Turtle Vetiver - "it's Back!"

The samples for a new release of Turtle Vetiver Back from Les Nez are now making their way to interested collectors of The Les Nez Turtle Vetiver Project. After quickly selling out of the limited release of Turtle Vetiver Exercise 1 (2009), Turtle Vetiver Front was launched early in 2012 in a limited edition with promises of a follow up to come later. Turtle Vetiver Front was a big hit and sold completely out a couple months ago. And now comes the third in the series - Turtle Vetiver Back. Samples are here - you have to ask for them probably since it has not been announced yet.

I received a surprise sample from Luckyscent of the brand new Turtle Vetiver Back. Surprise! The smell of "Back" is fantastic and I will be an early customer for purchase when it arrives for shipping. I have not found any release of notes for the new TV Back, but I can say that the scent profile definitely resembles the other two in the series. The vetiver smells much more civilized and blended by being modified with descriptive bridge notes at all parts of the scent. The vetiver is a dark aged green, rooty vetiver - probably a blend of Haitian and Reunion Islands - would be my guess. The opening of "Back" is very similar to Annick Goutal Vetiver, also a creation of Isabelle Doyen and in this scent it smells identical until it develops a little. Am doing a side by side comparison right now and they differ only in subtle ways. Turtle Vetiver is BACK and I now have but a tiny sample of my newest vetiver obsession!

These vetiver fragrances are definitely not for everyone. There is a mystery to them that takes me out of the modern world and into an earlier time where nature was more important. Obviously I like her work. But, test before you buy. I think the fact that Isabelle Doyen's fragrances are very different from other vetiver scents and very well assembled is part of the appeal. If you didn't like Vetiver Front, thats a clue that you should not blind buy this. These vetivers hold up really well in my opinion. But I am also a big fan of some other vetiver fragrances that not everyone appreciates too - Villoresi Vetiver, Encre Noir and Goutal Vetiver. I am very positive towards most of the other things in her LesNez line too, especially Let Me Play the Lion, but I haven't worn it much this year. But - Test it.

I checked UPS tracking and it said . . . "delivered". Just now pulled it out of its little tube package, fresh off the truck and am giving it a try.

I definitely smell all the same notes that were in Turtle Vetiver Front, but it smells more alive, woodier, and also has a lemony green floral aspect in mid notes before a very dry base. It still smells all "Turtle Project" in character, but is a little more developed than the last one (Front).

Luckyscent says Isabelle Doyen added violet which is noticed in the top notes (??) and mimosa which is in the mid notes. I have to admit I don't smell strong florals at all, but the green rooty vetiver scent is woodier (violets?), with a hint of green floral in the middle to enliven the vetiver a bit. To the base musk was added. I smell no definite musk notes but there is a dried clay scent, kind of like damp mud - smells grounded - as an exclamation point and ending. This wet clay note is probably the presence of musk on top of all the earthiness.

This vetiver is in the same general category of Encre Noire, Goutal Vetiver, Turtle Vetiver Front, Sombre Negra (new) and Villoresi Vetiver. If you already have this dry earthy type of vetiver covered in your collection you might not miss skipping "Back". It's a judgement call here. If you are a vetiver purest - you will definitely want to try it out. It is a fine fragrance! But, this one is not really new, not groundbreaking. I am happy to add it to my collection and I am sure I will wear it from time to time. Thumbs up from me!