Top 12 Best Vetiver Fragrances for Men

If you buy using links on our site, as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

If you want to know what is the best vetiver fragrance for men, then read on because…

Over the last several months, we did a TON of research and extensive nose-on testing of 47 different vetiver scented colognes (from both designer and niche brands).

And then finally, we whittled them down to just 12 of the very best — including a premium pick for you connoisseurs. 🙂

Because we know, when it comes to vetiver — one size does NOT fit all.

You may like it fresh and green. Or you may prefer it dark, earthy, and smoky. Or dry and woody. Or even a combination of them all.

So no matter what your preference or price point, we have multiple recommendations listed below. 💚

In a hurry?

Our Top 3 Picks:

• 1. Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP
• 2. Guerlain Vetiver EDT
• 3. Creed Original Vetiver

Jump Links

• 11. Karl Lagerfeld Bois De Vetiver
• 10. Etat Libre d’Orange – Fat Electrician
• 9. Mancera Vetiver Sensuel
• 8. Bentley Wild Vetiver
• 7. Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire
• 6. Lalique Encre Noire Sport
• 5. Hermes Terre d’Hermes Eau Intense Vetiver
• 4. Roja Parfums Vetiver
• 3. Creed Original Vetiver
• 2. Guerlain Vetiver EDT
• 1. Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP
• Premium Pick: Nishane Sultan Vetiver

 

#11 Karl Lagerfeld Bois De Vetiver

A Super-Affordable Hidden Gem

First up, this one’s a GREAT bang-for-your-buck!

Now, this little-known scent is a lighter, clean, greenish take on vetiver — perfect for a beginner. Or anyone, for that matter. 🙂

Let’s take a look…

This opens up bright and fresh with a burst of slightly sweet juicy blood orange and grapefruit citrus — mixed with a hint of crushed mint.

Very refreshing!

And as it dries down on your skin, the citruses take a step back. And then the vetiver creeps in, joined with a hint of fresh floral notes (rose & geranium), which are buried underneath.

And finally, they are followed with a sweet, woody, musky base.

Bright, Fresh & Clean

It’s bright, fresh, clean, and incredibly uplifting. Smells very classy and inoffensive.

Now, I should point something out, my friend:

Because of the light floral notes, this is not a super-masculine man’s man type of cologne. In my opinion, this is more suited for the modern, sophisticated 20-up crowd.

And the good news, it can be worn in all seasons, for just about ANY occasion. Handy stuff.

After all, it’s never a bad time to smell fresh & clean, right? 🙂

That said, this performs its best in the spring/summer and early fall. It also makes a great daily go-to scent, and is PERFECT for the office/work (more on that shortly).

Now, to be perfectly clear…

Subtle Scent Cloud

In our tests, we found this to be a soft, subtle scent that doesn’t scream out for attention. So if you’re looking for something that pushes out — this is NOT it.

You see, Karl Lagerfeld’s BDV is an EDT and projects softly (within arm’s length) for up to the first hour.

The scent then sits close to your skin — thus, making it a GREAT pick for the office or work. We found it to lasts around 4–8+ hours on skin.

The beautiful part?

This can be discovered online for a bargain! But here’s the thing: it smells a lot, LOT more expensive than what you actually pay for it. Even the bottle looks classy.

Can you say jackpot? 🙂

---

#10 Etat Libre d’Orange – Fat Electrician

Smoky Vetiver & Nutty Sweetness

Do me a favor, my friend…

PLEASE don’t dismiss this based on its quirky name…. because don’t worry, this doesn’t smell anything like how you’d imagine a REAL fat electrician would smell like. At least to my nose. 🙂

Because as it turns out, the actual juice inside the bottle smells GREAT. In other words:

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Oh, and by the way…

Unique & Artistic

If you’re not familiar with Etat Libre d’Orange (ELdO), it’s a French niche brand. The brand are known for their artistic fragrances and quirky names. Case in point: Fat Electrician. 🤷‍♂️🤣

Crazy, right?

