Les Parfums Mythiques - Monsieur de Givenchy

ENVIABLE LEMON VERBENA FRESH SCENT WITH A MOSSY TOUCH [short review] The original Monsieur de Givenchy formula is now 60 years old. A lot of years ago I bought a bottle of Monsieur de Givenchy first generation. That bottle is long gone now. I always kept a nice souvenir of this lemony potion. After being several years apart from this fragrance I gave it another go last year. Now it was the turn of blind buying the actual version relaunched by Givenchy in their "Les Parfums Mythiques" collection. My memory may be tricking me but, scentwise, the current version seems to be practically identical to the original version. I confess I expected a big variation in the oakmoss note due to the current IFRA regulations. Oakmoss is a fungus. Since IFRA - a body that regulates the guidelines of fragrant chemicals and essential oils usage in perfumes - has listed oakmoss as a restricted ingredient, almost all designers turned to the synthetic version of this fougére dark forest note. Besides its herbal scent, moss helps a lot to increase the perfume's performance as well as its versatility. The fragrance opens with a pleasant sweet lemon that quickly grows to a more alluring citrus-fougére scent. The blending of lemon with lavender and a strong verbena builds up a remarkable opening-heart in this fragrance. The lemony-fougére accord endures till the bottom phase when moss makes an entrance. This phase reveals the true DNA of this fragrance. It's a very alluring scent with an acceptable projection that you get for two hours or so. After this phase, the lemon and verbena just lose their stamina and you get a woody/mossy dry down with some lavender hints. The global performance is under average for current standards. However, it is a little better than the vintage version. The only similar perfumes I suggest, are Armani Eau Pour Homme, Capucci Pour Homme and Chanel Pour Monsieur (this one without the verbena touch). All are old-school fragrances as well. My opinion: I recommend this fragrance if you feel like owning an elegant mossy lemon fragrance with just a little sweetness. Music: "San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie

This is my very first blind buy, and a great one at that. When I read lemon lemon verbena and Hinoki, I thought there was a good chance I would like it and for just over $30, I think this is a steal. the scent itself is exactly what is advertised...lemon, lemon verbena and oakmoss. There may be a tiny bit of Hinoki on the drydown, but I think it is barely noticeable. The blast of lemon on the top goes right into the lemon verbena middle note and dries down to herbal Oakmoss and a touch of lemon verbena that is left. Super classy scent that discreetly screams sophistication, elegance, and simplicity while maintaining a complex edge. This fragrance is a modern update to the original which was composed in the 1950s. The parallels to some of the other great/classic scents of the era like Floris No 89 and Guerlain Vetiver are hard to miss. There is none of the sweetness and extreme unisex feel that is so prevalent in ultra-modern fragrances, but it could theoretically be worn by women, as well. Sillage is mild and longevity is average at best. This won't last a whole day on your skin or clothes and it smells and behaves more like an all natural botanical oils fragrance than a designer fragrance. Yet Guerlain's frags usually have quite a bit more staying power. As does Floris No 89. So this will require 5+ sprays and for some of it to land on your clothing if you want to be able to smell it after several hours. 7 sprays may be more like it, and I am one who usually goes easy on the number of sprays. Overall, this is a sensational fragrance that harkens back to the 1950s in a good way and allows men to smell great without overwhelming their olfactory environment.

Les Parfums Mythiques - Monsieur de Givenchy is truly a stunning creation! Regrettably, I’ve never had the opportunity here in Australia to sample the original formulation of Monsieur de Givenchy, so I’m unable to compare between the two. However, if this modern interpretation is anything to go by, then the original must surely have been one of the greatest ever male perfumes. Comparisons could easily be made with Dior’s Eau Sauvage and YSL’s Pour Homme, but as the original Monsieur de Givenchy was created at least 5 years before Eau Sauvage and over a decade before YSL’s Pour Homme, I’d say that Givenchy was clearly leading the way in gentlemen’s scents in 1959. Chanel’s Pour Monsieur from 1955 is similar in construction, but where that has a herb/spice middle, Les Parfums Mythiques - Monsieur de Givenchy sticks to subtle florals. Although this is heavily leaning towards citric, even serial citrus haters could find something to love here. The florals do their job really well. They subdue and refine the citrus just enough to take away that ‘sharp’ edge found in other citrus based scents like Dior’s Eau Sauvage. It finishes off with a very gentle woody base that matches perfectly with the top and middle notes. It’s a very distinguished fragrance without being sharp. Overall this comes across as classic and elegant. Les Parfums Mythiques - Monsieur de Givenchy is a true gentlemen’s fragrance.

