Xeryus Rouge

Annick Menardo has always been ahead of the curve in regards to creating iconic scents that are both Incredibly unique and at the same time manage to sell and reach the audience with commercial success that expands the palette of perfumery as the masses follow in her footsteps. A major reason for her success and uniqueness is that Menardo comes from a scientific academic background, not a fashion one, and dares to experiment with odd combinations based on chemical composition rather than assumed aesthetics. Meaning convention in the pejorative sense, is thrown out the window for something altogether more fundamental; the manufacture of chemicals from their atomically most basic core ingredients, ground-up. Xeryus Rouge was one of her first highly lauded successes. It's extremely synthetic, so be warned if you have a sensitive sinus cavity. The cactus, geranium and tarragon can sometimes be harsh in tandem with some wearers and require some gritty survival instincts in the heart stage of its evolution to survive. The top smells like a Mexico City pulqueria (A type of bar in Mexico that serves the standard Aztec alcoholic drink, based fundamentally on cactus juice), with a fermented cactus juice smell that is fruity, slightly creamy and very green herbal all at once. The citrus is there, creating a refreshing and sourness that balances the harsher elements of the cactus. The geranium and tarragon quickly join in and create a higher-pitched lightness that cools down the warming cactus and creates a little bit of a cooling sensation on the skin. The heart welcomes the spicy and warm pimiento into the mix, pressing against the high-pitched geranium and rootsy cactus and citrus and settles into a rather attractive dry-down that is mostly the heart notes combined with soft woods and a bit of musk to lower the initial intensity of the scent. Be patient with this one. The first few wears are a bit awkward because of its very mature and highly concentrated complexity. There's a lot here to explore and every wear reveals a bit more of Xeryus Rouge's subtle yet sophisticated nature. This one is a real landmark original that changed the game completely for modern orientals through its chemical approach, leaving the packaging simple and letting the juice do the talking. The other was Jean Paul Gaultier's Le Male, but more for its loud packaging and flashy boldness of scent. If you are younger you may not like this at first and you shouldn't buy this blind, give it a sample first and see how it performs on your skin. This one is more a gift from Menardo to the mature and sophisticated man who appreciates the blending o f modern and classical pretensions under which Xeryus Rouge was crafted. Projection is very good and strong, 2 sprays are the most you want to go if you plan to wear this at work our out on a date. Longevity is outstanding at 9-12 hours. One of the few fragrances that keeps getting better as you age. A mature modern classic. Formal yet casual at the same time.

This is a gorgeous and distinctive Spicy, fresh and aromatic scent that is still so relevant today. Citruses, spice, woody and musky too, offering just a gentle warmth that still allows for all season wearability. It may be considered a classic by many but I feel although Xeryus Rouge genuinely stands amongst the Icons of the past it doesn't always get the Kudos it fully deserves! The craft of the blend is just Givenchy doing what they do best, constructing a wonderful, innovative (at the time) scent that performs admirably. Although an EDT it's easily comparable to many of today's releases that are of higher oil volume and benefitting from more modern, enhanced ingredients such is the depth of the quality. The scent itself has unusual notes, especially for the time which consist of cactus, Chinese orange, pimento and tarragon then added to by the perennial perfume classics such as cedar, geranium, musk and sandalwood. What this combines to produce is an aroma that is best described as manly bliss! The notes are so well matched and mixed together that with concentration the individual nuances can be picked out but why bother trying when the overall effect is such a zingy, outstanding creation. This is a fragrance that is easy to wear in all but tropical temperatures, it performs great up to the mid 20s! I haven't pushed it further such is the strength and potency. The sillage is good and bubble created is above average, lasting for a good few hours before slowly receding back over 6-7 hours where it will beautifully perfume your skin for several more. It'll stay on clothes far longer. Xeryus Rouge still stands out today, especially in a world of perfumery dominated by a million blue, gourmand or similar profiles that all mirror each other over and over and over.............. This is definitely an aroma for the man who is 30 upwards, a proper masculine character and enjoys being well dressed and presented. I'd consider this an everyday scent that can and should be worn to any occasion whether day, night or a rendezvous of the early hours variety! 😳 Just not really ideal for the younger generations preferred settings such as sweaty nightclubs and the like! It's just far too classy for that environment. Like eating a McDonald's in a Michelin starred restaurant. 😆 Excellent value and a fragrance that represents the male of the species at its finest. I feel genuinely lucky that I managed to try this as it had passed me by somehow! It really does belong with all the other Chanel's, Dior's, Guerlains and of course other Givenchy scents that have that legendary status and continue to stand the test of time. Absolutely blown away and another classic that will stay with me from now on.