(Side note: Etat Libre d’Orange translates to Orange Free State, which is a South African sovereign republic that declared independence from British rule. And so, the brand adopted the name to symbolize their own declaration of independence. But an independence from mainstream perfumery.)

Anyway…

It’s what’s inside the bottle that counts, right?

And moreover, this was created by Antoine Maisondieu, who has made notable creations for Tom Ford, Armani, Versace, Gucci, the list goes on and on.

In fact, let me quickly tell you how it smells…

Dry & Earthy Opening

As soon as you spray Fat Electrician, you get some slightly earthy and slightly smoky dry vetiver. However, this smoky earthiness is softened with a nice dose of nutty vanillic sweetness.

Furthermore, in the background, I detect what I would describe as a faint rubbery/resinous quality (but in a good way).

And as it dries down, the vanilla amps up, and it joins forces with a whipped-cream accord and a warm chestnutty aroma. And then all the notes slowly fuse together.

The end result?

Creamy Nutty Vanilla Sweetness

A dark, dry, smoky, woody vetiver… that’s smoothed out beautifully with a warm creamy nutty sweetness (but not overly sweet).

And it smells HUGELY unique — yet wearable.

ELdO’s Fat Electrician is listed as unisex but leans masculine. And for age group, I suggest 25+. When to wear this?

Everyday use, work, office, casual etc. Plus, it works all year, except on super-hot summer days.

Now, let me be clear about something:

Mild-Mannered Projection

If you’re looking for a heavy-hitter, this is not it. You see, our Fat Electrician friend is actually quite mild mannered. What do I mean? Well…

This is an EDP, and for the first few hours, it projects within arm’s length. And then it remains very close to your skin, giving off gentle wafts.

Nevertheless, we found lasting power to be noticeable for around 5–8+ hours.

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for something with a unique, modern twist, try this.

---

#9 Mancera Vetiver Sensuel

A Clean, Fresh Citrusy Option

Just a quick heads up:

if you prefer your vetivers raw, smoky, and rooty — this is NOT it, my friend.

Because this one falls into the fresh and slightly earthy woody-vetiver category. So if that’s your thing, read on…

Oh, by the way, if you are looking for a scent that is raw, smoky, and rooty, then I highly suggest you check out Nishane’s SV down below on this list. Anyways…

In case you don’t know, Mancera are a French luxury brand, known for their attention-grabbing scents. And on that note, let’s see how this one smells…

Zingy & Refreshing!

On first spray, you’re met with an invigorating burst of fresh zingy citruses (mainly lemon & lime) blended with a whisper of pepper. All these notes give off a refreshing semi-sweet juicy aroma.

After a short while, a kiss of green mintiness joins the citruses, which elevates the freshness, and also a soft floral note. Then…

As it starts to dry-down, the citrus freshness recedes into the background, and then vetiver creeps in — it’s of the clean, slightly-green variety.

And finally, as the scent develops, it becomes richer, deeper, and woodier.

Versatile

Mancera’s VS is listed as unisex but leans heavily masculine, and it’s more geared towards the mature 25+ crowd.

And because this is fresh, clean, and inoffensive, it makes this an absolute pleasure to wear anytime, anyplace. It excels in spring and summer, though.

Now I should point something out:

Those of you familiar with Mancera, will know they have a reputation for potent “beast mode” (room-filling) scents. However — this is quite the opposite!

Clean & Inoffensive

This is an EDP and projects around arm’s length for up to 3 hours. It then sits softly above the skin. And, depending on the temperature, we found lasting power is around 5–8+ hours. ‘Aint complaining. 🙂

However, if you’re looking for a powerhouse, you will be disappointed.

Oh — one more thing…

The bottle looks sleek, and it’s fitted with a high-quality atomizer, which is protected with a handy magnetic cap.

What’s more, Mancera even gives you a little travel bag for your bottle. Nice touch.

---

#8 Bentley Wild Vetiver

The Ultimate Luxury?

Bentley? The luxury car maker?

Yes, you read that right, my friend. Because after an exclusive launch at Harrods in London, the brand rolled out a fragrance line.

