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turoc1 – :
Here’s a vintage scent. Musty floral fruit with grass, leaves, and decaying earth.
shamanas777 – :
I am wearing the vintage. There are two notes: 1. OAKMOSS 2. vetiver and maybe some petitgrain in the base trying to peak through; dry; bitter; strong; nothing like the sissy version by Guerlain that I like better. LOL
Alexey_1993 – :
Once the lemony top notes settle after applying (on my skin that takes 5 minutes) it stays pure vetiver, very linearly, until it disappears.
My problem is that it disappears very quickly, way too quickly, and it demands from you an exercise of imagination to guess it on the skin.
That’s a pity, because the scent is marvellous: very real vetiver, rooty, earthy and dark green-yellowish.
Sillage is zero after ½ hour. Longevity is little after that as well.
I really wished it stayed and projected longer…
Opressor – :
The “original” vetiver…
So, finally I get the chance to try the one that started it all! It was said that Jean-Paul Guerlain released his Vetiver in response to this (which was already dominating the market).
To begin with, Carven Vetiver definitely starts off soapier than the Guerlain. It is also a more subdued version (note: the version I am reviewing here is the “wooden cap” version). I find it really flexible and an “any season” type of fragrance. Definitely more versatile and likeable upon first impression than the Guerlain version. But, as always, that one is my favourite. If you are a vetiver fan this is definitely worth a try (and the price is great too). I would recommend.
Mecbm151InsuffBooni – :
I use two main Vetiver fragrances, Carven’s offering and Guerlain’s. I like both of them but in different ways.
Guerlain’s is more noticeable but Carven’s is a little milder. It seems smoother and less “dirty” and more suitable to everyday use. Not That I’m knocking Guerlain’s Vetiver, I really like it, however it is perhaps a bit too strong for certain situations (work/office), whereas Carven’s Vetiver is more restrained and clean.
Nice!
Serek – :
Rolls Royce between vetivers.For me this is the vetiver.
muslim82 – :
I’m a big fan of vetiver fragrances and have been eyeing this one for the past year or two, but I didn’t plan on picking-up a bottle until this coming Spring. However, one of the mall fragrances stores was going-out-of-business so I picked-up a 100ml bottle because it was actually a few bucks less than the discount sites.
I knew that I would like this fragrance based on the notes pyramid, but I loved it from first spray: vetiver, lemony-citrus, myrrh and all sorts of well-blended aromatic, herbal, woody and mossy accords. To me, the guy driving the Guerlain Vetiver truck ran into the guy delivering Monsieur de Givenchy. I detect some lighter reminders of that terrific Guerlain Vetiver along with some really nice citrus, herbal and aromatic tones. It’s really a nice gentleman’s vetiver scent perfect for the office of in relaxed casual settings.
Although it has been cold outdoors, its performance seems moderate; lasts 5-hours on my skin and the scent bubble doesn’t get out-of-control. I’ll update my review, if needed, when I wear this fragrance over the Spring and Summer months. Finally, I find Carven Vetiver to be a solid citrus-aromatic-herbal type vetiver scent, which Guerlain Vetiver fans should appreciate, and folks who find GV to be a bit too grassy may actually like this one. It’s worth taking a sniff.
Update: my review was for the 2008 version since I haven’t been able to find one with the wooden cap. I’ve had an opportunity to wear this fragrance during the Spring-Summer months and I’m getting 5-6 hours of longevity and the scent still remains pretty close to my skin. Moreover, I picked-up a bottle of Carven Le Vetiver (which is supposed to be more closely aligned with the 1957 release) and I like that even more. All-in-all, Carven Vetiver and Le Vetiver are excellent Spring-Summer scents for the gentleman.
брат – :
I have the clear whiskey flask version with the silver cap. It’s a terrific vetiver with a fleeting presence, but the opening is smooth and the dry down is cool leather. I find myself reaching for it again and again. I may prefer it to Guerlain’s Vetiver, but I think I prefer whichever one I have on at the moment. Wear Carven Vetiver during the day and switch to Encre Noire at night for a full vetiver story.
liolio – :
I recently bought a bottle like the one in picture and I could say that the new one has nothing in common with the vintage one,unfortunately .
shag6939 – :
Nice floral/resin rendition of vetiver, really fresh and ambery.
This perfume seems to go through several distinct phases. First it’s a fresh spritzy citrus, like you cut a lemon and squeezed it, then a sort of balled up resinous vegital smell appears which quickly unfolds into an herbal ambery floral vetiver. The vetiver is at it’s strongest at this point and shines through the middle of the perfume when florals start coming up, then later the sweetish amber becomes more dominant and a spicy sandalwood comes through and continues along nicely with the sweet amber.