I have to preface every review I write with the disclaimer that my skin is extremely stubborn and naturally aromatic, so fragrances tend not to perform as well on it as they would on most. I write my reviews using my skin as the bar exam, so keep that in mind as you read on. I recently bought a bottle of this brew (2014 batch), having tested it before on my wrist. That being said, let's get straight to performance: Depending on the fragrance, I usually apply one spray to either side of my jugular, and one to the back of my neck. Longevity: By my standards, insane. I accidentally sprayed twice on the same area of my neck (which usually kills performance), and Xeryus Rouge still lasted 8 hours strong. Projection: Uncanny. I live in Montreal where there is a language barrier in public, and I noticed people walking in relative proximity looking back at me constantly. The ladies had unassuming smiles on their faces, the guys looked around bewildered and amazed. Hilarious. Sillage: I walked past two girls when I was downtown (smells barraging people from everywhere), and I heard one of them say "Mmm what the f*ck IS that?". I was about 6 1/2 feet away at that point. On a colour spectrum, I would've named this fragrance "Xeryus Rouge et Bleu-Vert", the reason being that this scent is constantly locked in combat with itself for being as hot as dragon's breath and as refreshing as a secluded lagoon somewhere in the Mediterranean. In that sense, this makes it extremely alive and turbulent while retaining a calm and collected center, not passive in the slightest while offsetting any notion of it being linear or predictable. The caveat here is that Xeryus Rouge is powerful, amorphous and dualistic; it takes someone with an equally nuanced personality to harness and absorb it without letting IT dethrone THEM, because this scent is a brutally honest and unique creature that will make a wearer's lack of confidence painfully obvious for all to see. I feel like people who hate on Xeryus Rouge are afraid of it, and hence can't retain objectivity when attempting a review unless they truly appreciate fragrances as a form of art and science. All this said, I believe if someone can master this scent and its infinite variety, it can unquestionably become a signature scent for virtually any occasion or season, with the provision of a conscientious application in terms of the number of sprays used. Ultimately, the onus is on the wearer to comport themselves in a manner worthy of Xeryus Rouge.

*This review is for the vintage* I think XR falls into that category of synthetic "concept" fragrances, a bit like Beyond Paradise, but better made and less polarizing. I am not sure why people are saying the vintage smelled "natural". I love the vintage but I doubt something this hyper is natural (but I freely admit I am not an expert in these matters). To put it short, it is a fruity, slightly musky, and spicy masculine fougere. I want to stress that the spiciness here is strictly capsaicin, AKA the sharp tang of a red pepper, and not the gourmand/oriental definition of aromatic cooking spices. The composition overall has a very "juicy" feel, aided by the cactus and the kumquat. The Kumquat and pepper combine to a very interesting "red berry" note. The cactus gives it the watery, vegetal body, accentuated by the sharper notes of cedar, tarragon and geranium. The musk and amber give it a really well executed "roundness" in the base. Performance is fantastic, easily trumping 10 hours with 3 sprays, and for people with amenable skin, you should see well past 12 hours of longevity. I am not sure why this one is so polarizing in the community. Perhaps because it was a clear break from Givenchys previous releases and, in a way, embraces the "watery fresh" zeitgeist of the 1990s. I can assure you that it is not at all aquatic. My personal opinion is that it is extremely unique, versatile in all weather (and will perform well above average) and would make a great statement piece, or even a signature, for someone looking for something different that can be easily appreciated by the layperson. Grab a vintage bottle while you can (Tall, red art deco bottles with terraced ridges). I wish I could comment on the current issue, because it is available in 5 oz bottles, but until I hear anything definitive about it, I will go with the vintage because it is quite affordable (as of writing, NIB 50ml bottles are selling for $40)

