Vetiver with golden hair
The rainy season is coming to an end in Haiti... It is December in Cayes, in the south of the island. It has taken a whole year for the vetiver roots to reach their optimal length of one metre and be ready for harvesting by hand. After this process, known in Haiti as ‘excavation’, the roots are bundled and taken to the distillery. Now it's time to be patient again. It takes 24 hours for the vetiver essence to be distilled, producing a fragrant essential oil with golden reflections. This essence is as precious as gold in Haiti, and a solidarity project has been set up in collaboration with the Swiss company Givaudan. Diptyque is committed to this project in the long term and purchases the organically grown essence from three villages – Massy, Faucault and Bazelais – for the composition of its Eau de Parfum Vetyverio. The solidarity project thus helps to secure the supply chain for this unique Haitian vetiver. The long roots of this tropical sweet grass can reach up to three metres in length and extend deep into the ground. With its dense root network, vetiver anchors the island's volcanic soil and slows down erosion. In return, the roots soak up the many minerals in this fertile soil, which give vetiver its aromatic diversity, fiery temperament and finesse, and characterise its irresistibly smoky, racy scent. There are no thick, dark rootstocks with earthy, rough notes, as can be found elsewhere, but only delicate root threads in light shades like angel hair, bursting with wonderful fragrances. A vetiver of astonishing subtlety, which the diptyque perfumer uses for his reinterpretation of the Eau de Parfum Vetyverio.
Wood inlays and genre mix
When the focus of a perfume is on vetiver, the result is traditionally a masculine fragrance, as the woody aromas ensure uncompromising virility. For its Eau de Parfum Vetyverio, diptyque dares to do the complete opposite, not only presenting itself as completely feminine, but even going one step further. Like a piece of marquetry, this vetiver composes an overall picture with unexpected facets, sometimes full of freshness, then smoky or even downright floral.
A kaleidoscope of olfactory nuances revolving around a single substance, presented here in an original, overdose, sublimated form. With a subtle bitterness and lemony notes, grapefruit underscores the natural freshness of the wood. As a counterpoint to this almost sparkling character, patchouli accentuates the smoky, spicy aroma of vetiver with its own unique density. This verticality is set in motion by Turkish rose, creating a surprising sensuality, a floral softness that gives this vetiver a new harmony of flowers and woods. Like other fragrances from the house, such as Eau Duelle with Madagascan vanilla, Oud Palao with Laotian oud and Eau Mohéli with ylang-ylang from the Comoros, Vetyverio showcases a single essence that is expressed in its purest and clearest form. Instantly recognisable, it is nevertheless unique, presenting itself as familiar and completely new at the same time.
Diptyque pays double tribute to vetiver: with an Eau de Toilette in 2010 and now with an Eau de Parfum. Two versions created by perfumer Olivier Pescheux. In the Eau de Toilette, two essences, one from Java and the other from Haiti, come together and intertwine to create a subtle balance. In the Eau de Parfum, Haitian vetiver triumphs in a new concentration and unfolds in all its dimensions: intense, beguiling and yet incredibly subtle. A unique fragrance aura emerges, revealing the full complexity of this raw material. Whether worn by a woman or a man, Eau de Parfum Vetyverio is absolutely addictive.
