At one time, Xeryus seemed to me too powerful, aggressive and too adultto match a young university student (and somewhat “ordinary”). Later, when I began to match its age, the fragrance hadalready beenrejuvenated by changing the bottle design and was moved into the Les Mythiques Givenchy collection (2007). However, I have enough of its peers in my wardrobe –Derby Guerlain, Yatagan Caron, Macassar Rochas, Jules Christian Dior –to be content... The “candy” of Xeryus Rouge is built from a sweet and spicy red part, a coniferous and dry grass green part, and a white stripe, which is asoapy wood cut. Red blood orange with clove buds and vibrant geranium flowers, green needles and theSarriette base of fragrant herbs, plus a white stripe of floral aquatic, Evernil, musks and cedar.

Xeryus Rouge Eau de Parfum opens with exotic sunny notes of American and Mexican Grapefruit Essence. In the heart is a deeply seductive spicy Pimento Accord. While the sensual base enthralls with the essence of Canadian Cedar Leaf. So it seems that OU was - shall we say - inspired by XR. One is more powerful, piquant and spare, the other a sweeter, bland and fuller version of the same subgenre, namely Woody Citrus (powdery).

Produced by Givenchy, Xeryus Rouge is a classy choice that will definitely win you over. It has been turning heads since 1995. Once known as toilet water, eaux de toilette, such as this one, are more diluted than EdPs and thus offer a shorter "staying power" of between 2-3 hours. Because they are light, they are a frequent choice for daytime wear. A Symphonic Composition Givenchy has reinvented its iconic fragrances, including Xeryus Rouge Eau de Toilette, with a new refined bottle emblematic of the Maison’s style. Reminiscent of Hubert de Givenchy’s taste for purity, it evokes the authentic luxury born of the designer’s talent for Haute Couture. Which fragrance I like I know now, if it weren't for the 70s and 80s which steal so many scents from the show. For light intensity: spray in a cloud around your head and shoulders, let the fragrance fall gently around you. OU evolves in the direction of sweetened geranium. This makes for a decent transition which moves the profile through citrus down to the sweet ambery powdery base.

One point of criticism; the off note is present in both formulae but in XR its more intrusive, stronger and longer lasting. There's no place for the off note to hide in the compact profile of XR, but the broader and more fluffy body of OU manages to cover it up sooner. And so, to be consistent I've had to mark XR down. Xeryus Rouge is part of the Les Mythiques Collection. Givenchy’s iconic fragrances in a timeless heritage collection.There you can see that a good oriental fragrance does not necessarily have to be sweet. And that's exactly what makes Xeryus Rouge so unique. If you are looking for an oriental fragrance, you will often get a good portion of the oud resin put on your nose and often rounded off with a more or less loveless vanilla base note. Sometimes I have the feeling that when our fragrance composers can't think of anything else to ensure a longer shelf life, a little vanilla comes underneath and you write eau de parfum on it >> everything fine. This fragrance shows that vanilla is not necessarily needed for a legendary shelf life and sillage, and this as an eau de toilette. I procured a sample of Xeryus Rouge as a teenager in the mid-90s. I remember it being magical and I often wore it to bed for comfort while reading on rainy nights. It's certainly capable of eliciting wonderful memories and associations; it's not a scent that you'll easily forget. While I give Xeryus Rouge an unequivocal thumbs up, be aware that you must apply it judiciously and it is definitely NOT a safe blind buy. However - perhaps due to a certain degree of nostalgia - this strong, fruity, flowery, and woody fragrance holds a special place in my collection. Middle notes: Cypress, Juniper Berries, Carnation, Geranium, Tarragon, Sandalwood, Cyclamen, Coriander, Petitgrain and Cinnamon; OU diverges from this pattern because its a regular three part structure with a fully worked out base. The base is where OU reaches its climax, a dark woody sandal and amber overlay accompanied by a strengthening warm spicy note. There's also possibly vetiver to give an extra demerara sugar fullness to a much richer and more successful drydown.