Les Parfums Mythiques - Xeryus

YOU KNOW! Hubert James Marcel Taffin Givenchy, a giant of 1.98 m, became famous for having helped create the fashion myth of the "little black dress", which in his hands always remained simple and very tasteful. During his career, he dressed divas such as Jackie Kennedy, Princess Grace of Monaco, the Duchess of Windsor, Jane Fonda, and Audrey Hepburn for whom he nurtured a strong friendliness for many years. Audrey was a true muse for Givenchy and they became inseparable accomplices after the shooting of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in 1961. The bond of deep friendship between the two, lasted more than 40 years. It was to her that he dedicated his first perfume, "L'Interdit", launched in 1957. Hubert has always been the paradigm of a true aristocrat. He was born in 1927 and his parents were the Marquises Lucien and Béatrice Taffin de Givenchy. He never got to meet his father who died when he was two years old. Perhaps this contributed to him growing up with a profound admiration for his mother, a sophisticated woman from whom he inherited elegance and a physique worthy of a movie star. His grandfather, on the mother's side, owned a textile factory and had a huge display of fabrics that fascinated him. Naturally, he began to develop a strong interest in fashion design from the age of ten. A few years before Paco Rabanne, he began working in the atelier of Cristóbal Balenciaga who was his mentor. Influenced by the sculptural creations of the Spanish designer, he decided on his future far from the law studies that his family used to push him towards. In 1945, at the age of 17, he settled in Paris and enrolled at the School of Fine Arts, already determined to dedicate himself to haute couture in the French capital. In 1952 he presented his first collection and two years later he launched his first ready-to-wear garments line. In the field of perfumery, after the initial success achieved in 1957 with "L'Interdit", he launched "Monsieur de Givenchy" in 1959, "Givenchy III" in 1970, the remarkable "Givenchy Gentleman" in 1974 and "Ysatis" in 1984. Still owner and master of all creative and managerial decisions of his brand, he launched "Xeryus" in 1986. The name derives from the Greek "Ξεριυς" and means "you know". In 1988, the "Maison" with his surname was purchased by the luxury brand conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) for $45 million. On that day, Givenchy said farewell to 36 years of independence but opened the door to the brand's continued expansion. Hubert remained Givenchy's creative director until he retired in 1995. "Xeryus" is a seemingly simple, elegant, discreet, fresh, spicy and woody perfume, but with an enviable smoothness. I consider it a complex perfume, very well elaborated and where each note plays a primary role in the harmony of the whole. The fragrance can both be considered an aromatic and woody Fougère, as well as a moderately woody, and slightly spicy floral Fougère. Due to its complexity, it is a real challenge to identify the notes individually. The aperture is very citrusy, herbaceous, flowery, and lavender aromatized. In the heart, and while the notes of citrus fade, the fragrance becomes a little spicier, and woodier, besides showing hints of green with cypress and juniper notes. The base evolves in a woody and mossy way. It dries down with nuances of balsamic and leathery accords. The original perfume was denser than the newer version, and this characterised the fragrance in a very special way. The longevity has changed little and, with three sprays of the current version, one is guaranteed to perceive the perfume for over eight hours. However, the sillage, which previously extended for a generous six feet and ensured almost three hours of projection, has given up that glow and shrunk to a 3~4-foot radius and less than two hours of projection. The fragrance remains very up-to-date, even if the strong vintage character has been transformed into a clean and pleasant barbershop. The perfume that now seems clean and bright, was once darker and more mysterious. Time for rating this smooth woody Fougère: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ - Opening: 9.0 (Citrusy, clean, fresh and smooth aromatic Fougère). - Dry Down: 9.0 (Mossy, balmy, leathery and woody) - Longevity: 8.0 (3 sprays last 8 hours) - Sillage: 6.5 (up to 3~4 feet and two hours projection with 3 sprays) - Uniqueness: 9.0 (Unique, but the scent reminds you of some other like the younger "Égoïste" by Chanel from 1990, or the same age "New West for Him" by Aramis) - Wearability: 9.0 (For any hot weather; it's a day perfume) - Versatility: 9.0 (An "any place" perfume) - Praise: 8.0 (A consensual woody Fougère that will get you well above average compliments) - Quality: 8.5 (It fails in comparison with the vintage version) - Presentation: 9.0 (very elegant) - Price: 8.0 (Quite affordable for the current version; The 100ml flask currently sells for €35 in various web retailers) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Overall rating: 8.45 / 10.00 - between 7 and 8 = above average; - between 8 and 9 = recommendable; - above 9 = not to be missed; My opinion: If you are in the mood for a smooth aromatic Fougère with a woody and leathery dry down then take a look at this Givenchy offer. It has an excellent value for money and it is very consensual, besides being very versatile and easy to wear. If you spot it at a nice price, it is even eligible for a blind purchase. Music: Breakfast at Tiffany's Soundtrack Suite (by Henry Mancini)

