Pi 1999 Eau de Toilette

Pi (Eau de Toilette) by Givenchy
Bottle Design:
Serge Mansau
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7.9 / 10 1180 Ratings
A popular perfume by Givenchy for men, released in 1999. The scent is sweet-oriental. It is being marketed by LVMH.
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Main accords

Sweet
Oriental
Gourmand
Spicy
Woody

Fragrance Notes

BenzoinBenzoin IronwoodIronwood Pine needlePine needle Mandarin orangeMandarin orange

Perfumer

Videos
Ratings
Scent
7.91180 Ratings
Longevity
7.3958 Ratings
Sillage
6.9940 Ratings
Bottle
8.0970 Ratings
Value for money
7.8502 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 05/01/2025.

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Reviews

40 in-depth fragrance descriptions
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
Elysium

877 Reviews
Elysium
Elysium
Top Review 13  
A Journey To Mars And Beyond
I am an elderly boy, and I belong to the generation that was 34 years old in 1998. I recollect Pi very well when it came out on the market. At that time, sweet-smelling perfumes weren’t my favourites, and Pi, in its original formulation, was intrusive, overwhelming, opulent. It belongs to those perfumes that fill the room you are in, and leave an immense trail around and behind you. It was intoxicating! I had smelled it for the first time on a colleague. It imbued the smallish room where we took the coffee with the smell of this resinous, honeyed, amber perfume. Although the bouquet teased me, I never bought it because I was afraid it might disgust me. So, I ignored it until a few years ago when I came across a convenient bottle. If I have never dared to buy the original, too powerful and offensive, the recent version is more graceful, yet the bouquet is as I remembered it.

Pi is one of the best resinous fragrances I know, very spicy and not too edible. And Pi is more than a name, it is a symbol. Most people associate the Greek symbol with the number got by dividing the circumference of a circle by its diameter, often shortened to figure 3.14, but it also means heaven in the Chinese idiom; and it is also the beginning of the noun pioneer. The reddish colour of the juice makes me think of Mars, the red planet par excellence, and I like to imagine the atmosphere of Mars that smells like this. A refined oriental and woody fragrance, the opening of Pi gives me a delicious powdery vanilla aura, with some light herbaceous notes of tarragon, rosemary and basil leaves. I get a blend of a fresh, light citrus scent, a tasty sweet note of tangerine and lemon, which lifts the opening without making it too tart. The initial burst is more aromatic than citrus, with green and floral undertones, plus medicinal and herbaceous, perhaps rosemary, pine needles and a hint of anise contribute to that sensation.

It has that slightly pungent flavour at first, but then the heart gets sweeter and spicier, with a hint of aniseed, sweet pelargonium, and mellifluous neroli. The central phase features a mysterious Infinium note, which I can’t find a trace of on the web no matter how hard I’ve tried. I perceive a kind of nutty undertone that oozes after the flavorful opening has subsided, presumably coming from the bitter almond.

But the best side lives in the dry-down. A strong woody aroma, which fuses dry cedar with ironwood, tons of resinous benzoin and a fairly evident note of vanilla and tonka. The latter is rich but quite refined and understated, fading gracefully. The output is like a warm bath of caramel, brown sugar and vanilla aromas that has a simply divine scent. To me, Pi is a benzoin bomb, more than a vanilla bomb. The dense trail it leaves behind is warm, waxy, tender and rubbery, like myrrh and other precious crystalline resins.

For me, this fragrance is perfect for the cold months of November to February, for winter days with grass covered in fairly crystallized morning dew with a beautiful sun shining, or for lively nights. Just like Obsession for Men Eau de Toilette which I love to wear at that time of year. With this reformulated release, I get moderate sillage, excellent projection and magnificent longevity on my skin. A true 90s perfume that is still relevant today. I like Pi’s modern composition, which is powerful without being overwhelming.

I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since 2018.

-Elysium
2 Comments
9
Pricing
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
GeorgeReid

37 Reviews
GeorgeReid
GeorgeReid
Helpful Review 8  
Seduction Increased by a Factor of 3.14.
While Pi has been around since 1999, I bought it on a recommendation from a friend that I knew since my elementary school days. Also, as a math nerd and Greek enthusiast, the name drew me in.

