Vetiver, a tropical grass native to India, is one of the most popular scents in perfumery. It’s green and warm, smoky and sweet – it fits into just about any fragrance blend, whether masculine, feminine, or unisex.
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Check out our picks for the best vetiver fragrances.
Our Top 11 Picks
Best Intro to Vetiver
If you’re just sticking your toe into the world of vetiver scents, Elizabeth W Vetiver is the one to try. This feminine-leaning 2004 unisex fragrance doesn’t go overboard on the main note or complicate it too much.
The scent is clean and citrusy with notes of warm woods, like the smell of a woman hard at work tending the garden.
PROS: Easy to wear, great everyday scent
CONS: May be too simple for some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Everyday wear
- Price: $$$
Best Spicy Vetiver
Terre D’Hermes by Hermès is a spicy, woody, sophisticated masculine scent from 2006. If you’re a niche perfume fan looking for a more accessible everyday scent, or if you’re new to perfumes and want a scent that’s more refined but still easy to wear, this one’s for you.
Orange and grapefruit top notes transition into Sichuan pepper and flint notes before vetiver, cedar, and patchouli dry down. It’s the smell of the guy at the party who has the best stories but isn’t a jerk about it.
PROS: Complicated yet accessible, distinctive
CONS: May be too heavy for some
- Sillage: Very Good
- Longevity: Very Good
- Appropriate for: Everyday wear, colder months
- Price: $$$
Best Aquatic Vetiver
A mixture of soothing neroli, Haitian vetiver, and aquatic notes evokes walking through the woods on a rainy day in Derek Lam 10 Crosby’s Rain Day.
There’s no real progression in this perfume – what you put on is more or less what it will smell like in a few hours. It has good longevity but isn’t heavy, making it a perfect feminine fragrance for long, sweaty summer days.
PROS: Long-lasting, affordable
CONS: Very simple
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Hot weather, everyday wear
- Price: $$
Best Oriental Vetiver
Despite the name of the perfume house, Cypress Shade by House of Oud doesn’t have a ton of oud in it. Instead, this 2016 fragrance has a mixture of fruits, florals, herbs, and spices that evokes sitting in the shade drinking mint tea on a hot summer afternoon.
Top notes of star anise and assorted citrus slide into heart notes of mimosa, mint, and coriander before finishing with a drydown of vetiver and cedar. This is a perfect unisex summer scent for those wanting something more interesting than your standard summer citrus and tropicals.
PROS: Light enough for summer, interesting scent
CONS: Some noses detect a banana smell
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Year-round, everyday wear
- Price: $$$-$$$$
Best for Date Night
No buts about it – we LOVE Fat Electrician by Etat Libre D’Orange. This 2009 scent is sweet but masculine, warm but strong. It’s a masculine fragrance for a new kind of masculinity.
The initial notes are black pepper and elemi resin, then cedarwood and vetiver, with a myrrh and opoponax drydown. Wear this one out, or transition it from day to evening – this may be the best niche fall fragrance out there.
PROS: Unique fragrance, easy to wear
CONS: Too heavy for summer, expensive
- Sillage: Very Good
- Longevity: Very Good
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Price: $$$-$$$$
Best Floral Vetiver
Romantina by Juliette Has A Gun was introduced in 2011 and has shown to be just as iconic as any of the house’s other fragrances.
This feminine scent layers sweet florals over a warm heart of amber, musk, and vetiver. This sensual fragrance is great for date night and is definitely one of the best spring niche fragrances.
PROS: Soft and feminine, easy to wear
CONS: Too floral for some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Warm weather, everyday wear
- Price: $$$
Best Luxury Vetiver
Vetiver Extraordinaire by Dominique Ropion (released in 2002) is considered one of the best masculine vetiver fragrances around. If you’re a superfan, this one’s for you!
Top notes of bitter orange and bergamot transition into vetiver, pink pepper, and cloves, before finishing with cedar, oakmoss, and musk. All other notes in this scent are transformed and controlled by the smoky, slightly acidic Haitian vetiver.
Be warned however, oakmoss was shown to be an allergen, after which the industry’s international trade association severely restricted its use.
Vetiver Extraordinaire’s scent wears close enough to the skin for the office, though you may prefer to keep it for special occasions, given the price.
PROS: Top-of-the-line fragrance, vetiver-forward
CONS: Expensive
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Everyday
- Price: $$$$$
Best Niche Vetiver
We’ll let you know right off the bat – Vetiver by Commodity has its detractors, but we absolutely stand by it as one of the best niche fragrances of all time. This unisex scent blends sweet fruit and smoky, mossy vetiver into something really special.
The first notes are blackberry and apple, then jasmine, and then the Haitian vetiver combined with patchouli and sandalwood. The result is a scent that’s dark and rich but also playful. It might be too niche for work, but it’s great for date nights.
PROS: Not too heavy for summer
CONS: Not the best office scent
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Very Good
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Price: $$
Best Green Vetiver
Think of Malin + Goetz Vetiver as the more accessible cousin of Eau de Campagne by Sisley. It’s not quite as green-forward, but it still showcases this scent’s fresh, grassy side.
Bright bergamot and grapefruit are the top notes here, followed by bitter orange and celery seed, then vetiver and amber in the drydown. The result smells like a warm summer afternoon with a charcoal grill in the distance.
PROS: Good for year-round everyday wear
CONS: Not for fans of smoky scents
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Everyday
- Price: $$
Best Hidden Gem
Hear us out about Royall Vetiver EDT by Royall Fragrances. We know this 2016 scent has all the vibes of your dad’s (or even granddad’s) cologne, but this is a warm, fresh masculine scent at an affordable price point. If Fat Electrician is too niche for you, try this one instead.
Initial citrus and floral notes lead into warm amber and vetiver ones. The drydown is oakmoss, with lingering vetiver notes. You may find it too heavy for the office, but it’s one of the best vetiver fragrances for after-work drinks and date nights.
PROS: Affordable, accessible
CONS: Feels dated
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Price: $$
Best Gourmand Vetiver
The scent combination in Jo Malone Vetiver and Golden Vanilla might not seem obvious. But the vanilla complements the vetiver’s warm sweetness while the vetiver adds complexity and depth to the vanilla.
This 2020 feminine scent starts off with cardamom and grapefruit notes before transitioning to the eponymous duo in the drydown. Wear this one in the colder months and for special occasions.
PROS: Unexpected scent combination, great for cold weather
CONS: Can be a bit heavy
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Holiday parties
- Price: $$$
What Does Vetiver Smell Like?
It has a scent that’s green, smoky, and sweet all at once.
Why Is Vetiver So Expensive?
The fragrance extraction process takes several days, and each root only produces a small amount of oil.
This, coupled with high demand, make vetiver one of the pricier oils used in perfumery.
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Best Intro to Vetiver
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Best Spicy Vetiver
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Best Aquatic Vetiver
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Final Thoughts
Whether you’re new to perfumery or a total fragrance buff, there’s always something new to discover about this tropical grass.
We have shared our picks for the best vetiver fragrances, but if you want an in-depth guide on vetiver, its origins, and use in perfumery – read What Does Vetiver Smell Like now.
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.