Xeryus Rouge (1995)
by Givenchy

Xeryus Rouge is a horribly vile and synthetic fruity scent that is way too sweet for its own good. When I first smelt this (around the time I first became interested in perfumes) I absolutely hated it. In those days, my nose wasn’t even as sophisticated as it is now. I think that pretty much sums up how awful this stuff really is.

[Original submission date: 27 May 2008]

Holy Kumquat! I'm in the minority here, giving it a neutral rating. I don't find it cloying, perhaps because nowadays it feels as if every cloying scent is a variation of vanilla with a capital V plus synthetic Joop-like crap.
I can also understand how this could be a favorite for those who like bold, unusual scents. Favorite? This has attained cult like status. Look at its virtues: Strong sillage, great longevity, super-fruity sweet (makes John Varvatos smell astringent by comparison) and a highly unusual accord.
Cactus Flesh?

Perhaps there should be a new category. Forget fougere, oriental or chypre. How about well blended frags that are half-mad?
Peau d'Espagne (tabasco sauce) Nostalgia (motor oil)
Quasar (bananas and newsprint)
etc.

XR is most certainly worth a sniff! You might join me in the minority and shrug, or you might find it appallingly sweet and cringe, but then again, you might also be among those who have discovered their signature love.

About 14 years ago when I was a young guy at school, I had a part time job in a jewellers as an engraver. I remember smelling this from a sample in a magazine and then also realised that my boss wore this when he was in work. It appeared to me to be a sophisticated scent, very grown up and very different from the "fresh and unisex" scents which were about at the time.

I remembered that scent right up till this year when I saw a bottle in a store for about £20 GBP so I decided to test it. Thank goodness I did. To my nose this is nothing like what it used to be in the mid 90's and I felt thoroughly dissapointed.

Neutral rating on the basis that the mid 90's one smelt really nice.

Smells like Old Spice Pure Sport deodorant.

I bought a large bottle of this few years ago along with three 200ml tubes of shower gel. I really liked it for sometime; I especially remember wearing it a lot on Saturday evenings after sauna.

Unfortunately after quite a few wearings, I noticed my nose had become overly sensitive to some aromachemichal that’s in Xeryus Rouge. This has happened with few other scents as well. It didn’t help that I was easy on the trigger….It really started to burn my nostrils and sting my nose. I am not sure if this sounds illogical for some, but it really did happen and it wasn’t surely my imagination.

I had to sell my bottle away. (I kept the shower gels, though)

Xeryus Rouge is synthetically fresh with very sharp tobacco-like edge to it. Red fruits with caramel and crisp green shades. Ambery drydown with smooth musk vanilla combo is very long lasting.

Recommended especially for those who like fruity-sweet fresh fragrances, such as Minotaure, Nicole Miller, Desire for Men, Boss Bottled etc.

This one will give some attention for sure.

This is an exotic combination of smells, but not in the classic exotic sense, as there are only a few of the usual exotic ingredients such as cedarwood and sandalwood present in what I can detect. The main part of the smell is made up with the poignant cactus and kumquat notes, which will draw attention to you as they unusual and distinctive. Below these are the warm and more traditionally masculine cedarwood, musk, and sandalwood, which will be more noticable after the stronger and more vibrant cactus and kumquat have receded a bit. On the whole this isn't a particularly warm fragrance though, with the top notes being more coldly refreshing, with the sweetness coming through more than the limited amount of warmth that is in here only later. It is certainly an attention grabbing fragrance, but once the indecipherable tropical initial smells have died down, it becomes more balanced, with its alluring properties coming through best after a few hours. I've noticed the fragrance lingering until the morning, after wearing this on an evening before, so for lastability, it scores well too. I enjoy wearing this, but I wouldn't recommend it for daytime use due to its distracting powerfulness.