this one was in my wishlist for a few months.finally i realized i couldn't resist buying this bad ass. ***packaging*** Retro, stylish ***bottle*** love holding this in my hand. suits the smell very much.easy to put in your suitcase. ***at first encounter*** initial note, smelled like soup and regret. specially if you spray the same spot twice or 3 times. but then after 2-3 minutes HELLO CACTUS my old friend! and if you wait 20 more minutes the vanilla comes out and it stays and adds a mellow delicous scent. it's probably not vanilla it should be one of the notes in the perfume that is rare and i'm not familiar with it. the whole time orange and cedar are laying in the backgroudn making not so much noise but they exist.n doubt this is a citrusy perfume! ***The Farewell*** ending note is musk. ***OVERALL*** performance is great. i don't recommend this one because i want to be the only one wearing it! it's an old perfume that no one really knows about but everyone keeps asking what it is!it's not really hard to figure out this scent. you have probably smelled it somewhere in your life but can't remember when and where! i would wear it at winter spring and autumn 24/7 but maybe not in a hot summer day. but summer night? definitely! ***Does it smell like Davidoff Hot Water?*** let me put it this way. davidoff hot water is xeryus rouge's retarded stepbrother. Xeryus rouge is like taking davidoff hot water to a whole new level. xerus is the type of perfume that you can wear at your first date but davidoff? maybe after 30 years of marriage your wife will like it at some point

Attention all under 30s who have an XY chromosome combo & are willing & able to identify with it. Xeryus Rouge is the set of training wheels that should be bolted to your bike. For all of you who lament that "old-skool" "Dad" & "dated" fragrances aren't your thing, XR will help you bike it like a big boy. One day. This truly is an unique 90s frag. Not wanting to sound cliched; but ahead of it's time. It's understated with bite. The cactus thing is real. Juicy, salty & the red bell peppers are a definite zing. There's a whiff & only a whiff, that borders a sour funk. Dryer than expected I get a tactile 'coating' vibe. It's got presence that lets you know it's not a tootie-frootie-O-rootie, pissant, froth-broth, but there's a hint of sweetness, almost over-ripe fruit. The musk & woody base keeps that quieter & avowedly in line. Over simplistic to say its "old skool" without being too "old skool"....whatever that is? Now don't be frightened young fellas, it's nowhere near Quorum or Aramis, & God forbid; Antaeus, but it's part of their ilk without competing & copying those brusque-O-philes. It even comes in a pretty red bottle; might belay or neutralize any notion of "toxic masculinity", at least 'superficially'.......AND I know you know what that word means. So step up to the plate fellas. You'll serious like XR & it might just be unique enough to differentiate you from the clones, without you having to do something "random". And it wont suddenly put you in a tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows...Unless of course you want it to.

I have both the original and reformulated version. I made it a purpose to do a side by side comparisons over the years (I've own this since Nov 2015). The differences I noticed when wearing side-by-side: The original formulation has the fresh, citric juicy opening with red berries (very similar to Azzaro Elixir) with a dry-down of creamy sweet sandalwood and sultry musk. I noticed the red berry accords are much more present in original formulation and the pimento provides a nice edge. The original can be summed up as having the fresh, juicy opening with a creamy sweet sandalwood and sultry musk dry-down. The reformulation smells mostly the same (about 80%). The reformulation has way more of the fantasy pimento note, lacks the overt red berry accords, and it is less sweet than the original formulation. The reformulation does project much more than the original. I find the reformulation to be very "screechy" at times, but I can't pinpoint what's causing this. I detect the metallic shriek about half the time of wearing the reformulation. The reformulation is not bad, it's still a darn good fragrance. It's just that you might pick up on something metallic. All-in-all, I prefer the vintage. It's sweeter and the red berry accords are absolutely juicy and tantalizing. Reformulation is less sweet and more a powdery spicy from the pimento with something metallic going on that disturbs me once in a while.

Review for Vintage Formulation: Xeryus Rouge is a UNIQUE and GORGOEUS fragrance with dynamic transitions from top, heart, and basenotes. The first 10-15 seconds starts off citric, juicy, fresh, and masculine. To my preference, the citrus isn't the typical lemon, sour, harsh in-your-face nonsense that really diverts me from citrus fragrances. It's very fresh and bright and smells slightly familiar. Minutes after the opening, XR starts to take a classic shaving cream nuance. This shaving cream vibe has a very well-behaved black licorice/anise accord that lightly floats over this classic shaving cream nuance. But wait! There's more: once the barber shop/shaving cream nuance fades, we're left with red berries. Lots and lots of fresh, red berries! Better yet - it's still masculine by society's standards! The pimento takes a role as a slightly powdery bed for the red berries to jump up and down on in a very jubilant manner. After about 90 minutes, the berries finally exhaust themselves and take the pimento away with them. What we're left with is a very sweet and creamy sandalwood with an aura of subtle, sultry musk. Xeryus Rouge will be my signature scent for 2016!

