Hey there Posse Peeps, The guys sent me a Press bottle of Vetyver when I shopped in their end of year sale. I think to show me how the new formula smells. VERY bloody exciting.
You know how much I revere the Le Galion line, right? So much that I searched out Nicolas Chabot and his partner Enno Ebels. We have over the years become good friends and we catch up for dinner whenever we find ourselves in the same city. Their dedication to maintaining the quality of perfumes released by Le Galion is remarkable. Recently they’ve gone through and done a little spruce up on a few of the formulas for compliance, ingredients and/or to bring them up to date. The packaging also had a little facelift. Paper stickers and a new magnetic, slightly heavier cap on the bottles and FINALLY they got rid of those bloody awful pedestal boxes and made a slide top box. YAY for simple, sensible upgrades.
Vetyver by Le Galion
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Italian Mandarin, Nutmeg, Coriander
Heart: Clary Sage, Lavender, Petitgrain, Tarragon, Verbena
Base: Vetiver, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Musk.
Above you’ll see the old style bottle. Below the new packaging and bottle. Still retaining the elegant deco lines but adding a little savoir-faire.
OHH! Vetyver’s opening is super interesting. Green like broken twigs with a fresh cut citrus zest. Very herbal and I wish I had a better nose to really parse what I smell for you. My best analogy is that smell of a basket of herbs picked fresh from the garden. I’m surprised rosemary isn’t a featured note because that’s the one thing I’m connecting with. As we really head to the heart my mind goes to fresh cut lawn and that sweet green smell when rain first hits a garden, like everything is so fecund and revitalising.
Later on I get the beautiful green citrus surprise of Lemon Verbena, that lasts through the heart beautifully and into drydown. Called Vetyver but the note itself only plays a background role till the late heart and drydown. Suddenly, after about an hour, the fragrance morphs into that beautiful oily, slightly salty, dried tall grasses with some accompanying bells & whistles.Oh! I love this part so much. A darker, smokier vetiver light sweetened.
Vetyver is aimed at the gents and was, even when first released in 1968. The ad copy called it “male flowers”. In the day to day I’d tend to agree but perfumistas aren’t held to rigid hetero-normative sales pitches and any person not cis male who loves aromatic fragrance should definitely give it a go. It will sparkle on anyone who wears it. Longevity is excellent and projection moderate for the first couple of hours, then it hums along quietly for hours and hours more.
I’ve also written about Tilleul, Cologne Nocturne and Bourrasque here on Perfume Posse
Do you like a vetiver fragrance?
Portia xx
I’m a fan of vetiver. This one sounds lovely. My favorite is Lalique Encre Noire, my husband and I share a bottle.
Hey Rosarita,
Encre Noire is another fabulous vetiver, so dark and inky. MMM
Portia xx
Ooooh, maybe it’s my longing-for-spring right now, but this sounds absolutely lovely, the idea of all that citrus-herbal greenery! I bet it would smell great on anyone. And the bottle is just gorgeous.
Hey March,
I wore Vetyver today and had a couple of people ask. It’s lovely, fragrant but definitely on the moderate side.
Portia xx
Chanel No 19 and Sycomore, both loves of mine, are full of vetiver. Love a vetiver scent! I bought Guerlain Vetiver for my husband early on in my perfume hobby. Love that one, too. This Vetyver sounds good, Portia.
DinaC! If you love vetiver then this one may just blow your socks off.
Portia xx
Vetiver is usually simply an ok for me. I love how Provision Matri does vetiver though and have a bottle. The Le Galion that I seriously want to try is L’âme Perdue. I love the name, the notes, and the perfumer – and can’t seem to find it anywhere in the US.
Hey Maya,
I bought a bottle of L’âme Perdue. They send from France VERY reasonably. It’s the next bottle I am going to open so there will be a review in the near future.
Portia xx
YAY!
What a lovely presentation, Portia! Those bottles are reminiscent of Dior (minus the ribbing – maybe it’s the shape and new label that has me thinking that?)…??
I am not a huge fan of vetiver in ‘wearing’ perfume – but I do love to spray it on fabrics. I’ll bet this would smell amazing on silk curtains!!
Wait. I lied. there is ONE vetiver I love to wear, though it is a scary experience (for my timid self, anyway)…Djedi.
xoxoxo
Hey Musette,
Well, Le Galion were the crew that made DIOR fragrances for decades. It makes sense they were synced.
Oh yes, DJEDI!! There’s a small vial here that I sometimes sniff. TO DIE FOR.
Portia xx
I have never smelled Djedi and am almost afraid to. Will I love it? Will it disappoint? (I’d almost hope for the latter considering how rare and spendy it is..)
I love Vetiver fragrances! I love Sycamore, and Vetiver Extraordinaire, and I know where i can find a bottle of Goutal’s Vetiver-just wondering if I should buy it unsniffed. I love your passion for Le Galion, and I love that you;re friends with the owners. The bottles are elegant. I’ll get to try this line, I’m sure. I want to try Snob, just for the name 🙂 Have a great day, Portia.
HA! Yes, Snob is an excellent name for a fragrance Carole. It’s very nice but not my favourite from the line. I do love to spritz heavily when I wear it though so people ask me what I’m wearing.
Portia xx
Vetiver … in stuff is ok, but not as a main note — simply doesn’t work well. Not sure why. Maybe veers too green on me.
Hey Cinnamon,
Then you will ABHORE this.
Your wallet thanks you.
Portia xx
I do like Vetiver. If asked I would t say it was my favorite thing, but I find that it’s in a bunch of scents I own and love. Where are these available?
Hey Tom,
None of the usual suspects has it in the USA. They do ship to the world though, from Paris. It’s well worth taking the time.
Portia xx