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shatov1979 – :
My husband wore this when we were dating. Needless to say, I loved it on him. Very masculine and sexy.
vovchan625 – :
I wore the original release from the mid 80s through the 90s. Splendid green, spicy fragrance with a lot of originality. Elegance personified. Givenchy outdid themselves with the vintage release. Highly recommend the vintage fragrance (dark bottle) which you can still find on ebay for a reasonable price.
cnhbgbplfgbcmrf – :
To my nose, this is what just squeezed 50/50 lemon and pineapple juice mix smells like. Very sour, but mercilessly aromatic! A very invigorating, old-school, daytime chypre. A really powerful time machine. Makes me think of the early 70’s when everything looked big, strong and black-and-white. For mature audience only.
79041836024 – :
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
Graf-Ar – :
Mysterious, somber and underrated…
Beautiful, black bevelled bottle…
Miss you like crazy…
10/10
[too scared to buy the current reformulation in the generic Givenchy bottle, just in case my fond memories get dashed…]
vzd645Bessinepome – :
So I just applied x e r y u s original formulation and wow what a truly beautiful manly aromatic spicy you name it it just doesn’t get any better. Maybe my chemistry but it smells so so good! I truly have missed this one like an old friend.
olga-kitapova – :
I just got a sample of this juice the original formulation it smells great to help you out of what it smells like: BOUNCE frabric softener sheets is what it is. Not saying that in a bad way. 8/10.
Danila_rdv – :
Dark and thoroughly mysterious–couldn’t tell you what was in it if I tried. Definitely original.
Lindes – :
I’ve been a fan of Xeryus ever since I first smelled it on a trip to Europe in 1986. To my nose Xeryus is a spicy coniferous chypre closely related to Weil’s Kipling, Francesco Smalto, Borsalino and Drakkar Noir.
The opening is fresh and slightly sweet, but not overly so, and the drydown fades into a wonderfully woody forest. It reminds me of walking in a redwood grove where the air is fresh and alive with negative ions, scented with wood, bark, damp earth and green needles. It’s been a staple in my collection since 1986, and one I still enjoy wearing regularly.
S.Reukov – :
لا احبذ ابداً فكرة تغيير شكل عبوّة العطر
grand-s176 – :
I love these big hair disco fragrances. True to its 1980s origin, Xeryus is a dark, thick stew of spicy, herbal and leathery notes. There’s no way anyone could distinguish all of the notes listed above, but I’ll assume they’re all present and accounted for. This is a strong, DENSE fragrance, with little to no transparency. I love it.
I have what I assume is the current version, and it smells the same way I remember it back in the day: soapy, herbal, spicy and leathery all at once, getting darker and more macho the longer you wear it. As long as it gives me the same overall feel that it used to, I’m good, and the version I have certainly does. I don’t sit there analyzing how it compares to the old version.
I wouldn’t call Xeryus a classic, simply because I wouldn’t call it timeless (it screams “80s powerhouse”), but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t smell awesome.
My rating: 8.5/10
PutNIK666 – :
I like this perfume (vintage version).
My kind.
Screams 80s and classicity.
Is luxury and virility.
Beguin like a spicy aromatic forest and become warmer and rich maintaining the aromas of talced conifer needles, and half burned precious woods. There are also some fruity notes raspberry like.
The only problem is that you have a very short time to enjoy it.
In 5 minutes become a skin scent and you have to press your nose on your wrist to sense it. In almost 20 minutes is vanished (okkey, maybe not 20 minutes but 2h. but you know what I mean: what I do care about 2h of longevity if sillage is not working at all?)
Remember me in some way Antaeus, could be a fresher light cologne version of that. And Pancaldi a lot dry down most.
Aerohopleneriuyf – :
Got 4 of the vintage bottles in Colombo, Sri Lanka (i think the last four in the world, eheheh).
A true classic, elegant smell.
The reformulation is sh.t. Why? Why? Why?