And this release is from their high-end line, called The Bentley Beyond Collection. So…

Gentleman… start your engines. Let’s take this scent for a test drive: 🙂

Bentley’s Wild Vetiver starts off with a light burst of bergamot citrus, mixed with some lemon verbena. And these are backed up with dry vetiver. And…

As soon as the citrus fades, the vetiver takes the front seat, with the lemon verbena supporting it.

Citrusy Woody Greenness

And as it plays out, some birch wood creeps in, which adds a subtle hint of sweet woodiness.

All in all, it smells fresh and citrusy clean… With a dry, slightly smoky, natural woody greenness.

Does it smell expensive?

I’d say so. Yeah…

Just like Bentley’s cars, the quality is top notch here. No surprise.

Refined High-Class Aroma

Now, this is a refined, masculine scent, which is more suited for the classy 25+ crowd. If you’re rolling in a Bentley, then this is a no-brainer. 😎 And best of all…

This is hugely versatile because you can wear this all year (just adjust your sprays) for just about any occasion — days or nights. Its aroma is perfect for those professional/business situations.

Or you can even use it as your “daily driver.” 🙂

Courteous

Bentley’s WV is an EDP, and is well-bred. Because for the first few hours, it projects courteously (around an arm’s length).

And then it settles in, creating a gorgeous personal scent-bubble around you. And we concluded lasting strength to be a respectful 6–8+ hours. Anyway…

A true gentleman doesn’t want his fragrance to announce his presence before he enters the room, right?

Hold on! We’re not done just yet…

Hand-stitched Leather Cap

This comes in a gorgeous heavy thick-glass bottle, which is adorned with the legendary Flying B Logo.

In fact, the bottle was actually designed by the team of Bentley Motors. But here’s the cool part…

The cuts in the glass bottle mimic the cut-crystal glass car headlights of the Bentley Continental GT.

Very cool.

What’s more, the hand-stitched leather wrap on the cap represents the interior of the car.

And to top it all off, the bottle comes beautifully presented in a box that has a soft-touch leather-like coating.

Hats off to Bentley 🙂

---

#7 Editions de Parfums: Frederic Malle – Vetiver Extraordinaire

Refined & Elegant

Here’s what you need to know:

Editions de Parfums are a French luxury brand, created by fragrance expert Frédéric Malle ­­— for those of you that don’t want to smell like the rest of the world…. because here’s the thing:

Unlike other fragrance companies, Editions de Parfums invest ALL their money into the scent itself.

In fact, they have:

• No famous brand ambassadors
• No fancy bottles
• No budgets or deadlines
• No massive launch events

This is why you’ve probably never even heard of them. 🤷‍♂️🤣

Anyway, the brand invest all their money to handpick the best perfumers in the world… and give them total freedom to express themselves — using the finest materials. How does this benefit you? Well…

You get a fragrance that’s like a piece of art. But here’s the bad news… They also come with prices to match (understandable, right?).

Speaking of…

World-Renowned Master Perfumer

For this release, Malle teamed-up with award-winning master perfumer Dominique Ropion, (widely considered to be the BEST in the game). Their plan?

To modernize the classic scent of vetiver, using a vetiver essence that has been treated by molecular distillation. Huh? What the?!?

In plain English:

This treatment removes impurities and produces super high-quality, naturally-smelling vetiver. Furthermore, it allows the perfumer to use a large dose of it in the fragrance.

All this sounds cool… BUT did they deliver the goods? Let’s find out, my friend…

Spicy Freshness

Vetiver Extraordinaire opens up fresh and spicy, with a blast of bergamot and bitter orange citruses, mixed with a dose of pink pepper. And…

Underneath this spicy freshness is a layer of smooth earthy green vetiver that is blended with pops of minty clove and other spicy aromatic notes.

And as it dries down on your skin, the dry grassy vetiver rises up and joins the citruses. And all these notes are sitting on a woody base with a hint of smokiness.

Extremely Natural Smelling & High Quality

And hats off to Editions de Parfums because it smells super-smooth, extremely natural, and high-quality — it lends the wearer an air of sophistication.