Today I went to the flea market. There are plenty of vendors selling knockoff colognes. I almost got Creed Original Vetiver for $30 but decided against it - I can grab Aventus for $25 next time. I went to the one legit dude there. He had Vetiver Extreme by Guerlain for $55 a few months ago and I'm kicking myself for not buying it then. I ask for Guerlain. He immediately heads to the ladies side for Shalimar. I said no- men's. I asked for Vetiver. He pauses and gives me a look. Must not be many people asking for Guerlain (it's a flea market ...... that's the joke) and I knew he figured I had some idea if I asked for Vetiver. I was hoping he had it again but he didn't. He said not enough men come looking for Guerlain. I could tell he was pretty impressed I knew my shit especially since I was wearing a Taco bell shirt and my eyes were red. Anyway I looked and saw this bad boy, Xeryus, sitting there, looking elegant and proud. Gentleman was there as well, for $45. The Xeryus was $35. I had only heard of this through name and it kind of clicked that this was something to get. Bottle looked elegant, it's Givenchy (let's face it), and I knew the name. I got him down to $30. Online prices about the same. Sprayed it on and doused myself in it. Immediate love. Didn't know it was an 80s scent but I feel like this is a powerhouse that made it out of the 80s. This is strong, spicy, clean, green, masculine with a musky amber sweetness. This smells to me what I wanted Drakkar Noir to be. It smells like all those 80s scents but refined, smooth. And sooo awesome. This is loud and manly and old school but not dated at all... I'm 32 and I will be wearing this loud and proud. My gf will not be happy at all because I smell like everyone's dad. Amazing blind buy and my best one yet I think. The bottle looks cool and elegant with the frosted glass. Good atomizer. And the scent is so amazing. It's powerful, deep, and nuanced. It is classic and can be dressed up but this is just an overall manly powerhouse that doesn't seem to be "neutered" like a lot of 80s frags did. I like this a lot and I'm sure it could get you girls. Good for any weather any time. Rock it with confidence.

UPDATE FROM LAST COMMENTS, Just the other day I came across the REAL VINTAGE Xeryus when it was first launched sometime mid 80's to very early 90-91 max. Way back during post secondary, I worked at major retailer and I remember very much the dark bottle. As soon as I seen it in this small fragrance store, I ran home to go on-line to find images on Xeryus and I found another site where Ericirico posted his comments. I do concur with Ericirico the real vintage bottle is the dark 50ml bottle. In a dash I ran out and bought the dark bottle. I have both the 2004 version and now the vintage dark bottle. I sampled each on my wrists and YES there not the same. There is some similarities however the vintage is much more sophisticated with a rich/powdery sweet complex aroma. I can pick up the various notes; rose, lavender, tonka bean, amber, basil as well either sandalwood and or oakmoss. The 2004 version is also excellent, its more on the herbal/woodsy/spicy and not so powdery/sweet scent. With the exotic woodsy aroma it does have a similar overall scent. On the vintage..Longevity is excellent well past 10hrs. Sillage is also excellent..you can smell it more then 3ft away. Overall opinion, If I hadn't come across the original version I would still be more then happy using the current version. Now, there's no mistake that the VINTAGE is like finding a treasure trunk...when you open it IT'S FULL AND RICH....100% HANDS DOWN..no mistake about it. If you can find the vintage, I strongly recommend for those who remember this frag and can appreciate and its worth buying it. Its what made Xeryus BIG at the time... IF GIVENCHY READS THIS....PLEASE BRING BACK THE VINTAGE XERYUS AND KEEP THE FORMULA TRUE AND YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF HAPPY GIVENCHY CLIENTS WHO WILL BE THANKFULL.

Starts off with a blast of non-citrusy aromatic greenery (for sure basil and sage, but not only), with some florals (probably carnation, lavender and also maybe some geranium and spices). It then proceeds with a noticeable violet leaf and sandalwood combination, but probably also a hint of rosewood and some damp/sour wood... oud, maybe? If so, just a drop. At the stage, it has a vague vibe of Lalique Hommage a' L'Homme. The base will develop a very nice non-vanillic amber, that leans more towards an incens-y labdanum, with a noticeable moss note, very likely also cypress and the violets still lingering around, giving an overall leather-y feeling. Projection is more at the intimate level, but that makes it a perfect versatile scent. Man it's a great one. Not sure why I waited so long to get my hands on that one. This is my third 'historic' fragrance from that house (after Vetyver and Monsieur), and it doesn't disappoint. While the structure and the moss and labdnaum base will for sure remind several classics from the 80's and 90's, it stays smooth from top to base, and thus does not qualify as a powerhouse in my book. Or possibly it is, but a powerhouse dressed up with a tuxedo. Very Givenchy! Note: the pyramid here is wrong, as it missed the heart notes. The full one is: Top: Basil, Clary Sage Heart: Violet Leaves, Green Note Base: Exotic Woods, Amber (but there's a lot more going on here)

This reformulation of the classic Xeryus is truly wonderful. Whereas the original was very layered and complex and composed of a melange of several powerful notes Mythical is more along the lines of a classic twelve note fragrance construction ala Paris parfumeries in the mid to late 1800s... On initial trial I thought green-spicy-woody...but I tried it on paper first, when I finally wore it on my skin it was almost a different scent. The aromatic greens were the first to appear along with a slight citrus and hint of green cypress. This gave way to gentle dry floral aromas of geranium with hints of rose, jasmine and violets(?) with a kiss of cloves. The drydown is stunning with amber's warmth, sandalwood's clean woodiness and just the right amount of musk. I also detect a hint of bay or cypriol.The overall effect is elegant, masculine and warm... Sillage: quite good Longevity: great Overall: 4.5/5 The original was a bit too much for me, but this one is absolutely divine! It is indeed Mythical...a blend of gentle strength and refined construction, perfectly executed: An uncommon scent for an exceptional man...