Why brands do reformulations and destroy a great perfume?
k_vasia – :
Xeryus, everytime again I come back to this Neo Modern Art Deco bottle. Beautiful and chic. Maybe the most beautiful and strange out there.
The fragrance itself is a typical masculine, heavy floral, slightly fruity fougere. Reminds me of some kind of silicone glue. Masculine.
Very solid, and useable for any occasion, application or date. The universal masculine scent.
Karat – :
Givenchy’s orginal Xeryus is a dark black bottle with vertical ridges. This juice is UNBELIEVABLE powerful..at first spray I smell the herbal/foral aromatic blast of oakmoss, juniper berry and lavender mixed in with fir and cypress giving it a real attractive spicy blend. Balancing the symphony, a warm vib comes from carnation and amber. Finally leather and sandalwood brings this juice together beautifully making it absolutely desirable.
Longevity and Silage is excellent…..8hrs ++
Finally,
I would love to see this juice make a come back without altering the retro timeless classic. Love every ounce of this juice, I have both a 50ml and 100ml bottle of the older version. ♥♥♥♥♥ 9/10
This juice is best during the cooler weather, the warmth of your body makes this fragrances sing. Enjoying a luxurious aroma with a bite.
AlexS74 – :
The best of the old school soapy fougers. Lavender, Geranium, oakmoss and fir are predominant for me, then green herbs and fresh spices; great classic for sure.
(Vitage) black deco.
Colin Mailard’s description below is
excellent.
This realy takes you for a joy ride, you can be enjoying the pleasant warm leathery woods, then some bright maybe floral mystery note zings your senses. I love when that happens, not often I just remember once befor with Yatogan, a beutifull note just apears and vanishes but it was quite a thrill for some moments when that perfect elusive accord is struck.
When I first received my 25 ml bottle, I thought it was pretty nice, like one of my favorites Lauder for men but more spicy and darker. The opening is a bit to spicy strong but it quickly settles.
It keeps developing and becoming smoother, complex, intriguing. I just ordered a 50ml and think this is not only become a keeper from a looser to one of my top 5 Winter fragrances. It’s a big hash of notes, that comes off great.
It smells very old and dated but like a fine antique. It reminds me of vintage Aramis, but smoother more piny. I love old classic coniferous fragrances, and this is maybe the smoothest of the piny leathery power house type of frags of the 70’s. It is an 80’s frag when the likes of fragrances like Quorum were being tones down. It is soapy and piney, with a great juniper and Cypress notes like Lauder for men but with some more spice and manly oomph.
Great warm Amber in the drydown. The florals and orange leaves (petigrain) lighten and brighten an otherwise dark fragrance, very masculine, but not hyper. Wearing this is like taking out your vintage classic Duesenburg for a ride, smooth pure class !
It is similar to old school fragrances of It’s genre, but also has some exceptional unique qualities.
Rating: 9/10
God bless you. ( John 3:16 )
mariika585 – :
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, pictured above, for comparison.)
Filth66 – :
Years ago, I got a miniature from my aunt. She has passed away but there is still some left in the tiny bottle. Brings back memories.
I don’t know if the new bottle is also a reformulation [edit: It is in fact a reformulation because of the oakmoss restriction, I got this confirmed by Givenchy], but I have the original juice. Xeryus opens up refreshing, masculin, herbal and spicy. After a while it relaxes a bit and sinks into a somewhat sweet floral base. I’m not sure if this is a fougere, as claimed by Fragrantica, rather a woody floral. The journey from top to base is a bit comparable with Chanel’s Egoiste Platinum.
Xeryus can be overwhelming, when applied too much, a sort of ink note can be smelled, similar to the one in Creed’s Silver Mountain Water, which is rather unpleasant. But when sprayed in the right amount, it’s a nice and original fragrance.
I’m hesitating to buy a vintage bottle on Ebay.