Nice for the summer and warm weather, it is very fresh, not spicy or smokey. This one is resiny, sandalwoody, and some floral tang.
Actually it can be a little smokey, since it is vetiver. It is excellent for the summer, and in the evening too.
Overall a very fresh nice vetiver, not spicy and rough like the Guerlain, but I love the Guerlain. This one is smoother, ambery.
avalakish69 – :
I have the new bottle with the plastic cap and a big C on it. I think this is the most recent formulation.
I bought it two weeks a go and decided to wear it to the office this morning. The initial sprays were a bit strong but the dry down is fantastic for about 3 hours. Then it faded away and I don’t smell like vetiver anymore. This was very disappointing because I am a vetiver fanatic. Oh well guess I’ll just wear it around the house.
mema – :
i prefer the new version,very modern and nice fragrance
Sai – :
Bought a bottle recently, my previous purchase was in 1981. I can’t tell the difference but due to the passage of years forgot that it ends up smelling like cat’s wee on me after a couple of hours. Guerlain vetiver far better IMO
AlodoHadeReon – :
I actually have all 3 versions – the vintage bottle with the green swirl “C” cap; the rectangular bottle with the wooden cap; and the newest version that comes in the white box, with a nearly square, very heavy clear bottle with a clear plastic cap. I love them all, but my favorite is actually the newest version, which has a fantastic, slightly sharp, fresh citrus opening, which settles rather quickly into a faintly leathery vetiver dry down. After the first 10 minutes or so, it’s a very close-to-the-skin scent, which I don’t mind a bit, and it’s certainly one of my favorites. It’s not very expensive, either. (I especially love it right after a shower – it feels so light and clean.) I don’t think you’d go wrong with any version of this very classic scent. Fantastic.
santei_761 – :
I think I actually was a little too negative about this new one. After a little more get to know, I think it´s quite nice. It´s a very dry vetiver, a tiny bit smokey, fairly linear. Lasts a really long time. I´m getting to like it.
sochny – :
There is a problem Vetiver Carven. The one as pictured hasn´t been made for a long time, the new one comes in very heavy rectangular bottle.
The old one I found very good, it had some resemblance with YSL pour homme.
The new is just terribly artificial smelling IMO. Another disaster with something that used to be good.
A good advise, if you find anything that is good, stock up, tomorrow it´s gone.
zveroboy2 – :
I used to see the original version of Carven in perfume stores, but I was not fond of vetiver then so I did not try it. From the comments about the previous formulations of this fragrance it is my loss not having purchased the first version. That said, I do like the latest Carven Vetiver. However, the bottle I bought (a tester) does not list all of the notes pictured above. Were those in the original, and/or two subsequent formulations? It reminds me of Guerlain’s vetiver but not as sharp in the opening and brighter in the dry down. It smells understated, traditionally masculine and classy.
R0m4k – :
I wore it in the 80’s and loved it very much. In those days, it had no wood cap but a green plastic one, (exactly the same than Monsieur Carven, but in green). I don’t know if it was the original 1957 version without any change, but it was excellent, it had a great class. I didn’t smell the new version but I’m afraid, and maybe I should forbear !
toy – :
I got a bottle with the wooden cap for my husband but he is NOT going to see it as I fell in love . It’s light but lovely.
azer191 – :
It’s nice – leaves a soft woody / vetiver smell on the skin not strong but lasts quite a while. The bottle with the wood top is a more earthy scent and has more character – it’s a better smell as Fotolux says below
gparoH – :
Well I found a bottle like the picture with a wooden cap.
This one I really like, very soapy in the drydown, lemony and nice wood. Very nice.
I find obvious similarities in YSL Pour Homme compared with this but this seems much more natural. The longevity isn´t quite as long, but good enough.
Edit: If you like soapy bitter vetiver, this could be the one. This is one of my absolute favs, extremely manly.
flashingam – :
This new version of Vetyver is really a joke. These reformulations that most of the companies are doing with these old great colognes will of course strike back.
Maybe they are ok if costing $2-3, not more.
severok122 – :
If you see the bottle as pictured, grab it. But, this bottle is no longer in production and the newer bottle is oval with a metal cap. Moreover, the formula has been altered. The newer scent is sweeter and less complex – a major disappointment. Carven’s Vetiver (at least the modern version): the vetiver is light, the citrus topnotes (which look strong fro the pyramid) weak and fleeting, and the remaining notes suitably blended into an amorphous, dull base. Why do fragrance companies do this? Do they think we will not perceive the difference?