Frequent Questions: Via Verri by Etro & all its Versions Reviewed

Via Verri by Etro, one of the harder to find fragrances of the noble Italian niche perfume line, has circulated in at least three different versions. It therefore constitutes something of a mix-up, being identical in name but differing in both smell and date of launch. To be fair, the name is sine qua non, since it denotes the street address of the flagship boutique of the refined parsley & colourful silks textile brand in Milan. So let's disentangle this thread of Ariadne in another installment of Frequent Questions on Perfume Shrine today.



The original Etro creation Via Verri (2006) was launched by the Italian textile & fashions brand of Etro in commemoration of their flagship in Milan which is on Via Verri (Old Road). The traditional (and oddly classy for something so adorned) bottle featured the familiar design on the label on the glass in a circle, while the cap was in gold relief. The box was the classic parsley design of the house, adored by those who were old in the cult of Etro. The scentof Via Verri from 2006 was a heavenly mix of dark yet fresh roses, their petals not quite wilting , the whole enlivened with subtle violet and musky tonalities which persisted for long. Today, it is difficult to procure as it has been substituted by the subsequent versions, and in my opinion it remains one of the refined yet instantly identifiable as roses fragrances which appeal to people who are not especially keen on rose to begin with. But of course it also captures the hearts of those who are, anyway...





In November 2008 a Vintage Limited Edition of Via Verri by Etro was issued. The bottle bears a label which clearly indicates "vintage" underneath Via Verri (technically a misnomer, since it's not the original creation) with the number of the lot, since it only circulated in limited amounts. The bottle, issued only in 100ml/3.4oz contenance, was shaped in the familiar "old style" of Etro flacons: cool, elegantly shouldered glass but with relief designs echoing the textile tradition of the house and a stopper in etched glass, encased in a monochrome box of maroon.
There is also a Vintage version with the typical relief gold cap, also in relief glass for the body of the bottle, but I haven't seen that one in person. It is in Eau de Toilette concentration.
The scent itself is a spicy mix with floral-woody accents: Cardamom and coriander surface first alongside nutmeg and sweet mandarin, while the base is formed of cypress, musk, oak and "mineral amber", giving a warm underlay.


The most modern version of Etro Via Verri 2010 in Eau de Toilette circulates as above in the revamped bottle of the brand; still elegantly shouldered glass, this time smooth without relief, and with a silver cap. The white label clearly mentions the year of launch as 2010 and is white and square in shape. The scent of the newest Via Verri 2010 itself is a reflection of the previously Vintage Limited edition, veering into the spicy woody family with added lemony accents, rather than the rosiness of the original creation. It is described in these poetic terms: "The femininity of the rose is trailed by the warm opulence of jasmin. Amber and musk bring warmth, with the lively freshness of bergamot and floral notes of precious iris. Then the sharp spicy notes of white pepper and cardamom create more woody and oriental accords."
Please note the outer packaging is completely different than previous editions, the box bearing a white & black schema with a purple square around the name of the brand and the scent, like all the rapackaged Etro scents.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Frequent Questions, Etro news & reviews

pic of Via Verri Vintage via gunni/gut-rasiert.de Modern Via Verri 2010 pic via modepilot.de

The winner of the draw...

...for the Oud Leather bottle is Stephan who posted at 19:42 (there were two readers by the same name). Please email me asap with your shipping address, using the contact on Profile or About page, so I can have the prize out in the mail for you.

Thanks everyone for the enthusiastic participation and till the next one!

Dior Leather Oud Full Bottle Giveaway

You heard this right! A full bottle (250ml) of the new Leather Oud in La Collection Couturier Parfumeur, hailed as the most refined in the bunch, has landed on my lap and it is for the taking for a lucky reader, minus a 5ml decant I am keeping for reviewing purposes.
Enter a comment saying what inspires you in the range of Dior and what does not (doesn't have to be specific perfumes only, you can discuss company practices, style of perfumery, cohesion or distribution patterns, whatever you choose!) and I will pick a winner by Monday. International participation is welcome.

Here is how Leather Oud is described by Dior: "Christian Dior searched the world, looking for the most beautiful fabrics that exist. Like the Designer (Couturier), the Perfumer (Parfumeur) chooses the most beautiful raw materials, one of which is Oud Wood from Indonesia. Highly powerful, vibrant and deep, Oud Wood is rare and particularly recognizable by the leather scents that it diffuses when burned. Using this unique wood, François Demachy created an intensely masculine fragrance, with strong character in which Leather notes intertwine with those of Gaiac Wood, Cedar and Sandalwood. An intense Woody Leather scent created with Oud Wood, a rare and precious wood with powerful animal notes that add warmth to the fragrance when in contact with the skin."

Incidentally, I have been asked by an industry magazine to comment on Demachy's work for publication. Watch out for an article focusing on my views on these pages as well next week.

Hermes Un Jardin sur le Toit: new fragrance

Hermès is not shying away from industriousness, even in the shade of risk of hostile take-overs from the LVMH Group which we had discussed this past autumn. Thankfully, this has been prevented and they're still catering to the tastes and standards of a true luxe house. On that note, they're introducing the fourth scent in the Jardins series, called Un Jardin sur le Toît (A Garden on the Roof), following the success of Un Jardin sur la Mediterranée, Un Jardin sur le Nil and Un Jardin après la Mousson.


The newest Hermès Jardin scent will include fragrant notes of apple and pear, alongside tea rose and will belong to the olfactory family of Greens. Sounds promising if only because of the seemingly constrasting themes (fruits and green? and tea rose too?).
ETA: Newer information talks about the smell of compost, magnolia (one of the strongest "trends" lately) and of weeds entering the composition as well!


For the launch, Hermès went out on a limb, inviting the press into a cooking class, a gardening lesson and then a rooftop garden at Hermès HQ in Paris. Hermès’ head cook, guided the press representatives into making a fruit compote that would include the fruity components of the fragrance (apple and pear). Then they progressed into the potting shed with the house's gardener, where they planted up Tea Roses into orange ceramic pots, which echoed of course the famous Hermès signature orange. Finally they were greeted to a rooftop garden where they smelled the green fragrance in its entirety. Ah...

Un Jardin Sur Le Toît will be exclusively available at Harrods and the Hermès Boutiques from 2nd April priced £55 for 50ml in the standard Jardin series bottles. 

A full review of Hermes Un Jardin sur le Toit is now on this link. 

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Voyage d'Hermes review, Iris Ukiyoe Hermessence review, Interview with perfumer Jean Claude Ellena

pics via Vogue blog. Thanks to Federico and blog.svd.se/ for additional info.

The winner of the draw...

...for the Dandy decant is Marina79. Congratulations and please email me with your data using the contact on Profile or About page so I get this out to you soon.

Thanks for the participation everyone and till the next one!