Scotto
09-21-2005, 07:06 AM
After all the vetiver talk, I decided to pick up a bottle of the L'Occitane version. This is my first ever experience with Vetyver scents, so I wasn't sure what to expect. In a nutshell, I am very impressed.
Colognes, for me, fall into a few different categories. There is the "I am a cologne, and I smell nice" category (Taylor, C-M, ...). Then there is the "I smell intensely of the elements I consist of (Penhaligon's, ...). Lastly, there is the category of fragrances that evoke a mood, a memory, an emotion. The L'O Vetyver is one of those.
It starts off grassy. Not the grassiness of a well-manicured lawn, but rather evocative of tall fields of wild grass swaying in an Autumn breeze. You get a bit of herbaceousness, perhaps the faint aroma of rosemary and sage gracing a full Thanksgiving table. As it drys down, it turns smoky, rich, and haunting. It is the whiff of fall leaves burning, walks in the woods, and Halloween approaching. Every now and then I get surprised by a sudden whiff of sweetness. Perhaps the memory of hot apple-cider doughnuts cooking while you are out apple picking with the family, or the sudden burst of scent when you walk on the verbena growing in the garden. Very heady, wonderful stuff that for me is the essence of Autumn. I got almost wistful driving to work, listening to acoustic Grateful Dead and smelling the vetyver. I began to think of the change of seasons, things moving on, etc. All in all, I can heartily recommend this fragrance.
Colognes, for me, fall into a few different categories. There is the "I am a cologne, and I smell nice" category (Taylor, C-M, ...). Then there is the "I smell intensely of the elements I consist of (Penhaligon's, ...). Lastly, there is the category of fragrances that evoke a mood, a memory, an emotion. The L'O Vetyver is one of those.
It starts off grassy. Not the grassiness of a well-manicured lawn, but rather evocative of tall fields of wild grass swaying in an Autumn breeze. You get a bit of herbaceousness, perhaps the faint aroma of rosemary and sage gracing a full Thanksgiving table. As it drys down, it turns smoky, rich, and haunting. It is the whiff of fall leaves burning, walks in the woods, and Halloween approaching. Every now and then I get surprised by a sudden whiff of sweetness. Perhaps the memory of hot apple-cider doughnuts cooking while you are out apple picking with the family, or the sudden burst of scent when you walk on the verbena growing in the garden. Very heady, wonderful stuff that for me is the essence of Autumn. I got almost wistful driving to work, listening to acoustic Grateful Dead and smelling the vetyver. I began to think of the change of seasons, things moving on, etc. All in all, I can heartily recommend this fragrance.