Absolutely gorgeous stuff. I think the fresh spicy accords are understated in the overview above. The top notes are turned up enough to almost hit green, at least on my scale. The combination of sage and basil is completely unique and really makes this one stand out. There is very little that smells like this, if at all. I don't know of any other frag I could compare this to. The 2007 reformulation has more powder than its predecessor and is accordingly softer. The dry-down is slower, and on my skin at least the reformulation lasts a good deal longer. I'm 35 and think this one is difficult to pull off for younger men. It's a very fancy smell, best paired up with a nice shirt and good behaviour. The dry-down is almost a little too old-school for me and depending on my state of physical exertion almost gets close to 50s classics like Tabac. (Though I really need to push it to get to that point.) That can be attributed to the fact that there's a touch too much powder, I think. Still, this is the closest I ever got to a signature fragrance.

Reformulation queens can quiet down on this one. This stuff is great. Xeryus has a very pleasant fougere profile without veering too far into soapy territory, which I generally don't like. Performance is great -- 4-5 sprays and I get wafts of it until I shower. The scent profile isn't groundbreaking, and if you've smelled other old-school fragrances, you've probably experienced it before. It's a somewhat sharp "green" aroma that's softened by lavender and a touch of sweetness. It's really nice, and although not the most unique, I think it's one of the best examples of this family of fragrances. Others of this type, like One-Man Show, Jaguar, Sung, Oscar de la Renta, etc. smell much more synthetic and sharp to me. Xeryus, by contrast, is very smooth, well-blended, and high-quality. There's nothing offensive here at all. Unfortunately, it appears Givenchy has decided to discontinue this one (for a second time!) for whatever reason. I am glad I was lucky enough to grab a bottle while it was still cheap.

Starts off strong in the aromatics. It settles little by little for about an hour when the amber emerges giving it this slightly sweet, resinous, warm, very comforting vibe. The basil takes a back seat but adds depth and makes this very masculine. Clary Sage makes it very modern. The simplicity makes it cool. It’s fairly smooth, and very affordable on discounters. Atomizer is so great, it sprays a big, dense cloud. Cap is crappy plastic, but that’s negligible due to the lovely frosted glass bottle. Oh, and the sticker on the front kind of sucks too, I’m thinking of taking mine off. It’s a bit mature smelling because it lacks fruit or tonka, I would recommend to 25 and older. It’s a good cheapie for a haul if you’re not afraid of a slightly challenging basil note.

Wearing this in scorching heat of late summer, and it is perfect. This never has never been too heavy yet is still a warmly welcome scent in the cold of winter. I have passed over this too often, fearing it being too heavy. My loss. This is gorgeous and perfect. Maybe Xeryus is just so unique that it used to strike me as especially heavy. It does have some strong sillage that can't be denied, but it not at all offensive. (One spritz only, though!) My old review from further down still applies (pasted here): Really an excellent, elegant fragrance. Complex, but not too busy. Very cool and "wet" smelling, like a damp forest night, and soothing. Perfect for autumn or winter nights.

A real woodsy/spicy scent with only 4 ingredients that were used. When I first sprayed it on my skin, the aroma of exotic woods with clary sage gives it a very deep base which carries throughout the day. It also has a slightly sweet powdery scent which makes it unique. After 8 hours I could still smell it as if I had just sprayed a 1/2 hour ago. This cologne also has a heavy musky/sweet aroma. Longevity is excellent and Sillage is also very good. A bit heavy for the summer, but a perfect cologne for the fall/winter. Overall 8.5/10

The opening of Xeryus LPM is STUNNING. It is a modernized version of the original Xeryus - fresher, younger, sleeker, and more importantly - a lot less complex. Very minty, very woody, very chevalier. Xeryus and Xeryus LPM are quintessentially Givenchy by Hubert himself - pure elegance. Not Tisci, not Galliano, not Mcqueen, not Macdonald, not Keller. Whoever would have taken Audrey to Tiffany's for breakfast or dinner today could certainly use some Xeryus. -AB-

blind bought this because I found it while checking out a fragrance store, this is a fougere, kinda soapy aromatic gentlemanly scent that's a dumb reach, safe for office & for casual occasion also. But I feel that there's so much going on here than the notes listed. A beautiful fragrance.

Explosion... Old school beast. Makes everybody around you smells cheap. The room is full of classy nostalgic appearance.Total masculine presence - do not wear if you do not producing enough tostesterone.

Really an excellent, elegant fragrance. Complex, but not too busy. Very cool and "wet" smelling, like a damp forest night, and soothing. Perfect for autumn or winter nights.

Unique. Very masculine, intense. It is still wonderfull to sniff even after more than 12 hours. Another great scent from Givenchy.

Green, Herbal, Soapy - this is one of my best fragrances and sadly, it is now discontinued.

Classic, masculine and elegant. I love it!