My first love when it comes to fragrances. Back in the mid 90's when I was in my early teens I've discovered that my dad had a gift set with the EDT, After Shave and a soap that he got in 1978 or 1979. I've stole a lot of the juice afterwards. Lovely citrus aromatic with fougere facets. Very green and bitter in a good way. When I've started collecting fragrances back in 2018 and I really wanted to have Monsieur de Givenchy in my collection, so I bought this Les Parfums Mythiques bottle and my memories went back. Still good, but of course reformulations watered it down a lot as the oakmoss backbone is almost gone. Now it's more on the citrus aromatic side, less green and less bitter. I've seen they've changed the bottle again (all the bottles in the men collection now look like the Gentleman line type), so I don't know if I'm gonna buy it again after my 40 ml juice that I have left will be gone as it was probably reformulated again. Still, I think the Les Parfums Mythiques is a good buy if found at discounted prices as in my opinion it's timeless, just like 4711, Guerlain Vetiver or Terre D' Hermes. Performance is on the light side: 30 min to 1 hour of medium projection and the total longevity is around the 5 hour mark. On skin. On clothes it will linger a bit more. Les Parfums Mythiques iteration gets a 9 out of 10 from me!

Fresh/tart bergamot and verbena combo in the top, shortly followed by a sweet lemon supported by lavender, and also a hint of incense or benzoin. In the base, the lavender leaves, the lemon tones down and leaves the front stage to moss, and a hint of woods (vetiver for sure, but also distinctively sandalwood in the late drydown, and even possibly rosewood), spices (coriander? pepper? a micro dose of cumin maybe?) and some musk (civet?) with subtle animalic undertones. Although it might appear as a simple citrus fragrance at-a-glance, it will unveil a controlled complexity later during the journey. Performance is not its strength, since it results being closer to an EDC than an EDT from that point of view, but that is not what is expected here anyways. Powdery? Yes, probably with some benzoin involved in it, providing also some sweetness. Soapy? Also a bit, but 'powdery' is the term that fits better, imo. How to describe it? I would say it's a mix of Eau de Guerlain and AdP Colonia, with a drop of Jicky in the base. It's classic without being dated, it's elegant without being boring, it's gentleman-y without being macho. It might not tick the uniqueness box, but it fits for sure the image of the house: It's very Givenchy. Masterpiece. Warm to hot days, 30+

A truly elegant, understated and sophisticated fragrance for a gentleman. This smells like its comes from the 50s and that is a good thing, it is timeless. Lemony citrus opening with a light herbal moss dry down. This is a great fragrance to wear in warm weather, it is light and refreshing. You will need to apply generously on skin and clothes, but that is never a problem as this is not a cloying fragrance. It will not offend others being so pleasant and as it is not big in projection, but that ties in with the understated elegant character of the fragrance and hopefully the wearer. Longevity is not the best but spraying on clothes helps a little, however you will still need to reapply throughout the day. In the same family as Chanel Pour Monsieur and Dior Eau Sauvage as elegant, timeless, citrus classics, ideal for the warmer months.

Givenchy and Van Cleef & Arpels were amongst my father's favourite fragrances, and it had always been tough to get backups, particularly for these two brands, after I inherited his bottles. So It was such joy when Givenchy reissued Monsieur de Givenchy, its first men's perfume, in 2007 through the fabulous Les Parfums Mythiques line. This citrus confection is as wonderful as I remember it as a kid. It brings memories of cold Christmas evenings in Manila, thrilled at the prospect of waking up the next morning with gifts inside the Christmas socks/stockings hanging on the windows. Citrus was always in the air back then. Another fragrance to wear when meeting the important people in your life. (Except for the landlord. Use Joop! Homme instead. Then run away.)

