Vetiver by Guerlain was originally launched around 1836 as a unisex fragrance, reflecting the growing fascination with natural raw materials and refined aromatic compositions of the early 19th century. Guerlain’s choice of the name “Vetiver” is both practical and evocative: vetiver, a grass native to India and parts of Java and Haiti, had long been prized in perfumery, not only for eau de toilette but also for hair powders, scented snuff, and even cosmetic applications. The term “vetiver” comes from the Tamil word vetiver, meaning “root,” a nod to the part of the plant from which its essence is extracted. Pronounced as “veh-TEE-ver,” the word evokes images of sun-drenched fields, earthy freshness, and the subtly smoky-green warmth of dried roots, creating a sense of natural elegance and grounding calm.
Vetiver’s essence is traditionally obtained through steam distillation of its long, fibrous roots, yielding an oil that is simultaneously earthy, woody, and slightly smoky, with green, almost leathery undertones. Its aroma is distinguished by a rich complexity: naturally occurring vetiveryl acetate lends a soft, creamy facet; vetiverol adds a dry, woody crispness; and the root contains ketones and alcohols that impart a refined, long-lasting depth. In early Guerlain compositions, this natural richness was often complemented by subtle synthetic enhancements, which helped amplify the vibrancy and longevity of the vetiver while maintaining the natural character of the root.
The launch period of Vetiver coincided with the late Bourbon Restoration and the early July Monarchy in France—a time when elegance, social refinement, and personal grooming were highly prized among both men and women. Perfumes were no longer simply fragrant indulgences; they were symbols of status and taste. A scent named “Vetiver” would have been interpreted as sophisticated yet understated: earthy and grounded, with an almost masculine strength that appealed to men, while women appreciated its crisp, verdant freshness as a unifying note in unisex perfumery.
Throughout the 19th century, Vetiver remained a popular fragrance, with nearly every perfumery offering its own version based on a general olfactory structure. The versatility of vetiver allowed perfumers to tailor their compositions, adding or subtracting spices, florals, or woods to create unique interpretations that distinguished their product on the shelves. Jacques Guerlain reimagined Vetiver in 1922, preserving its essential character while refining its balance, and later in 1959, Jean-Paul Guerlain modernized it as a men’s cologne, originally intended for the South American market but quickly adopted internationally. Early formulas relied heavily on natural extracts, tinctures, and infusions, but by the end of the 19th century, the judicious use of synthetic aromachemicals allowed perfumers to highlight the root’s natural complexity while enhancing longevity and projection.
Vetiver by Guerlain, therefore, stands as both a classic and a benchmark: a fragrance that marries earthy natural elegance with refined sophistication, bridging the trends of its original era with enduring modern appeal. It is a perfume rooted in tradition yet flexible enough to evolve with changing tastes—a timeless expression of olfactory artistry.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Vetiver by Guerlain (1959 version) is classified as a classical woody spicy masculine fragrance
- Top notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli
- Middle notes: tobacco, incense, sandalwood, vetiver
- Base notes: nutmeg, vetiver, tobacco, oakmoss, tonka bean, pepper
Scent Profile:
Vetiver by Guerlain (1959 version) stands as one of perfumery’s great triumphs of balance — a composition that captures both the refinement of grooming and the raw vitality of nature. Though unmistakably masculine in its conception, its elegance transcends gender; it is the scent of polished wood, sun-warmed earth, and freshly pressed linen. Jacques Guerlain’s descendants, led by perfumer Jean-Paul Guerlain, modernized the house’s earlier Vetiver concept into this crystalline study of freshness and depth. Its classification as a classical woody spicy fragrance only hints at the mastery within — a perfume built not of heavy ornament, but of proportion, radiance, and texture.
The opening bursts alive with bergamot, lemon, and neroli — the triumvirate of brightness that forms the fragrance’s crystalline top. The bergamot, most likely from Calabria in southern Italy, is an oil obtained by cold-pressing the rind of the fruit, containing high levels of linalyl acetate, limonene, and linalool. These compounds lend a smooth, elegant citrus aroma — less acidic than lemon, more floral, and tinged with tea-like bitterness. Guerlain’s bergamot gives the perfume its classical French polish, a nod to the same material that illuminated Shalimar and Mitsouko.
