Vetiver 48 is Dead. Long Live Vetiver 48. Let's Talk About It.

[Indie_Guy]

I can't begin to express how annoyed I was that Creed discontinued Private Collection Tabarome when they did, so suddenly, and I didn't have a chance to acquire any-- all the stocks dried up so quickly that I was out of luck. I'm going to be bitter about it for a long time.

So now I guess it's true that Vetiver (1948) is being discontinued as well. I'm not 100% certain, but that seems to be the word on the street and in here and I don't see it in stock at the Creed Boutique or anywhere. Supposedly on backorder, but it's probably discontinued.

i'm luckier this time that I was with the Vintage Tab. I have a 95% full bottle of Vetiver 48 which should be enough. I love the soft subtle ashy grey feel of this scent. Luca Turin hates this scent and says it contains no vetiver to his nose.

Mitch Hedberg said of Sprite " They say the recipe for Sprite is lemon and lime, but I tried to make it at home and there's more to it than that. 'You want some more home made Sprite?' 'Not til you figure out what the f*ck else is in it!'"

That's kind of how I feel about Vetiver 48-- the listed notes are citrus, bergamot, ginger, vetiver, cedar, ambergris. But there's so much more to it than these notes, however I have no idea of what. A lot of times, my nose can get in the ballpark, but i have no idea what makes up the bulk of Vetiver 48. It's cold, grey and has a noticeable ashen ionone note, but that's just a small part of it. This is such a smooth, rounded scent that I honestly cannot detect much of what's going on.

Let's talk about Vetiver 48, what do you guys say?

[AnthonyDG]

I'm with you on the Vintage Tabarome, though some very generous BN'ers have helped me obtain enough so I can wear it for special occasions for a little while now. I was very sad to see these beauties go - Angelique Encens, Vintage Tabarome, Cuir de Russie to name a few.

Vetiver '48 is definitely the barbershop type scent with quite a heavy soapy/ginger blast in the opening. I get lots of vetiver in the mix... absolutely... the notes are crafted around the soft (yet earthy) vetiver that is the theme of this fragrance. I'll be sad to see it go but won't feel the need to stock up on more than what I've owned. I admire how this fragrance is crafted but just have way too many other favorites in the vetiver genre - disproportionately so. This has never been a contender for my own personal Top Vetiver.

[Jazznpool]

I agree that Vetiver 1948 is a wonderful Creed fragrance-pure class and easy to wear in almost any situation. It was the one that opened my nose to the Creed house. The NYC Boutique said last week it is discontinued and they would not say that if it was not true. Some vendors will have stock on hand but when it's gone, that's it. I tried to get a flacon but there were none to be had within the Creed / Neiman Marcus system. There could be a few flacons around somewhere. I'd buy one if I was pointed in the right direction. I absolutely smell vetiver in the blend but I'm delighted there is much more going on. Sillage and longevity are more than acceptable. It must have been a slow seller. They'll probably bring it back in 10 years as a retro fragrance.

Although the ship has sailed on Vintage Tabarome for now, perhaps Olivier and Erwin will surprise us in another 8 years and make a batch available. I wrote Olivier last month and I am hoping he'll go to the vault and pour off a flacon of VT to sell to me! It doesn't hurt to ask.

Martin

[A. Homme]

Luca Turin hates this scent and says it contains no vetiver to his nose.

I haven't had the chance to try it, and looks like I never will. Why LT's opinion is even considered in what should be an honest discussion of the fragrance is beyond me.

[Mario Justiniani]

Too bad about the '48. To me it felt as if a wizard traveling through the forest had struck a large rock with his magic staff and said "Vettiver Come Forth!"

--Very refreshing and a pleasant mineral scent; especially in the summer--and it isn't (or I should say wasn't) even my favorite Vetiver, or my favorite Creed.

Discontinuing Vintage Tabarome without notice is insulting if not terribly surprising. Remember that old-fashioned gentleman's club with leather chairs, cigars and the finest Port?
We often allude to it in The MDF. What fragrance would you wear there? Patou PH? or Vintage Tab, or . . . ?

Outside of our imagination however, there's not too many af those clubs around.
Besides, as everyone knows, in the USA the upper class wears Old Spice

Well, Vintage Tab might not have not been Creed's top sellers but discontinuing it on such short notice is unforgivable,

May a plague of fake GIT paranoia strike strike them down!

Aargh,

Mario

[scentsitivity]

Vetiver 48 is one of my favorite Creeds. To me, it is a "pick me up" fragrance. It brightens my day and feels classy at the same time. I get grassy vetiver and ginger as primary elements. And there is an effervescent/sparkling quality to the scent that makes it feel bright.

I am thankful to own this.

[AZsmells]

I was lucky enough to get one of the last flacons of this from the Creed boutique for like $230. Great stuff!

[mikeperez23]

I never smelled it.

[dnc]

I haven't had the chance to try it, and looks like I never will. Why LT's opinion is even considered in what should be an honest discussion of the fragrance is beyond me.