Xenus92 – :
The lavender is obvious here but I don’t detect a fougere accord (I’m speaking of the first two formulations), and coumarin (or tonka) isn’t listed. The lavender lasts a long time but isn’t strong, though if you hate lavender notes you probably won’t like this scent (it isn’t “soapy,” though). On another site, someone said it smells like Chinese woodlands (or something along those lines), and I can see what he means. The wood and amber are obvious, and then there is an accord that suggests a Chinese “medicine shop.” It’s unique and it smells great, but it does get a little boring after a while. The second formulation (pictured above) has too much of a “bubble gum” quality, so I wouldn’t bother with it if you can get vintage instead. Interestingly, while I initially disliked Xeryus Rouge (I’ve only tried vintage), which is a very different scent, I now prefer it the Xeryus (it just needs to be applied with discretion).
Paulhsdfh – :
Found this in my older brothers closet after he moved out in ’89, smelled amazing. Cold, crisp, mature and captivating. Only had a drop or two left in it, and was a massive bottle, must have been 200ml, never seen one that big since. Last year went looking for it, “discontinued” , I heard from every store I hit. Found a few unrecognizable bottles that must have been reformulations because they smelled so tame compared to the original. I held out and finally found one the ‘black tower’ originals with dust on it to boot. Smells just as I remembered it. Classy and not tame. Unique amongst the green fragrances. I’m old I guess, lol.
tqbarsptks – :
Givenchy Xeryus incredibly classic, sophisticated, masculine aroma. Great ingredients to ensure freshness and elegance érzését.Egy great invention, which is not comparable with other fragrances! Opinion, this is a perfect artwork!
Signature scent can be a middle-aged gentleman who has a unique look and charisma are sure to reach that people pay attention to it and take the memorable encounter!
alex3374 – :
@dda
Calm down,son.
Because of restrictions and regulations regarding the use of raw materials in the perfume industry most scents being put out these days are very synthetic and do not appeal to those of us who were used to the ‘proper stuff’-if you know what I mean.I would hazard a guess and say that’s one of the reasons newer releases get bashed by the older folk.
As for ‘wearability’ of fragrances it’s entirely up to you what you choose to wear and what not to.You try it and make your mind up.
As you grow older and keep treating yourself to scents your senses will help you decipher quality from (whatever era) to as you put it,’shit’.
Hope this helps you forgive us the old ones on here.thank you
dropesogs – :
bought this for my best guy friend for christmas 1989. good stuff. very masculine – woody, leather, spicy.
i haven’t smelled it in at least 20 years. i don’t know how the current formula compares.
Set_07 – :
I painstakingly selected this cologne for my dad as a Christmas gift in the early 90s when I was around 13. I say “painstakingly” from the perspective of a young teen, which is to say I spent 40 minutes at The Bay instead of 10 minutes at the drugstore.
He was a business executive who traveled between the US and Canada, bilingual french and english, an avid golfer who belonged to “the club”, a mild-mannered and handsome man. He was also thin, strong, very clean and tidy with grooming. My whole life I’ve barely seen any stubble on his face except for at our summer cottage, or hair over the tops of his ears. He was also 17 years older than my mom.
If I were to have smelled any of the “sports” fragrances on him I would have laughed. Even ‘Tommy’, when it came out, wasn’t *enough* of a scent for my father.
He wore this for many years. The blue bottle was gorgeous. I expect any man who wears this to be an exceptional gentleman.
phloop – :
Pines all over, vintage of course, blast from the past!
(vintage..of course!)
Oleg707 – :
I found a bottle of Xeryus almost 2 decades old (among other Givenchy perfumes) while clearing a closet filled with cardboard boxes from one of the many times I’ve moved places…
I tried it on myself, and I find it very pleasant, invigorating, and with character… I’d definitely love it on my man.
For some reason the scent evokes a full moon night.
Since the bottle is pretty ancient (metallic dark blue), the fragrance could be a bit different from the newer bottles available today.
qwerty1234563456 – :
**This is a review for the newer formulation – haven’t smelt the vintage**
This is gentle/subtle but very persistent. I wouldn’t describe it as strong or loud but it has good projection. It feels rather refined and gently masculine.
