Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum Reserve Privée Full Review: Spicy, Sexy and Yearning for Attention

Givenchy’s Gentleman line has been full of bangers since its initial release all the way back in 1974. Since then, the perfume has been modernized and equipped with subtle weaponry that has blown away the competition.

Recently, the house released Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum Reserve Privée. Is the name a mouthful? Yes. But so is the scent that lives inside the sleek black bottle. It’s a gentlemanly fragrance full of light and dark nuances, perfect for those who want to play on both sides of yin and yang.

But before we get too deep into the fragrance, let’s chat about the packaging. The bottle follows the same design cues as the rest of the line’s current releases. My favourite detail on the bottle is the clear glass which exists for about half an inch below the juice itself. It’s quite a nice touch!

Protruding through the glass is the gorgeous, golden coloured juice which reminds me of high-quality rum. Or any amber liquor, for that matter. The black ombre colouring on the bottle is stunning, showing off the resinous darkness which exists inside the bottle.

Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum Reserve Privée begins with the lone note of Bergamot at the top, which gives off a terrifically vibrant and fresh citrus note. Then, the base commences with Iris and Chestnut. The latter adds festive spice to a powdery, make-up-like aroma. Finally, the base concludes with a barrel-aged Whiskey, Amber, and general Woodsy notes.

This fragrance is very technically sound. You can tell from the blending that all of the notes have been added with intention. They all play a distinct role and can be picked up at various points of the scents life.

To loosely describe the scent, it’s very woody, powdery, and slightly sweet. But to dive in, the woodiness gives me a very fresh Cedar and Oak vibe and is somewhat Patchouli-esque. The Iris is extremely powdery but is done exceptionally well. I would compare it to Prada as it has a very easy-to-digest powder accord while still somewhat fresh. Together, the pair of notes merge to form a sexy aroma.

My favourite attributes were the Whiskey and Chestnut accords. Together, the notes create a delectable aroma suitable for men looking for a cold-weather date night scent. It’s perfect for all ages, leaning more to the older crowd. However, anyone can get away with it.

The Whiskey note offers a Glenlivet 12 vibe as this Scotch was finished in French Oak. That same sweetness, depth, and poise were transferred into this scent. As well, I would describe the Chestnut accord as a toasted Chestnut. It is not necessarily burnt, but it has been exposed to enough heat for its internal aroma to become unmasked.

After smelling this scent, I felt the need to build outfits in my head. The beauty of this scent is that any fashion style is suitable for this fragrance. I can picture someone in a suit wearing this scent and someone in a leather jacket or just personal errand running clothes.

However, this Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum Reserve Privée is best for formal events due to its powderiness and Whiskey accord. A tremendous current trend that this scent would do well with is detailed, brogue dress shoes. Broguing is the stitched pattern found on the upper portion of a dress shoe.

They tend to be unique from house to house, each inspired by a different designer’s creative process. My favourite is brogues with multi-coloured uppers. Previously, brogues have been blocked dominantly in black, with white as the secondary colour. Nowadays, the colour blocking of the past is prominent. However, a material change to synthetic nylon or a varying leather is becoming popular.

Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum Reserve Privée is only available in a 100ml bottle. Currently, the fragrance retails for $112 USD. What do you think of this release? Let us know in the comments below.