My Top 10 Vetiver Perfumes

The husband is probably the one who should write this list, seeing as how all the vetiver perfumes reside in his cabinet. But he has a hard time picking, and besides, I don't want to make it look like vetiver is strictly a manly business. The bottles might officially be his, but I borrow and wear these perfumes regularly. The extra dry ones are among my summer staples, while the spicy vetivers are an all-year round favorites. My personal preference is towards the grassy side of this note, and this is what the list reflects. The Blond is also very fond of swampy vetivers, so he wears and enjoys Chanel Sycomore and  the inky Encre Noire (Lalique).

1. Mona di Orio- Vetyver. This is actually my favorite vetiver in the world. Spicy, sweet, and luxurious.
2. L'Artisan- Coeur de Vétiver Sacré. Black tea, spice, and dried fruit help highlight the complexity of the main note.
3. Serge Lutens- Vetiver Oriental. Green vetiver, iris, and chocolate. As original today as when it launched ten years ago.
4. MPG- Route de Vetiver. You can almost feel the crunchy grass under your feet.
5. Frederic Malle- Vetiver Extraordinaire. My official late August perfume.
6. Guerlain- Vetiver. The vintage was perfect, later versions are still good.
7. Parfums de Nicolai- Vetyver. Spicy, delicious, and proves that vetiver can tame everything, even cumin.
8. Guerlain- Vetiver pour Elle. The kindest, gentlest, and most floral vetiver, yet not quite as feminine as Guerlain presented it. I wonder if a better name and positioning would have made a difference in sales (and could have prevented the discontinuing of this gem).
9. Roja Parfums- Vetiver Extrait. Roja Dove will be the first to tell you that he created Vetiver Extrait to make up for the reformulation of the classic Guerlain Vetiver, the signature scent of his partner. The extrait is, indeed, modeled after the vintage Guerlain, only nicer and richer. Of course, at over $300 a pop it better be.
10. Les Nez-Turtle Vetiver Exercise 1. The most intsense variation on the dry grass vetiver theme. The other Turtle Vetivers are also full-bodied and uncompromising, but this one, to me, is the most striking.

Honorable mentions go to Onda by Vero Profumo which is not technically a vetiver fragrance, but the fiery vetiver note is unmistakable amid the fur and leather, to Vetiver Dance by Andy Tauer, a perfume that comes into its own and smells smoother after about a year in the bottle, and to Annick Goutal Vetiver (at least in its original formula, I haven't smelled the most recent version in the updated bottle), and MPG Racine.