Gentleman Givenchy Givenchy 2018 Eau de Parfum

Slowly, companies and perfumers are daring to try something new again. After L´Envol by Cartier and a few other dark and/or powdery fragrance novelties, Givenchy is now also taking a bit of a risk.

Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum starts off with a herbal-fresh top note. No sour fruit hits you in the face, but lavender and a light touch of pepper clear the nose. Unusual after all the synthetic-fresh waters of recent years.

The heart note is pure Dior Homme in a bed of lavender. The lipstick accord is present and, with the gentle breeze of lavender, it shifts slightly towards a more robust direction, thus acquiring a more masculine side.

Then, relatively quickly, the base comes in, and I had to rummage through my memories. The scent felt so familiar. But no modern synthetic water smells so velvety. After some thought, I realized it reminded me of Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men. A comparison test was immediately initiated, and indeed, the base components of both fragrances smell very similar.

So I mean that here the 2000s meet the 80s in a sun-drenched lavender field.

A great new release that could definitely use a bit more "punch." I just can't help it! ;O) I'm a child of the 80s and 90s after all.

I hope that more innovative new releases in the mid-price segment will hit the market soon.

To the fans of the namesake Eau de Toilette, just a little warning. The Eau de Parfum is a standalone fragrance and has very little in common with the Eau de Toilette released the previous year. So it's better to test it first. But I think it's worth it.