Also known as Xeryus - Les Parfums Mythiques (in French), it is a retelling of the classic Xeryus, from 1986, which was created at a time when the fragrances were complex and rich in notes, in order to obtain the necessary accords. But I will not go further on this subject. This version, as its name says, is part of an exclusive line created by Givenchy to celebrate their legendary fragrances. It was released in 2007 and features notes of Basil and Sage, at the top; Violets leaves and green accord (containing carnation and coriander), in the body; Exotic woods and amber, in the base. The manufacturer categorizes it as a woody-aromatic, exactly as written on the back of my bottle. So, if you read out there that is an aromatic-fougère, don't be fooled (although it behaves as such, in some way). We have, then, a fragrance completely Old School, with that classic scent of yesteryear, mixing green and mossy nuances. It has similarities with various fragrances of the same style, as Gentleman, Giorgio for Men, Bijan Men, Jaguar for Men, among others. On the skin, I don't feel the fresh and minty basil. However, the sage is extremely herbal and leathery, as used in scents from that time. The heart is rich in nuances of cloves and cinnamon and the base is woody, a little medicinal, and full of mossy and green nuances, as stated above. In my opinion, if you don't like colognes with that "grandpa smell", as people like to call it, don't even come close. Otherwise, we run the risk of seeing negative comments about a fragrance, whose concept is this. Xeryus Mythical projects a lot in the first hour and then calms down. It has good longevity, reaching 7 hours with ease and is not the type that changes a lot on the skin. The entire line has already been through a repackaging: before, the labels had color and the boxes came in the old pattern of the brand. Now, the boxes have no texture printed and the labels are white, with silver or gold borders. Finally, a curiosity about the name: it is said that, initially, it would be called Keryus. However, the YSL House objected, saying that it was too similar to its famous Kouros (1981), so they decided to change.

Ok, let ́s get it straight. I have a 4ml sample from 80s or 90s. that dark/blue pyramid (lovely design). And I bought this one now (to save some bucks from the original vintage prices). The initial spray into the cap made me realize that I made a mistake and that this could be a totally different scent. That impact was significantly different and there was a "note" that didnt connect to the old xeryus. Then, I sprayed into my arm and let it dry for an hour or so. Then, I opened the 80s bottle and compared side to side. The new bottle now smells "in the ballpark" compared to the older one. One can tell they are definitely related to each other. They ́re family, like father and son. But the older one really projects more and makes it feel as it is more concentrated, complex and boozy, and has all the essential notes amplified !! It ́s like the new one on steroids. Or.... like when you compare an mp3 file to the vinyl (LP). Don ́t get me wrong. If you like the old Xeryus, I think you will enjoy this one. It seems to be more "wearable" for any occasion.... office, out for dinner or at night. As it is a "lighter" version from the old one even tough it is not as "alpha" it has the advantage to be more easy-to-like from the other people you ́re close to. I paid a very good price (close to 25€ for 100ml), so I am keeping it.

Xeryus LPM, the new incarnation of the original Xeryus, is a risk-taker in its philosophy. Both this and the original are, in my opinion, milestones in perfumery - as they over-complicate a 'feminine' green chypre – only to create the ultimate fougère! Perfume marketed towards women has always enjoyed superiority, compared to the lesser halfs'. Not since Habit Rouge (1965), was such a feminine confection ostentatiously dressed in drag to create a masculine powerhouse. I like the idea behind Xeryus, but it suffers from being too 'extreme' in its endeavor to create a masculine accord. The top notes seem to me a little bit sharp and they do not follow the quintessential lavender-coumarin-oakmoss confection and its smoothness: the green, sharp, flowery top, rather than fading into the woody ambery base, seem to clash full force into it, this effect being - paradoxically and hopefully not intended - amplified by the dreadful and unnecessary violet leaves accord. Leaving criticism aside, I respect Xeryus as a trailblazer for opening the patch of sublime masculine florals: Givenchy Insensé and the sublime Dior Homme - which rather than butchery disguise, chose laden sincerity in their floral aspects.

I had the original Xeryus back in the 80s. It was a favorite. I remember it well. And yes, it was a powerhouse. Has this been reformulated since then? Yes. But the word “reformulation” might not be the best way to describe today’s version. “Adjusted” is the word I would use. Do you have a favorite song you like to play with different equalizer settings from time to time? Same song but different effect. Today’s Xeryus composition is adjusted like that for current times. The initial powerhouse BLAST is toned down, and the settings are more aligned to be linear throughout. But this is the same appealing, green spicy/fresh, one-of-a-kind quality juice that I recall. It is still a powerhouse by today’s standards, with good sillage and longevity. The adjustments also mean that it likely will come across as more “classic” to people smelling this for the first time, as opposed to “old-school.” I’m thankful that Givenchy showed us that a good fragrance – much like a good song – can live on and on ... even when the interpretation changes over the years. I am very pleased with my purchase.

This version (les parfums mythiques) is very friendly to use daily. I ́ve been using it several times to the office. It ́s not a mainstream fragrance by any means. It ́s clearly from another era. However, recommended for people over 30+ (preferably 35/40). The citric soapy boozy opening is very good and all the transitions into the drydown as well which is rounder. I believe it has plenty of oakmoss (or similar), just like Quorum Puig (which apart from the predominant pine note, shares some similarities) and others from the same decade. I can feel it specially after 2 or 3 hours, but it ́s there all the time. Longevity is very good. Apply in the morning 3-4 times here and there and I can smell it in the late afternoon. Leaves a good trail too without suffocating anyone. I also feel that given the lack of people using this type of fragrances today, it can really be a signature scent. Great stuff.