I've detected that some people give this fragrance a bad time because of the Spice Pepper / Chilli Pepper ambiguity in English. This is NOT a spicy scent, that pepper note is very close to a fresh cut rip sweet bell pepper, sweet fruity and floral. As a Chili aficionado, I must say this captures the idea or the essence of floral chili pods quite well, you can almost taste that floral bitterness alongside the sweet fruitiness. As for the cactus I've never felt any distinctive smell from cacti, to me they have that same faint plant smell all plants have. The African Geranium must be adding to the floralness but it could easily be mistaken for part of that Chili note. The rest of the notes are well blended and act like a team. So far a great composition, it doesn't smell THAT old-school but will smell a little bit more mature/distinguished due to that floral character, resembling Rose fragrances. That being said this fragrance is not a compliment beast, nor something I'd recommend for dates or clubbing. I love to wear this for myself at home but I haven't worn it much outside because people mistake it for asian/indian food.

This is reminiscent of Joop Homme. Like if they came out with a flanker that said Joop Musk. At any rate this is a very nice composition by one of the top perfumers in the world Ms Annick Menardo. And it is very powerful so use sparingly. It starts out very citrusy and fresh almost aquatic like until the hot pimento and cactus notes come in. Mix a little creamy woods and powdery Musk and we have a masterpiece. Again this like Joop can be very cloying if not used properly. Matter of fact the first time I sprayed it I thought I didn’t spray enough. 30 minutes later I felt like I was swimming in it. I believe mine is the reformation too. Can’t imagine how strong the vintage would have been. It is synthetically sweet but not in a bad way. It’s very exotic and reminiscent of being in a club at night somewhere in a foreign land near the beach the where the smells of good times fill the air. It’s also spicy and woody and with the musk it comes across sensual and playful but very masculine. For the younger and semi older crowd. Two thumbs up for me.

Before trying this fragrance I had read very polarized reviews from those who love even those who hate it. I'll be in the group of those who enjoy this fragrance. Xeryus Rouge is a good classified as oriental fragrance is warm and romantic (not sexual, Sex bottled looks best on Kouros). Its output smell is soft but intense, sweet and slightly cool, the truth is that seeing the notes that compose it I couldn ́t imagined that would produce this very nice combination. Over time the fragrance becomes warm and woodsy. I think there are several more recent oriental fragrances that smell similar to this, but not exceed it, because Xeryus makes me better balanced. Unlike many comments regarding its short-lived on my skin lasted about 12 hrs., But after the first hour and a half is level with skin. I think its use would be preferred for evening hours and autumn seasons or cool climates. I'd like Givenchy again produce more "audacious fragrances" as those that occurred last century.

The first time I had it , it was a gift when I was in high school 2003 , the bottle it self was the same year , and since then I loved it over some others I had that time , , years later I bought it again and it was 2018 patch, yes the formula is changed , but I can't really remember how it used to be but I found the new formula is beautiful too , the opening special, it kind of sweet orangey smell , that toned down after a few minutes to warm red pepper woody smell , I bought it twice of the same patch , the third time ( yes the third time) it was from 2019 patch , I found it some what different , the orangey opening is a lot muted the 201i patch , but is still nice fragrance.. The draw backs of Xeryus rouge at least the modern one ( really don't remember almost anything about the older one 2003 ) is the longevity and sillage , after about 2 hours no one can smell it on me ,and it dies after 3 to 4 hours and I re-apply it again..

This is one of my all time favourites. An wx of mine bought me a bottle back when I wore Boss Bottled, Allure Homme Sport, Black XS and Ultraviolet. I was not ready for this scent. It was not what I was used to. I did get through the bottle as she really liked it. Maybe it’s the barbershop type scent. Fast forward. I’m now on bottle 3 or 4. I love this stuff. In my top ten for sure. I absolutely love a fougere. Opens with a juicy citrus and some slight herbal quality. Glides into the mid with that pimento and cedar, the geranium is blended so well into this that it just adds a touch of masculine floral, once on the dry down you get more of the cedar and the musk comes out adding a dry powdery aspect. This is easy to like, works great in most situations. Projection is fairly good for the first couple of hours and sillage is also very good. Longevity for me is around 6-8 hours. All in all a great value fragrance.

I am immediately wowed by the smell of cactus combined with the orange and some hint of pimento. It's really gorgeous and refreshing. I was expecting it to be really dark because of the red vintage bottle but it's actually a nice 90 percent freshie. I'm using a perfume oil inspired version and I am so glad that I discovered this gem. It feels slightly niche quality in my opinion and very pricey, but it's not to my surprise. I can't wait to try this out with some Terre d'Hermes EDT or Issey Miyake EDT and see how I will smell. That cactus is definitely the star of the show. It's juicy, ethereal and magical. Annick Menardo got skills fellas.⚡ Get this if you can. UPDATE: The performance of this perfume oil is off the charts. Even after washing my shirts, the juicy cactus 🌵😋 is still going strong. Unbelievable! I wish Givenchy releases this in an Elixir. It will be game over for most of these overhyped Le Males.

