Vetiver is extracted from the roots of a tropical grass, primarily grown in Haiti and Java. It's the thinking person's woody note — cerebral where sandalwood is spiritual, structured where patchouli is bohemian. Vetiver's clean-earthy-smoky character makes it perhaps the most versatile base note in perfumery.
Clean earth, dry smoke, a hint of dark chocolate. Vetiver smells like freshly turned soil after rain, but refined — there's nothing muddy about it. Haitian vetiver is smokier and more complex; Javanese vetiver is cleaner and more linear. Both are exceptional.
Vetiver communicates quiet confidence — the kind that doesn't need to announce itself. It signals competence, groundedness, and the intellectual version of sophistication. If oakmoss is the CEO, vetiver is the trusted advisor.