The lemon, bright and piercing, lifts the composition further — Sicilian lemon, rich in citral and β-pinene, adds clarity and sparkle. Its role is not merely to freshen, but to carve space within the structure, a kind of olfactory light that keeps the heavier woods and spices that follow from feeling opaque. Synthetic aldehydes and hesperidic boosters like citronellal methylcrotonate may have been employed to enhance diffusion, ensuring the citrus top remains luminous far longer than nature alone allows.
Then comes neroli, distilled from the blossoms of bitter orange trees grown in Tunisia or Morocco — regions whose arid sun and mineral soil intensify the flowers’ waxy, honeyed facets. Neroli’s main molecules, linalool and nerolidol, lend both freshness and creamy depth. It provides the bridge between citrus and heart: where lemon is linear and sharp, neroli is round, petal-like, gently glowing. Guerlain’s neroli note softens the brisk opening, adding sophistication and a subtle floral echo that hints at fine cologne.
As the freshness subsides, the heart emerges — the point where Vetiver earns its name and character. Here, tobacco, incense, sandalwood, and vetiver form a seamless interplay of warmth, smoke, and wood. The tobacco note unfolds with a mellow, sun-dried sweetness reminiscent of cured leaves hanging in a barn — not the acrid smoke of cigarettes, but the aroma of golden Virginia or Turkish blends. Natural tobacco absolute, rich in ionones and coumarin-like lactones, gives a nuanced sweetness with hay and honeyed undertones. The note lends masculinity, but of a contemplative sort — urbane and quiet rather than aggressive. Subtle use of synthetic isobutyl quinoline or tabanone could enhance its leathery edge, deepening its resonance against the woods.
Incense, or olibanum from Somalia, breathes through this heart like a cool ribbon of smoke in sunlight. Its molecules — alpha-pinene, incensole acetate, and octyl acetate — create a contrast between resin and air: crisp, mineral brightness married to a balsamic, churchlike stillness. The incense gives shape to the composition, emphasizing verticality, so that the perfume seems to rise from earth to sky, rather than settling into density.
Sandalwood, almost certainly the precious Mysore variety from India, adds a creamy, sacred calm. Rich in santalol isomers, Mysore sandalwood differs from Australian or New Caledonian varieties in its unmatched smoothness — a mellow, milky woodiness with faint spice and warmth. Guerlain’s use of this sandalwood would have been both grounding and luminous, a soft cushion for the sharper notes. As the years passed, natural Mysore sandalwood grew scarce, and modern versions use synthetic substitutes like Javanol and Polysantol, which replicate the soft radiance and extend its persistence, ensuring the perfume’s drydown retains that meditative serenity long after the natural oil fades.
The vetiver itself — Haitian in origin — is the fragrance’s spine and spirit. Steam-distilled from the fibrous roots of Vetiveria zizanoides, Haitian vetiver is prized for its balance of smokiness and clarity. It contains vetiverol, vetivone, and khusimone, which together produce a smell at once green, woody, and faintly nutty. Compared to the darker, leathery Bourbon vetiver of Réunion, the Haitian type is more transparent, less earthy — ideal for the modernist vision Guerlain sought. Synthetic vetiveryl acetate refines this note further, smoothing out the rough, rooty edges and amplifying its polished, woody facets. The result is a vetiver that feels both natural and abstract — the smell of roots in sunlight, elegant yet elemental.
As the perfume dries down, the base reveals the most comforting and enduring part of its character — nutmeg, oakmoss, tonka bean, pepper, and another pulse of vetiver and tobacco. Nutmeg, sourced from the Banda Islands or Ceylon, offers warmth and subtle sweetness through the molecules sabinene and myristicin. It connects naturally with the spiciness of vetiver and the woodiness of sandalwood, creating a comforting hum beneath the sharper top.
