Gentleman Reserve Privée
Whisky is a rare thing to find named in a fragrance, and it is the reason Givenchy Gentleman Reserve Privée Eau de Parfum stands apart from the rest of the Gentleman shelf.
It does not smell of a drink so much as of the room where one has been poured: boozy, slightly sweet, a touch smoky, with the dry cedarwood warmth of a cask behind it. Nobody meets it and forgets it. Bergamot sits above it at the opening, bitter and bright, and the contrast between a clean citrus and that warm spirit note is handled well in the first few minutes. The heart is unusual and, for anybody with a sweet tooth, quite delicious. Chestnut brings a roasted, faintly sweet nuttiness that is closer to a street stall in winter than to confectionery, benzoin adds a resin with a dried out, faintly balsamic sweetness, and iris runs underneath both with its cool grey powder, keeping the sweetness in check and the whole composition from becoming a dessert.
The base is dry and firm. Cedarwood is crisp, vetiver rooty and faintly smoky, patchouli earthy and dark, and the three of them give a finish that feels tailored rather than cosy, holding the roasted sweetness in place for hours.
Nathalie Lorson and Olivier Cresp composed it and it dates from 2022. At eau de parfum strength expect long wear, a trail that stays close after the opening, and real presence in cold weather, which is where it belongs. It reads masculine, and it suits evenings, dinners and winter far better than a warm afternoon. A Paris house since 1952 and an LVMH holding today, Givenchy keeps its clothing and its perfumery as two quite distinct maisons.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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