And the good news:

The scent works GREAT for all seasons and for just about any occasion (dressed up or dressed down).

However, I think this classy scent is more aimed for the sophisticated, mature 25+ crowd.

Now, to be perfectly clear:

Reserved Scent Cloud

This is an elegant, reserved scent that doesn’t shout out. So if you’re looking for a room-filler — you will be disappointed.

This is an EDP, and it projects about an arm’s length for around an hour. Then it dials back and sits politely close to your skin — giving off subtle wafts here and there.

And in our longevity tests, we found it to fall in the 5–8+ hours range before it disappeared.

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for a refined, high-quality scent… then I urge you to try this.

---

#6 Lalique Encre Noire Sport

The Best Bang for Your Buck

Before you read on…

Don’t let the name “Sport” throw you off because, in my opinion, the name sport is misleading. Why?

Well… typically, sport colognes are light, fresh, citrusy, and bright (and they stay that way). Not this one, my friend.

That said, Encre Noire Sport does start off with some fresh uplifting qualities… But it quickly becomes dark, earthy, and woody – with just a pinch of freshness.

Therefore, it’s not something I would associate with other sport fragrances on the market. Just a heads-up. 🙂

Ok… With that out the way:

Encre Noire vs Encre Noire Sport

Encre Noire Sport is a newer, lighter version of a fragrance that Lalique (the French luxury glass maker) previously released called Encre Noire.

For those of you not familiar with the original Encre Noire: it’s a deep, dark, mysterious, and inky-smelling rendition of vetiver.

And on the flip side, this so-called sport release is a toned-down, lighter, fresher, less-inky, and more-wearable version. And dare I say — a better version. Oh, and by the way…

Inky

In case you don’t know, Encre Noire is French, and translates to “Black Ink.” Which is a fitting name for this scent. So…

If you want something more daring and complex, I urge you to check our review of the original Encre Noir, which is on our best cheap colognes post. However, if you prefer a lighter, more-wearable version, read on, my friend…

Now, Encre Noire Sport contains 2 types of vetivers (Bourbon & Haitian) that have been perfectly blended by master perfumer Nathalie Lorson.

Let me break it down for you:

Masterfully Blended

On first spray, Encre Noir Sport has a nice green zesty freshness — coming from a cocktail of grapefruit and bergamot citruses, mixed with a hint of clean lavender.

Earthy, grassy vetiver and cypress sit in the background.

However, the freshness quickly fades, and the vetiver and cypress begin to bloom. And the scent gets darker, with a green earthy woody inky aroma.

That said, the scent still maintains a hint of clean citrusy freshness.

Dark Woodiness & Hint of Freshness

It’s a perfect balance of sophisticated dark, inky, earthy woodiness… and watery freshness.

Imagine this, my friend:

Being in a dark green forest after a heavy rainfall — with the smell of damp mossy logs. The pine trees. The damp soil. But, with some added watery grapefruit freshness. 🌲🍋

Well, this is what it smells like. But in a good way! 🙂

Elegant & Versatile

And because of the scent profile, this is more suitable for the mature 25+. And you can use it all year; however, it performs best in the spring, summer, and fall. GREAT for rainy days.

Plus, you can wear this for both formal and informal situations… and it also makes for a safe office/work/casual scent.

But despite the name of the scent, it’s NOT something I would wear for sports, or the gym.

Now to be clear:

Subtle

Encre Noire Sport is not an attention-seeker. This is an EDT and projects around an arm’s length for the first few hours, and then hovers close to your skin.

And in our longevity tests, we found, depending on the temperature and the wearer’s skin chemistry, lasting-power fell in the 4–8 hour range.

Oh, and I must say: Lalique being a luxury glass maker did not disappoint with the bottle because the heavy glass cubed-shape bottle is gorgeous. It’s suitably reminiscent of an inkwell. Nice touch.

And the beautiful part…

This can be discovered online (or in bargain bins) heavily discounted. But it smells a LOT more expensive than what you actually pay for it.

Thus, this is a GREAT affordable choice. Top marks!