A very bright green opening with the clary sage blazing the way for the rest of the notes. The basil adds further green and herbal notes, but it is very subtle. The dry down is firmly rooted in amber and exotic woods and only the clary sage is barely discernible. At any stage, this fragrance is stunningly beautiful, and it opens and remains very natural smelling. Many niche brands cannot pull off a frag this natural smelling. It is slightly soapy and powdery, which makes it feel slightly retro and certainly extremely elegant. Something that will go as well with a suit as a more casual wardrobe. Finally, longevity is excellent. I can apply 4-5 sprays in the morning and I still smell whiffs of it the next morning when I get out of bed.

Still a true powerhouse After about 30 years, since the last time I used this fragrance, I decided to buy the last "version" still available. It remains an intense, powerful perfume, with the aura of the 80s. It remains a true powerhouse, aimed at an age group, I would say, from 35 years old upwards. It is a unique fragrance that competed with YSL Jazz, VC&A Tsar, among others, from the Yuppie generation of the late 1980s. It's in my collection and will be used on special occasions. Xeryus by Givenchy ... I highly recommend it for lovers of good perfumery. Nothing that compares to current fragrances, synthetic and excessively sweetened.

This is a really pleasant and uplifting fragrance that starts off giving a nod to the classic scents from back in the day. However, soon it develops into a more, dare I say, modern fragrance with its lemony freshness even though lemon isn't listed in the notes. There's a bit of a classic meets modern clash going on that I enjoy. It's really gentleman-like and lasts a while too.

Good fragrance. It has a fresh herbal green smell. It does get woodsy in the drydown. Smells somewhat similar to Ralph Lauren Polo Modern Reserve. Last 6-8 hours on my skin in very warm humid weather so it will probable hold up better in fall and spring conditions. Moderate sillage. 8.25/10

For the 1st hour after application, Xeryus is very reminiscent of Boucheron Pour Homme, 1881 Men Cerruti, & Enrico Coveri PH. But from 1 hour to 10 or so hours later, the spiciness vividly recalls Montana Parfum d'Homme Montana for men. Very similar. Does any else agree?

FIND VINTAGE! I have both versions. Vintage is a masterpiece. Modern version is just OK.

من اینو سالها پیش از فروشگاهی در خیابان مفتح تو کریم خان خریدم و راستش برخلاف زریوس رژ از این خیلی خوشم نیومد. یه کار آروماتیک اسپیسی تندوتیز که برخلاف هرم نت های فرگرنتیکا بیشتر از همه با انواع اسپیسی و البته اوکموس در کنار سیج مواجه هستیم و البته فراموش نشه نت های وودی. خوب تقریبا از اول تا آخر یک فضای آروماتیک کم و بیش فوژه داره و تند تیزی اش از اول تا آخر همرات. کاملا چهارفصل جز اینکه در گرمای تابستان ممکن کمی مرددتون کنه گرچه در گرمای تابستان مثلا تهران کاملا قابل پوشیدن اما در گرمای جنوب ممکن نیست روزها بشه پوشید و اذیت نکنه. کاملا روزانه است و کژوال برای مکان و قرار رسمی مناسب نیست و برای سن های بالا یا میانسال به بالا مناسب نیست. پرفورمنس عالی داره هم پخش و هم ماندگاری. کیفیتش هم باتوجه به قیمت پایین(الان زیر یک تومن هم میشه خرید و از ارزون های جیونشی گرچه جیونشی کلا گرون نداره!) مناسب و از قیمتش بیشتر می ارزه. اما اگر شما پا در وادی نیش گذاشتید(مثلا نیکلای نیویورک اینتنس یا کرید بوآ د پرتقال استفاده کردید، دیگه بعید میدونم حاضر بشید اینو بپوشید مگر برای مصرف روزانه باشگاه و پیاده روی و..!). من حاضر نیستم قطعا رایگان هم تکرارش کنم چون همونم رد کردم اما هنوزم معتقدم زریوس رژ شاهکار و همینم رو تن یک جوان دلنشین

This is for the Mythiques version. Really lively fougere type opening, true 'pop' off skin and clothes. Dries down to a sort of boiled sweet accord, a connection I can't get out of my head. 3/5

