Vetiver
Chrysopogon zizanioides
The roots of a tropical grass. Earthy, smoky, green and dry all at once.
The note’s label
- Family
- woody note; among fragrance families, woody
- Position
- heart to base note
- Impression
- Pairs with
- Evokes
- wet earth · dry grass · smoke · grapefruit
- Raw material
- grass roots, distilled
- Natural or synthetic
- The natural oil is widely used; it is grown mainly in tropical regions (Haiti and Indonesia, for example). It is also the starting point for the softer vetiveryl acetate.
A grass that smells of its roots
Vetiver is a clump-forming grass with dense, deep roots. It is the roots that are dried and distilled. The oil is thick and evaporates very slowly.
The smell varies with origin: some oils are fresher and “grapefruity”, others darker and smoky.
In perfume
Vetiver is the foundation of woody men’s fragrances and a popular fixative. It works well with citrus and orris.
In the fragrance archive
- Kenzo Kenzo pour Homme (1991)
- Azzaro Silver Black (2005)
The archive is for reading only. Nothing in it is for sale.