---

#5 Hermes Terre d’Hermes Eau Intense Vetiver

Fresh & Peppery

In a nutshell:

This is a newer, fresher version of the original award-winning Terre d’Hermes. And the beautiful part: In this newer release, the vetiver has been amped up. Let’s take a sniff…

Masculine, Modern & Sophisticated

This new version opens up with a blast of fresh peppery citruses… with green earthy vetiver sitting in the background.

And as it dries down, the citruses recede and the vetiver steps up — it smells slightly smoky with a dry-woody peppery edge… But it still manages to stay fresh and clean from the underlying citruses.

It’s masculine, it’s modern, and it’s sophisticated.

Pairs Perfectly With a Suit

This one is appropriate for all seasons (except the high summer heat — trust me 🤦‍♂️). And it’s more suited for the classy, mature 30+ crowd for dressed-up formal occasions.

In fact, this pairs perfectly with a suit, and it’s a GREAT scent for the professional office environment.

Now, Terre d’Hermes IV is an EDP concentration, and it projects off your skin about an arm’s length for up to 2 hours.

It then sits politely close to your skin, but we found it to have good lasting-power of 6–10+ hours.

Bonus: the bottle looks classy, and has a handy twist-down cap sprayer.

---

#4 Roja Parfums Vetiver (Parfum Cologne Version)

Premium Green Elegance

Put simply, this is a premium classy green refined scent.

Now, for those of you who don’t know, Roja Parfums are widely recognised as one of the world’s most luxurious fragrance houses.

In fact, each of their scents are created in England, using only the finest-quality materials possible.

And on top of that, the scents come in premium presentation. However, as you can guess, they also come with prices to match (no surprise there).

Finest Quality Materials

Furthermore, the brand is headed by British world-renowned perfumer and fragrance expert Roja Dove. By the way…

Roja is also the author of the wonderful book: The Essence of Perfume. Anyway, enough backstory.

How does this smell?

The short version:

This starts off bright and fresh… and then slowly morphs into a sophisticated clean, green-earthy, slightly smoky woody masculine scent.

(Side note: If you’re familiar with Tom Ford’s Grey Vetiver, this has a slightly similar scent profile. However, to be clear: Roja’s is more rich, more refined, and more complex. And, understandably, more costly. That said, BOTH are awesome.)

The long version…

Refreshing Citruses

As soon as you spray this, you get a beautiful refreshing lemon and bergamot citrus aroma (and it’s high quality). And this citrus freshness is backed-up with grassy, earthy vetiver (but just a pinch earthy). It smells clean — but not soapy. And…

As it develops, the citrus freshness takes a step back… And the vetiver rises up to take center stage.

Then slowly, the scent gets deeper, richer, and smoother, and it becomes more earthy, green, woody, and slightly smoky. Furthermore…

Highly Crafted

Whispers of spices give it some complexity and depth. Yet it still manages to retain a nice clean (but not soapy) citrusy undertone.

It’s highly crafted. And smells very, very elegant.

Oh, did I mention the bottle is stunning? Yeah…

The bottle is simply gorgeous. It’s hand-polished and comes in a lovely green gradient finish, and is topped off with a heavy gold-colored metal cap.

Pretty awesome, right?

What’s more… Roja Dove’s signature is engraved on the top and the side of the cap.

So it looks, feels, and (more importantly) smells premium. Top marks!

Well-Groomed Professionals

Now, in my opinion, this is more suited for sophisticated mature 25+ well-groomed gentlemen. And it can be worn all year, but it’s more suited for daytime use (this shines in the spring/summer!).

It’s perfect for the office or work or business meetings because it has an upscale professional aura. But you can absolutely wear it for casual use, too.

Now, I should point something out:

Parfum Cologne is a term used by Roja Dove to describe his new line of fragrances. In a nutshell…

Rich Complex Depth

The brand coined this name because it’s an EDP (Eau de Parfum) concentration that has the brightness and freshness that you get from an EDC (Eau de Cologne) concentration. Yet…

It still retains the depth, performance, and lasting power that you would expect from an EDP.

