Our take
What does Xeryus smell like?
Givenchy launched Xeryus in 1986, at the height of the big masculine fougère wave. No perfumer is credited with certainty, and note lists vary a lot from one retailer to the next. The pyramid below is the most reliable one. Lavender, lemon and mandarin open it. A touch of mace warms things up from the start. The heart is strongly herbal. Clary sage and coriander sit next to juniper berry and tarragon. That tarragon gives a green aniseed note you rarely meet in the genre. The base heads into the forest. Fir balsam and vetiver lay down a resinous wood smell. Oakmoss adds shadow while sandalwood smooths the corners. The whole thing suggests a wool suit and a good shaving soap. Next to Drakkar Noir, released four years earlier, Xeryus feels spicier and less soapy. An even better known flanker followed in 1996, Xeryus Rouge.
When to wear it
A winter scent for under a coat or a tweed jacket. One spray on the chest will do, as it comes from an era that never held back.
It belongs to the Fougère, Aromatic family. Xeryus is one of 40 creations by Givenchy in our encyclopedia.