At the edge of a wood, a man spoke to me of his love for the earth, of the magic of the seasons. Subtle odors seeped into me, detaching me from his story. The man extolled an imperceptible odor of tobacco mingling with the scents of nature, underscored by the fragrance of generous freshly turned earth.
Conceived in 1959 by Jean-Paul Guerlain, Vétiver is considered a great classic of perfumery. Composed, as its name indicates, essentially around vetiver, Vétiver is one of the most masculine fragrances. At that time, vetiver was beginning to make its appearance and symbolized virility, since it was an ingredient used only in compositions for men. Ultra elegant, Vétiver is a timeless woody-aromatic. Indeed, for nearly 60 years, the first fragrance by Jean-Paul Guerlain has weathered trends and eras without aging a day.
Vétiver, Jean-Paul Guerlain's first fragrance
Jean-Paul Guerlain, grandson of the house's founder, was only 22 years old when he created Vétiver, which was, at the same time, his very first composition. Born in 1937 in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, Jean-Paul Guerlain was the third perfumer of the highly select house of Guerlain. Capable of recognizing more than 33,000 different olfactory nuances, Jean-Paul Guerlain has more than 40 compositions to his name. He can boast of having created perfumes containing at least 80% natural ingredients. In 1994, Jean-Paul Guerlain sold the house of Guerlain to the LVMH group, but remained CEO until 2002. Today, it is Thierry Wasser who heads the olfactory creations of the house of Guerlain. Jean-Paul Guerlain is responsible for some of the brand's most beautiful fragrances, such as Samsara, Habit Rouge, and the Aqua Allegoria collections.
Vetiver, the star of Guerlain's composition
It is therefore, naturally, vetiver that guides the composition of the Vétiver fragrance. This ingredient is surrounded by fresh, fleeting notes wrapped in a more intense, woody sillage. Vétiver offers men all the natural elegance that allows them to be themselves. Vetiver originates from India, but can also be found in other tropical countries. Vetiver appears as a large green tuft. In perfumery, it is mainly Bourbon vetiver and Haitian vetiver that are used. At first, vetiver was reserved for masculine compositions, as it lent them a fine virility. Little by little, however, it managed to work its way into feminine compositions. Vetiver gives off sparkling, woody tones. It also presents earthy, fresh, green, smoky odors, often reminiscent of the smell of the undergrowth. Here, vetiver combines with citrus notes, ultra fresh, such as lemon, bergamot and neroli. The heart then juxtaposes vetiver with tobacco leaves and peppery notes. Vetiver flourishes in an ultra virile base, combining with sandalwood, patchouli and tonka bean. Noble and elegant, Vétiver is among the great classics of perfumery.
Jean-Paul Guerlain's first composition, and by no means the least, Vétiver has managed to establish itself over time to become a timeless classic.