Vetiver is my favourite scent. I have the Guerlain version (introduced to me by an ex- Amanda Guinea) plus I also have Givenchy’s Vetyver which is softer but also great. For a while I used Vetyver For Men by L’Occitane. Personally, I didn’t like wearing this. It’s weak. Not much sillage or longevity. I think it has more wood than it has vetiver in it. You should save your money for a true vetiver. To me, L’Occitane is a cheap brand that should stick to making soaps and lotions (ouch…did I just say that out loud?).

But now I am being barraged by ads for Grey Vetiver Cologne For Men by Tom Ford – US link/UK link and I am succumbing to the urge to splash out. I need to pick up a sample first as I gather it contains a fair amount of geranium oil (and I am hugely comically allergic to geraniums). The reviews seem pretty good. This is positive from Fragrantica:

Grey Vetiver feels, almost, like it belongs as part of (Tom Ford’s) Private Blend collection. The choice of ingredients, like orris, and the interesting complexity of the development are all hallmarks of that line. But Grey Vetiver also feels more mainstream than the Private Blends as I think this is a much more approachable scent than even the aforementioned Vetiver Extraordinaire or Encre Noire. I expect this to be a big seller throughout the fall and into the holiday season as I think this is going to be on a lot of men’s holiday lists. So I return to the question I asked previously, “Do I need another Vetiver?” When the juice in the bottle is as unique as Grey Vetiver, the answer is an unequivocal, Yes!

I am doing a gallery tour on Sunday so I will try and nick a sample from the nice ladies on the perfume counters at Peter Jones.