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Ivan123123 – :
Only other Vetiver, I can compare to this Old One, is a L’Erbollario (Burbon) Vetiver, an Italian Old School …
Арсений Плеско – :
Guerlain’s classic Vetiver smells like a sweet, green, grassy meadow. It’s OK, but not the best vetiver. I like Chanel Sycomore much better.
natashaderevenceva – :
Guerlain VÉTIVER. [1959; nose: Jean-Paul Guerlain]. Aromatic-Spicy-Woody Type.
TÊTE: sparkling aldehydes, grass notes, coriander, lemon, lime, menthol, mandarin;
COEUR: clove, nutmeg, pepper, jasmine, tobacco;
FOND: vetiver, coumarin/hay, cedar
The classic masculine and definitive vetiver scent for decades. Dapper, crisp, refined, professional, sober. Grassy, vernal, outdoorsy in feel; smells like a warm green meadow or sunlit golf course in late-May. Clove confers its only hint of sweetness; the rest is sharp green vibrance. Modern reformulation has pruned it of the meatier tobacco burn it had, pre-1990, and most noticeably, the chalky orris concavity that used to bind the whole scent together, most noticeably in the rooty drydown. But it’s still a joy and a marvel. Jean-Paul Guerlain formulated this when he was just a very young man, and the whole perfume world was blown away that the kid, and heir to the Guerlain dynasty, was already such a great talent.
The big trick with vetiver is never allowing it to smell Goth or broodingly subterranean; Guerlain always keeps it bright, intriguing, dapper.
INNOMBROR – :
I gotta say, I am surprised that NUTMEG is not voted as being at least the seocnd most noticeable thing in this fragrance. This stuff is very woody, earthy, and to me it is actually quite powdery.. not sure if anyone else gets that?
игорюха – :
This is truly a masterpiece. I very much adore this fabulous Vetiver by Guerlain. It is phenomenal. I love the review by cbstarker particularly, because it is very very similar to my own experience with Vetiver when I first tried it. “the vetiver snuck up on me like a cat on velvet paws.” Such a perfect feeling of what I went through, and even the rest of the review is so completely the same for me as my own. Thank you cbstarker.
It is a wonderful vetiver. Perfection. Perfection. Thank you Guerlain for giving me such perfection – such a wonderful perfume.
ghjcnj – :
I really like it, but I got some humorous comments from my co-workers razzing me. One said it reminded them of a cream his mother put on his dog’s ear when it got infected. Another said it reminded him of his grandmother.
Aside from the peanut gallery remarks, it’s a very fresh scent and the burn down is not as ben-gay as haters might want you to think.
hulk0102 – :
It’s nice but it does not last on me. I’m very disappointed in the longevity. The top notes are kind of harsh but the drydown is where this shines. It reminds me of the first warm rainy days of spring in the New England… the leaves on the trees blossoming and grass growing again after a long winter.
Scent 7/10
Longevity 4/10
Ирина 9 – :
The Guerlain family has given so much to perfumery. Most importantly though they initiated an approach to perfumes that was more imaginative and instead of trying to imitate nature and its odors they approached perfumes as abstract themes.
The original Vetiver is called the reference for a reason. The fragrance is the epitome of the perfect scent utilizing vetiver as the main note. So instead of having a minimal approach Jean-Paul took vetiver and made a composition (a fully developed perfume) and not some arrangement. This would be enough to make this scent be light years ahead of the present day minimal vetivers which hark back to figurative perfumery (mimicking the root). However, as a smell it is great too. Some citrus top notes (the rendition of the orange note is sublime) followed by a spicy (nutmeg and coriander most notably), herbal (some urinous sage effect) floral middle before delving into an endless unmistakably classy drydown of vetiver (probably the best ever). Dry, dark, elegant with more oakmoss and tobacco from the new version. Much dirtier (with animalic edges) with more licorice too along a more fougery, deeper character and generally rounder and richer.