Oakmoss, harvested from lichens in Balkan forests, adds the classical Guerlain gravitas — damp, mossy, and faintly leathery. Its evernic and atranol components contribute that characteristic earthy green depth. In the 1950s, oakmoss was still used liberally, giving Vetiver a moss-carpeted base that feels natural and enduring. Modern regulations have reduced its use, and synthetic replacements like Evernyl or Veramoss now provide a cleaner, more refined echo of the original’s forested mood.
Tonka bean from Venezuela brings a warm, almond-vanilla sweetness, rich in coumarin, which softens the sharper facets of wood and smoke. Guerlain’s fondness for tonka is well known — it lends the signature “Guerlinade” warmth even to the house’s masculine perfumes. The coumarin interplays beautifully with the tobacco and nutmeg, creating a dry sweetness that feels both sensual and civilized.
Finally, black pepper from Malabar punctuates the base with its dry, metallic warmth — driven by the alkaloid piperine, which gives that crisp sparkle that keeps the perfume alive until the very end. It adds tension, preventing the base from collapsing into comfort. In total, Vetiver (1959) is a masterclass in architecture and atmosphere — the citrus of morning light, the green roots of noon, the smoky wood of twilight. It smells of crisp linen, polished wood, tobacco smoke curling from an open window, and the faint heat of skin. The genius of the composition lies in how it balances cleanliness and sensuality, nature and civilization. Every note feels both precise and alive — a distillation of man’s harmony with the earth beneath his feet and the clear air above him.
Vintage Version (1985-1989):
The vintage version (1985-1989) is classified as a woody chypre fragrance for men. It begins with a citrusy fresh top, followed by a woody heart, resting on a woody mossy ambery base. The freshness of the outdoors, the scent of earth and cut wood embody this scent of vetiver, tobacco, pepper and nutmeg.
- Top notes: bergamot, coriander, pepper, lemon, mandarin, and neroli
- Middle notes: jasmine, vetiver, rose, nutmeg, clary sage, orris, carnation, rosewood, sandalwood
- Base notes: vanilla, vanillin, tobacco, oakmoss, myrrh, olibanum, leather, civet, ambergris, tolu balsam
Scent Profile:
The vintage Guerlain Vetiver of 1985–1989 represents the elegant evolution of a classic — a reinterpretation for a changing era. The original 1959 version was composed for a world that still idealized the crispness of white shirts and the austerity of good grooming; by the mid-1980s, men’s perfumery had shifted toward bolder sensuality, deeper warmth, and greater longevity. Guerlain reformulated Vetiver to suit these modern tastes — enriching it with amber, balsams, and leather while maintaining its unmistakable freshness. The result is a woody chypre — an outdoorsman’s fragrance refined for the boardroom: green and earthy, yet softened with the civilized glow of amber and tobacco.
The fragrance opens with a complex citrus and spice accord — a luminous halo of bergamot, lemon, mandarin, coriander, pepper, and neroli. The bergamot, sourced from Calabria, delivers its familiar elegance through linalyl acetate and limonene — bright yet velvety, a golden citrus that sets the tone for refinement. Sicilian lemon lends its piercing clarity, rich in citral and β-pinene, while mandarin, sweeter and juicier, introduces a tender roundness that hints at warmth to come. The inclusion of neroli, distilled from Tunisian orange blossoms, softens the citruses with a dewy, floral sheen; its linalool and nerolidol molecules add radiance and a subtle waxy glow that connects naturally to the later floral heart.
Threaded among the citrus is coriander, with its citrus-tinged spice, and black pepper from Malabar, whose piperine content contributes an effervescent dryness that crackles against the freshness. Synthetic boosters such as civetone or aldehydes C-11 might have been added to amplify projection, ensuring that this reimagined Vetiver could stand up to the power fragrances of the 1980s — a decade that valued presence as much as polish. The opening, therefore, feels both brisk and textured: a burst of citrus and spice that evokes sunlight glancing off polished wood.
