Xeryus (1986)
by Givenchy

I'm not sure what the current version is like but I owned a bottle of this back in the early 90's and it was divine. A real grown up and mature scent. Woody & spicy with a slight touch of floral and sweetness. If I could be assured that it is still nearly as good as the original I would most probably buy a newer bottle. Excellent stuff.

I remember receiving Xeryus as a high school graduation gift! I was just beginning to develop a cologne collecting hobby at that time (around 1991), and this scent from Givenchy offered me a scent that I may not have purchased on my own, but nevertheless appreciated.

Xeryus is a nice woody fougere scent that echoes the time period when it came out. It's layered with freshness and spice, as well as an indistince wood-like flair thanks to the cypress. Exudes a sense of charm and confidence, like other well-made fougeres of that era. Clean and long-lasting, never confusing nor cloying.

And then many years after, I discovered and fell in love with Xeryus Rouge, a markedly different direction by Givenchy that has barely any resemblance to this original version, and a flanker that I consider to be one of my all time favorite, never-fail colognes. Can't say that Xeryus original receives a similar accolade from me, but I still give it all due respect as a wearable, thought-provoking scent that is still relevant today after so many years.

A nice clean and soapy men's scent with nice longevity and projection. Nice bergamot note on the top with mingling citrus. Blending with geranium, spices and oakmoss. Has a bit of woods in the dry down. A true winner but I wouldn't blind buy if you haven't experienced this juice before. Enjoy!

I find the top of Xeryus intriguing, but something in the base is not quite my style, too coniferous, perhaps.

Wearing this some more, I get a strong connection to the smell of dryer sheets, in a nice way - top quality dryer sheets. I could almost give this a thumbs up, I'm on the fence.

Xeryus is an understated, yet terrifically pleasant floral-herbal aromatic fougère which opens with a gentle soapy accord of carnation, geranium and spicy woods, well surrounded by a classic base of woody-mossy notes (a great, sharp, compelling oak moss note) with a refreshing zesty head of citrus and a lavender note. Old school elegance with a hint of playful exotism. Initially close to the clean, relaxed, soapy genre à la Versace pour Homme, a bit more sophisticated, transparent and complex, but that is the "family" in my opinion. After its first phase, though, Xeryus evolves on a different path, more dark and shady and tending more towards classic gentleman's fragrances: the oak moss emerges better together with a spicy woody-leathery note, always restrained and clean, and always surrounded by a soapy and slightly exotic floral-herbal vibe. Radiant, relaxed, effortlessly refined and cozy, yet with just a hint of "mystery" all over: a sharp, heavenly sense of cleanness hiding shades and secrets. Cozy, refined and long lasting. To grab immediately in case of good deals (not a masterpiece, though, so don't spend too much money on this). Gorgeous bottle.

8/10