Does it last long?

Well, depending on the temperature, we found it to last around 5–8+ hours on skin.

Also, we found it to be a well-mannered fragrance. Meaning, it projects within arm’s length for the first few hours. And then it sits respectfully close to your skin – giving off sophisticated wafts.

---

#3 Creed – Original Vetiver

Premium — Fresh, Clean & Green

Ah, Creed… you’ve just gotta love them.

By the way, this one also cracked into our top 10 Creed colognes list — for good reason!

Now, in case you’re not familiar with Creed, they are a luxury fragrance brand based in Paris.

And not only do they use high-quality natural materials to create their scents… but they have been doing this stuff for 230 plus years! So let’s just say…

They know a thing or two. 🙂

Anyway…

Smooth Green Freshness

Typically, vetiver colognes get their scent from only the root of the vetiver plant.

However, Creed’s master perfumers have also blended in the leaves of the plant ­­­— to create their own unique modern spin. Let’s take a sniff…

When you first spray this, you’re greeted with an enormous burst of green freshness. This freshness comes from a blend of fizzy citruses (bergamot & mandarin orange) mixed with a light vetiver, and a pinch of zingy ginger.

And after the citrus settles, the vetiver begins to poke its head through… And it’s joined with a touch of smooth sandalwood and clean musk. The end result?

Beautifully Simple

A luxurious-smelling soapy-clean green scent… with a nice, warm, slightly-sweet, creamy-woody undertone. Beautifully simple.

So, to be perfectly clear, my friend:

If you’re looking for something dark, earthy, and smoky – this is NOT it. Because this is bright, grassy, and clean.

Creed’s OV is a classy, mature scent; therefore, it’s more suited for the well-put-together 25+ crowd.

Highly Versatile

And I would say it’s also more suited for daytime casual/office/work use in the spring/summer.

That said, this smells GREAT all year for just about ANY occasion. After all, we should always be smelling super-fresh and clean, right? 🙂

This comes as an EDP (Eau de Parfum) concentration and doesn’t shout for attention. Because when testing this on skin, we found that the scent projects politely (about an arm’s length) for up to 3 hours.

And then it becomes more discreet, giving off nice gentle wafts. Also, we noted lasting-power was ballpark 5–8+ hours.

Bottom line:

If you’re looking for a high-quality, fresh, clean, green interpretation of vetiver, it doesn’t get much better than this. But not gonna lie, it’s pretty pricey!

Update: Just a quick heads-up, the brand recently released a new fragrance called Creed Wild Vetiver. And I was excited to test this, but as soon as I sprayed it, I was disappointed! How so?

Well, because it’s NOT very “vetiver-y”. 🤷‍♂️

You see, despite the name of this new release, the vetiver in this scent is NOT the star of the show, so to speak — it only plays a small supporting role. In fact, the main note is a floral rose accord; maybe they should have called it “Wild Rose”. 🤣

Anyways, it doesn’t smell bad, but it won’t be making its way onto THIS list. So just make sure you don’t confuse these 2 releases from the same brand, my friend.

---

#2 Vetiver De Guerlain (EDT Version)

A Timeless Classic

Here’s what you need to know:

This is widely considered as one of the most respected vetiver scented cologne on the market. And it is now the benchmark that all others are judged by.

In case you don’t know… Guerlain are a French brand that have been creating fragrances for more than 190 years. Seriously.

In fact, this timeless classic was even created by the master perfumer Jean-Paul Guerlain himself.

(He knows his stuff! 🙂)

Now, to be perfectly clear, my friend:

This is NOT for the younger crowd; this is grown men’s stuff… For mature refined gentlemen.

By the way, this scent is reportedly a firm favorite of Arnold Schwarzenegger – as well as many other famous people. Anyway, enough babble…

Let me break it down for you:

Zesty Clean Freshness

When you first spray this, you’re greeted with a burst of zesty-lemon freshness, with a clean green-soapy undertone.

As it dries down… the citruses fade, and then the dry, earthy green vetiver shines through and takes center stage.

