Von Eusersdorff ‘Classic Vetiver’

In this penultimate review of the Von Eusersdorff classic four collection, I will be swimming in the depths of ‘Classic Vetiver’.

I have previously talked about the sophistication of ‘Classic Patchouli’ and the perfect dream that is ‘Classic Mimosa’. Von Eusersdorff have set a very high bench mark for themselves and with a little more time there will be even more of a buzz about what they are up to. Scent is such a subjective thing and everyone’s taste will be different. What you cannot deny is that quality and skill shines through, regardless of personal taste. Von Eusersdorff do scent-making extremely well. They are not thrill seekers, these perfumes are in no way avant-garde or edgy. But they are, or so I believe, going to reach the status of ‘Modern Classic’ perfumes one day soon.

I appreciate Von Eusersdorff’s uncomplicated simplicity. There is no need to dress these perfumes up in allure and mystique in order to make them what they are. they just are. That is impressive.

There are many, many scents within the niche market that are surrounded by hype, some I have loved wholeheartedly and some have left me perplexed, even though everyone is gushing about them. Von Eusersdorff are not trying to convey some complex message, nor are they jumping on the latest trend wagon. I feel reassured by that somehow and I find all the perfumes in the Classic collection to be unapologetically understated, with wonderful clarity.

Fascinated as I am by olfactory art, it has it’s place and sometimes all a girl wants to find is a perfume she can actually wear! I know that I will return time and again to ‘Classic Patchouli’, it has really stolen my heart. For now though, let us turn towards ‘Classic Vetiver’….

This I found to be a perfume of polarities. Wet and dry, warm and cool. The opening scene is of chilled citrus juices flung onto hot pavements. The bitter twists of grapefruit and lemon burst instantly onto my skin with masculine assurance, warming and cooling at the same time with a kick of black pepper. Vetiver is unmistakably present too, like damp green mulch steaming slightly after a summer downpour. I can quite clearly picture a group of men in their shirt sleeves sitting outside a bar, when a sudden shower causes everyone to run for cover, upsetting their drinks onto the warm concrete. I usually try not to split fragrance into categories, but for me ‘Classic Vetiver’ is unequivocally a masculine cologne.

Once the initial splash of sharp citrus has calmed the vetiver becomes more prominent. It has a definite damp, woodiness to it and it pulls the fragrance from fresh into humid. Like the air in the city after a summer storm. Resinous elemi amplifies the green qualities, as does geranium. ‘Classic Vetiver’ develops into a mulchy, pulpy, leafy thing which is a little stifling after all that zingy fruit.

The fragrance stays this way for a little over an hour before starting to slowly dry off. Delicious black patchouli, with it’s sticky dark power, warms up at the base of the fragrance and allows a slow burn of cedarwood to permeate the humidity. When this starts to happen it lifts the perfume back out of the murky depths and allows a slight fruitiness to appear. The presence of the patchouli gives the whole perfume a much needed boost and holds it there for the remainder of it’s life on my skin.

‘Classic Vetiver’ was the most short-lived of the collection so far. I have a notoriously bad track record with citruses, sometimes burning up a perfume within 30 minutes of applying it to my skin. Here the longevity is aided by the persistent vetiver that works hard to stay centre stage for the whole duration, and also the patchouli, which really helps to warm and smooth out vetiver’s murky tendencies. I was able to cling on to this scent for about three hours before it evaporated into nothing.

The grapefruit and lemon at the beginning are so cool and true that I can almost taste them, which is lovely. The dryness and warmth at the end from the patchouli and cedar is comforting and smooth. But I struggled a little with the main body of the perfume, mostly because I just don’t really like vetiver. It doesn’t work on my skin, the dampness is too clinging and humid for my tastes.

I knew I was not going to have an easy time with this perfume, unlike the others from the Von Eusersdorff collection. But ‘Classic Vetiver’ should still be praised for being true to it’s namesake. It has very green depths and sparkling heights and with vetiver stewing in it’s heart it will be some people’s immediate joy. Alas not mine, I will fall back into the arms of my beloved ‘Classic Patchouli’.