Perfume Review: Miller Harris Vetiver Bourbon
 Vetiver Bourbon is a part of Lyn Harris’s “exclusive” Nouvelle Edition Collection and is (of course!) marketed as a men’s scent. According to the Miller Harris site, for a woman to wear it, she would have to be Charlotte Rampling circa 1970, “in a St Laurent smoking suit”. I would be kidding myself if I said that there is anything even remotely Rampling-like about me, however neither do I think that one has to be a femme-fatale (or a man) to enjoy Vetiver Bourbon.What surprised me most about this scent, was its similarity to Guerlain’s Djedi. The side by side comparison reveals just how much more complex Djedi is, how much more animalic, darker, in other words, how much more interesting; nevertheless, the core of the both scents is the same, and while Vetiver Bourbon seems more linear, it still has that mysterious, earthy quality that captivated me in Djedi.  Vetiver Bourbon does not undergo much development on my skin. It starts green and earthy (vetiver, patchouli and oakmoss) and pretty much stays that way till the end, although patchouli does become a little more prominent in the drydown. The fragrance has a sour undertone that, strange as it sounds, I find extremely appealing. I enjoy the bitter, dry nature of this scent as well as the fact that it once again makes me think of enchanted forests and all things mythical. My conclusion is that you don’t have to be Charlotte Rampling to wear Vetiver Bourbon, but you might have to be a geek with the taste for austere, ugly-beautiful green scents.Vetiver Bourbon is available at millerharris.com, £95.00 for 100ml. As far as I understand the Nouvelle Edition line of fragrances is also carried by Saks. The painting is The Gate by Christophe Vacher. Tomorrow, Fresco di Vetiver by i Profumi di Firenze and Chestnut & Vetiver by Wickle. |
posted by Marina |
12:03 AM
9 Comments:
Oh my dear, you are a perfume Circe.
T,
That is most definitely the best compliment I have ever received.
*preens and struts*
:-)
Huh. I'll have to try it then. The Djedi is ... extraterrestrial? Supernova-ish? It is completely bizarre and twisted and I adored it, I am still recovering from the experience. What is that weird savory-meat-stew smell in Djedi, anyway? How strange is that? I'm working on a post for next week.
Christina,
Thank you!
Somehow I have never been intyerested in this line either, don't know why. But after trying this sample, I am motivated to look for more. Soem of their scents, like Terre de Bois, sound very interesting.
March,
I think that maybe you are picking up on that elusive leather note. *sobs* Why oh why am I the only one not to get any leather in Djedi! (not that I don't like it just the way it is , but still...)
I am looking forward to your post!
This fragrance just felt "thick", for lack of a better word, like you could slice it with a knife. Me no likey.
R,
How interesting! Well, then my humble prediction would be that you would not like Djedi either, since that one is perhaps even thicker.
And- thank you very much for the sample of Vetiver Bourbon!
Now you stop it this instant, M! I am broke and cannot afford all the lemmings you are creating! Nothing I have smelled from this line has been great on me yet (even feuilles de tabac, which sounds as if it should be), but. . . oh, dear, you make me want this (and I still haven't dealt with my LeLabo Vetiver craving). Circe, indeed!
*evil cackle*
Though...if one has the real thing, one does not need this "poor person's Djedi" (the word "poor" does however sound quite wrong when spoken about a scent that costs GBP 90.00, heh)
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