As the citrus top fades, the heart unfurls with greater complexity than its predecessors. Where the 1959 version focused primarily on vetiver, tobacco, and sandalwood, the vintage reformulation introduces florals — jasmine, rose, carnation, and orris — to round and refine the composition. The jasmine, likely of Egyptian origin, offers a soft, honeyed bloom rich in benzyl acetate and indole, which lends a faintly animalic warmth that hints at the sensual base to come. Rose, probably Bulgarian, contributes its characteristic damascenone and geraniol, adding richness and gentle fruitiness; carnation injects a spicy, clove-like nuance thanks to eugenol.
Orris, derived from the rhizomes of Florentine iris, provides a buttery, powdery smoothness from irones — molecules prized for their violet-root aroma. It lends sophistication and a faint nostalgia, bridging the floral and woody elements seamlessly. Clary sage introduces an herbal dryness, its sclareol and linalyl acetate molecules reinforcing the aromatic freshness that connects this version to the earlier one. Rosewood, a material rich in linalool, ties these diverse tones together with polished woodiness, while sandalwood — still the creamy Mysore variety in these years — deepens the heart with its velvety, milky calm.
And then, of course, vetiver: the pulse and personality of the fragrance. The 1980s formula retains Haitian vetiver, prized for its clarity and brightness, but its treatment here is richer and rounder — less dry and smoky than the 1959 version. Vetiverol and vetivone provide its green-rooted earthiness, while synthetic vetiveryl acetate enhances its smoothness and tenacity. The effect is like damp soil after rain mingling with freshly cut wood — the “freshness of the outdoors” made elegant and urbane.
The base reveals the most significant shift from earlier versions: a deep, resinous warmth that anchors the fragrance firmly in the chypre-amber tradition. Oakmoss, still permitted in substantial doses in the 1980s, forms the mossy-green backbone, rich in evernic acid and atranol, giving the perfume its earthy gravitas. Blended with vanilla and vanillin, it transforms from purely woody-green to a soft, balsamic warmth — the beginning of the sensual drydown that defines this reformulation.
Tobacco reappears here, now woven with myrrh and olibanum (frankincense) — resins that contribute balsamic depth and a faintly mineral smoke. Myrrh, from Somalia, contains furanosesquiterpenes that lend a medicinal, ambered sweetness, while olibanum’s incensole acetate adds an airy, meditative clarity. Tolu balsam, from Venezuela, introduces a warm, vanillic softness with cinnamic acid derivatives that echo the tonka-amber accord of the house’s Guerlinade base.
The sensuality of the drydown is amplified through leather, civet, and ambergris — a trio that gives animalic texture without coarseness. The leather accord, likely built from birch tar, isobutyl quinoline, and synthetic musks, provides a dry, smoky counterpoint to the sweetness of the balsams. Civet, in this vintage form, would have been a minute but critical addition: its civetone molecule imparts warmth and human skin-like realism. Ambergris, or its synthetic analogue Ambroxan, adds radiance and fixative power — an oceanic smoothness that prolongs the life of the woods and resins, ensuring that Vetiver lingers long into the evening.
Smelled as a whole, the 1985–1989 Vetiver feels fuller, richer, and more complex than its earlier incarnation. Where the 1959 version was clean, sunlit, and almost ascetic — a meditation on vetiver and citrus — the 1980s version steps into shadow. The florals and balsams introduce softness and sensuality, while leather, amber, and civet lend maturity. It mirrors its era: still grounded in nature, but aware of modern sophistication — the scent of a man who walks out of the forest and into the city without losing the scent of earth on his skin.
It is both a continuation and an evolution — the roots of the original Vetiver still intact, but now entwined with ambered warmth, moss, and smoke. In it, you smell the meeting of two worlds: the clear, green modernism of the 1950s and the golden, resinous sensuality of the 1980s — a fragrance that captures the timeless dialogue between refinement and nature, restraint and indulgence.