Great business and casual scent. Not dated, but not youthful either. As opposed to the club settings most people recommend this for, I find that it works excellently in serious business settings, meetings, negotiations etc. where it commands your fellow attendants to pay attention. To describe it is hard, but the first thought that comes to mind is deep - indeed it is a deep scent with some exotic hint to it. The pimento, kumquat and geranium deliver a serious, but not austere feel that becomes a little sweeter over time. Some fruit and some woods. Also the pimento/red pepper/cayenne gives off a very warm vibe, which makes it ideally suited for colder winter days. Spicy, classy and with great performance. How they made it fruity and sweet, but never cloying or synthetic is a great piece of work. Very unique. Maybe not a masterpiece, but a damn good scent composition by mrs. Menardo.

I love the recent formulation and have smelled both. The old reformulation is smoother, projects less, last longer and is darker with a sense of resin and more wood. The modern formulation more playful and young. The cactus note is more noticable, is more aromatic and has a sense of softness, but not powderyness. I am happy to say the reformulation is the a more mature or grown up Polo red. They might be 70 percent similar and instead of the red fruit of polo you get nice green cactus in Xeryus Rouge. It lasts 4 to 5 hours on me and projection is fair, but the sillage is good and is all year appropriate. This is a statement maker and can leave impressions , trust me. If you want something more sensuous and is more more informal or party appropriate I would recommend Declaration D'Un Soir Intense.

Got this a couple weeks ago and man do I love this!!! Summer time here and it's just beautiful. Very fresh and refreshing. A little hint of sweetness and very light spice. The bottle is gorgeous too. Annick Menardo has a great catalog. Body Kouros - fantastic Visit - great Jaipur Homme - amazing Jaipur Homme Ltd. Edition - great Bvlgari Black - really nice (need further wearing) Potion and Wild - really interesting and enjoy them both Hypnotic Poison (F) - love smelling this on women Kokorico - better than I expected but not a love (yet?) I have and love Xeryus but I think this may just beat it. Further wearings will tell... Definitely a love at first sniff Have ordered some more from Annick as I'm really loving her work. Roma Uomo, Roma Uomo Cedro, Style In Play (coming soon!!)

My all time favorite. Unique, distinctive and very classy. It is a winter perfume and one of those smells that radiates the entire day. If you want a perfume that makes you smell classy, sophisticated and a bit aloof this is the one for you. But don't blind buy it because I think it doesn't suit everyone. I can't imagine it on a cool young sporty person for example. This is rather a 30 years old tall handsome guy in a blazer drinking wine in a fancy restaurant on a date. I recommend applying 1-2 sprays then reapplying another 1-2 in a few hours. Too much at once might be offensive. I had so many compliments for this one but I also had a couple of people telling me it is too offensive so I go easy on it. Got my first bottle in 2004 and I make sure I always have more.

Blind buy a few years ago from a discounter site and couldn't be happier with it. Extremely approachable. Fresh, spicy. Some citrus with wood throughout to give it heft and body. Very versatile scent as well. I would say this is virtually all-season. If I didnt know better, I would have thought Xeryus Rouge was the OG of the line and Xeryus original was the flanker, because the original Xeryus is so much more 'experimental' to me because of the dichotomy between the heavy, unexpected smoky incense presence to pair with the citrus freshness. Xeryus Rouge smells much more familiar for newer folks to the fragrance world. Really likeable, especially for the value. Average performance, low to average projection for me. But overall a really solid scent year round.

A Blind buy of the Vintage, initiated (yet again) by some superbly brilliant, clear & expressive reviews here and..... OMG....This scent is nothing short of Stella. It arrived this morning and I had a quick squirt before I popped into town to the PO. Standing in line, I quickly noticed an aura of pure fragrant Oriental bliss surrounding me. A sort of sticky cedar sweetness infused with a Chilli spicyness, touch of orange at the top and a musky undercurrent - just awesome, pure unadulterated Quality & breeding, absolutely immense in every way. Without doubt, King of my collection. I have a great deal of respect for the membership here at Fragrantica - I have discovered people I have never met, but trust implicitly - strange but true....