The root of vetiver
Vetiver root is an important note in perfumery, there are many qualities.
Description of vetiver
Botanical name: Vetiveria Zizanioides.
Botanical family: Graminaceae.
A dozen species of vetiver are known, including vetiveria zizanioides, the variety commonly used in perfumery.
It is a herbaceous plant with a height of one to two metres that can be found in tropical areas.
It comes in the form of large green tufts whose roots grow vertically to fairly great depths.
Only the dried root is used in perfumery. The green herbs are used for cattle.
The use of vetiver is quite recent in perfumery, world consumption at the beginning of the 20th century was one ton. It rose to 250 tonnes at the end of the 1970s, and has stabilised at around 130 tonnes today.
History and origins of vetiver
Originally from India, vetiver has been introduced in many tropical countries. It is found in Brazil, China, Guatemala and Madagascar. Indonesia and Haiti are the main producers.
Vetiver takes its name from the Tamil term vettiveru and is called khus khus in many parts of India. In Reunion Island it is of better quality, it is called bourbon vetiver, but its production unfortunately decreases a lot. The roots are extracted in a dry state when the plant is 2 or 3 years old. In Reunion Island, vetiver has been used as thatch for roofs.
Processing and production of the raw material vetiver
Vetiver essence is obtained by steam distillation of its roots.
This makes it possible to prepare vetiverol, which is not a constituent as a defined molecule, it is simply the name given by chemists of the time who did not have chromatography for all the sesquiterpene alcohols of vetiver.
There is also vetiveryl acetate which I like even more than vetiver. More modern, purer, vibrant, uplifting, tonic. Did you know that it is more expensive than the natural vetiver?
It is also possible to make vetiver absolute using volatile solvent extraction, although this is less commonly used.
Vetiver can also be treated with C02, this treatment provides an essential oil very close to the smell of the natural raw material.
I have also smelled some very interesting vetiver fractions, some very specific parts of the essential oil, either the vibrating part or the only woody part for example.
It takes on average 1000kg of dried roots to obtain 10 to 15kg of essential oil.
The distillation of the boiled part, about 800kg, will be distilled during 8 hours.
First there is the cutting, then the digging, it is the action of shaking the roots with a curved fork until there is no more earth.
Finally the distillation takes place from August to December.
Vetiver requires little labour and maintenance, its need for water is limited and vetiver has the property of fixing the soil and fertilizing the earth.
Vetiver does not require any specific treatment, this plant can grow without being treated with pesticides.
Olfactory description of vetiver
Olfactory family: vibrating woody
In general, the smell of vetiver is quite dazzling, fresh, with hazelnut accents and fine smoky scents, but as with all natural raw materials, the scent varies according to the sun, the earth, etc. The scent of vetiver can have specificities and differences.
Vetiver, known as Reunion Island bourbon, has an earthy, fine scent with a slightly pinkish facet. Unfortunately this vetiver has become rare. The Indian vetiver developed by Guerlain has many points in common with the Reunion Island vetiver. Haitian vetiver is woody, earthy, vegetal, smoky, warm, with a side of iris root. It evokes the undergrowth. It should be noted that Java vetiver has an aromatic odour, quite distinct, even more earthy, less fine, bitter, with an extremely smoky smell that can evoke grilled bacon.
The essential oils of vetiver have immuno-stimulating, relaxing properties, used in aromatherapy, they help the organism in the fight against stress as well as benefits in the prevention of diseases. The essential oil acts as beneficial as the psyche, moreover the Indians found great virtues in it, so they call it "the oil of tranquillity".
Use of vetiver
Vetiver roots were used to weave curtains, screens and fans on which water was sprinkled to refresh the atmosphere and give it a delicious scent.
In fact dry vetiver has very little scent, it has to be moistened again to regain the initial smell of vetiver, and then the fresh, woody scent acts a bit like air conditioning.
A few drops of essential oil in a container can refresh the interior of a car, for example, and give it a pleasant natural scent that is more natural than the car perfumes intended for this use.
In the past, at Guerlain, the small bundles of vetiver were listed in the catalogues in Parisian boutiques. These bundles could be slipped into drawers for protection against insects.
Vetiver is a note traditionally associated with men's fragrances, even if some fragrances for women have some vetiver, such as Guerlain's Vétiver pour elle for example, which has been withdrawn from the market.
Guerlain's Vétiver fragrance has been worked around a very signature and recognisable accord, vetiver is associated with a blond tobacco note, coumarin and nutmeg, this is what makes it truly unique. For those who want to feel the vetiver note pushed to the extreme, don't forget the Vetiver Extreme by Guerlain.
The 2 works of Guerlain Homme in eau de toilette and in eau de parfum that Thierry Wasser and I worked around a Mojito accord.
Another very successful creation by Thierry Wasser, since becoming a House Perfumer is the Guerlain, perfume Homme eau boisée.
It has a lot in common with the other two creations in the same range, but at the same time they are different because the vetiver note is overdosed.
It also contains geranium that gives fougère accents.
<p> </p>The vetiver note is often associated with perfumes for men, but it is very present in women's fragrances such as Chanel N5 and Must by Cartier.
It was often found in fragrances for men, especially in the early days of perfumery in the eaux de Cologne where there is a large amount of citrus like bergamot and lemony notes like verbena. Then as time went, men wore eaux fraîches and then eaux de toilette, recently some have been attracted by eaux de parfum and extracts that are beginning to appear in the men's perfume market.
Vetiver is also found in chypre fragrances, alongside moss and patchouli.
Vetiver essence is also widely used in leathery or oriental fragrances with the addition of incense, which blends marvellously well with the scented note of vetiver.
Vetiver is a base note that brings a warm, woody facet to fragrances. It is easily combined with other woody notes and other base notes such as sandalwood and cedar.
Main constituents of vetiver
Khusimol, isovalencenol.
Vetiver contains about 150 constituents, the main and best known is vetiverol (see details on this product above).
Some perfumes containing vetiver
Guerlain's Vétiver is a fragrance for men, but it is often worn by women as well.
In the same spirit, woody and fresh: Vétyverio by Diptyque, Sels de vetiver by The Different Company, Vétiver Moloko by Ex Nihilo, or Terre by Hermès where the scent of vetiver is very present.
If it is associated with vanilla and hazelnut notes, it can become gourmand, even sensual, like the scent of Byredo, which I like very much, Bal d'Afrique.
- Smeraldo Sylvaine Delacourte
- Florentina Sylvaine Delacourte
- Vétiver Guerlain
- Vétiver pour elle Guerlain
- Homme Guerlain
- Vetiver Carven
- Habanita Molinard
- Chrome Azzaro
- Grey vetiver Tom Ford
- Vetiver Extraordinaire Frédéric Malle
- Cœur de Vétiver sacré L'Artisan Parfumeur
- Vetiver Tonka Hermès
- Sels de vetiver The Different Company
- Jardin après la mousson Hermès
Vetiver in Sylvaine Delacourte fragrances
In Florentina from the Musk Collection, that is very powdery, vetiver gives structure and vibration. It goes well with the floral note of orange blossom, neroli essence, and other floral notes such as iris and violet. This is why some men wear it without finding it so specifically feminine.
You can also find vetiver in Smeraldo, a green musk.
Discover Sylvaine Delacourte's brand with her Orange Blossom, Musk and Vanilla Collections. You can try them thanks to the Discovery Boxes (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml) and rediscover these raw materials as you have never smelled them before.