Bottles:
Historically, Vetiver by Guerlain has enjoyed one of the most distinguished and visually diverse presentations within the house’s collection, reflecting both its longevity and its evolution across more than a century. The fragrance’s packaging tells a story of changing eras — of shifting fashions, materials, and uses — all while maintaining Guerlain’s signature refinement and craftsmanship. Each flacon chosen for Vetiver mirrored the stylistic vocabulary of its time, allowing this earthy, woody composition to remain timeless while adapting gracefully to modernity.
The earliest presentations of Vetiver appeared in the flacon Carré, introduced in 1879, which housed the parfum concentration. The Carré, or “square” bottle, was one of Guerlain’s most classic and architectural designs — a shape of pure geometry and quiet masculinity. It embodied the late 19th-century ideal of restraint and symmetry: clear glass with minimal ornamentation, showcasing the amber hue of the perfume within. This flacon was fitted with a ground-glass stopper allowing the perfume to be both utilitarian and elegant. It reflected the age when Guerlain was transitioning from a small Parisian perfumery into an established luxury house — when colognes and eaux were still seen as daily essentials rather than indulgences.
.png)
By the mid-20th century, Vetiver had found a new home in the flacon Amphore, used for parfum from 1955 to 1982. The Amphore bottle is instantly recognizable with its graceful, elongated silhouette inspired by ancient vessels used to store precious oils and wine. Its gently fluted shoulders and slender neck conveyed both refinement and continuity — a modern reinterpretation of antiquity, perfectly suited to Guerlain’s classical aesthetic. This flacon became synonymous with many of the house’s mid-century creations, symbolizing both heritage and timelessness. The rarely found Amphore presentation of Vetiver aligned with its elegant yet earthy personality: a fragrance that evoked both civilization and the natural world.
Meanwhile, Guerlain’s emblematic Quadrilobe flacon, designed in 1908 by Baccarat, also housed Vetiver parfum across multiple eras, from its introduction to the present day. The bottle’s four-lobed stopper became the signature vessel for Guerlain’s most precious creations. Its balanced proportions and thick, hand-polished glass exemplify French crystal artistry. When filled with Vetiver, the Quadrilobe gained a quiet dignity: its clean, sculptural form perfectly suited to a perfume rooted in nature but refined by artifice. The continued use of this flacon underscores Vetiver’s status as a Guerlain pillar fragrance — a bridge between the classic and the contemporary.
For lighter formulations, such as the Lotion Végétale, Vetiver appeared in the flacon Capsule from 1920 to 1971. The Capsule’s rounded body and short neck gave it a functional, modernist appeal, suited to grooming products and tonics that were staples in men’s toilette rituals. This bottle represented practicality — a sturdy, reliable form for daily use — yet still bore the subtle Guerlain refinement in proportion and label design.
The flacon Goutte, introduced in 1923 and used for Vetiver Eau de Toilette until 2001, offered another facet of the fragrance’s presentation. “Goutte,” meaning “drop,” refers to its soft, droplet-like silhouette with smooth curves and a narrow neck. Its simplicity and clarity embodied modern elegance, while the glass’s transparency emphasized the liquid’s natural hue. For decades, this bottle became the familiar face of Guerlain’s masculine line — sleek, understated, and unmistakably French.
When Vetiver was launched as an Eau de Cologne and After Shave in 1959, it was contained in the Flacon de Voyage — the “travel bottle” — which remained in production until 2002. This design was robust and portable, reflecting the practicality of postwar masculinity. Its ribbed glass and metallic accents made it both functional and handsome — perfect for men who valued grooming as an expression of discipline and taste.
By 1962, Guerlain embraced technological progress, introducing Vetiver Eau de Cologne in spray formats, with plastic-coated glass bottles to ensure durability during travel. This innovation marked the democratization of luxury fragrance, merging elegance with convenience.
.png)
The Eau de Toilette concentration, introduced in 1988, modernized Vetiver once again for contemporary tastes. Presented in streamlined glass with crisp typography, it reflected the minimalist aesthetic of late-20th-century design, while maintaining continuity with Guerlain’s heritage of understated luxury.
