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Givenchy is a French design house with plenty of history behind it and of course a great legacy of producing some fantastic scents for both men and women. For this list, I have selected 8 of what I feel are the top smelling colognes by Givenchy, that they have produced. I have updated things to provide more options, as some have been discontinued, since I originally published this page.
Of course, I may have left off some people’s favorites but that is to be expected, unless I want to include every one ever made.
What are the Best Men’s Fragrances by Givenchy?
Most Popular/Best Seller
Pi By Givenchy For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces
A sweet blend of vanilla and almond with underlying notes of cedar, rosemary, and mandarin to give it a dash of woodsy and citrus flavor.
Pi is another very good option for those who enjoy vanilla (along with Le Male and Opium) and is best served for use in winter. Longevity is pretty hit or miss.
The newer bottles do feel quite a bit different, than the older ones, that I remember. It does still have that great vanilla and almond combination with some boozy flourishes. Though, it feels like its lost a step.
Top Newer Release
Gentleman Reserve Privee- Other people seem to love this one much more than I do. I think it’s a good fragrance with an astonishingly good opening act. After that, it’s nice, but still worth checking out.
Reserve Privee kicks things off with bergamot citrus, whiskey, and chestnut. The iris note is also present, giving this Givenchy fragrance a classy floral touch. But, the whiskey with the nuttiness and the bergamot is so freaking good.
As it dries down, it becomes more about the iris, amber, and wood notes. The chestnut seems more like a chocolatey aroma than nutty. It’s all dry, warm, and that dynamic booziness that I liked it gone.
Nonetheless, this is a good cologne at the very least and might be some guys favorite signature fragrance. The performance is solid and this is one you should try. Reserve Privee full review
The Other Gentleman
Gentleman EDP– I’m kind of late to this one, but it’s definitely deserving of a spot on the list. Personally, I wasn’t too excited about trying EDP, since the EDT version wasn’t super impressive. This one is.
Gentleman EDP is thoroughly great and might be better for some guys versus Reserve Privee. The iris note gets it compared to Dior Homme Intense and Valentino Intense, but it is a distinct fragrance from both of them. Better than the Valentino, I think.
That iris note is joined by some spiciness, benzoin, woody notes in the dry down, and the creaminess of vanilla (with a nice helping of tonka bean, also). Not super heavy, with its light citrus top note, but one that’s going to be an autumn and winter wear.
The performance is good, doesn’t disappoint me, in that regard. Gentleman EDP is a crowd pleaser, that’s sure to get complements and is super easy to wear in most cold weather scenarios.
Best Summer Givenchy
Insense Ultramarine– This is my pick for the best men’s Givenchy for the summer months. It isn’t like the normal aquatic or what you will find with most of today’s mass market warm weather colognes. And it’s not going to appeal to everyone…
Insense Ultramarine opens fruity, but has a definite floral profile, with notes of magnolia and iris. It does come across as more of a unisex scent, but it is quite beautiful.
With an opening of cool and juicy watermelon, along with a tart black currant, you’re not going to find too many others with a profile like this.
My Personal Favorite (Discontinued)
Givenchy Play Intense by Givenchy for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray
Play Intense is a sweet gourmand fragrance with notes of tonka and coffee beans with a bit of spice provided by the pink pepper note. I like this gourmand offering from Givenchy better than Very Irresistible, as it seems darker, and the coffee note isn’t as overwhelming in my opinion.
It is a nice departure from the citrusy original Givenchy Play. Play Intense is probably my personal favorite from the Givenchy line, but the don’t make it any longer, and tracking down a bottle has become pretty difficult at a good price
. However, I am keeping it on the list, because it is still one of the best that they made and someone will hopefully discover this short-lived gem.
Sweet, Smooth, and Masculine (Discontinued)
Gentlemen Only Intense– Gentlemen Only Intense, is to me, the best release from the Gentlemen Only line that Givenchy released over the past 5-6 years. This one opens up with a smooth, warm, and sweet aroma.
Tonka bean, leather, and amber lead the way. This is an opening act which definitely draws me in, as these are some of my favorite notes, used in men’s fragrances. It is noticeably sweeter than the original Gentlemen Only, with less of the fresh spiciness, at least initially.
Though, you will get mint, pink pepper, and some mandarin orange like the original.
As it dries down, you will get more woody/smoky aromas coming through. But, the entire thing remains smooth with a masculine sweetness. The main downside here, is the longevity and overall sillage. It’s actually a moderate scent and not really ‘intense’.
This has been discontinued, but it is one that is worthwhile, if you can find a cheap bottle online. Gentlemen Only Intense Review
Classic Givenchy
Givenchy Gentlemen Only Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 100ml, 3.3 Ounce
A classic fragrance which dates back to the 1970s, Gentleman, is a spicy/woodsy scent with notes of patchouli and leather as its highlights. It is mature and refined with a citrus note that adds some sweetness to the mix.
Gentlemen opens up with a big and bold punch. Spice with citrus and that underlying earthy woodiness, that will come to dominate later on. Oh, along with the usual leather note.
This is probably best served by being worn by a mature man or just a guy who’s style can compliment a blast from the past. Still a powerhouse.
Most Unique Givenchy Cologne
Xeryus Rouge for Men by Givenchy 3.3oz 100ml EDT Spray
Xeryus Rouge seems to be a different beast all together. To start with the notes include things like cactus, geranium, and pimento to go along with staples such as cedar and sandalwood.
Secondly, it has that exotic and oriental type of quality to it…it’s spicy yet fresh and slightly aquatic. Xeryus Rouge is just unique and is the type of special cologne that can set a man apart from the crowd.
It has sweetness, spice, and a total freshness. This has been around for decades now and is completely underrated, in my opinion. The red bottle really does fit the character of this one. It’s hot and smooth, with herbal highlights. Great stuff.
Balanced Daily Wear
Givenchy Pour Homme by Givenchy For Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce
Notes include cedar, tangerine, coriander, and grapefruit. A light citrus/woodsy smell that is very clean and crisp. The cedar note leads things here and is paired mainly with the tangerine, with a bit of grapefruit.
Beyond that you get the dry woodsy aroma, with some spicy coriander, to give Givenchy Pour Homme an edge. Good daily wear option.
Fresh Summer Spice
Givenchy Pour Homme Cologne, Blue Label, 3.4 Ounce
Another citrus and woodsy effort, though, done better than the scent above. This is a scent built for the summertime with notes of grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine, pepper, cedar, and vetiver.
Obviously, these two have plenty of overlap between them, go with this one if you prefer more of the citrus air versus being led by cedar. That’s not to say, that Blue Label smells like Pour Homme, it doesn’t really.
Blue label has a sweet fruity top and then transitions into woodsy, with a pepper and cardamom blend, to give it some spiciness.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.