Givenchy III (1970)
by Givenchy

I was lucky enough to pick up a small bottle of original Givenchy III parfum on eBay for not a lot of money, so I was very smily indeed that day!

The superficial similarity to Miss Dior is obvious, but on me Miss Dior develops a sweetness which is not apparent on others, but Givenchy III stays true to its woody and dry base even 12 hours after application. Alongside the woodiness is a roundedness and a whiff of warm earth and not an ounce of dischord. This has to rate as one of the most wonderful things I've ever smelled, on me or anyone else.

I know that at some point I'll run out of this little bottle of gold and will have to instead buy the reformulated version, but I'm not looking forward to it considering others' opinions.

After an intensely aromatic opening the newly revived Givenchy III drifts into an unusually dry, herbaceous, yet indolic white flower accord supported by a firm woody-mossy base. The enduring aromatic notes color the bold chypre structure a dusty green that’s not too far removed from the great Mitsouko – that is if you could imagine Guerlain’s classic without a trace of its trademark peach. In fact, I’d happily recommend Givenchy III for men who love chypre scents but are afraid that Mitsouko will leave them smelling somehow “feminine.” (Not a problem for me, but I know it is for some.) Regardless of gender, Givenchy III is a great chypre fragrance, and I welcome its reissue as reassurance that the fragrance industry is not yet irredeemably degenerate. My only complaint is that it's oddly short lived on my skin.

Givenchy III

I do enjoy when a perfume takes me for a ride. Givenchy III is one of those scents which has three distinct phases much like a roller coaster, but in a good way. Givenchy III was created in 1970 and re-released and reformulated in 2007. This is the fate of all chypres as oakmoss has become a restricted ingredient for use in perfumery. I've had the good fortune to wear both the vintage and re-formulated versions and this is a case where both have their charms but the vintage version is superior to my nose. The top of Givenchy III starts with an aldehydic effervescence paired with galbanum. This is very much a hallmark of scents created in the 70's as many of the best ones lead with a shot of aldehydes. This is a nice build-up to an amazingly balanced floral, green heart. Here is where Givenchy III picks up speed and takes you over the top racing through a garden full of floral notes. It starts with jasmine, then a left turn to a spicy clove-like carnation then a right turn to lily of the valley, picking up speed you race through hints of rose, and gardenia. Then after all of that the ride takes you to the its calming base which starts with a warm amber before the classic patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver chypre combo kicks in. Finally you get out of your olfactory roller coaster exhilirated at the beautiful ride you just took. The re-formulated version holds true to most of the vintage version except in the base which feels thinner to me. There is something in there that approximates the oakmoss but somehow doesn't get the full effect as in the vintage formulation. I still think the re-formulated version is a great perfume but the vintage is slightly better. One drawback to Givenchy III is like my analagous roller coaster ride this scent has a fairly short longevity on me ,which is normal for most chypres on me, but Givenchy III disappears faster than other chypres and that is too bad because I would like to linger over the phases a little longer than they last on my skin. Givenchy III is a great example of a chypre and if you are a fan of this style of scent it is well worth buying a ticket to ride.

Over the last few months I've taken it upon myself to focus on Givenchy III. I wouldn't presume to call myself an 'expert', but at this writing I have 14 bottles in various concentrations (it was made in EdT, EdP and parfum). I sample it almost daily and wear it weekly. Since first sampling Givenchy III just over a year ago it has worked it's way up into my personal "Top-5 Fragrances of All Time" list.

If you are curious about Givenchy III do yourself a favor and don't even bother with the re-issue. It's hardly an echo of the original, and if there's actually any oakmoss in the formula it must be so little as to prevent the chypre accord from being realized. By way of analogy, if the original is the Mona Lisa, the re-issue is a drawing of Lucy from the Peanuts cartoon. It hints at the original without ever actually smelling like it (much the same way 31 Rue Cambon alludes to the chypre genre without actually smelling like a chypre). The citrus is far more apparent and the base not nearly woody/mossy enough in the re-issue. I'm not saying the re-issued perfume is a bad fragrance in and of itself - in fact it's quiet pleasant - but it's not Givenchy III and should never have been so titled.

As far as the original goes, it should be next to Chypre de Coty in the perfume encyclopedia as the definition of 'chypre' is. It is simple and uncluttered. It is utterly timeless, and unlike some vintage chypres it does not smell dated. Smelling deeply, Givenchy III is one of those perfumes in which you can smell multiple layers simultaneously, and as the fragrance develops these layers are always anchored to the chypre structure. From the beginning oakmoss is apparent under the mellow bergamot/floral topnotes, which eventually meander into a green/floral heart. Givenchy III is less soapy and brighter then its peers (such as Miss Dior), and it never becomes overtly floral by any means. The florals give way to the mossy/woody base that persists for a long time, close to the skin.

Everything Givenchy III does, it does smoothly and quietly - always reserved and always elegant. It really is a 'composition' - no notes stand out loudly. Sillage in the EdT is typical of a fragrance from this period (moderate) and longevity a tad shorter (3-4 hours). The EdP is essentially a stronger version of the EdT, with better sillage/longevity. The parfum composition focuses far more on the mossy/woody nature of the fragrance, skipping the citrus and going right to the floral/mossy heart. Sillage of the parfum is about the same as that of the EdT but the longevity is incredible - 8-10 hours easily.

If your thing is modern niche with bold accords and loads of sillage Givenchy III won't be for you. However, if you're into chypres and/or the classics of perfumery you must try Givenchy III because you will love it.

This review is for the 2007 reissue. Unfortunately, the notes listed for this on the tester (and in other sources) are just a skeleton of the 1970 version. Whether any of the other original ingredients are present is very hard to say, as I never smelled the original; but it is just possible that Givenchy had some reason to give just the bare bones of the notes, and that not all of the original pyramid was eliminated. I certainly hope that is the case. In any event, the 2007 juice is still beautiful, and while it doesn't have a great deal of longevity, it is quite lovely while it lasts. It preserves the chypre character, right down to the oakmoss, which is commendable, because it is now restricted under EU rules. This version is available only in EdT. Whatever the answer to the question of reformulation, this is a very good scent — a definite "thumbs up."

I'm thrilled that Givenchy III has been reissued. I'm also very happy that the list of ingredients on the label includes oakmoss.

Givenchy III's animalic component is quite subdued but is strong enough to categorize it as is a dry floral/animalic chypre.

The opening is a green combination of galbanum, aldehydes and some dry fruit notes and bergamot.

The heart is a white floral centered around jasmine with notes of muget, rose, orris, carniation and jonquil.

The base is an excellent warm, woody and mossy patchouli/oakmoss with some amber, betiver, castoreum and myrrh.

This is a fine chypre for both men and women.