Also, attempting a new approach to reviews. I am loquacious and want to reduce that while still being informative.

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Pi’s opening is citrusy and sweet from the orange and benzoin in the base blending.

When the heart note opens, the sweetness dies down slightly as the orange dissipates. Pi becomes more forest-like from the pine needles and ironwood. The base note is similar, minus the pine scent.

Pi maintains an air of seductive masculinity. However, that should not stop a woman from wearing it if she wants to.

Overall, Pi is a scent I immediately fell in love with on the strip, and it smelled better on the skin. The light sweetness dances with the woody and earthy notes to be alluring. Alberto Morillas created an amazing fragrance.

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The shape of Pi’s bottle remains the same as a triangle with symbols on the back and the omega symbol on top. Quite a few Greek references if someone looks carefully. It functions well and is a bottle that stands out among designer fragrances.

However, Givenchy removed the Pi symbol labeling in recent bottles. I am quite disappointed with that.

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Pi has reasonable sillage. While it is not a nightclub fragrance that will announce your presence as you enter a room, people can detect it from outside someone’s personal space bubble.

That said, I smell Pi on my skin twelve hours later. It may be different for other people, but I get monstrous longevity.

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For seasonal usage, Pi works best as a cold or mild weather fragrance in the fall or winter. It can work in the cooler months of spring as well. Pi can work on a summer night, but it feels out of place on a hot summer day, and the potential for cloying nausea exists.

Socially, Pi works well as a fragrance for an evening out with friends, or to wind down the day at home with tea or wine and a book in hand.

Despite the excellent longevity, it is questionable to use it in an office or school as it can distract others. However, the office or school is a better scenario than the gym; it is a crime against humanity to use Pi during a workout.

That said, Pi shines the brightest as a date night fragrance. Between the alluring scent, and the performance, it can last through the date and potential intimate encounter if the evening goes further.

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I will reiterate that Pi is an outstanding fragrance that has stood the test of time. However, a person must answer the question if Pi fits one’s lifestyle and fragrance choices.

For example, if someone is looking for a versatile or classic fragrance from the mid-1990s, Pi is not what you are seeking. Likewise, if you dislike sweet fragrances, Pi is also not for you.

However, if you are seeking a winter or a nighttime fragrance that can get a date’s attention, or like fragrances with excellent longevity, Pi is a fantastic option to consider with a reasonable price tag.
0 Comments
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
6
Scent
Missk

1357 Reviews
Missk
Missk
Very helpful Review 4  
Syrupy Masculine Vanilla
I'll start by saying that I'm the kind of girl that likes natural smells, particularly scents like tobacco, cedar, smoke and leather on her men. Occasionally I enjoy some sweet colognes, but it is very rare when I do.

Pi is a little too sweet in my opinion. To my nose, it smells like caramelised vanilla and musk.

I am somewhat disappointed seeing that so many women rave about this particular fragrance on their partners. I can appreciate the scent for what it is, but I can't say, from a female's perspective, that I find it very appealing.

It's almost gourmand in its approach. Perhaps it is a masculine version of Tocade by Rochas. Whatever it reminds me of, it makes a good choice for wear in the colder months due to its vanillary warmth.

I'm surprised to see its release date as being 1998, I would have thought it was a much more modern release, at least something brought about in the last few years. However I understand that the whole concept is supposed to be futuristic.

Pi is very much open to personal opinion. You'll either love it or hate it. I don't detest it, nor would I run from it, however I wouldn't run towards its wearer either.
0 Comments
7.5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
7
Scent
Tar

261 Reviews
Tar
Tar
Very helpful Review 4  
Creamy almond
PI is a really nice unisex fragrance.
The creamy almond unfolds itself confidently and strong. After testing I was quite surprised to read about such loads of notes, and a real fragrance pyramid. The only change showed by PI to me was a slender pepper and a lightsome smokyness coming from cedar note, but nothing else happened - and I was not sad that PI continued to be the original pride cloud of almond. Kind, comforting scent what gives me strength and peace.
0 Comments
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
9
Longevity
8
Scent
HugoMontez

77 Reviews
HugoMontez
HugoMontez
Helpful Review 5  
Another unisex classic by Morillas
There was a period of time, between 1988 and 2000, when were launched many good fragrances that became classics and changed the perfumery. First aquatics, first gourmands, first unisex fragrances, more sweet ambery fragrances... they all came during that time.