(Had the review on the original bottle...this is the correct one that I own) Blind buy based off of my pleasurable experience with "Bijan" (another 80's powerhouse frag). So far, I'm LOVING this!! It's a smooth lavender-dominant fragrance that has so many facets it's hard to list them all! I'll try with progressive edits as this wears further...Goodness this is BEAUTIFUL!!! Edit: Sprayed 3 sprays on chest, one on each inner elbow and one behind each ear before heading out for the evening at around 1740...it's now 0032 and I can STILL smell this fragrance!!! AWESOME LONGEVITY and I KNOW I radiated all evening! This is the greenest fragrance I own next to the "Encre Noir" lineup. It stays floral and woody and amazingly tropical somehow. My late aunt on my mothers side wore something that smelled like this fragrance...maybe it WAS this fragrance, but I absolutely LOVE how floral and green this frag stays. I'm going to layer it with Eros EDP so I get some smooth vanilla with it and see how it mixes. I get the feeling that will go perfectly with it! I can't make out all of the individual notes in this fragrance when I'm wearing it...but I know that I absolutely LOVE the bouquet of flowery woody notes that I perceive! The thing that I love the most about this fragrance is that it LASTS!! I can smell myself for 8+ hours and THAT is what I am seeking in all my fragrances. I don't go anosmic, the frag doesn't go full-on "Skin-Scent" in an hour of wearing it, other people can smell my fragrance when they hug me, If I spray my wrists...people perceive it when I shake hands with them or hand them money at the teller. THAT is the performance I desire from ALL my fragrances!! If I have to start shopping in the 80's section of the fragrance encyclopedia...so be it! These older 70's-80's fragrances smell so gosh-darn good...OMG!!! I'm going to wear this to work tomorrow and see how it's received. UPDATE: Welp...as expected, the only person enjoying my fragrance....was me. Lol. No worries...still love it! (06MAY23 Update) This has matured quite nicely! It's now much smoother than when I first wore it. It seems to now have an "Incense" flavored note within it's structure that was not there before. The perceived "Lavender" note is also toned-down substantially lending to a smoother overall fragrance tone. I've layered it with a pure vanilla fragrance on the test strip and its blending perfectly at a 1:1 ratio of sprays. The incense-like note is still detectable over the vanilla and that is just A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! I can see wearing this daily now as it isn't making my eyes water or causing any irritation. I just hope the potency hasn't diminished...will test-wear it tomorrow and find out. In the time away from this bottle, I've been wearing "Sergio Soldano - White" (Another 80's fragrance...) to see if I like it more than the new "Xeryus". That answer is an emphatic "NO". "S.S.-White" is a lot more....screechy...as "Xeryus" was when I first purchased the bottle. Perhaps in another year it will calm down and smooth out like "Xeryus " has. Either way, "X" goes back into my top-shelf rotation of fragrances for this summer!

I was underwhelmed with this one. I was expecting something sharper, greener and with more character. Xeryus opens with a soft soapy and herby blend that is just so plain and so boring that it makes me wonder if this re-released parfums mythique version is just this way as I can't imagine this being a product of the 80s. The dry down is slightly more interesting as the musk and oakmoss start to come out but overall all the notes have this soft muted feel to them that just didn't do it for me. Also, what a crime to not bring back the amazing art deco bottle the original came in and to put it in this bland frosted glass bottle.

This is nice, but I never reach for it. Far too green for me... Decluttering.

Burn the nostrils opening... I imagine this is a lot like smelling salts

Two fascinating moments in perfumery happened within a few years of each other. They are the “road not taken” moments. When Thierry Mugler’s Angel hit the scene, women’s perfumery was changed irrevocably. Florals, chypres, traditional orientals were instantly ancien régime. It was a classic paradigm shift, an overthrow of the old order. The floral survived by evolving into Fruity Florals, Orientals were diminished and became Gourmands, Chypres, god help us all, became outlaws and now are effectively black market commodities. The specifics of how the men’s market changed in the 1980s differ in some respects from the changes in the feminine market, but the parallels and simultaneity of the changes make the similarities more important than the differences. Davidoff Cool Water was the masculine counterpart to Angel. To say the aromatic fougère was supplanted by the aquatic fougère doesn’t sound like much, but the the newer, more tailored aromatic fougères had just started to surpass the dominance of the 70s big boys like Paco Rabanne Pour Homme and Azzaro Pour Homme. It was the greatest height of the fougère since the release of Fougère Royale in 1882. Musky fougères (YSL Kouros, Paco Rabanne Ténéré, Dior Jules) floral fougères (Caron’s Troisième Homme, Xeryus) spiced fougères (YSL Jazz, Jacomo Anthracite, Laroche Drakkar Noir) were taking the genre in exciting new directions. The fougère is structurally tied to both the oriental (tonka, balsam) and the chypre (oakmoss and coumarin tethering more effusive floral and spiced notes). It is an inherently rich genre and many perfumers were using the fougère structure to find new ideas. It’s worth considering that Michael Edward’s, the most authoritative figure in the nomenclature of perfumery, placed the fougère at the center of the wheel he created as a visual analogy for categorizing perfumes. It is the ur-perfume. There were still a few great aromatic fougères produced, such as Partick by Patrick of Ireland (1999) a fougère in the chypre direction, and YSL Rive Gauche pour Homme (2003), but for the most part, after the advent of of Cool Water (1988) the aquatic fougère ruled with an iron fist. Dyhydromyrcenol made for the creation of fougères that would have the volume of the best fougère from the 1970s, but lacked the complexity and therefore matched the feminine counterparts that were becoming ever louder, ever simpler fruity florals and candied gourmands. Feminism’s effect on perfumery changed or waned, depending on your perspective, and the empowered feminines like Aromtics Elixir, Scherrer de Scherrer, Dior Diorella, YSL Rive Gauche became ‘Old Lady Perfumes’. Hypergender became a stylistic norm, and countless straight couples could be spotted on the town: her, with hair three feet high and rising dosed with Poison or Angel; him with slicked back hair drenched in Cool Water. I am sad over the loss of the pre-1988 aromatic fougère. It was just about to take off into some great places. Let’s not forget that these perfume were also the basic blue-print for the 1980’s mens’ power frag. Take a fougère, exchange the lavender for some more spicy elements, and freeze-dry the wood. Voila! Krizia Uomo, Chanel Antaeus, Patou pour Homme. Sometimes the player of a group known for largesse is the one to go for. Scherrer de Scherrer, a chypre that could give Aromatics Elixir a black eye is my go to green/leather chypre. Xeryus has some of that well-dressed thug appeal, seeming more like a perfume for Craig’s Bond than Moore’s. Or perhaps Dench’s M. Xeryus is becoming on you in the way it allows to you swagger a bit. It lends authority. It’s a remarkably detailed perfume that tells you not to sweat the details. It has a vaguely threatening edge at the same time it lets you be a pretty boy. Great combo of attributes. Definitely a perfume to play with.

