This is the second of my seasonal posts for vetiver (I've already done a list for summer), and as always, the line between the seasons is perhaps a bit arbitrary and/or personal: some of these fragrances wear just as well in summer or winter, and some of them work perfectly fine all the year round. But certainly any of the five would work just fine for autumn weather. As always, do add your own picks in the comments!
The Different Company Sel de Vetiver: It's meant to recall the smell of salt drying on skin after swimming in the ocean, but to my nose, its warm, earthy character places the swim sometime in late September or early October, if you'll allow the conceit. Certainly it isn't summery, or beachy, in any traditional sense, and you might not immediately place it in the vetiver category either. Unusual enough to be worth a try even if you don't always love vetiver.
Lalique Encre Noir: The Lalique, on the other hand, is more tightly focused on the vetiver, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but a serious vetiver fan. It's dark and inky enough to live up to its name and its chunky inkwell bottle, and earthy enough to qualify as a true vetiver fragrance. It wears relatively sheer, though, so it's not at all overbearing or difficult. (Later, Lalique introduced Encre Noir Pour Elle, a paler and blander version with much less of a vetiver presence. I think that one is now discontinued? A woman can easily wear the original anyway.)
Etat Libre d'Orange Fat Electrician: Angela called Fat Electrician "robust", and noted that "It kicks in from the start with sharp, rooty vetiver backed with enough opoponax and medicinal myrrh to make it smell as resinous as incense. Vetiver incense." It's one of my favorites from this arguably overextended and overhyped brand.
Parfums de Nicolaï Vetyver: A little less vetiver-centric than some of the others listed here, this spicy entry manages to feel simulataneously bright and warm. I have tried it several times over the years, and each time I regretfully conclude that no, I still can't wear that much cumin. If you think you can, do give this one a shot.
Etro Vetiver: An almost-smoky vetiver with tobacco and cypress, it's every bit as earthy and robust as a good vetiver fragrance ought to be, and I'm surprised I don't see it mentioned more often. It's one of Kevin's favorites, and he recommends it for anyone who likes Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Route du Vetiver (which will make my winter list for sure) but finds it hard to wear. (If they were still making Honoré des Prés Chaman's Party, it would be the alternative.)
Note: top image shows a vetiver wreath, $42 at Zen Deluxe.
Though I wear it year round, Dzongkha seems particularly suited for fall, and a bit more complex than straight vetiver.
I will be the lone dissenter on Fat Electrican: I find it relentlessly boring. I’m glad it is enjoyed though and I generally enjoy the rest of ELdO’s line.
I included Dzongkha in my fall iris post, and you could put it in the fall incense post for that matter — which I think means that everybody ought to own a bottle!
And I’m sure you won’t be the only dissenter.
I concur. EVERYONE should own Dzongkha!
🙂
Here here!
Sycomore is a great autumn vetiver – a hint of smoke in the air. And I wore Vétiver Tonka today; hazelnuts fit the season too.
And I have those pegged for spring and winter respectively. So long as they make the total list of 20 it should be ok, right?
Must seek out the Etro version, posthaste 🙂
You know, I should have said — hope it is not reformulated! I have not smelled in a few+ years and I think there have been reports that Etro has been reformulating their stuff.
I see a week of vetiver after my incense jag. Thank you for the list and for the nudge to dig out Sycomore and Vetiver de Java and decide their most appropriate season.
Vetiver de Java would be fall, I think — it was on my long list for today. But maybe you’ll give it another season.
Vetiver Sacre! (Or are you saving that one for winter?) I love its incense and vanilla.
You mean the L’Artisan, right? I try not to include discontinued fragrances in this series, other than to mention them as asides, and thought L’Artisan had axed that one (?)
Timbuktu. My beloved vetiver for every season of a year.
In which case I could have done a much shorter series 😉
I don’t think your point is arguable at all: ELdO is without question overhyped and overextended. 35 scents in a decade is just too many, and they rely far too heavily on shock value, although they’ve been letting up on that a bit recently. But they have some genuinely great scents in their line (I worship their Rossy de Palma and Je Suis Un Homme). As the saying goes, even a blind squirrel will stumble across an acorn from time to time.
My favourite vetiver, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, is Demeter Vetiver. It’s so cheap, and so good!
We pretty much agree on ELdO then, although I’d also list the Tilda Swinton among the greats.
The Demeter came up in the summer comments and I still have not tried it!
Fils de Dieu is my favorite (but I wasn’t able to find much else in the line that I had to have and my ELdO sample kit is pretty much left unused).
Wore Les Nez Turtle Vetiver Front this weekend, and it was perfect! I don’t know whether you would consider it “discontinued” since it was a limited edition, but I had to mentioned it as I find it so good for this season.
Will then try to search for my sample of Fat Electrician to wear it tomorrow.
Oh, absolutely would have included one or another of the Turtle Vetivers (probably the first one, but I liked Front too) if you could still buy them! And wish they’d do another one.
It just came to my mind that I wore one more vetiver last week and it was perfect for this season: Bel Ami Vetiver!
Pretty sure I have that on my winter list, but you absolutely could wear it in fall!
Out of my beloved Vetiver collection I would like to introduce Ombre Fumée by Evody as the fall recommendation. This one is so underrated! A fluffy opening from orange and cardamom dives into a rich, dark, grassy-smoky Vetiver scent. Great stuff.
That sounds wonderful, I”ll have to try it!
Tempting picks. I think Terre d’Hermès and Amouage Dia Man would also be nice for Fall. Love these lists, Robin. And you have been picking the best notes, incense, vanilla, vetiver. Such fun read, you can almost see the landscape changing as you go through them.
So glad you are enjoying it!
I will be wearing Vetiver Tonka this autumn….vetiver is a tricky note for me but I really like it in this fragrance…..
Nice one!
One of my all time favorites 🙂
Wonderful choices, although I haven’t tried the Etro one. I absolutely love Sel de Vetiver and I agree it’s great for autumn. I think Sycomore is excellent towards the end of the year, as is Encre Noir. And I’ve very recently fallen for Timbuktu: I get a lot of vetiver from it and for me, it works great for this moment we’re in.
Wearing Angel Muse today – not a soligrass, obviously, but very inspired use of vetiver in my opinion.
Angel Muse was in my mind too, the vetiver is nicely done esp as I’m kind of a vetiver wimp.
Ha, that should be the next series: vetiver fragrances for vetiver wimps!
Oh yes! Please do ! I am also a vetiver wimp….and now I want to try Angel Muse…wonder if my local Sephora has it so that I can score a free sample 🙂 …..
Timbuktu is on the incense list for fall — like Dzongkha, it could go in several lists.
Agree on the Sel de Vetiver and would add for me: China White, Vetiver Oriental and Onda.
Interesting, did not think of China White as a vetiver. I should smell it again.
I do like reading your vetiver lists and keep wanting to go to SF so I can try a few. The only vetiver I have is one from dyptique and I want more. The few here in the stores by me are all very masculine scents.
As a general rule, most vetiver-heavy fragrances lean masculine. Your best bet from the list above might be the first, Sel de Vetiver, or stick with the lighter scents on the summer list.
One I also like is Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental. I think it’s only available as a bell jar, unfortunately, so it’s not the most accessible. I’ve only ever had a decant.
And rarely mentioned to boot. I’ve only tried it once, years ago, and sadly don’t remember it all that well.