Vetiver could also be found in the flacon Abeilles, or “bee bottle” — Guerlain’s most iconic design, created in 1853 for Eau de Cologne Impériale. Adorned with bees, the symbol of Napoleon III and the French Empire, the Abeilles flacon linked Vetiver to the house’s imperial legacy. In this form, the fragrance took on a more ceremonial air — a marriage of nature’s rugged freshness and the grandeur of Guerlain tradition.
Between 1922 and 1960, Vetiver appeared in the frosted glass Talcum “Lyre” Poudreur flacons, used originally for Talc Parfumé. The “Lyre” design, named for its graceful, harp-like outline, captured the romantic neoclassical spirit of the 1920s and 1930s. Its frosted glass surface diffused the light like powdered silk, while the raised lines of the lyre motif emphasized both balance and elegance. The choice of this bottle for Vetiver lent an air of refinement to a utilitarian product — transforming simple perfumed talc into something ceremonial. The fine frosted glass was both decorative and functional, preserving the talc’s freshness while evoking purity and understated luxury.
By 1952, Vetiver had also been presented in the Lyre-shaped flacon more commonly reserved for bath oils. In an unusual adaptation, Guerlain used this same shape to house Vetiver Eau de Cologne. The design’s rounded shoulders and sculpted base evoked a sense of classical grace, a natural complement to the elegant restraint of the fragrance itself. The lyre motif — symbolizing harmony and refinement — made it an ideal vessel for Vetiver’s aesthetic: the measured balance of freshness and warmth, of earth and air. Using this familiar form for a men’s cologne reflected Guerlain’s mastery at blurring the line between the functional and the luxurious.
From 1977 through the 1980s, Vetiver Eau de Cologne transitioned into the Louis XVI flacon, a design echoing 18th-century French crystalware. Its columnar shape, fluted body, and symmetrical proportions referenced the elegance of Louis XVI decorative arts, where geometry met refinement. This bottle suggested stateliness without ostentation — fitting for a fragrance whose sophistication lay in its restraint. The heavy glass base and precise contours lent weight and permanence, reinforcing Vetiver’s identity as a timeless masculine essential rather than a passing trend.
For demonstration and promotional purposes, Guerlain occasionally employed rare or distinctive vessels to showcase Vetiver’s prestige. Around 1980, one such example was the Sucrier de Madame, a refillable tester bottle housed in an elegant gilded brass case designed by French jeweler Robert Goossens. Known for his collaborations with Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, Goossens specialized in creating luxurious objets that merged metalwork and glass with an almost architectural grace. The Sucrier de Madame, with its delicate latticework and refined gilding, transformed a perfume tester into a display piece — a nod to the artistry and ceremonial beauty inherent in Guerlain’s heritage.
In contrast to this opulence, Guerlain also embraced the modern, practical aesthetic of the mid-20th century. During the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Vetiver Eau de Cologne appeared in aerosol spray bottles encased in amber-colored PVC coating. This design was both functional and forward-looking — protective, lightweight, and resilient — meant for the active, contemporary man who valued convenience without sacrificing style. The amber hue of the coating echoed the tone of the fragrance itself, while the plastic casing shielded the glass within, a subtle symbol of strength wrapped around fragility. These spray bottles represent Guerlain’s embrace of modern technology while retaining the warmth and elegance associated with its brand identity.
Through its many incarnations — from the square austerity of the Carré to the sensual curve of the Amphore, the classical perfection of the Quadrilobe, and the modern practicality of the Voyage and Goutte — Vetiver has continually mirrored the aesthetic ideals of its time. Each flacon not only safeguarded the fragrance within but also expressed Guerlain’s enduring belief that true elegance lies in the harmony of form, function, and fragrance. From the frosted Talcum Lyre of the 1920s to the stately Louis XVI flacon of the late 20th century, every design reflected a chapter in cultural and design history: from the romantic classicism of the interwar years, through the refinement of postwar modernity, to the clean, utilitarian sophistication of the modern age. Across all these vessels, Vetiver remained constant — the embodiment of balance, sophistication, and the timeless dialogue between nature and artistry that has always defined the house of Guerlain.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown.