No one else smells a similarity to Drakkar Noir? I understand that this reformulation is somewhat different from "vintage" Xeryus, in this case it's rather obvious that they've modified things, with the whole re-release as a "Les Parfums Mythiques" fragrance in a totally different bottle and box. Oddly my box/bottle looks a little different from the one pictured above. It's a greyish-tan color with none of the swirly lines and a white label with silver trim - the bottle is shaped the same with the same kind of clear/frosted glass, but again the label is white with silver trim, and looks a bit smaller than the one above. However, the scent is a pleasantly rich spicy fougeriental, loaded with clean citrus, herbs, and woody notes (grapefruit, basil, clary sage, artemisia, lavender, cedar, sandalwood, rosy guaiac wood, amber, "smokiness" ala Cypriol, and musk). That smoky woods note in the base is likely the culprit when it comes to my Drakkar association, and of course when you layer a handful of herbal green notes on top of that, you wind up with a standard 80s fresh fougere. A bit soapy, nothing earth-shattering or original, but a very pleasant fragrance that plays a familiar tune a little better than its contemporaries. I could only sincerely recommend this fragrance to 80s fougere enthusiasts, because I think the average guy or girl would get just as much for their money from Drakkar Noir. An additional comment: I notice with the "Les Parfums" Xeryus that up close it smells rather soft and unassuming (soapy, green, clean, etc) but the scent really projects into your personal space, and beyond. It generates a strong green-spicy cloud. This is a strong scent, certainly a notch stronger than current Drakkar Noir, and it's something to apply sparingly. However, I'm not so sure it's a straight-up "cold weather scent." Cold temps would likely flatten the spiciness and dull the effect down into a less interesting clean-green scent. It's certainly fresh enough to work in hotter weather. Moderate to balmy temps bring out the woody oriental aspect more, allowing the scent to move and radiate. Humidity also gives it legs. This is an interesting scent, that's for sure.

When you first spray Xeryus, it doesn’t whisper. It grabs you by the collar. A sharp, green blast of clary sage and basil cuts through the air like a well-dressed man walking into a smoky 1980s lounge — confident, controlled, dangerous in the best way. It’s fresh, but not innocent. It’s the kind of freshness that feels like clean skin under a crisp shirt, with heat just beneath. As it settles, the scent turns warmer, deeper, sexier. You’re surrounded by tarragon, vetiver, and soft florals, like the warmth of a man who’s been dancing, moving, owning the night. It becomes earthy, a little wild, almost animalic — like a heartbeat speeding up. There’s something arousing about the way the herbs melt into the skin. It smells like male energy, controlled but ready to break free. Then the base comes in — cedarwood, amber, musk, and this smoky, resinous sweetness that clings to your shirt and your neck. Now the scent is: dark sexy warm addictive It smells like late-night closeness. Like someone leaning into your neck because the scent pulls them in without permission. It’s the kind of drydown that makes someone want to stay in your space a little longer than they should.

I have only tried the vintage formulation. I like it, but I don't find that it has any "wow factor." It's natural smelling and has excellent longevity, along with at least good projection/"sillage." It has some interesting "moves" within the first hour or so, but then you get a slightly sweet woody scent. This is where it's "nice" but nothing I would want to spend money on, especially considering the prices vintage ones are selling for now. However, if you are the type of person who sprays it on and wants to smell something interesting for a little while, but then you want the scent to recede and smell "inoffensive" but not common or "synthetic," this might be for you. I could imagine someone who isn't comfortable wearing "loud" fragrances in certain circumstances but still wants something slightly "old school" buying Xeryus. For the aficionado, however, I just don't think there is enough here for it to compete against the "greats." A simplified (and much cheaper) idea that has some "edge" for a longer period of time can be found in 273 Men by Hayman. However, the ingredient quality in vintage Xeryus is clearly better (though 273 isn't what I would call bad).

It has just arrived. The box and the bottle looks very good, it shows great quality. After the first spray, it mainly smells like sage and citrus, it reminds me a bit of Dior Eau Sauvage, I think it’s a good alternative to it. After a few minutes basil starts shining through, and I can detect some oakmoss too, but it stays in the background. It does have a classic style reminiscent of old times, however I wouldn't I say it doesn’t stand its ground these days. Spring to fall this is a perfect choice for men over 30, but I think it’s too fresh for winter. It’s perfect for almost any occasion, but it’s definitely not a gym scent. Very sophisticated, very masculine, sharp, green scent, teenagers should avoid it. Also avoid it, if Sauvage, Bleu de Chanel, or One Million is your game... this has nothing to do with that style. This scent requires a man, you have to grow up to it.