Old School Barber Shop Vibe..!! I absolutely love this fragrance. Yes, there are performance concerns, but (and a meaningful “but”) the blend of citrus and floral notes is extraordinary. I was born a generation, or two, later as I love the look, feel, and smell of a barbershop 💈. I am glad to see a resurgence of these in the US. If you share my love for that vibe, this fragrance is for you. I highly recommend the purchase and it is worthy of adding to your wardrobe. Enjoy your day and happy fragrance hunting.

I totally made up my mind about this one. It is indeed a very nice retro chypre that will sit nicely in my collection next to Pour Monsieur Chanel, Sagamore and Eau Sauvage. There’s a hint of lavender that gives it a little dandy-esque aura like Mouchoir de Monsieur. I definitely leave those perfumes for the warmer months and I suspect the only way to be able to notice it and enjoy it will be to spray it also on clothes. It’s another one that seems not so potent but all is forgiven because it’s quite cute.

At first I thought this is no way a givenchy fragrance,it's more like a blast of green lemon more like someone squized a lemon at you way too fresh and harsh yet when it sits down it turns into a fresh Okemos,more like a barbershop smell it's to me the perfect aftershave scent I like it and bottle is just perfect this frosty glass look give it a mix of modern vintage. Give it time and it's almost perfect for all weather conditions.

A quick take. A fresher version of Guerlain Habit Rouge, and the freshness makes it more wearable to my nose. Certainly an old-school vibe with prominent notes of lemon, verbena, and oakmoss. More of a warm-weather fragrance, but I would imagine in cold weather this would bring a very pleasant refreshing crisp uplifting vibe. Very happy with the purchase.

I love this scent, I really do. Its at par with the best of the citrusy classics from YSL, CD, Chanel and Armani. The performance, however, is absolutely horrible! I’m fully aware that citrus scents are not exactly solid performers, but this is ridiculous. 30 minutes and it’s gone. Why, Givenchy, why??

Wow wow wow what can I say. The opening is a mega lemon verbena bomb. It dries down aromatic with some animalic woody base. The only complain is the 2hr longevity but at this price point I am more than happy with this top notch classy elegant scent.

First blast upon spraying - this is Eau de Guerlain. 20 min on - this is my beloved Mystere de Rochas reincarnated as eau de cologne. I am so going to buy vats of it.

Monsieur de Givenchy smells like throwing your clubs in the Jag convertible on Saturday morning for an 8am tee-time at the Country Club.

Aaaah! love this fragrance, the smell takes me to my youth. Now I'm happy for his reissue, so much so that I have 3 bottles

Smells like a citrusy eau de cologne but it has an edt performance. It's perfect !

I have the new formulation as well as two older formulations. The new scent includes something harsh and is not pleasant so I won't wear it anymore. The oldest formulation is great and much smoother. They are still available on eBay. This fragrance is old school and sits close to the skin. Soapy citrus. Quality scent for Spring but be careful in very hot weather. It may not work in the Summer.

This is a very nice scent, it opens similar to Eau Sauvage, but by no means is it redundant. This is a more floral take on the genre. It is very refreshing and and bright like flowers drenched in lemonade. It does not project much at all, but lasts quite awhile. I was noticing it at work 6-7 hrs later. Perfect for warmer weather. Very calming and subdued makes you feel refined.

Another of those classic lemon-forward mid-century Citrus Aromatic masculines. Helped pave the way to Dior Eau Sauvage, imo the greatest Citrus Aromatic of all time. Both have that classy, classic aromatic depth. Monsieur de Givenchy also picked up on some DNA attributes of Acqua di Parma Colonia and Chanel Pour Monsieur.

Una limonata di gran classe dove il muschio accompagna il cesto di limoni e bergamotto in tutto il tempo che la fragranza si irradia dalla mia pelle. Tra gli agrumati che a me piacciono molto non è quello che prenderei, comunque accettabile. Profumo 6,5/10

The new bottle design is just gorgeous ! It leads me to a blind buy. I enjoy it so far ! To me it feels like a Hermes Equipage for summer, a lighter version of it. A lot of dignity in a bottle.

Smells great, if it only lasted more. Same catogery with eau Sauvage, chanel monsieur, aqua di parma cologne but the longetivity is the least of them all. 7.5/10

Barbershop, a bit like Armani Eau Pour Homme etc. Rather difficult for me to wear, as it ́s a bit too heavy for hot days, but not really a winter scent either.

