VE is reputed to have a very high concentration of vetiver, and I think this
particular extract is supposed to be of excellent quality. But, that ozone
note is, I'm quite sure, synthetic.

Enjoy.
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post #7 of 11
11/29/07 at 7:33pm
I don't find this to be highly unusual or complex at all. Its a pretty linear albeit well made fragrance. I do however find the ozone note to be annoying and out-of-place .. its not particularly nose-pleasing and cheapens the generally rich vetiver accord. Its also what some have referred to as the 'lighter fluid' note.
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post #8 of 11
11/29/07 at 9:07pm
It's one of the most dynamic fragrances I've smelled. After living with many vetivers, I appreciate VE more all the time. It has a charismatic, non-bitter vetiver core, almost "...fleshed out precisely to the point where it ceases to need company but retaining its soul entire". It's fairly tenacious and makes a good palate cleanser.

A relatively complete notes pyramid:

T: Bergamot, Bigarade Orange, Pink Pepper
M: Haitian Vetiver, Nutmeg, Floralozone, Sandalwood
B: Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Myrrh, Cashmeran (spiced floral), Musketone, Tonalide (musk)

Floralozone is a floral, aldehylic, fresh, powerful, clean, green, fresh air tone reminiscent of ocean breezes. It lifts fragrances without dominating due to its neutral nature.

Cashmeran is diffusive and long-lasting musky, woody, spicy odor, with strong floral reinforcement and powdery, velvet nuance.

What you're perceiving is just an astringent accord which you happen to associate with hospitals. I understand what you're sayin but I associate it with other things. The mild aldehylic aspect of the floralozone, and other ingredients (including the pink pepper) can also contribute to that.

Vetiver Extraordinaire is bracing and electric. It's a cerebral and very beautiful fragrance reminiscent of various luxuries and pure positive energy.
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post #9 of 11
11/30/07 at 8:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

Floralozone is a floral, aldehylic, fresh, powerful, clean, green, fresh air tone reminiscent of ocean breezes. It lifts fragrances without dominating due to its neutral nature.

What your perceiving is just an astringent accord which you happen to associate with hospitals. I understand what you're sayin but I associate it with other things. The mild aldehylic aspect of the floralozone, and other ingredients (including the pink pepper) can also contribute to that.

Thanks pluran - I always wondered what that unique scent was. Honestly, I don't imagine I would have ever classified it as an 'ozonic' smell (to my nose it smells less like the sea and more like...plastic) but then in combination with the pink pepper, I can see how the total 'dynamic' effect is achieved.

One of the first scents I associated with Vetiver Extraordinaire (in a good way) was the smell of nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas). Neutral, transparent - yet, like you said pluran, lifting. Magical stuff.
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post #10 of 11
11/30/07 at 8:57am
Like Pluran, the more I experience VE the more I appreciate it; not because it changes my impressions of over vetiver scents, but rather because I find VE to be very pleasing, of very high quality, and capable of revealing different aspects to the wearer at different times. I definitely appreciate it more than when it was first thrown into the mix of my Vetiver Redux competition two years ago.

I also understand what Alex and Indie Guy are saying about ozone, hospitals, new cars and snorkels. Amidst the complexity there is a light, airy character to VE, but it delves less into an ozone-like vibe than Mark Birley for Men does. I've always attributed this off-putting character in Birley to the purported carrot seeds that are a note in this scent, but perhaps it also contains floralozone(?). As for a hospital-like character, nothing can beat M7 in this association. M7 smells to me nearly identical to tincture of benzoin, which among many uses is used as an adhesive with steri-strips to effect closure of a cut, with or without sutures.

But I digress. I find VE a very excellent scent, and hope to always have it in my collection.
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post #11 of 11
11/30/07 at 9:10am
I feel some "pervert" aspects of VE: rubber, latex, sex shop)))

Three most prominent notes: vetiver, ozone and cashmere
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