This is indeed a modern classic, a dumb reach for office/formal settings. Xeryus exudes that gentleman vibe lending a respectable aura to the wearer. As in, if you are a business traveller like me, Xeryus is a perfect choice to take with you on the road. This is pretty much a shirt and tie / suit and tie frag, cannot see myself wearing this for living room chill sessions or cozying up with wifie. This could be a soul brother of Chanel Pour Monsieur. Same vibe, same scenario, mostly for the 35+ crowd. As for different versions, not sure if the debate worth it. I have this one with a white label and it is one of my best performing frags of my collection of appx. 70. Which makes me quite uninterested in what the original could have been like. I dig this one, period. And I am sure most of us are the same way. You like it, you use it. And boy do I use this one.

It's a Sunday morning and I have nothing else better to do but to watch World War Z (the unrated version! They're also reformulating movies! LOL!) and while watching I sprayed vintage Xeryus (the one in the blue iridescent bottle) and a recently bought Xeryus: Les Parfums Mythiques on scent strips. And I have good news: there is virtually no difference between the two! Le Mythique comes off as sharper because of its lesser oakmoss content, but Givenchy did a very good job on this re-issue. If only all reformulations were like this! Now all I have to do is decant XM and add the appropriate amount of oakmoss. Et voila! (Up yours, IFRA!) Congratulations, Givenchy! (And because someone asked: No, I didn't have the squat bottle version for comparison.)

Can't say I really like this one all that much. It is generally like a sharp lemony scent softened with a very clean white musk type of scent, but with no musk. There is some amber in it, and it smells quite florally, maybe there is a hint of pinyness. It reminds me and smells kinda similar to white powdery spice in Jovan white musk - Xeryus is not musky though. This one just smells too clean and florally sharp lemon like powdery for me. there is no earthyness in it, its kinda basicaly sharp lemony floral with a thick haze of powderlike spicyness. It has a lot of this sweetish piney/fir scent in it mixing with the florals. Smells kinda a bit like springtime though. I might like Monsieur de Givenchy instead but I havent been able to try that one.

not really favorite of mine. It is ok in terms of scent though, but not my style of interest. Motly I get a floral scent with a light touch pine, covered over with an incensy ashy haze. its sort of a cold smelling scent, there is no warmth scent in it. Maybe it has the floral, because I believe Xeryus is originally a womens scent, and this Xeryus for men was made as a complement, similar to Oscar for men, Obsession for men, and others. The masculinity of this scent comes from the incensy haze and the greenness from the pine, but at the same time you might also smell a bit of floral womens fragrance in this.

I'm wearing this for the first time and I'm trying to identify the distinction between this and Monsieur de Givenchy. It's very similar based on smell alone. Maybe more citrus in the opening? MdG has lavender listed whereas this one doesn't. Typically, fougeres will have lavender. And I'm not so sure the listed note structure is very accurate, and I don't think this is a classic fougere. I can't see enough distinction with Monsieur de Givenchy to have both in a collection other than through pure collector motivation. Seems I could interchange these two without thinking about it.

when I think of this perfume I can imagine a knight on a black hourse,brave & fearfulness who can fight for me to the extreme.it's really a mythical perfume.so it's not suitable for any man.the one who wears it must dare it. it's very sharp & spicy.if you're not strong enough you may find it even annoying.but as the time goes it becomes more woody and attracting. it's the limited edition of Xeryus which is reedited by some other legendary perfumes of this company..personally I found it more mythical and dangerous.yeah,more than 2 sprays are dangerous!

The Top Lemony Note reminds me of Paco Rabanne Pour Homme & Vermeil but I'd die for the dry down of wood and incense of Xeryus it's the classiest dry down of them, next comes the dry down of Paco Rabanne pour Homme which is warm , flowery and Soapy and last comes Vermeil with its woody dry Tobacco accord , I only wish Xeryus dry down notes were More concentrated and it has the power and performance of Vermeil, and the same goes for Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ♥️

An extremely similar/near identical creation to Pasha by Cartier EDT. Just perfect in every way. Perfectly blended. Nothing loud, nothing sharp. Smooth yet textured at the same time. Enough clean, enough savage, enough sensual. What we all expect from a well-constructed well polished fougere. Every man needs a fougere like these two in their wardrobe. Smells like good taste.

Got this one while hunting for the original Xeryus. What can I say... It's good! But after an hour it begins to resemble Drakkar Noir. And it's very potent - 3 sprays are too much, so stick with no more than 2! In the end, we have a good old-school powerhouse. Just what it is expected to be.

Its a Sheer Disappointment! i was so happy wen i got this but my happiness lasted as long as this perfume is Zinch! It has ok smell, longevity is poor. I apply on body & clothes in which the sillage remains on body for some hours but cloths are begging for more! pls try before u buy!!!

I accidentally ordered the one from 2007 and thought to myself man this stuff sucks..watered down crap .. I had the original one in the eighties*