Greysolon
Helpful Review
6
Vetyverio and its fraternal twin
You’ll have to excuse me if I start writing about Vetyverio by way of Chanel Sycomore. The last few days I’ve had Sycomore on the brain. First, it reminded me in a peripheral way of Parfums de Nicolai Baladin so it became the subject of a compare and contrast review.
Now Sycomore is getting another compare and contrast work over but this time because I met its fraternal twin, Vetyverio, at the Diptyque counter of our local Nordstroms.
Since Vetyverio and Sycomore are so similar I couldn’t help but think of my son’s best friends who are fraternal twins. They appear to be, at first glance, nearly identical handsome young men. Yet each personifies the fundamental differences between Sycomore and Vetyverio. The brother I think of as Sycomore is a strength athlete with chiseled, distinct features and a personality that is serious, stoic and focused. His brother, Vetyverio, is also athletic but he has remained lean with a physicality and bearing that is more limber. His personality is outgoing and warm.
When it comes to the fragrances, both share an airy, vetiver smokiness which wears as much like a slightly coarse, natural fabric as it does a fragrance. Where they differ is that Sycomore’s personality has a chiseled, grayscale severity which I love. It may not sound lovable but it is something like my son’s reflective, serious friend.
Vetyverio possesses an earthy, vetiver quality identical to Sycomore, except nose Oliver Pesheux has added Diptyque's distinctive warm spice accord which is found in several fragrances of their line. You can smell this accord in Volute, Tam Dao, and 34 Blvd. St. Germain. It gets its warmth from spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove as well as sandalwood and perhaps a dark floral. This accord gives Vetyverio a warm, sepia glow that some may find easier to wear when compared to the stoic qualities of Sycomore.