Buy “the reference” and see some old world tricks revealed or because you dangerously ambition to smell great. Niche brands still try to imitate it and although considered “dated” by some (strange since as a conception and execution is significantly more innovative than most current offerings) wear it and you will hear pin drops in every place you stand.
MASTERPIECE
waginer – :
I wanted to test this vetiver, without restating classic Guerlain, and got a vintage bottle.
I thought it was a good fragrance, and to look good you could say that is the masterpiece that many foreros think it is, but no, in fact I like as composition and is more modern in concept vetiver reworded current than this, but this It has better quality in essences used. It is more “L’Eau boisée” as a whole vetiver fragrance seems better than these.
The combination of lemon with vetiver is very successful, with high quality, although later work on vetiver was found that using citrus, grapefruit, accompanies and better rounded and smoky earthiness offered by this essence. The remaining notes accompany these two in a very subtle and lightly, noticing something snuff.
Development of the old school with a moderate duration and smooth wake, but well aerated for that so natural vetiver, this makes it ideal for daytime use.
The set is perceived very classic and sober and drying prefer to departure, as this encounter the somewhat bland and lack of anything else for that lemon so lonely and brief in this story.
Good composition, mythical, recognized, but nowhere are facing a masterpiece.
Rating: 7
jps867Negeltzex – :
“What type of man do you want to be?”
Today I will digress in two male mythical Guerlain: Habit Rouge and Vetiver, opposing each other.
Guerlain Vetiver:
The classic masculine, where the vetiver note has become a benchmark for men. For use with suit and tie, at any meeting. Classy, but also a lot of sobriety.
For me, however, it is a bit dated (yes, I’m the counter current of those who consider this more modern than Habit Rouge, being this one outdated upon many reviewers): I prefer more modern vetivers, when that note, one of my favorites, is blended with a touch of profanity as in L`Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu, example of exoticism; or wherein the distinction is even more marked as in Chanel Sycomore, the unsurpassed distinction. Or is it the sandalwood that matches the vetiver so smoothly?
But my reference is Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire, vetiver at its higher level, linking to my taste on oriental and inspiring my next short review on Habit Rouge below.
I am so sorry, Guerlain, you inspired many, and will have to watch now the beauty of youth from distance.
Unless…
Guerlain Habit Rouge Eau de Toilette:
This is the opposite of the previous one: said to be the first male oriental in 1965! Or, as I think, was it the first androgynous? It does not matter, because it has it all for those who always feel good in their skin, whether at work or at play, such as a father or as a romantic lover (ok, he may be all at the same time, ok?). And both based on the cutaway aristocrat as the rocker playing his electric guitar jumping on stage … If you are more for well-defined identities, it will not be for you.
The touch of vanilla in the drydown is wonderful, someone considered the male Shalimar. I do not agree completely: it is less powdery and is drier (a more pronounced and animalic leather accord?). It is a unique scent and I do not know any other as complex, contradictory and inexhaustible. Guerlain wanted men the opportunity to wear Guerlinade, and they succeeded auspiciously.
A modern replacement?
I’ll think a bit more about it. You see, I prefer this against Vetiver; I changed. A few years ago I thought otherwise.
My dear Guerlain, you need not anymore to feel envious. You became a forever young vamp. But you’ll have to walk alone.
Nastena207 – :
I’m going through a “vetiver” phase so I can tease it out of other fragrances a bit more. This is very “lemony-limey” at first bat. It then becomes a “fresh” even “cedar-like” scent (no iso E), but just sort of fresh-wind-blowing-through-trees-high mountains sort of smell. That is the vetiver, the one I’m smelling in my other “vetivers sampler pack.” I smell the pepper and whiffs of the nutmeg, no tobacco (or else I’d love it). It fades on me pretty fast; sillage is non-existent and longevity, well, two hours. That’s okay as this was a sampler from STC, and I’m not planning on making any of these vetivers my “go to.” I think this would smell “nice” on a man but I wouldn’t “stalk him,” (I have been known to be a hound when a whiff comes by and even to brazenly approach and ask, “Hey, what’s that fantastic scent…”?) and on the whole, I think there are “better vetivers” out there. However, this is what I think of when someone says “vetiver” as it’s pretty simple to me.
dimas6186 – :
This fragrance is a marvel and a classic for good reason.