Love this one but it only last on my skin for less than an hour

Profonda delusione. La mia versione - si tratta di un tester - è caratterizzate da note agrumate secche e sintetiche, con qualche vago ricordo di macchia mediterranea. Monocorde e piatto, privo di slancio e complessità. Non ho idea di come fosse l'edizione originale, ma questa per me è insufficiente. Voto personale: 5/10

Nothing like the original, which I loved. Such a disappointment.

Actually not so Mythique, I’m disappointed. It doesn’t last more than 30min. even if you shower with it, poor sillage since the beginning too. Stick with Eau Sauvage.

I don't know why they have to alter the original formula ? It's such a pity to lose the original formula of Monsieur de Givenchy! Bring back the original formula !

The Monsieur is one of a crew of wonderful masculine citrus chypres from the mid-20th century--Rochas Moustache, Chanel pour Monsieur, YSL pour Homme.) This genre smells like the middle ground between the feminine green chypre of the 1960s-1970s (Private Collection, Scherrer de Scherrer, Weil de Weil) and Eau de Cologne. Bear in mind I know the more current formulations of these citrus chypres, which according to many are ghosts of their earlier iterations. Myself, I turn to the above green chypres if I’m looking for ballsiness and volume. I like the current men’s citrus chypres for their subtlety and personal scale. I like this genre for wearing like Eau de Cologne with endurance. For this use, the Monsieur is perfect. (I have the les Mythiques formulation.) The big dog on this block is Chanel pour Monsieur. At any time since its release it’s been considered the best men’s chypre on the market. Many call it the best men’s chypre of all time. I only know a recent formulation, and while pretty, it’s so short lived, and fades to such a spectral version of itself that I have to consider it effectively discontinued. OK, obeisance and eulogy to Chanel done, on to Monsieur de Givenchy. The Monsieur is a long-lasting but light perfume that balances the simple composition, restraint and allure that leads to that rare outcome in masculine perfumery: quiet but unashamed beauty. I’ve found many who see MdG as the most damaged by reformulations of this genre. Perhaps for their purposes it is, but I find it enjoyable in the way that it accomplishes all the goals of the citrus chypre genre. It’s dry/bitter and austere. It reflects your skin. It combines an herbal citrus blend (pepper/lemon/bergamot) with a waxy musky quality that is distinctive yet easy-going. The floral notes give some depth. It starts rosy and eases into a low-key white floral tone that eventually settle into a carnation note that remains through drydown. Carnation? Or was that the pepper from the start? This little twist shows that for as unfussy as this genre is, the Monsieur wears an I’ve-got-a-secret smile from start to finish. To some, this is a faded gentleman. To me, a charmer. from scenthurdle

I'm curious if these were vintage bottles, for some of these 2021 reviewers or not. I smelled a bottle which I'm going to assume being in a perfumery store in the mall was not vintage. It smelled amazing as it went from a lemonheads but more sophisticated and a little lighter into a wonderful masculine smell. the masculine oakmossy lavender smell was best when you could still smell a bit of the lemonheads and a slightly stronger carnations smell but it was more faint and you could really smell the base notes. I thought for sure this is one of the greatest masterpieces for me. BUT, I don't know if it was the other fragrances I smelled later but I swear I couldn't smell it anymore after a bit. Mind you this was on tester paper but usually that is ideal surface. I was smelling Bogart which is one of the most powerful fragrances that has ever existed. However, I could easily smell some other cheaper fragrances during that same time. Does the base take over after 30 mins in and no more lemon and perhaps I was no longer enchanted or was this maybe just a bad bottle and it usually lasts much longer. If someone could check the dates on their long lasting bottles, let me know. Because I'm ready to purchase if it really lasts long especially if there is even the faintest lemon smell still present. PM me. I may be willing to buy a decant even. I want this. This is perfection if I can just make it last. I read below that Chanel made a very similar version.

