Question:

Very kind words fredricktoo. Thank you.
GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR,
With regard to your query and as another way of illustrating my point that there can be more to vetiver fragrances than just the vetiver, I would just like note the following:
I admire the vintage version of L’Occitane Vétyver very much.

Yes there is, already, a vintage version and a re-formulated version.

The vintage version is a smooth, medium-bodied, low to medium intensity vetiver-based fragrance in which the vetiver is blended with bergamot, rosemary, cypress, and nutmeg, among other things, to produce a very tight mostly linear accord that’s cozy, inviting, and quite sophisticated. The vetiver accord generates an enveloping warmth that at times in its fullness approximate a rich, resinous, sandalwood kind of note. Too my nose, it's a very versatile and very beautiful scent.

It sounds like you have tried the newer release, which definitely has something missing. Read on:

Here's how I understand the differences between the original vintage formulation and the newer, reformulated version of L'Occcitane's Vetyver:

About a year ago, I visited the newly opened L'Occitane store in my neighborhood, and I tried the supposedly rereleased-in-new packaging but still the same old Vetyver. The sales assistant assured me that the company assured her that the juice was the same, just the packaging had changed. Since I am not in the habit of trusting companies, especially fragrance companies, I tried it for myself.

It's definitely not the same juice, and I didn't have the heart to tell the sales assistant because she was so nice, so pretty, so innocent, and so sincere, and she sooooo believed in the company and what it told her.
How is it different? First off, it's a lot more citrusy in the opening. They've taken out the nutmeg, which gave the original a certain roundness and texture and the vetyver is now a lot more muted, almost non-existent. Gone also is that resinous sandalwood type note of the original, which really was a sum of all the original formulation’s parts. They whole fragrance is flatter, and most of the removed ingredients have been replaced with a one dimensional flat cedar note. This is probably the version that you tried and found lacking a certain something, and the one dimensional flat cedar note is more than likely "the overwhelmingly predominant note" that you liked, which, despite all I have said, l like too.

Anyone who has ever tried L'Occitane’s Vetyver soap, will know exactly what cedar note I am talking about. And as luck would have it, right before I had tried the newer formulation, I was bemoaning the fact that L'Occitane hadn’t brought out a fragrance based on this flat cedar note found in the Vetyver soap. Well, it seems like they have, and it's the newly reformulated Vetyver.

I am happy because I had originally purchased plenty of vintage L'Occitane Vetyver. I now have the best of both worlds, but I will say that I am really glad I got the, what is now, vintage stuff when it was going relatively cheap and was readily available. It's clearly superior to the reformulated version.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

scentemental


Answer:
Hey Chris -
Try the relaunched version of Carven's Vetiver. You will be pleasantly surprised as it is strong and manly and sharp. Finally a company has returned a classic to its original formula (I think) and the results are outstanding.
Also you should give the new Lalique Encre Noir a try. It is smoother and more refined than the Carven but it is an delicious turn on the vetiver theme.

Answer:
I agree Tony, FM's VE is pretty intense stuff. It's kinda like the "Iron John" of Vetivers. Although I've become a bit of a Vetiverophile of late, and more often than not I go for the Guerlain. I like the "punk rock" estimation of it. Not to sound like a cheapskate, but I paid $35 for the Guerlain and $135 for the VE. Even as I say that, though, I think to myself that I would definitely shell it out again.
I have the l'Occitaine Vetiver, and it works well. Their scents always stay on me a rather long time, but for some reason it's just, I dunno, kind of boring maybe? It's not bad, just not as compelling as the Guerlain nor the Frederic Malle. L'O has a nice warmth to it and definitely isn't a sissy Vetiver blend. There's hair on its chest.
Some reviewers in the directory talk about Guerlain's Vetiver as being inferior to the previous incarnation. What do people think about that? I'd never encountered that blend, and I'm curious to hear an update in this Vetiver link.

Answer:
I must say that I enjoy these high-quality, very informative post...Keep up the good work guys.....
Live Your Life,
Otto

Answer:
Thanks Scentimental - I guess it may be that Vetiver Cedar combo that predominates - I'm not familliar enough with Cedar to know. Like Oaksbluff says - the new formulation is boring somehow, as are many of their scents!

Hmm - now I'm thinking which vetiver fragrance should I consider for myself... I tried Creed's Original Vetiver today, and it was quite nice, but I can imagine better. Maybe I'll go with Guerlain because of the price!

Answer:
I still like my CdG Vettiveru, dammit.
TNMA

Answer:
Great thread!
Funnily enough, yesterday, I tried out all the L’Occitane fragrances (again) and felt pretty much the same (i.e. they were missing something or lacked enough substance to justify getting a full bottle).
I also recently tried Guerlain Vetiver and found it to be a refreshing take on vetiver (albeit a bit soapy for my liking), although my favourite is still VE.

Answer:
I´m happy with Creed Original Vetiver (it´s light fresh, citrus, cut grass) :-)

Answer:
I for one decry the blanding of fragrances including veitver. My fav is Lorenzo Villoresi for that raw, minerally element that stays just this side of being too earthy. VE is very good too, I like that little extra edge I get from LV.
Joe

Answer:
Hell. I was going to suggest a vetiver scent for you to try that you might like (it's definitely a biting, aggressive vetiver) but I see you're in the UK and I don't think Sue can ship overseas.
http://www.saintcharlesshave.com/products.htm
Her "Very V" EdT is surprisingly good, and tough to beat for the price. Seriously, give it a sniff and you probably wouldn't think it was only $9 for 100mL. I'll admit though, when first sprayed it is almost a nasal assault - it calms down a bit after 5 or 10 minutes, and I actually quite like it after that. Oh, Sue's shaving products are all first-rate, too.