Xeryus

When I first smelled this scent, a few years back, it was MASSIVE, sharp and rather annoying (or quite possibly OVER-applied!). THAT must have been a reformulation (bottle shown above); because Lana Lool scored a bottle of Vintage Xeryus (black/blue flacon with a sheen to it) and it is anything but... *Thanks for your kindness and the generous gift of a nice FULL spray sample, Lana!* xox With all those notes, (the most I have ever seen listed for a manscent) who can say what is detectable and what isn't? Not me, that's for sure...but on spraying it initially on the back of my hand, something sharp and almost acrid rose up my nostrils and actually burned! (Note to self: Allow this to DRY, before sniffing it more closely!) Predominantly it is citrus, bitter greens and some soft spices in the top. This is a very attention grabbing opening, to say the least, especially the artemisia. I have the Xeryus Mythical re-release of 2007 and enjoy it a great deal, but THIS is stunning! For a 1986 scent, you would imagine it would be "louder" and also project much "wider". The heart notes I detect, for the most part, are cypress (warm and piney green with juniper like nuances) alongside guaiac wood (smooth woody elegance) and cypriol (an oil derived from cypress trees and used in Chinese medicine). These, together, create a superly green woody aromatic combination. I sense herbs and the presence of (dry) florals here as well, (ancient greeks often threw flowers at their returning heroes) very violety, warmly rich and powdery in the opening and becoming more manly and mature (carnation/geranium) in the heart. Xeryus is a stunning olfactive tapestry, woven from the essences of strong masculine notes, that sings the praises of a hero in the softest and most beautiful way. This is how a Greek hero before the walls of Troy would have smelled: strong, beautiful, fierce (with a softer side) and absolutely and unequivocally masculine. The drydown has a simply gorgeous amber note wrapped in the finest leather and REAL oakmoss, with just a hint of man-musk. Woodiness and some wafts of pine do come through, also vague hints of smokiness (Troy burning?). This may be the best male Givenchy scent I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Xeryus is where the warrior and the sensitive man merge; he is elegant and soft-spoken, but stands his ground and does not back down. A true vintage treasure... Sillage: Great then good Longevity: very good Overall: 4.75/5 My knowledge of Greek (and Roman) myth is quite extensive. I could not quite remember Xeryus from the classics; other than the fact that he fought (and sadly died) before the walls of Troy, as he was one of Helen's many suitors who swore to defend her and the honor of her husband, no matter whom she chose to wed. I "bing-ed" Xeryus and all that came up was Givenchy and this perfume (and its flankers)...the same with the online encyclopedia, and the few texts I kept had little to nothing on him. This was called "Keryus" at first, but YSL complained it was too close to Kouros; so it was changed to the name we all know now. ("X" in ancient Greek is pronounced like a hard "k" sound) Xeryus may have died (in myth or in fact) before Troy, but I find it quite wonderful that his essence is preserved for all time in a scent that would have made him proud! ALL HAIL XERYUS!!

Note: this is for the vintage in the art deco dark blue bottles The longer ive had this, the more i appreciate it. I can kind of keep this simple for this one without my typical million word review lol. I basically think of Xeryus as the mature/sophisticated version of drakkar noir, and i didnt realize that until i heard Varanis Rindari compare it to drakkar recently, and i cant unsmell it now lol. I was only a few years old in the 80's, so this is kind of an abstract opinion i suppose...but i see drakkar noir (which i love, dont get me wrong) as the young mans bottle, but Xeryus as the mature (not old persay) mans bottle for more formal occasions. Or a young man could own both assuming they love drakkar, but wear the xeryus for occasions. I think xeryus would also be more appropriate for a date night. It does alot better than alot of vintage stuff in a modern setting, a young dude nowadays could probably wear this and if anything get compliments despite its age. Ive been wearing it lately and liking it more and more, very well made fragrance. No idea what the current formulations are like, but i dont think Givenchy has a rep for destroying their older formulas in the current day. Its not brash like drakkar, its smooth and frankly elegant. I highly reccomend even for younger guys, this would be an awesome first dive into vintage fragrances in my opinion. P.s. be forewarned, im a huge vintage guy and i think alot of the "smells like" candidates are kind of bizzare. This has more similarity to something like maxims pour homme than most of the listed fragrances. Antaeus, lagerfeld photo, fahrenheit ect.....no freaking way lol.

Yesterday, I purchased a 25 ml. spray bottle of Xeryus. It is a vintage version made in the early nineties. Once you spray Xeryus on the skin, you can immediately notice the green notes (which are very vegetable and honest), with the presence of lavender and nutmeg--it also seems to have a fruity touch of black plum, not very ripe. The citrus notes are not that perceptible. About half an hour later, carnation, rose, and geranium begin to appear, giving an earthy floral sensation, an attribute that is enhanced by oakmoss, fern, and vetiver. 2-3 hours later, leather and amber give the composition a creamy and balsamic touch, together with slightly spicy, woody accords of cedar and sandalwood, which makes the aroma notably different from the conventional earthy fougeres of the 1980s. Xeryus has an exquisite semi-Gothic floral herbal aroma that evokes cold nights in wooded landscapes, as Encre Noire does. It has good longevity (from 6 to 7 hours) and offers moderate projection. In contrast to most 80s perfumes, it smells very clean and fresh, giving the impression of being ahead of its time; actually, it smells more 1990s to me, and it is easy to use even nowadays. Its potential unfolds better in the nighttime (specifically in less dynamic environments than those of dancing clubs, where other, more "cheerful" scents perform much better). Score: Fragrance: 10/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 8/10 Sillage: 9/10 Versatility: 8/10 Total: 8.6/10

When I first tried this fragrance, my nose originally just registered it as just soapy and green, and I didn't think that highly of it. But on repeated tries, I discovered it's much, much better than that--there are all kinds of beautiful floral and fruit notes in this (in addition to the woody notes) that make it pretty much a happy and exceptionally complex riot of scents, with leather and oakmoss (at least in the original version) buried well below the top, but still very evident. I like this more and more every time I wear it, so that it's now become one of my very favorites. These beautifully complex men's fragrances of the late 80s and early 90s (like this, and Guerlain's Heritage, or VCA's Tsar) are sometimes difficult for me to appreciate when I first wear them; but the more I try them, the more gorgeous they are to me. That period may be my favorite of all for the creation of men's fragrances. This is a true classic among men's fougères, and I am in awe of whoever first formulated this for Givenchy (Alberto Morillas, I think). It's really staggering to think of being able to balance so many notes and have the entirety come out to be so magnificent.

I acquired this as a blind-buy, and I was nervous after reading some of the reviews here. Well, after the first spray of this all that nervousness has disappeared. Xeryus is magical, to me. From the first spritz I was hit in the nose by the citrus and green notes. I actually haven't waited long enough to review this because I was so excited. Instantly memories started flooding my mind. This makes me thing of older, quiet gentlemen. I would say from early 30's and onwards. Distinction but always with that freshness wafting everywhere. The projection is really good with minimal sprays (I only did one, the hollow of the neck) and the sillage is moderate. People who have described this as a powerhouse are correct. But it is not a loud and showy powerhouse. More like man in the room who says not a word but people are drawn to him through charisma. Xeryus (awesome name, by the way) makes me feel so happy. It's not a scent for track pants and the gym, more like a scent for weekend relaxation or a walk through the park. This is a definite win for my collection.