One of the things I love about writing this column is that I can write about all the scents I wear and love. The downside is that I occasionally get sidetracked and forget about mentioning men’s fragrances, so I’m rectifying that oversight this month. My tastes are varied when it comes to fragrance, but what I most like in a man’s fragrance is something that sticks close to the body, and is not a traditional “masculine” scent. In other words, something I don’t mind rubbing off on my skin and that I can poach when I’m not in the mood to wear anything of mine!
Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford
Grey Vetiver is Tom Ford’s latest release. The listed notes are sage, warm wood, orange flower, grapefruit, orris, nutmeg, vetiver, amberwood, and oak moss.
Grey Vetiver opens with citrus-y floral that manages, like White Patchouli before it, to be both warm and effervescent. I like the hint of sage in the beginning which gradually blends with the dry, spicy nutmeg. I think if you’re not familiar with vetiver, or want to cautiously venture into a chypre fragrance, Grey Vetiver is a good place to start. I love chypres because of the swampy, grassy notes (Chanel’s superb EDT Cristalle is my favorite) and Grey Vetiver’s dry down, while restrained and modern, retains enough of a damp and mossy chypre heart to make it interesting. (Because restrained and modern can frequently mean dull and uninspired when talking about perfume.)
I had a lot of fun mixing it with some other Tom Ford creations, and found both Black Violet and Purple Patchouli (from the Private Blend collection) combine beautifully with Grey Vetiver, nudging it into super-sexy territory. I’m not so sure if men will wear either of those combos, but I can guarantee your man will like them on you if you decide to “borrow” his Grey Vetiver!
The lasting power is good, and you will still have traces of Grey Vetiver lingering in the afternoon if you apply a couple of sprays in the morning. Spray gently at first because it can be quite intense if over sprayed. The bottle is a variation on his standard bottle, frosted glass with flutes and a silver tone cap. This variation is my favorite bottle so far. 50 milliliter bottle, $85. Widely available, including Sephora and Saks Fifth Avenue.
