Sel de Vétiver
The Different Company (2007)

The vetiver in here is the rooty kind, which I like, but the mixture gives off a weird maple syrup vibe. Not a fan.

Citrus and vetiver is such a basic combo for harsh masculine scents, but Céline Ellena created something so delicate, feminine, and gorgeous with it.

Unpleasant vetiver. I understand this as a think piece: reinvent a perfume convention by highlighting vetiver's mineralic and iodine facets instead of its greens and inherent freshness. But the end result smells like ground-up rocks mixed with the sensation of a mouthful of blood, topped with a milk and cardamom. It works as an art project and as a thought experiment, but not as smell I want to wear.

As much as a want to give this a thumbs down for being unwearable, I have to promote it to a neutral just because of its artistry and the thought put into it. But I still don't like it as an odor.

My first niche purchase, so for that reason it holds a special place. The description is pretty accurate with a salty vetiver and does have some smokiness. There is nothing else out there that I have tried that smells similar. Definitely unique.
I will say I was wearing it one day in an enclosed room. Someone walked in and said, "It smells like paint in here!" Pretty sure they were smelling Sel de Vetiver. :)

Very mediocre. Firstly, has poor performance on me, notably projection, being mostly a skin scent. Longevity is ok at around 4-6 hours, but it's just so weak!

Smells itself is nice, but umm.. I have Lagerfeld Bois de Vetiver, which smells nearly identical, and costs much less. I get a salty vetiver opening, more emphases on a sea breeze/salty nuance than the vetiver. It isn't until about 10 minutes on skin where the grapefruit and salty accord die off til I get a vetiver note, which is a carbon copy of the vetiver in Bois de Vetiver.

There's nothing about smell and quality here than scream niche to me. Maybe mid range designer. Had this been $55 or so a bottle, it would be a thumbs up, but at its price tag now, no way.

Take away the salty acidic grapefruit top note that lasts, oh maybe 10 minutes, and I'm left with Bos de Vetiver. I'll keep my wallet full and take that one instead, performs much better too!

A disappointment considering the positive reviews.
To me it is a mild version of CdG Hinoki. A mild sour dentist mouthwash. Sounds worse than it is. It's actually pleasant enough but not worth buying in any amount. My wife hates it. At least Hinoki is more playful although it garnered the most looks in a tube train I have ever had and I am not sure whether is was because they liked it. Maybe an olfactory surprise that they had to make their minds up about. That's ok, but this SdV is not even playful. It won't stimulate any thought or conversation. Hence neutral.

Fragrance: 6.10
Projection: 7/10
Longevity: 7/10