Agree wholeheartedly with this. I thought his comments refered to the more recent 'Original Vetiver' anyway.

[checker]

I love it and thanks to Martin on here, I was able to get a bottle from Parfumerie Nasreeen. It's an awesome smell for sure, shame on Creed for discontinuing it.

[hednic]

Vetiver 48 is a wonderful fragrance and lucky I still have a bottle of it.

[Indie_Guy]

Thanks for the replies, guys. (Mike P, I have a feeling you'll have a sample of Vetiver '48 soon enough! )

It was certainly frustrating the way they named this one "Vetiver" and then named the new one "Original Vetiver." The irony is that Original Vetiver isn't that original when you compare it to Mugler Cologne (though I think OV is an improvement on Mugler Cologne), and Vetiver (48) is one of the most "original" vetivers I've ever smelled.

Honestly, I'm not aware of any other scent out there like 48. Again, taking Creed at their word about the 1948 part( (which is difficult to do sometimes)-- this does precede Guerlain Vetiver, Carven Vetiver and most of the other vetivers I can think of by at least a decade. It doesn't appear to have been influenced by these vetivers. Nowadays when you look at the current crop of vetivers-- The Encre Noires, the Vetiver Tonkas, the Vettiverus-- they're pretty bold on the vetiver, but there seems to have been an evolution. Vetiver 48, whether it contains a lot of vetiver, a little vetiver, no vetiver, or a different kind of vetiver than most of us are familiar with-- seems to stand outside this whole vetiver parade, content with itself and its own origins.

It sounds weird, but I see this as an ancestor to scents like Prada Amber for Men-- Amber is very barbershoppy, with a soap and "easter basket" candy smell-- but the basenotes are built on a solid vetiver foundation. Sometimes I consider Prada Amber for Men to be a vetiver scent-- it's just those barbershop topnotes that deceive you at first. The way the vetiver is presented in Vetiver 48 is similar to my nose. Vetiver 48 also has something that reminds me of candy too-- it's like those little candy necklaces that used to be popular.

I find it to be almost a dirty/earthy scent too. It conjures up a very specific accord that I encounter sometimes. Sometimes when I pop into some urban gas-stations in "developing" neighborhoods, there is that smell of years of people smoking Newports that has just settled into the walls and foundations of the place-- similar to the way decades of burning incense will saturate a cathedral. Not to rekindle another thread that got hot recently, but I get this smell often wherever I go-- and it's oddly pleasant and comforting. Everytime I encounter this smell it reminds me of Vetiver 48. It's very grounding and yet narcotic.

Well, gotta get ready for work. Going with Vetiver 48 today. Have a good one!

[StylinLA]

I have some Vetiver '48 and knew it was on the ropes. The local Nieman did have some last time I inquired about it- but that's been at least a couple of months. I like it a lot, but not enough to pounce on the bottle they had at the time.

I find it to be one of the most "Creed-ish" Creeds. It very much channels the Mad Men office kind of vibe. I do like the soapiness and really like that heavy, slight sweetness (ambergris?) that shows up way into wearing it that I get from some of the older Creeds.

(I like IndieGuy's write up too)

[david]

I haven't had the chance to try it, and looks like I never will. Why LT's opinion is even considered in what should be an honest discussion of the fragrance is beyond me.

Absolutely !.........I trust most of the experienced basenotes members skill and knowledge much more than I would ever trust LT.

[AZsmells]

Parfums Raffy still shows the 2.5 oz bottle in stock

[Robert G.]

I agree it's a fantastic scent. Kind of a throwback barbershop vibe to it with a very mossy chypre type drydown. I feel lucky I got a flacon of it last year when CREED started their official online store. I should probably wear it more often.

[RHM]

I never smelled it.

Me neither but being a fan of vetiver (& quite honestly because LT panned it) I want to smell it. I always headed straight for Original Vetiver - the bottle with the green glass bottom.

The discontinuation of several Creeds I love just makes me angry. (Vintage Tab & Angel.E. particularly)

[neal]

Do y'all feel Vetiver 1948 has poor sillage and longevity. I have been wearing mine all day (in honor of this thread) and could not smell it 3 hours after application. Or is it a frag that causes anosmia (sp)?

[A. Homme]

Agree wholeheartedly with this. I thought his comments refered to the more recent 'Original Vetiver' anyway.

They're both in there, and both totally panned and rated one star. So same difference.

Anyway, I don't mean to derail this thread. Vetiver is a note that I have trouble with. Some I love, some I hate. I'll probably snag some should the opportunity arise!

[mrcologneguy]

It's one of the first Creeds I purchased. Still have quite a bit left in my 2.5 oz bottle. Very pleasant barbershoppy scent. Clean and classy. I love the old-line Creeds. Advice to basenoters who love the older models: buy them now. I've been told by a couple of Creed reps that several of the older ones will be discontinued soon. Today's ho-hum, just another Creed is tomorrow's valuable collector's item. And in the meantime, the scents are fine, fine stuff. Buy, wear, and enjoy while you can.