2000 Version:
Vetiver was reformulated by Jean-Paul Guerlain in 2000. The update included a redesigned bottle and a refreshed presentation, with the fragrance itself tinted a green shade to reflect its fresh, natural character, while maintaining the classic woody aromatic essence of the original composition.
- Top notes: bergamot, coriander, lemon, mandarin, and neroli
- Middle notes: vetiver and cedar
- Base notes: tobacco, walnut, pepper, and tonka bean
Scent Profile:
The 2000 version of Guerlain’s Vetiver opens with a brisk, sunlit clarity — the kind of freshness that feels like the morning air after a summer rain. At first breath, bergamot unfurls its bright, tart sparkle. This particular bergamot, likely sourced from Calabria in southern Italy, carries a uniquely complex aroma — a mingling of citrus brightness and soft floral sweetness, owed to its high concentration of linalyl acetate and limonene. The lemon and mandarin add their own vibrant facets: the lemon with its piercing, crystalline sharpness, rich in citral, while the mandarin brings a rounder, juicier warmth — less austere, more golden in tone.
Coriander quickly follows, infusing a touch of aromatic spice that bridges the citrus top to the green, earthy heart. Containing linalool and alpha-pinene, coriander offers a slightly woody, peppered nuance that softens the citrus without muting its energy. Threaded among these is neroli, distilled from Tunisian or Moroccan orange blossoms, radiating a gentle sweetness — honeyed, airy, and tinged with green. Its richness in nerolidol and linalool provides the floral transparency that turns this opening from mere freshness into refinement.
As the brightness of the top settles, the heart reveals vetiver, the soul of the composition. Guerlain’s choice of vetiver is almost certainly Haitian, long prized for its clean, dry, and slightly smoky character — a contrast to the darker, earthier Java vetiver. Haitian vetiver’s aroma is shaped by the balance of vetiverol, vetivone, and khusimol, which together yield a scent of polished wood, sun-warmed soil, and faint tobacco smoke. It is elegant rather than rustic. The cedarwood, likely from Texas or Virginia, layers its clean pencil-shaving dryness atop vetiver’s rooty warmth, reinforcing that impression of sun-dried wood and creating an architectural clarity at the core of the perfume. A subtle touch of synthetic Iso E Super enhances this heart, lending smoothness and transparency — a kind of modern sheen that allows the vetiver’s natural texture to feel lighter, more diffused, and endlessly wearable.
The base is where the 2000 formulation distinguishes itself from its predecessors. Here, tobacco reappears, no longer dark or dense, but dry and aromatic — an echo of pipe tobacco cured under sun and shade, rich in coumarin and ionones that give it its mellow warmth. Walnut adds a soft nuttiness and faint bitterness, unusual in perfumery, serving to bridge the earthy and sweet notes. The pepper, vibrant with piperine, tingles faintly on the skin, drawing out the woody dryness, while tonka bean rounds the composition in its familiar Guerlain way — a warm, creamy sweetness that blends coumarin and vanillin. Here, a touch of synthetic ethyl vanillin is likely used to enhance projection and longevity, amplifying tonka’s comforting undertone without smothering the structure.
This 2000 interpretation of Vetiver honors the essence of the 1959 original — its natural sophistication and equilibrium — but with a more streamlined, contemporary sensibility. Gone is the dense tobacco and smoky incense of the mid-century formula; in its place is a cleaner, more luminous rendition, where vetiver stands at the center like a polished sculpture — earthy yet modern, rooted yet airy. The result is a fragrance that retains the noble restraint of Guerlain’s tradition while embracing the clarity and lightness that defined perfumery at the turn of the millennium.
2005 Version:
This edition was reformulated by Jean-Paul Guerlain and relaunched in 2005. It was presented in Guerlain’s iconic white bee flacon, combining the classic woody aromatic character of Vetiver with a refreshed packaging that emphasized modern elegance and the heritage of the historic fragrance.