Starts off quite floral, fresh and a little bit green. Develops slight soapiness and deepens, getting more green, leather notes come in and some subtle animalic notes. Overall to me it is floral, masculine, fresh, green and slightly soapy. Could wear it anywhere, anytime.
Despite never seeming loud it lasts and projects impressively. With just 2 sprays it is good on skin for 12+ hours, it projects reasonably for 9 or 10 hours. By 14 hours it is a weak skin scent and it is gone around 15 hours.
This could well become a favourite and I would definitely buy it again.
matwey – :
I found a partial 100ml vintage bottle (blue iridescent glass) on Ebay. I never wore this one myself before, but I remember it from the late 80’s because a close friend had it. Very elegant and undeniably masculine. It is one of the powerhouse fragrances in the same vein as Z-14 and Polo, but bearing a greater complexity, I think. It brings me right back to the days of dancing to early hits of the Pet Shop Boys and Swing Out Sister, and I suppose I have to admit to a little Paula Abdul and Wham!. And Blackbox. This was a fragrance of the young haberdashers at the time. We weren’t old. We all wore trench-coats and had military cuts. 🙂
vistebond – :
I bought a bottle of this on ebay about 4 months ago, vintage bottle (25ml, bought after reading this page), £16; which I just cracked open.
First impression is that I like the smell; at the moment (after 1 hour of first spray) is an overwhelming smell of lavender and vetiver. I like it but being 26, Im just sat here thinking that this; with its obvious charms is really not suited for anyone under 35-40.
I like the smell; however I like the smell of Vetiver by Guerlain, thats not to say I personally would wear it. Im just making a point of adding a personal review by someone under 35.
In a nutshell this smells like an “older” mans scent, Ive yet to see what my girl (25 yr old, Im 27) will say but if Im wearing this I doubt Ill be getting any unless I have a shower before hand.
Ill give this a few more whirls; but I honestly see this ending up being given to my dad (63yr old) whom I have no doubt will exhaust this to within an inch of his life and will enjoy and appreciate the scent far more than I.
oms.oltkga – :
I bought a vintage bottle Xeryus. What a wonderful complex masterpiece this is. I have not really smelled anything like it up till now. An old school cologne at its best. There are probably some that would say it´s a little dated. That´s fine with me as long as I don´t hear it.
9/10
Kostja290188 – :
Gorgeous fragrance. Not dated or ‘old man smelling’ by any means. It has a sharp yet sweet citrus opening supported by full bodied green notes to keep it fresh yet strong. It reminds me of walking through the forest just after the rain.
palllk – :
Again, I concur with KRMARICH, who describes this as a walk through a pine forest by a full moon night. I would add, that it is late winter, when the grounds thaw and release their first aromas. There is also a dwell of fountain nearby for I can smell water here.
It is the dark horse, and night-time brother to the bright, fresh and sunny Kouros by YSL.
Both of these behave like day and night, sun and moon, yin and yang.
Very masculine and not for a young or skinny person. This has to be worn by a man, built like a brick sh**house, lol.
80ies classic.
nFRfuxS6hO – :
To be honest, this is how “Antaeus” by Chanel should smell (even though it somehow lacks in the refinement department).
“Xeryus”, used to come in an unusual geometrical hematite bottle that gave it an almost extraterrestrial appeal [I hope this makes sense :)] and aroused the interest for the alchemic potion content.
I used to wear it back in the 80’s. I have no idea how it smells now after the reformulation but I remember it used to attract people’s attention a lot!
It is the male interpretation of Ysatis no doubt about it, a complex creation quite masculine (in an elaborated way) and loveable.
One thing that “Xeryus” dictates to the ones who wear it, is to keep its name secret.
I won’t say more. 😉
VirusOVS – :
I tracked down some original formula on E-bay and feel like I am reunited with an old friend! This is a classic fougere that is complete 1980s power house! Boys, step aside, this is men only!