The first unisex marketed fragrance was CK One (1994), created by Morillas and Fremont. A fresh floral and musky scent that became a instant classic. In 1996, another one. This time, a fresh aquatic masculine. Acqua di Giò. Morillas was, again, one of the perfumers. In 98, he came out with this idea for Givenchy. A unisex woody amber scent that became another classic and more around women, actually. They adopted this masculine scent that, at the time, was a bit too sweet for a regular guy, I'd guess. At the time, we were experiencing a change of perspective. The rise of woody spicy and sweet ambery masculines. This helped the popularity of that category. Women wanted their boyfriends to smell like this so they could steal it sometimes. Although Joop! Homme (1989) was maybe the first going sickly sweet, this has more fluffy elements that captivate women.

Looking for the marketing and bottle, everything seems weird. Even the pyramid is a bit weird. Ironwood and Infinium?? (I still can't find what it's supposed to smell like). The smell itself is much more easy to understand. What we find here is, mainly, a sweet benzoin driven scent with mandarin orange on top. There's a lot of base notes and sweetness (but not the contemporary sweetness) which makes this fragrance very linear. There's a hint of freshness in the opening, with the mandarin orange, but the overall experience is very monochordic. Coumarin and benzoin which translates to sweet almonds. That's it. But smells really good. It's like a warm hug. Luca Turin wasn't a fan at all but I find it quite alluring and different from what we see today. An appealing sweet scent that isn't cloying or ultra cheap smelling like many recent fragrances.

Definitely for fall and winter, for a cooler or/and rainy day. I have a vintage bottle with a small Pi logo on the bottom of the bottle and the performance is great. 12+ hours easily. Very persistent. The newer batches aren't that strong but I think you'll still have decent performance with them. The smell is basically the same, since it's essentially benzoin and coumarin.

Alberto Morillas is a really good perfumer and you have many different examples that proves that. This might not be his top 10 best creations, but is surely a classic, an alluring and appealing scent, and a must try! A great unisex scent that is been forgotten over the years by youtubers and bloggers.

4/5
2 Comments
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Statements

15 short views on the fragrance
HugoMontezHugoMontez 5 years ago
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
9
Longevity
8
Scent
Pi is sweet, Pi is delicate, Pi is linear but Pi is great. A Vanilla scent with soft florals and almond/tonka base. Get the vintage one! 4/5
0 Comments
ScentwitchScentwitch 3 years ago
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
Completely unisex. I share a bottle with my husband and it smells slightly different on us both.
0 Comments
ElysiumElysium 5 years ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
I have never dared to buy the original, too powerful and offensive. The recent version is more graceful, yet the bouquet is as I remembered.
0 Comments
JacobCedarJacobCedar 2 years ago
9
Scent
Boozy, musky, and masculine. There’s just enough resinous sweetness to it to give it a smell of a freshly baked pie. Most elegant fragrance I’ve smelt
0 Comments
SpacebaseSpacebase 2 years ago
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
10
Scent
From the cocktail lounge, to the penthouse sweet. Raw, seductive, artistry.
0 Comments
Jazzy76Jazzy76 5 years ago
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
8
Scent
A wonderful aniseed-almond combo perfect on my feminine skin too. Good sillage. I love it!
0 Comments
ChicoRoch1ChicoRoch1 2 years ago
8
Bottle
5
Sillage
6
Longevity
9
Scent
A vanilla/woody scent with an awesome looking bottle
0 Comments
RamonkuRamonku 4 years ago
2
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
6.5
Scent
It smells like a cake shop with that mix of sweet scents: vanilla, anis, almond, sugar, lemon, mandarin. Yet not overwhelming sweet.
0 Comments
KimJongKimJong 5 years ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
For me this is the standard of masculine vanilla. It's been taken out every winter for almost 20 years. Easy and popular but never boring.
0 Comments
SlightSlight 1 year ago
7
Sillage
5
Longevity
7.5
Scent
Enjoyable sweet vanilla, yet woody and resinous at the same time. Mistakeable for a pastry store in the woods. Performance is poor.
0 Comments
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