I’ve been able to experience 3 different iterations of this:
I. The one in the frosted, square bottle,
II. The pre-reformulation bottle – same presentation as the Habit Rouge bottle, but on the pre-reformulation bottle, the cap is GOLD w/ the black ribbing at the cap’s base
III. The version available today, which has a SILVER cap w/ the black ribbing at the cap’s base
While the versions in the square frosted glass and today’s version are serviceable, they are noticeably drier and feel less nuanced than the version I have from 1999 or thereabouts. The grassy vibe in the pre-reformulation is sweeter, greener and more aromatic. It has a more realistic lemon top note (the version available now is more like the ghost of a lemon) and overall, it feels more natural and seamless from top to bottom. One can easily identify the black pepper, the nutmeg, the tobacco, and of course, the loveliest vetiver I’ve ever experienced. So much in fact, that over the last 5 or 6 years, I’ve managed to secure about a dozen bottles of it. I actually bought out the entire stock of a tiny store in the South of France when I noticed they had a few on hand. They are in perfect condition and I kept them refrigerated, just for safety!
An aromatic signature scent, wearable in any season. It’s at once relaxed and polished, and extremely versatile. Very few fragrances actually make my heart race but this is one of them. To me, it is simply perfect.
sashka55 – :
Worn once upon a time ad mortem by someone very fastidiously possessed of the best possible simulacrum of good taste and very much in dread of any hint of a lowbrow or crass element that might ever be inferred in the persona. Hanging densely in the air twice a day for several months, his Vetiver set a new benchmark in generic nonentity for me. I was reminded of a fizzy drink containing only acid and sugar and water.
It wasn’t a bad fragrance I suppose, but why waste sharpness on conventionality/acceptability when you could lavish it on astonishability?
I truly wish I were not so bored with this when I read the positive reviews that mention so many beautiful and fascinating notes that I can’t enjoy or even detect here at all. Maybe the overdose over all that time just bludgeoned the nasal nerves into numbness.
pompylmn432Negeltzex – :
This is a masterpiece by Jean-Paul Guerlain. when he was the master perfumer of Guerlain. A fresh, natural and earthy scent. Strong sillage full of fresh Lemon. Longlasting Vetiver with great projection. Rich tobacco and spices. The best Vetiver based fragrance. A true masterpiece. Kudos Guerlain.
agr613Negeltzex – :
Fresh, green smelling citrus and manly.Well blended and for all seasons.i like it but it doesnt last(current formulation 2014) at all and it doesnt projects.People around me think that this is for older people or they have linked vetiver with their own memories (grandpa hugs etc).If u want the same smell with super longevity and projection go for Tom Ford grey vetyver.U wont be dissapointed.Sorry Guerlain.
FANNABODY – :
The “Reference” Vetiver…
Jean-Paul Guerlain’s Vetiver was one of the the first fragrances composed primarily around Vetiver, and it has become a classic ever since.
For me, when I first opened this and sprayed it I was shocked. It smelled like an old man! Not just that, but an old people’s retirement home! I was horrified, and for a long time I couldn’t get this image out of my head!
But I gave it time (like all Guerlain’s), and guess what? I love it now! I wouldn’t be without it. I now think that if I only had to choose two fragrances to wear for the rest of my life, it would be this and Habit Rouge.
So, what’s not to like here? You have fresh, bright Lemon and dry, spicy pepper in the opening, joined by Nutmeg, a hint of Tobacco, and raw, earthy dry Vetiver throughout. Jean-Paul Guerlain made this when he was only 20 years old (an amazing feat for a perfumer), and he based it on the smell of a gardener, working in the crisp, early morning. Whilst wearing this you really do feel active, dynamic and alive. If you close your eyes you can imagine what the air smells like at dawn in a dew-covered field in the early morning mist, the crisp, cold air mixing with the smell of earth and grass.
