Our take
What does Pi Neo smell like?
Givenchy launched Pi Neo in September 2008, ten years after Alberto Morillas's Pi. The formula came from Givaudan, and sources disagree on which perfumer to credit. The name promises something new. On the nose it is fairly conventional. Mandarin and bergamot open on a fresh note, then a touch of anise adds a slightly sweet licorice edge. The heart turns woody and aromatic. Dry cedar meets myrtle, a resinous Mediterranean herb, while a synthetic saffron note brings a leathery bump. The base nods to Pi with patchouli and a light vanilla. Compared with Pi, which is far more vanillic and creamy, Neo is drier and more citrusy. It has aged reasonably well and still smells clean today. It remains a fairly generic mass-market masculine, the kind you forget once the bottle is empty.
When to wear it
A daytime scent for spring and autumn that sits well in an office. Three sprays, since longevity is average.
It belongs to the Woody, Citrus family. Pi Neo is one of 40 creations by Givenchy in our encyclopedia.
