Givenchy Gentleman Society: The New Face of a Gentleman
The Givenchy Gentleman line has been a dependable line thus far. With solid releases such as Gentleman Cologne, Eau de Parfum, and Eau de Parfum Boisée, I will leave out the incredible Gentleman 1974, since it’s not part of this line, even though it’s an incredible scent in its own arena. The newest release, Gentleman Society, seems to shy away from the iris-laden scents of the past and forges a new future for the line.
The newest release of the line starts out with fresh sprigs of sage that is joined by a warm and spicy cardamom. The heart reveals a crisp narcissus note originating from France, along with select vetivers from Uruguay, Haiti, and Madagascar. A warm and cozy base of sweet vanilla is bolstered by warm cedarwood and Australian Sandalwood.
Gentleman Society certainly deviates from the success of the others, and that is probably why they gave it the Society tag. They are letting us know that this one is different. Woods and more woods seem to be the theme, which I am on board for. I love cedar and vetiver, along with cardamom. Narcissus is an interesting choice and is probably used to clean the composition up, or else it might be too woody and warm. A cool contrast, if you will.
The Givenchy site names a “vetiver quartet”, which includes two different essences from Haiti, along with oils from Uruguay and Madagascar. They are certainly going for the woodier varieties without the dark earthiness. Vanilla with sandalwood is a tried-and-true combo, but Australian is less milky and more on the warm and woody side.
The sage is the pivot point and along with the narcissus, will determine if this scent is a warm or cold weather wear. The high amount of natural essences used in this perfume is quite impressive and commendable. Regardless of the season, I expect to enjoy this one and will be looking for a sample very soon.
Some people have reported that there is a palo santo note in the base. I cannot find any indication of that anywhere. I only see the Australian sandalwood mentioned on the Givenchy site.
Notes
Top – Sage from France and Cardamom from Guatemala
Heart – French Narcissus, Essence of Haitian Vetiver, CO2 Extract of Haitian Vetiver, Vetiver from Uruguay, and Vetiver from Madagascar
Base – Himalayan Cedarwood, Australian Sandalwood, and Vanilla from Madagascar
The bottle keeps the integrity of its previous brethren in line. The sleep black lacquered finish is met with the “4G monogram” plated in silver. The bottle is classy, yet it has a minimalistic touch that doesn’t seem like it’s trying too hard. The fragrance is available on the Givenchy site in a 50ml size that will set you back £79 and a 100ml that will run you £101.50. It was released on February 6th (My birthday coincidentally) and is also available at select US retailers, including Neiman Marcus. The naturals used in this fragrance are not cheap, and this fragrance is priced extremely fairly for its ingredients.
Images Credit: Givenchy.