It’s very green, very fresh, very alive. This one really lifts you up and it sets you up for the day brilliantly. Like standing in a field and taking in the cold morning air. It also reminds me of green jungles, and it’s no surprise because this product was originally sold to Mexico, where they imported the Vetiver essence exclusively from Guerlain, and there was a huge demand for the smell of Vetiver in Latin America. For that reason, I also think it works (exceptionally) well in hot weather, cutting through the heat beautifully… the fresh lemon lifting up the green, earthy Vetiver and making it a very clean, almost soapy smell.
Look, I know not everyone will like this one at first, but if you like green, earthy and fresh… you’ll really love this one. Just try it on a spring or summer morning just before stepping out of the house into the air. You’ll see what I mean, what kind of effect it has. I love this one, love it, and love Guerlain for making this. No Vanilla, no Amber or heavy Florals. Just pure green, refreshing energy! Great stuff.
agrimmerm – :
The 2012 version (vintage bottle, chromed cap) is a solid, refined scent for grown ups. Yet to my nose it doesn’t smell dated at all.
It may not make sense, but for me it is a confidence-boosting scent, yet understated.
In comparison Tom Ford’s Grey Vetiver got a very similar scent to my nose but appers like a weaker EdC version of the Guerlain. 1~2 sprays of Guerlain’s Vetiver project 6+ hours on me. That’s all I can ask for.
Very versatile 4 season, work & casual fragrance for almost all occasions, clubbing excluded. I would suggest it for age 30+.
A great composition not just for collectors.
bzy109elipseskism – :
Kopa, that is an extraordinary reaction to what I’ve always considered a very safe, middle-of-the-road vetiver scent. In fact, I’ve looked around for other vetivers, including Grey Vetiver and Haitian Vetiver, and I’ve never purchased any of them because I consider Guerlain’s take to be almost definitive.
That’s the fascinating thing about certain fragrances isn’t it? I tried Guerlain’s Habit Rouge and couldn’t get it off my skin fast enough.
berden – :
As a huge fan of Terre d’Hermes I spent a fair bit of time researching a classic vetiver fragrance and ended up with this.
My experience sounds a little like Roll4fun below. I’m not getting any citrus or woody notes whatsoever. Could it be a dud batch?
What I do have is a bottle of the most disgusting fragrance I have had the misfortune to own, beating even the repulsive Spicebomb.
A couple of quick sprays and I got an overbearing stench of an unwashed urinal, tinged with stale tobacco and something sickly the background. The stink grew so intense within a couple of minutes that I’m ashamed to say it made me feel physically sick to the point where, unbelievably, I had to wash it off in desperation.
I just don’t get it. How can this be the classic, citrusy, earthy fragrance that so many seem to adore?
tgkppt – :
Pure Vetiver extract is dark brown liquid with enormous Fragrance with bitternotes in it. This Perfume somehow takes off the unpleasantness and gives a wonderful highlights on Vetiver. Amazing and long lasting. I have a minature. Once done I will buy a medium one
pavlov03 – :
“One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.”
– Oscar Wilde
How To Wear a Work of Art…..
I will never forget the first time I sampled Guerlain Vetiver. It was after a long flight and I was lounging around the duty free of Schipol Airport, idly sampling the blandly generic contemporary offerings which just seemed to suggest that the future route for men’s fragrance was a cul-de-sac of reiterated but slightly-tweeked standard formulas.
And then out of the side of my eye I spotted the discrete but immediately classical looking bottle and box of Guerlain Vetiver. Now I had recently come across mention of this fragrance in an article where it was highly acclaimed as one of the better fragrances from times past, one with supposed timeless appeal. Having a little time (and a small amount of skin remaining free for testing), I proceeded to spray and sniff. Immediately the associations that came to my mind were those of dental clinics, strong tobacco in humid evening air and some mysterious time of a green and distant past in my memory. Alongside this, the smokey-plastic vibe which is characteristic of Vetiver’s opening seemed too strong to bear comfortably. I made my excuses to myself and scrubbed.
