A super sharp green note opens Vetiver Nocturne Absolu. It’s not the sharp grass I would expect from vetiver but more toward a vegetal, wet grass. Like a Ruh Khus, Indian vetiver.
Wearing this again and again reveals that this is more than a vetiver story. It is deeper. It’s not fair to be put in the vetiver category. Ruh Khus to vetiver is like Mysore sandalwood to sandalwood. It’s just at another meditative level. Appealing to the West should not always be the case, because this ain’t your dad’s vetiver. This is more, this is deeper, there is more satisfaction here.
Oakmoss appears with a great dose of ambergris. I can tell there is fresher ambergris in it. The sandalwood comes out pretty clear.
The neroli sits perfectly on top. I complain a lot about the blending and architecture of the house, but here he really nailed the opening and the transition to the heart. Champaca floats in, and the sambac is only supporting, not taking over the heart at all.
The oud is used perfectly with vetiver. They complement and intertwine to form a more transcendent escape, and the sillage is fantastic.
Remember when I mentioned vegetal? The drydown turns grassy; this is likely due to the two types of vetiver used. It is brilliant how they transitioned at different times, showcasing the ingredient this was named after.
The drydown turns to the Bortniscense, but vetiver keeps a slight edge, which makes this a bit different than more than half of the other scents in his line.