[Indie_Guy]

Do y'all feel Vetiver 1948 has poor sillage and longevity. I have been wearing mine all day (in honor of this thread) and could not smell it 3 hours after application. Or is it a frag that causes anosmia (sp)?

I get outstanding longevity with all of the Millesimes-- the only Millesime that doesn't last as long as the others on my is Neroli Sauvage-- the rest go on forever, even Millesime Imperial, once I stopped overapplying it and giving myself olfactory fatigue.

I generally get pretty good longevity from the Creed EDTs, but not like the Millesimes. Vetiver 48 seems a little on the weak side, and it does seem to flame out early when you spray it on your arm, etc. But again, I've found that when I wear it on my chest it lasts a really long time.

This scent can admittedly be frustrating in the fact that the more you try to inhale it and take in the good stuff, the more it seems to become fleeting. There is a huge ionone note in this one, and I think iris/violet/ionone notes can cause fatigue quickly. I just can't get enough of this scent when I try really hard. Sometimes when I just relax and wear it and forget about it, I notice that it's still there a long time later.

One thing about Vetiver 48 is that it's very soft for a vetiver scent. Nowadays, most vetiver scents seem like an excuse to load up on iso-e-super (see Original Vetiver) for starters and then to accentuate the heavy wood nuances with other fixatives. Maybe the reason some people don't find this to have real vetiver is because it doesn't contain any/much of those other materials that are often used in modern perfumery which somehow contribute to what we've come to expect a vetiver to smell like.

One of the hallmarks of a nice Haitian Vetiver oil is in addition to an earthy, slightly woody base it has a lovely floral almost honeyed topnote canopy. I've worn straight uncut Haitian vetiver oil on my skin a few times and it was heavenly-- not as one dimensional as the vetiver notes are often played in many of the wood-hewn vetiver heavyweights of the perfume world. This delicate topnote is one of the aspects of vetiver that people don't seem to notice, they focus on the woody parts, but there are a lot of components that contribute to the aroma profile of vetiver--more than just vetiveryl acetate, etc. Turin also panned Le Labo's Vetiver 46 as not smelling like vetiver; a lot of people have panned Azzaro's Pure Vetiver for the same reason-- both of these scents contain, to my nose, this honeyed floral vetiver topnote accord, along with Creed Vetiver 48.

Well, it's a great one in my book. Too bad they're taking it away to make shelf space for Erwin's stuff (by the way, does Pierre Bourdon have a son who is also a perfumer? It would make a lot of sense if he did.)

[Sunsetspawn]

I got an ant farm. Them fellas didn't grow shit.

[Indie_Guy]

I got an ant farm. Them fellas didn't grow shit.

LOL. I loved Hedberg. My favorite joke of his was kind of a dud but I loved his delivery: "I was watching ESPN Classic. Some guy hit a foul ball and I was like, F*kin' CLASSIC!" lol.

[A. Homme]

LOL. I loved Hedberg. My favorite joke of his was kind of a dud but I loved his delivery: "I was watching ESPN Classic. Some guy hit a foul ball and I was like, F*kin' CLASSIC!" lol.

"A severed foot makes the ultimate stocking stuffer."

Sorry for further derailment, but it's not every day on BN that one gets to share his favorite Hedberg lines.

[DavidBond007]

Vetiver 48 is one of my favorite Creeds. To me, it is a "pick me up" fragrance. It brightens my day and feels classy at the same time. I get grassy vetiver and ginger as primary elements. And there is an effervescent/sparkling quality to the scent that makes it feel bright.

I am thankful to own this.

I agree this got me into vetiver and I am happy I have two bottles of it, this with vintage tabarome going by the wayside make me very sad because these two scents are some of the best they ever made but oh well I hope the new scents will be just as good or better.

[jenson]

great read..! thanks to the OP and other contributors for this thread.

[LiveJazz]

Damn, I've missed this one. Let the excruciating hunt for Vetiver 48 begin. I don't suppose TPC has it.

Edit: yes they do. Already labeled as discontinued there. $8/ml. Awesome.

PS I love this quote:

Too bad about the '48. To me it felt as if a wizard traveling through the forest had struck a large rock with his magic staff and said "Vettiver Come Forth!"

I'm a big fan of "rocky" scents. Would anyone else describe it that way?

[neal]

Damn, I've missed this one. Let the excruciating hunt for Vetiver 48. I don't suppose TPC has it.

Edit: yes they do. Already labeled as discontinued there. $8/ml. Awesome.

PS I love this quote:


I'm a big fan of "rocky" scents. Would anyone else describe it that way?

It's dry and mineralic.

[MOONB]

I have a feeling Aventus was Erwin's eponymous debut with Creed, but I'm looking forward to seeing what he replaces Vetiver '48 with.

[JohnHarvard]

Mitch Hedberg was awesome!

Anyways, I'm glad I just got myself a bottle of '48. It's a blind buy for me but I've always wanted to try it seeing that OV is my signature scent, and of course now that its discontinued.

Thanks for the heads up guys, any later and I wouldn't of had a bottle.