And then on the evening flight something extraordinary happened. I started to be reminded of past Spring evenings even as a child, times of cut lawn grass in the evening, threatening thunderstorms and old relatives with their tobacco and clove sweets smells….Needless to say, I was amazed.
It was another couple of months before I got a chance to try Guerlain Vetiver again in an altogether more relaxed environment. This time, waiting for the drydown, the full effect of what I can only call an ‘elegant grassiness’ was allowed to unfold. Yes, some of the more immediate associations that I had before were still there, but with Vetiver I learned the point is to be patient and allow the top to work itself off for a bit before judgment. (Guerlain Vetiver assumes a prospective buyer is going to take the time – it could never be launched in a world of the fifteen second attention span.)
In short, Guerlain Vetiver is a highly recommended try for anyone looking for a classic Springtime fragrance. While not at all dated or dandified, it is redolent of a mannered and sophisticated charm. It also has a definite artistry about it, and may well be a precursor to some later more individualistic fragrances of even recent years. Guerlain Vetiver carries a lot of fragrance history in its bewitching green fluid.
mkrt63 – :
have just added pepper and tobacco to the bottom is my CONJUNCTION vintage version but more beautiful
kokas – :
NEVER FORGET HOW GOOD THIS STUFF IS.The mothership of vetiver’s. A clean, mature scent (with staying power) for grown-ups. Great everyday, any occasion or any season scent that’s very affordable. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar this is tough to beat.Proof that you don’t have to spend a fortune to smell great!
jlexa567 – :
Vetiver by Guerlain is one of my personal favorites from the historic perfume house. Maybe this is because I’m enamored with the vetiver note and all of its green, smoky depth. This classic combines vetiver with tobacco and a huge dose of nutmeg which results in a “barber shop” feel. “Vetiver” is a must try for vetiver lovers and fans of classics.
Highly recommended, especially for women. 4.5/5
proshka – :
I’ve made my mind up. It’s the tobacco note – too prominent for my taste. For my, it spoils the fragrance.
Meqto849InsuffBooni – :
roll4fun, I have the same bottle as you. I believe this is the original formulation in the “Heritage” like bottle. I’m pretty sure the reformulation is in the ribbed bottle. Whichever version we have, it is magnificent. It took me a little while to appreciate vetivers to the full but once you’re there it is blissfull. There are many of them, one of my favourites being Tom fords grey vetiver but Guerlains is legendary and absolute quality.
ipateva – :
I love this fragrance,unfortunatly it does not project or last very long on me,even though I virtually bathed in it.real shame
samohod76 – :
***Disclaimer** I’m not 100% sure that I’m putting review in the right place as I’m not positive which version of Guerlain Vetiver I bought. Bottle (1.7 oz) resembled bottle in this profile, except mine had silver cap, and came in medium/light green box. I bought this to round out my rotation a bit.
I guess a strong vetiver frag is an acquired taste- I’m not there, yet. For now, this is an occasional reach for certain occasions. Those where you want to project a neutered- friendly, “I’m here for business, don’t fool with me” kind of occasion. Like maybe negotiating price on a car purchase.
As for the scent: I’m not really getting the lemon scent like some reviewers, I get a definite vetiver/tobacco woody/smoky from start to finish. Initially has an acrid smoky quality (could that be the lemon blending in with other notes) that settles to a more aromatic/smoky scent within 10 minutes. Initial projection is moderately strong, I can still smell on skin after 5 hours. One downside I noted after ~ 4 hours is I started getting an intermittent stale burnt hay kind of scent.
For now, I’ll wear it for my next car dealer visit, or when I get a little bored with my other frags. Anyone who can enlighten me for determining which version I bought (original 1959 composition, or reformulated) please feel free to post in my thread on this subject.