A little background to Xereus is irroneously controversial. It was originally to be called Kereus. YSL cried Kouros came first! In Greek X is pronounced K. Hence the swapped letter. Both have common elements, yet Xeryus is very dark.
Oakmoss is used liberally, from start to finish. The projection is a good 3 feet in all directions! The composition is dense and complex, developing for several hours. The powerful fougere accord can last all night. It is a walk in a deep dark rich forest under a full moon. Bela Lugosi wore this in Dracula (sic)…
schulerrcarmelina2 – :
Xeryus (vintage)
I decided to blind buy Xeryus as it used to be the signature fragrance of a really good friend of mine on Fragrantca. What a big surprise!
Xeryus is a slightly animalic, yet civilized woody fragrance enriched by oakmoss and amber. After the bitter-sour grapefruit opening the cypress note takes over becoming quite dominant in the middle phase of this composition and, together with the sweet woody-ambery drydown made me think about Bertrand Duchafour’s Cipresso Di Toscana for the overall “old-perfumery” vibe. Don’t let this mislead you because while this composition shows many of the 80’s perfumery hallmarks at the same time takes the distance from the powerhouse style with its distinctive “loud-sobriety”.
Xeryus made stronger my belief that in perfumery almost everything has been already invented. A fragrance that we all need to re-discover as it’s still tremendously wearable.
Rating: 8/10
Erornedemyted – :
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!!
UT2200 – :
Great fragrance.One of the very best.
TikStrok – :
Very classy sophisticated fresh and green truly masculine fragrance. beautiful amalgam of woods and spices giving the feeling of freshness and elegance. somewhat similar to another great fragrance known as Devin by aramis. I personally like the bottle as well it is elegant too!
Overall i give it 8 out of 10.
nathaniel045 – :
A signature fragrance. Xeryus hits all the right notes and does so with terrific applomb. It is masculine but delicately so, complex but accessible, announces presence but never offputting. This cologne is a classic and should be in your collection because of its versatility as well as its beauty.
acvistes – :
Xeryus is a nice smelling fragrance. But not as overpowering, hugely strong, offensive or loud like people describe it here. It’s actually known as a somewhat sublte and mellow fragrance. It’s fresh and it would even be good in summer, it’s a little bit warm, but it has a feel of sweet freshness and from experience it was nice even on the hottest summer days the past week. I get a grapefruit and maybe lavendar smell pretty much all through it’s duration, mostly grapefruit, which is nice, I don’t really identify much of a leather note. And it doesn’t surprise me that some people think this is a good unisex scent.
It says on the bottle; “Aromatic Ambre – Vitality of Grapefruit and Cypress, sensuality of Amber and Gaiac wood” and I think that’s a good description. I’m inbetween love/like for Xeryus, I love it in a non-offensive “can’t go wrong, multiple use fragrance” type of way… but I don’t quite love it in a “something very special” way. Xeryus and Eau Sauvage are my everyday fragrances
dj_martin93 – :
I absolutely loved this fragrance and got through 3 bottles. I preferred the old black glass bottle though. I don’t know why they changed it? I might get a small bottle for old time sake.
LDE1983 – :
The male counterpart to Givenchy’s Ysatis to older bottle of Xeryus also shared the same design motif as Ysatis.
Plus as deep and rich woody semi-oriental Ysatis is so is Xeryus. Both are powerhouse big 80’s fragrances. That were made to announce your arrival in a room and leave your calling card behind. Neither are to be worn by the faint of heart.
Kenneth House – :
this is a truly a fragrance from the 80’s. It will introduce you before you enter the room and hangs around all day.
I enjoy this fragrance once it dries down. It is a beautiful blend of green notes with incense & leather.
I would recommend this scent for an evening out and avoid during the day, especially a warm day(spritz on 1/2 spray if wearing to work).
otecnarodov – :
I loved this so much, I bought some for myself and wore it. I especially loved the green notes, and the slightly oriental edge. I had the splash, so very little was applied, and just enough. Very sexy.