A bright-green, verdant classic... This is a fragrance that is really lovely to smell if you like green, eau de cologne type smells. This fragrance reminds me of Eau de Guerlain , another green, floral, citrus & herbs classic. I like it very much. I get a lot of the herbal notes, especially the lavender and lemon verbena. This would work in place of an eau de cologne citrus fragrance, and also in place of a daily wear fragrance. It's very versatile, and would work both formally and informally. I also get the floral notes, the geranium and a hint of neroli. It follows the pattern of a classical, slightly herbal, slightly floral citrus eau de cologne . I find this beautiful and transparent. I think that this is a step up from a cheaper, more widely available option such as 4711 , and really has a similar vibe but with more quality, depth and staying power. That being said, it performs it's function well and for what it does. Monsieur de Givenchy is an elegant and transparent option for classy and grown up gentlemen out there of all ages, and one worth trying out for fans of classic, citrus scents similar to Chanel pour Monsieur and other classic compositions.

Gorgeous - quite similar to Chanel Pour Monsieur EDT and EDP, Refined powdery citrus and woods. It also shares their lack of projection. All are skin scents within an hour. I think this lasts longer on the skin than either of the Chanels, but again they persist only as skin scents after that initial burst. I never smelled the vintage, but as the Chanels are close to their vintage formulations, just lacking the projection likely due to IFRA concessions, I imagine this is like them close to the vintage, just a minimal projection version of it. As others have said below, it's quite affordable (note the same can't be said for the Chanels), so buy often and spray to your heart's content.

This and Vetiver are my two favorite Mythiques so far. Very well done. Some may say too old mannish but I think on the right guy, anyone in their 20s and up can rock this. The lemon verbena keeps it citric enough but it stays smooth and natural. This reminds me of a day on the beach, burning a bowl and checkin out the village! Doesn’t last forever on skin but stays present..say 5-6hrs but couple spritz on shirt should stick around if more longevity is needed. Would James Bond wear this one in the summer? Quite possibly;)

Impressively, Monsieur de Givenchy manages to stay firmly rooted in tradition without ever feeling dated. That means for any man, of any age, who wants a fragrance that universally conveys good taste and understatement — this is it. MdG won't offend anyone—ever. It's as suitable for office wear as it is for your wedding. It can be worn year-round, although especially good in Spring and Summer. Truly timeless, MdG is classic without being retro or dated. And if all that wasn't enough—it's surprisingly inexpensive.

I have smelled the new issue of Monsieur (and the other new issues). The new Monsieur is superior to the Mythiques reissue, and far superior to the recent squatter bottles, and I say this as somebody who adores all of them. Price point is higher than before, mind. (The new issue of III is similarly excellent.) I’m a big fan of the classic men’s four— Chanel PM, Caron PuH and Dior Eau Sauvage; Monsieur remains my favourite of them all.

Citrusy Barbershop, similar classy and subtle vibe to Dior Eau Sauvage and Chanel Pour Monsieur. Very nice, bright citrusy opening that turns peppery in the mid (not my favorite part) and dries down to a very nice comfortable slightly sweet oakmossy musk. Great value and very nice regardless of price. Doesn't project much and longevity is just ok. Scent: 8.5, Longevity: 6, Projection: 5, Overall: 8

A blind-buy based on reviews, It's a classic and old school scent, a citrus-woody aromatic. It opens up with like soapy citrusy then dry down is mossy and woody. Monsieur de Givenchy is a new reformulation , I like this scent , Longevity is average. If you like Eau Sauvage , you will like this one. It is suitable for the spring and summer. Thumbs Up. Rating : 8 / 10

While this is a pleasing scent, I wore the original as long as I could find it, and this one doesn't compare. The original was a"fuller", more complex scent which worked for daytime but was great for night. Had amazing longevity as well. I like the new well enough, but it doesn't seem to last more than a few hours at most. Sunny South

A nice lemon soapy citrus to start which is followed by lavender and pepper. As time goes by you get a subtle hint of civet which adds character to the scent. I can also pick up woods and subtle floral's. A lovely discreet gentlemen's cologne that has class and character!

I saw a ad for the reboot of Monsieur De Givenchy recently and though really! I find the scent very dated lemon water no bones to it at all. I could think of better scents to bring back such as Insense.

Definitely not for the younger but an absolute masterpiece, even now reformulated, as for the few negative comments it lasts on me for 6hrs+. Subtle, refined and timeless.

Excellent frangrance with a vintage aura. Perfect for Real gentlemen over 60 y.o. I'll keep it for the future.