And this is joined with a sprinkling of spicy tobacco and a pinch of ground nutmeg (these add some body & depth).

It smells masculine, elegant, and complex.

Hey… by the way, if you enjoy the masculine note of tobacco, then don’t miss out on our top tobacco scents because we have some top-shelf picks for you. Anyway…

Hats off to Guerlain:

As this smells highly natural: it’s green, it’s grassy, it’s woody… and a little soapy, and a little earthy.

In fact, it smells like you’re in a fresh, fragrant forest. 🌲🙂

Now, as I said earlier, my friend…

Mature Refined Gentlemen

This is more suited for sophisticated, mature men (so I suggest 30-up).

And it can be worn in all seasons for just about any occasion (days or nights). However, it shines in the spring and summer.

You can wear it dressed up or dressed down. And it also makes for a great professional office or work scent.

Oh, before I forget…

Just a quick heads-up, Guerlain recently refreshed the presentation by giving it a new bottle, so…

If you see it in the previous bottle design (pictured below on the left), don’t worry as it’s the same formula and smell as the newly-designed bottle (picture on the right).

Oh, and the good news for you…

Sometimes you can discover the previous bottle design for a NICE discount. Bonus. 👍

Now, this is an EDT concentration and projects politely off your skin (within arm’s length) for up to 3 hours — it then sits closer to your skin, giving off gentle fragrant wafts.

And in our tests, this lasted around the 5–8+ hour range. Great.

Bottom line: A timeless classic, that every vetiver fan must try.

---

#1 Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP

A Modern Classic

The word on the street is…

Hugh Jackman reportedly rocks this — for good reason!

Oh, and by the way, this also cracked our top 10 Tom Ford colognes list — for good reason, too! Anyway…

This is Tom Ford’s “modern take” on vetiver… for modern sharply-dressed men.

Did he deliver the goods?

The answer seems to be “YES!” 🙂 Let’s take a look, my friend…

Smooth, Clean & Elegant

On first spray, you’re greeted with a burst of juicy grapefruit, mixed with pops of spices, and it has slightly earthy, fresh green vetiver buried underneath.

And when it settles, the vetiver steps up and morphs beautifully with the grapefruit. They are joined with a pinch of nutmeg and woods — to give a nice, smooth, elegant blend.

It smells clean, masculine, and sophisticated, so it makes you feel fresh and confident.

Sharply-Dressed Modern Man

This is more suited for mature (I suggest 25+), well-put-together men.

And the good news:

This is SUPER versatile: all seasons… all occasions. This especially shines in the spring/summer – and it’s perfect for professional business and/or office work situations. And to be clear, my friend…

This is a reserved scent that doesn’t shout out for attention.

It’s an EDP, and it projects politely (about arm’s length) for up to 2 hours… then it softens up and sits close to your skin.

And in our trials, we got around 6–8+ hours of fresh, confidence-boosting cleanness before it disappeared.

Good stuff! 💚

Newer Parfum Version Better?

Update: Since our last round of testing the best vetiver colognes, the brand released a newer (and a LOT more expensive) Parfum concentrated version of this. Does it smell better? Is it worth the extra money???

In short, no. Why?

Well, my friend, we don’t think so because we fully tested them both side-by-side and also did some blind sniff tests with some unbiased evaluators. The results?

Grey Vetiver EDP vs Parfum Version

I can report to you that the more affordable EDP version won on points with our testers. In fact, they all agreed that the EDP version smelled more appealing than the Parfum version. (Gotta be fair, though, the Parfum lasted longer: 10+ hours!)

Oh, and also, the EDP version is MY personal favorite out of the 2.

You see, we found the Parfum version strips out the nice citrusy freshness of the EDP version, so this makes the Parfum version smell darker, denser, and earthier.

Therefore, the EDP version is the one we recommend and will remain #1 on this list.

---

# Premium Pick: Nishane Sultan Vetiver

The King

Let’s just cut right to the chase:

Sultan Vetiver is just like it sounds: The KING of niche vetiver fragrances. Period.

