Is Tom Ford Grey Vetiver Worth Buying? [Review]

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver is an iconic cologne from designer Tom Ford. It’s one of several fragrances that rocketed the Tom Ford brand to fragrance stardom. It also has a reputation as a classy, everyday cologne. Consequently, I had to try it for myself to see if it’s worth buying this year. And yes – the hype’s real. Let’s find out why I think that’s the case.

Table of Contents

Cologne Notes

Grapefruit, sage, nutmeg, vetiver, woodsy notes.

How Does Grey Vetiver Smell?

On first spray on skin, I can immediately smell the grapefruit note. This is a bright and uplifting kind of citrus, and carries an effervescent and fizzy type quality to it.

Accompanying it is of course the vetiver, which this cologne is named after. To those who aren’t aware – vetiver is a form of grass, and its oil is routinely used in perfumery. Here, it provides an aroma of green, soapy cleanness alongside the grapefruit.

Vetiver can sometimes have a reputation of smelling piercing and sharp, which can turn a lot of people off. Myself included.

However, that’s not the case here. The vetiver note is smooth and creamy, delicately balanced with grapefruit.

As the scent develops, it doesn’t change an awful lot. Nonetheless, I do notice the slightest hints of sage and nutmeg appear. They add minor additions of spice and depth, but they’re only noticeable when you closely smell the scent.

During the dry down, the woodys notes emerge. Much like the sage and nutmeg, they’re subtle. Although, they do add a subdued, masculine depth to the grapefruit and vetiver composition, which is still very much present.

In summary, Tom Ford Grey Vetiver opens as a fresh, green scent thanks to the grapefruit and vetiver. It then dries down into a deeper and composed version of the opening, by adding spices and woods.

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Grey Vetiver is a scent that emanates confidence and experience, rather than sensuality and seduction. If you’re looking for the latter, start by checking out Tom Ford Noir Extreme.

Projection and Longevity

My testing in various weather conditions reveals solid performance. Grey Vetiver projects out 1-2 feet from my skin for the first 2 hours and lasts for about 8 hours in total. I think the performance is appropriate for a fragrance with this type of scent profile.

Occasions and Versatility

Firstly, I think this is best worn by men in their mid-20’s and above. That’s due to the vetiver note, which is more relevant for older guys. The same men who would wear Creed Viking, would wear Grey Vetiver.

This cologne has a reputation as being versatile, and I agree with that. In practice, you could pull this off in any situation. Although as a clean classy vetiver scent, it has a natural affinity for the office and business occasions.

Additionally, it works for warm, moderate, and even cooler days. However, there are better options for extra cold days or nights. For those, Spicebomb Extreme and Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille are better bets.

Check out what this reviewer had to say on Fragrantica.com:

This a very clean, alluring and inoffensive vetiver based fragrance. Quiet similar to Guerlain Vetiver but a little more crafted and toned down vetiver. I wear this in formal environments but it’s versatile enough to be worn casually too. Highly recommend.
Fragrantica.com

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver is as Relevant as Ever

Updated: Grey Vetiver is one of the best vetiver fragrances on the market. It’s smooth and uplifting, a modern version of classic colognes from decades past.

As someone who has never enjoyed piercing vetiver accords, Grey Vetiver has won me over with its smoothness. Today it remains the only vetiver cologne in my collection, and I encourage you to get your hands on it.

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