Vétiver Oriental - A Serge Lutens Alchemy of Mineral, Vegetable, Animal and Human

She swept through the undergrowth, her long cape flowing behind her, leather boots silent on the thick bed of leaves. The tall trees seemed to lean toward her as if to watch her progress. Clouds scudded across the moon, throwing shadow onto shadow.

A sudden whoosh of air next to her head startled her. She stopped and held her breath. Then she saw the dark shape swoop through the trees toward her. An owl, annoyed at her bold trespass onto his hunting ground. She laughed silently. Only an owl.

She took a deep breath then started again. As she walked her long fingers found the sueded leather pouch strapped across her hip. She felt its precious contents through the soft skin. The tightly wrapped wands of dried roots, the packets of mosses, herbs and spices, the pots of thick resins, the vials of golden oils. And the cool, hard stones. Three of them.

She very much wanted to pull out the stones, to see them sparkle in the moonlight, but she didn't dare. She couldn't risk losing them. The stones were the key. Without them the formula wouldn't work. The odd-eyed man had said so.

The odd-eyed man. The man with one eye green, one eye blue. "One eye to see the past, one eye to see the future, both eyes to see the present," he had told her.

That was the truth. But the odd-eyed man had lied about the stones. A well-intentioned lie meant to soothe her. If she knew the truth, she might not believe it. She wouldn't believe it. Funny, he thought, how people could put such faith in stones and so little in themselves. For the truth was, she was the key to the formula.

Without her, no transformation could take place. Without her, even the finest spices, herbs, roots, oils, resins and stones in the world could create no more than a pretty anodyne. And he had something quite different in mind. Something the world wasn't expecting. Something the world didn't even know it needed. A higher degree of perfection.

And so he sat in his hut deep in the woods waiting for her. Eager for the moment when mineral, vegetable, animal - the three kingdoms - would unite with the fourth - human - and be transformed. Transformed into a sumptuous elixir of untold facets. An elixir that would bridge the worlds of darkness and light. Soon, very soon, he thought.

It won't be long now, she thought, as she hurried to meet The Alchemist.

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Serge Lutens Vétiver Oriental. I did not like it all the first few times I tried it. And now I wonder what I could have been thinking back then. This is by far one of the most interesting and compelling scents I've ever encountered. Darkness. Light. Bitter. Sweet. Cool. Warm. Its textural play of shadow and light is fascinating. And its dance on skin never boring. Just when you think you have it pegged, it presents another face.

If Serge Lutens is an Alchemist, as some have suggested, Vétiver Oriental is his ode to that profession and its three kingdoms. It is mineral, vegetable, and animal. But it takes the fourth kingdom, human, or in this case human skin, to transform it and bring it to life. This is truly a "skin scent" in the best sense of the words. It tricks you into thinking it's you and your skin that smell so delicious, not a perfume separate and apart from you.

If you're looking for a straight-up, classic take on vetiver, I'd suggest something like Chanel Sycomore, Santa Maria Novella Eva, Carven Vétiver or Guerlain Vétiver.

But if you want to experience a vetiver that twists and twirls to reveal many facets - one minute leathery and sharp, the next golden and boozy, the next sweet and powdery, and yet again medicinal and ancient - try this one.

The notes are said to include: sap; iris pallida; undergrowth notes; vetiver; gaiacwood; chocolate; musk; amber; mosses; sandalwood; labdanum; and benzoin.

The Lutens marketing copy calls Vétiver Oriental "vetiver scaled down to the richness and sumptuousness of its roots." Perhaps vetiver roots are this rich and sumptuous when they are pulled from the cool, dark mineral earth. I haven't yet had the pleasure of smelling them fresh, or even dried, so I can only imagine.

But having smelled Vétiver Oriental, I can understand why the Salons Shiseido website lists it as one of Les Somptueux, along with Muscs Koublai Khan, Ambre Sultan and Cuir Mauresque. That's where it belongs.

You can find this limited-edition Lutens from 2004 online and at some brick-and-mortar stores like Houston's Kuhl-Linscomb, for $140.

The word Alchemy is said to come from the Old French "alkemie" or the Arabic "al-kimia" - the art of transformation.

Comments

[Donald]

Now I am intrigued about this scent. It's complex, but is it sexy? You're raving about it so I suppose it is sexy - I think I'll buy some for my lover and I'll let you know how that turns out. Thanks for the tip.

[chayaruchama]

I can feel your pulsating passion for this-
And echo it, myself.

This, from a woman who loves carrot oil, straight-up rhizomes, and thinks MPG's like Racine and Route de Vetiver were meant to be wallowed in,....ok ?!

I had your same initial impression-
Then, just recently, fell head-over-heels.

[Beautifully written, btw]

[scentsignals]

hi, donald - thanks for visiting, and for the comment. so much depends on what you find to be sexy. we're all wired so differently. yes, i would say this is sexy, but in a shadowy, understated way. it doesn't scream SEX. it whispers. try to sample it before you buy. the perfumed court (http://theperfumedcourt.com) seems to have it (search under perfume houses).

[scentsignals]

hi, chaya - this is a wonderful brew, isn't it?! and i definitely did a 180 on it. thanks for the mental image of you wallowing in such earthy, rooty potions, and for the compliment. you left me smiling, as always. xxx