And, if you don’t agree with me, then you’re wrong! (Kidding. Mostly.) 🙂

Seriously though, hands-down, this is the best vetiver scent I have got my nose on (so far). And it’s not just me because this is also highly regarded in the online fragrance community.

Big-time warning, however:

Listen up, my friend, because this is important:

I’ll be super honest with you; this scent is NOT a good fit for everyone. This is NOT “blind buy safe”. Let me explain…

This is a complex, artistic fragrance, with a LOT of moving parts. So if you’re a beginner, this will be dramatically different from anything you’ve ever smelled.

Therefore, I would NOT recommend you jump into this (just yet). My suggestion?

Artistic

If you’re just getting into fragrances, and/or just looking for something to wear casually as a daily-driver… Or maybe you’re just looking to dip-your-toes into vetiver…

Then I highly recommend you first try some of the other options above. Then, after your nose matures, come back and give this a try.

But do me a favor…

If you’ve already got a seasoned nose and you’re familiar with the suggestions above, then — Do. Not. Sleep. On. This. 🙂

Okay… With that out the way, read on…

Highly Concentrated

Now, in case you’re wondering…

Nishane are a niche house from Istanbul, Turkey. The brand is known for their opulent, highly-concentrated scents. But here’s what’s even cooler…

In this fragrance, they have used vetiver from 4 different regions (Haiti, Java, Réunion and Brazil). Note: each regional plant has its own distinctive scent profile.

Furthermore, they have all been blended beautifully with some freshness and a nice pinch of sweetness.

But what does this mean for you?

In a nutshell, you will get to enjoy a fragrance journey, in which you will experience a symphony of ALL the different regional facets of vetiver. All in ONE majestic scent. Awesome, right?

So…

• It’s a bit woody
• It’s a bit grassy
• It’s a bit sweet
• It’s a bit fresh
• It’s a bit earthy
• It’s a bit smoky

You get the idea. 🙂 So to clarify…

You really, really have to LOVE vetiver to appreciate this. Seriously. 💚

In fact, let me walk you through it…

Majestic

On first spray, you’re greeted with a blast of spicy green and slightly earthy vetiver. And these are mixed with some fresh juicy bergamot citrus and neroli – which brightens the opening up.

What’s more, you get a nice licorice (anise) accord sitting in the background.

Now, as the scent develops on your skin, it becomes more dark, dry, grassy, and slightly smoky. And it’s joined with a lovely hint of honeyed sweetness. And…

Pinch of Honeyed Sweetness

As it heads into the dry-down, a touch of masculine leather creeps in. And then it finally becomes warm, earthy, green, spicy and woody.

And hats off to Nishane:

Because the quality is top-notch. It smells rich. It smells natural. And it smells super unique.

Complex & Sophisticated

This is a masculine, sophisticated, gentlemanly scent; so in terms of age, I suggest the mature and confident 25+.

And it’s more suited for dressed-up, classy occasions.

In fact, this pairs GREAT with a suit-and-tie, for the office (spray light), business meetings etc. And yet, it also works just as good for casual day-to-day wear.

Now, in terms of seasons:

Spring and fall are the sweet spot. However, you can wear this all year round — just adjust your sprays accordingly.

That said, this is quite bold, so I wouldn’t recommend rocking this on super-hot summer days.

Does it perform? Like a champ. 🙂

Attention Grabber

The good news… Nishane’s SV is an Extrait de Parfum concentration (it’s potent!). By the way, it is currently only available in 50ml bottle sizes.

Nevertheless, a little goes a LONG way! Yeah…

You only need 1–2 sprays and you’re set. And for the first few hours, it projects up to 6ft. Then it becomes more moderate and lasts an impressive 8–12+ hours.

---

Now, it’s your turn…

We would love to hear from you:

What do YOU think the best vetiver perfumes for men are? Did we miss any?

Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, please let me know by leaving a quick comment below right now.

Where to go from here?

Discover our top 10 oud fragrances and our favorite sandalwood based scents.

We hope you enjoyed our article and found this list useful. If you did, we would love it if you would please share it to your favorite social networks!