TRIAFFOCOREOR – :
Not entirely made my mind up about this one yet. Not sure I like it. The opening is a sort of soapy and slightly dirty lemon, something slightly offensive. The drydown is more woody and masculine with a note of tobacco, nicer than the opening.
oldsandman – :
Guerlain Vetiver remains after all these years a unique and outstanding vetiver scent. Together with Encre Noir, it is also relatively inexpensive – if you are on a tight budget get these two and you will have covered a lot of the ground in vetivers.
The top has some mixed citrus and lots of neroli (like a light bitter floral orange peel) with plenty of vetiver apparent from the start. The middle has some tobacco and perhaps clary sage, and the base is dominated by a clean grassy vetiver. Most vetiver perfumes trend toward the dark rooty smoky side, but Guerlain’s is lighter and grassier, almost sweet. I love vetivers and have sampled a lot of them and this one is unique. Even if you don’t normally like vetivers you might like this one.
I have the EDT bottle pictured here (square incut center) and I don’t know if it differs from the older bottle (ribbed), which Fragrantica lists separately and with a much more extensive list of notes (probably more accurate). By the way, Guerlain Vetiver Extreme is quite different and equally impressive – the citrus top is largely gone and replaced by tarragon (herbal anise-like), there is a nutmeg note in the middle, and the vetiver tone is more typically rooty. If GV is the urbane man, then GVE is the mysterious man.
igor6333 – :
A few days ago I tried the pre-2000 version on one arm and the post-2000 on the other. The old version smelled sweeter and more richly expressive in the top, but then got very weak, leaving only a little smoky green behind. (The funny thing is, I don’t remember it being so weak on the previous times I’ve worn it.) The new version was sharper and stronger for the whole duratino, with more sour citrus in the top, and a reedy smell which I was able to pick up all throughout the development. I’ve found this reediness in the bases of a few other summery frags and I quite like it; it makes me think of bamboo. It appeals to me more than the tobacco in the base of the old version. Overall, they’re noticeably different scents, but I like them both. They both convey the same classical candid and clean virility even though they go about it differently. If the old one continues to be weak in the middle and base for me, however, then even its richer top will not win it my favor over the new one. Still, it could just be that my bottle of the old version has lost some of its kick over the years.
uart – :
Very rarely do you find a fragrance that makes 90 % of your collection seem redundant.
I can’t believe I haven’t tried this before. It’s truly something special. I feel good wearing this, really good.
I won’t even bother looking for vintage formulations, because this is perfectly beautiful just the way it is.
FriendJordan – :
Guerlain’s Vetiver opens with the same musty stuffy lemon a lot of Guerlains tend to have. I’m not particularly fond of this note, but I now know I just have to wait for the magic to happen.
A soapy vetiver unfolds, pushing the lemon away, supported by a distinguished (I really have no other word to describe it) tobacco accord. The nutmeg shines quite strongly here to, creating a dry spicy vibe.
To me, this is a gentlemen’s fragrance. Distinguished, elegant, straightforward. Composed of few notes, but every single ingredient is worked to perfection.
This perfume asks for a man in a suit, complete with hat, trenchcoat, pipe and a book or newspaper.
Now excuse me while I continue to dream…
hve960elipseskism – :
Years ago, I fell in love with this accord when I purchased a vetiver room spray from The Thymes. Since then, I’ve searched for a true vetiver note in a fragrance, and this is it! Vetiver Guerlain must be glorious on a man, but I’m loving it on myself and I’d encourage women who love vetiver to explore this one. This is a very green fragrance accompanied by the stark snapping of a dry twig. Glorious. One of my all-time favorites. Longevity is good, the sillage is not overpowering, and the scent has remained steady throughout. I’m wearing this for the first time today and I look forward to having a full bottle of this one.
avtoment – :
Ever wanted to have a summer flanker for Encre Noir? Well, this one not only answer the question, but changes everything. It has a lot of things I love from EN and much more, all in the same bottle (mine is 200 ml, I was enchanted). It goes well everywhere, anytime. EN can wait for those special moments and I miss it a little less. Do not worry too much about old and new version.
***