Style needs

I received a generous pre-release sample of Tom Ford Grey Vetiver from a friend who works for Estee Lauder. Insider info: the formula was originally slated to be a Tom Ford Private Blend, but due to some timing issues, they instead chose to use the exact formula for a mainstream Men's release. The plus side: the price is much lower than if it were a Private Blend. Cheers!

Vetiver is a fragrant grass native to India, but cultivated in many tropical climates. It is one of my favorite fragrance notes. I own several vetiver based fragrances that I already love. Is there room for one more? Well, I wore Grey Vetiver all weekend in the country and I think it is an absolute classic. It is an extremely dry and crisp fragrance with a sparkling, dry citrus opening evocative of Champagne. There is some common ground with Vetiver Extraordinaire by Frederic Malle, but more elegant and refined, with less raw power.

If your tastes run toward clean, crisp, green fragrances with absolutely no sweetness, then Grey Vetiver with its parched, woody drydown will be a must-have. The lasting power is excellent. I detect iris and some light spices to round out the formula, but it is very much a classic, masculine vetiver. No dandified frippery here.