Xeryus (1986)
by Givenchy

Notes (from the bottle):

Top: Basil, Clary Sage
Middle: Violet leaves, Green Accord
Base: Exotic woods, amber

(from other sites: the green accord is composed of galbanum, tarragon and geranium, and exotic woods: gaiac wood, sandalwood, vetiver).

A male tandem to Givenchy Ysatis, Xeryus is an 80s powerhouse fragrance although its aromatic fougere composition isn't as butch or lumberjack-like as other virile man juices from the 70s and 80s. The trifecta of basil, clary sage and violet leaves carry Xeryus resulting in a dry, bitter, herbal and somewhat minty fragrance. The "bitter" component stood out to my nose during my initial interaction with Xeryus but soon the whole composition fell into place. The basil note is responsible for a herbal sweetness while the sage note gives off its trademark hay like herbal and slightly bitter aroma. With a combo of such inherently bitter notes there's a danger of Xeryus transforming into a poisonous potion that only perfume enthusiasts with chemistry Phds, in the name of "perfumers art", would lose their marbles over, but a geranium note of the minty-green (rather than the rosy musty) variety inconcert with a translucent violet note provides a much needed blast of airiness and creates a near perfect balance of green and bitter-herbal aroma.

The characteristic accord of Xeryus pretty much defines it. The fragrance sports good longevity (around 7 hours) but is pretty linear. The amber in the base is almost non-existent, with only lite hints of sandalwood and vetiver peeking out towards the end of this show. Its not as dynamic as I wanted it to be, but this Givenchy classics' core (masculine) accord is blended to near perfection. Xeryus is ysatis's passionate lover with a hardhitting and virile accord. How hard is it? Thats what she said.

Rating: 8.25/10.0

Another men fragrance that I love from Givenchy. The young rebel man that wore this in the 80's is now about 40ish and he looks sexy, elegant, powerful and refined. The fragrance evolved with him.

A grand "sweater weather" fragrance. I really love this Eighties classic, but it -- by its very nature -- is (at least for me!) one of those frags that can seldom be worn after spring/before autumn.

I don't find it linear at all -- on the contrary, I contend that it's rich, complex and beautifully blended. Not as formal as Rouge, either -- Xeryus is versatile enough for casual and/or office wear.

I wish that Givenchy had kept the original "Eighties Neo-Art Deco" bottle, but perhaps the house's marketing department thought differently.

Green and grey are the colors I see when I smell this. It's got a dry woodiness to it but has a wet feeling amber base. Quite exotic.

This is a quality scent. Exotic and woody it was one for the times; I wore it in the eighties. Apply sparingly - 2 sprays max and you can wear it on any occasion during the colder months.
Good value if you can find it discounted.

I’ve found that Xeryus is more complex and interesting than I had originally given it credit for. With my first few wearings, I found it well made but quite ordinary. With more familiarity, I’ve begun to appreciate its depth, and what has finally captured my appreciation are the abundant oakmoss and Artemisia that rise from the base and stay in the background throughout most of its duration. Artemisia is a resinous wood better known as mugwort or wormwood. I originally missed out on it because the wormwood is more recessive than other wormwoods I’ve experienced in other fragrances. I think it’s the wormwood that causes those accusations of “medicinal” and “petrol” and “linear.” This particular version has charmed me with its quiet aromatic wormwoodiness – just the right touch of resin and wood depth to enhance the citruses, spices, and florals of the pyramid. And as an oakmoss lover, I find the use of oakmoss in this fragrance quite excellent. To my nose all the other notes simply top off these two base notes. The top’s citrus and lavender would be very ordinary without the Artemisia and oakmoss. The dry conifer / spice of the heart notes are still shadowed by the wormwood exoticness, while the sandal-woody / mossy base finally shakes off that resinousness to settle down to a more standard wood / moss accord typical of the ‘80s. Xeryus is a dry fragrance – no sweetness. It took me a long time to appreciate it because it’s not a fragrance that sends me into raptures; but it is a solid, stable masculine performer that doesn’t call attention to itself, has an interesting depth, has excellent longevity, has aged much better than most, and certainly deserves its place in my fragrance stable.