Gentleman Eau de Parfum Reserve Privée by Givenchy

One of the few iris scents that truly hook me. At first, it smells very feminine, but then it turns masculine and I prefer it even more.

Totally worth it for special occasions in autumn or winter. It smells of whisky with a sweet touch, like chocolate. I recommend it 100%.

I wanted Dior Homme Intense, but I tried Reserve Privée and was blown away. It’s not for teenagers, yet it feels more modern and lighter than the Dior. It’s delicious and elegant, perfect for someone in their twenties. I recommend it far more than the Dior, which, while rich, is too dense. This one is pleasant, youthful without losing class.

There are no words to define this wonder. It’s not for the young or the old; it has a strong presence. I really love the whisky note. This winter was the most I wore it on my dinner outings.

Incredible perfume. Very masculine, with that essence of a dominant man who has everything under control. It’s not one of those that can be smelled from a mile away (like the You line by Armani). It’s something personal; it invites you to come closer and ask for a hug or some advice from the person wearing it. It’s elegance in a glass bottle. Almost like the finest whisky. If Tommy Shelby existed, he would wear this perfume 🙂

Good perfume with excellent longevity and projection, but it doesn’t blast because it doesn’t need to. It smells of talc with whisky barrel wood and toasted chestnut; very elegant. From a distance, it sometimes smells of baby powder, but to me, it seems very refined; it’s the most refined scent I own. I wore it yesterday in the supermarket and only noticed the longevity, which is very good. It projects for an hour or so, then fades but not to skin-level; you can still smell it with movement. It lasts eight hours on skin and until the next day on clothes. Good performance for what it is: dates and the office in good weather. A very good fragrance, undoubtedly the best in my collection.

Not a blind buy, but if you like woody fragrances, in my opinion, there is no better option. I understand it resembles Dior Homme Intense, but this smells richer and has more notes that give it an incredible touch. The only downside is that, in my view, it doesn’t last long and has a weak trail; I’m not sure if it’s my chemistry, but if it lasted longer and had more projection, it would be the perfect perfume.

I tried it and it let me down. Let it be clear that I am not a fan of this type of aroma; I prefer sweeter scents. My girlfriend smelled it and didn’t like it at all, and knowing the type of perfumes she likes (at least the ‘model’ style), this doesn’t fit for her compliments. There was a huge hype around this perfume. Unfortunately, it disappointed me because I imagined other notes (I am not a great connoisseur).

I want to start by saying something obvious: this perfume is not for everyone, definitely not a blind buy, and it’s not the type to generate compliments as you walk by like others might, but at least to my taste, it is addictive in a certain way. First, it opens with marked woody notes (this is personal) with a smell similar to chocolate; then it evolves into whisky, which, although marked, leaves space for the other woody notes to shine, creating a unique and recognisable scent for those who know the subject, and in my case, extremely addictive. Aside from the scent, the longevity is good: the top notes last about 15 to 25 minutes and the fragrance develops for another 5 to 9 hours; afterwards, it fades. However, in my opinion, the major drawback is the trail; if you want it to be smelled where you go, you will have to reapply it several times in the same spots, because its trail, although it exists, is very faint. In conclusion, if we talk about scent alone, it is a 10/10, but if we add longevity, trail, and price, it drops to a 9.5/10. Nevertheless, it is an excellent fragrance that deserves respect.

My favourite elegant perfume; this Reserve Privée is beautiful in every way. I cannot imagine a life without it. It is one of those perfumes that embraces you with class, gives you presence, and makes you walk differently. When it runs out, I will replace it. And if it runs out again, I will replace it again, and again, 1000 times.

I tried it today at ECI; a Givenchy sales assistant sprayed it on a tester strip (the assistant didn’t even know which cologne it was, just saying ‘Gentlemans Society’). I can’t handle it; the smell of whisky seems unbearable to me, my nose simply cannot tolerate it. Note, I’m not saying it’s bad; in fact, my wife has loved it, but unfortunately, I am only capable of smelling the whisky, which already puts me off. The rest of the notes are irrelevant because for me, it is overwhelmed by everything. Regards.

I’m not an expert when it comes to talking about notes, but it smells like chocolatey whisky with a hint of lipstick; the citrus is very far away in the initial blast, it’s a very rich scent. I’ve received compliments, it lasts quite well, it doesn’t have a huge sillage to flood the room, but people will definitely notice it.

A woman with red lipstick in a liquor store. This is a trouble spot for me. When I slid my nose in here, I knew nothing would ever be the same again. Seductive, enigmatic, attractive, and characterful. Are we talking about a perfume? Yes, there’s a cocktail with whisky waiting in the lounge, while in another scene chestnuts are roasting, and you wonder what kind of aroma this is. I’m not entirely sure; it’s that fortified sweetness that seems not to get you drunk but from which you want to keep drinking; sometimes it conveys intimacy or mystery and other times power and dominance. All of this is accompanied by a classic elegance that has little to do with wearing leather shoes or drool. I see it as a perfume for those days when you want to sign something important, to say: here I am, despite all my good and bad decisions. I see it as formal, enveloping, and seductive. Mature and intellectual to equal parts. A delight for perfume lovers.

I bought 15 decants on Notino a few days ago to try several perfumes, this was one of them. 24 hours after smelling it I had to order the bottle, simply spectacular.

My mistake was buying it without trying it. I saw the whisky and the wood and thought ‘it must be good… Come on’, but I had to give it away. After a few minutes of use, my head started to hurt from the strong smell.