Givenchy Play Intense by Givenchy

What a stunner! The longevity and sillage are brutal; I highly recommend it.

I love Rochas Man devoutly, but I must say Givenchy Play Intense took these casual, balanced gourmand scents to another level, adding a more elegant and mysterious aura. It’s one of those perfumes that some naive collectors took for granted, assuming they’d be on the market for decades; it was so much a part of the shelf landscape, as accessible as freshly baked bread, that we never considered the possibility that, on a day we least expected, it would be discontinued, as has happened with great fragrances that left us orphaned without prior notice. We went from valuing it with a ‘Is it you again? Even in your soup you appear’ to ‘I can’t believe you just left. Please come back!’. Its coffee-vanilla, woody, slightly smoky and earthy opening, with a pinch of pepper, begins a pleasant and cosy blend that dresses the skin in distinction and playful masculinity, rounded off with inked vetiver, intoxicating patchouli and caramelised tonka bean, adding a beautiful contrast and depth. I maintain that Givenchy is one of the brands that offers us the most well-executed gourmand launches; many are characterised by a perfect balance between refinement and versatility. In plain English, for me, Givenchy Play Intense smells like a well-groomed type with a serene and determined gaze, who trims his beard without shaving it off, wears predominantly dark semi-formal clothing and maintains a discreet smile that betrays security, satisfaction and self-confidence; the kind that naturally arouses attraction. I keep about two millilitres from a bottle left by my beloved, now passed-away brother; this bottle is perhaps one of his unfinished matters that I was left to handle, and it would be wise to use it up to the last drop soon, as an act of detachment and gratitude for what we had and is now gone, as a prelude to making space for the new, which could include (why not?) a full-content piece of this superb example. Rating: 9.5/10

Unmatched scent. I had it back in its day around 2009 and bought another bottle in 2015 without thinking that scent would ever be found again. Currently, I’ve tried to find something similar to Rochas Man, but it doesn’t resemble its characteristic notes of Givenchy Play Intense. I hope one day they return and launch it unchanged. 🙁

I’ve never received more compliments on it. My first bottle was in high school, so many memories and girlfriends thanks to that bottle, around 2009. Since then, I’ve had four bottles; it couldn’t be missing from my collection. We should take action to demand from Givenchy that they bring it back again without reformulating the first bottle, which has the symbols ⏪▶️⏭️. I felt the last two bottles had greater longevity; they had a similar scent but less duration than the first two.

For a while during my adolescence it was my signature night fragrance, how many unforgettable moments. Thanks to God I managed to find a 3.4oz bottle in a pharmacy in my country, the Dominican Republic; I didn’t hesitate twice for $64, a gift. I really feel it has lost its potency because it’s an old batch according to my research, but I’m happy with the price I paid for it. I return and repeat, how many crazy moments and… I could recall with just smelling it.

I’ve already mentioned it below, but I’m returning because it deserves to be on every shelf. I never get tired of it. That coffee-and-amber spirit is a timeless wonder; it doesn’t project much but lasts an eternity on my skin. I’m lucky to have sealed bottles, so it’ll remain my signature until they run out. It’s the star of my collection, even outshining the most expensive niche scents.

What a pleasant surprise! I bought it blind and was worried after reading the reviews, but it lasts a long time and projects well. Straight out, it smells like a chocolate-mocha dessert; once it dries, it’s like Halloween meets roasted coffee and Ferregamo Uomo (a sweet tiramisu). I’ve never heard Rochas like this. I sprayed it five times at 6 PM in Yucatán (30 degrees) for a party, and it lasted until 2 AM, and on clothes until the next day; my girlfriend said it still smelled strong. It’s a 10/10!

With nostalgia, I return to review this briefly. Until today (01/11/2021), I haven’t encountered anything so special and unique; it’s a shame Givenchy has discontinued it. It was discreet but perfect for demanding people like me. Thank you, Givenchy, even though it hurts not to see it anymore. I keep a bottle and it will last forever; I hope they make a special edition so I can buy it again. Best wishes from Panama.

It seems to have gone unnoticed in the perfume community, but few fragrances feel as sophisticated and elegant to me as this. So far, none have seemed so well-balanced. What I do remember is its scarce sillage; I recall it being quite shy.

My go-to fragrance, a genuine lost gem of which I have four bottles saved. Play Intense is a pure ode to roasted coffee.

Happiness floods over me. After years of searching, I found one in a perfumery in Buenos Aires. Alongside 212 VIP, it was one of my favourites when I first started exploring top fragrances. Now, with more experience, I confirm that the nearly discontinued Play Intense is a cult masterpiece. Longevity and trail depend on the skin, but in my case it lasts about seven hours with good projection (around a metre and a half in the first three hours). Coffee is always present: it starts playful with bergamot, moves through pepper and tonka bean, and fades slowly with vetiver and labdanum. In a few hours, its evolution sums up the life of a man who matures but never loses his mystery. It is original, intense yet not invasive, with plenty of personality. It smells of work, parties, suits and sex (in the best sense, ja!). Its versatility is medium-high, suitable for days not exceeding 20 degrees, though it shines more at dusk and at night. Fragrances like this are needed. If coffee is the main note, compared to other mass-market options that are merely a ‘diluted latte’, Play Intense is like enjoying a coffee with Ethiopian beans. So well executed it seems dedicated to connoisseurs, probably the best discontinued gourmand creation for men by Givenchy. 10/10. LONG LIVE COFFEE.

In general, the beauty of gourmand scents lies in that delicious sensation that gives mischievous sensuality and takes us back to childhood memories. Givenchy Play Intense is a pleasant scent but far too timid to justify its exorbitant price. If it were to fight other gourmands, it would have little chance. Honestly, it’s not bad, but it doesn’t feel great. Spices, coffee, citrus and vanilla make a decent fragrance that doesn’t stand out against its competitors. The word ‘intense’ is out of place; if you’re looking for better performance, Rochas Man or Legend are superior. If you prefer a subtle gourmand, give it a try.

Hello fellow forum members, happy 2019 and greetings from Panama. A bit sad to report that the Play Intense by Givenchy has disappeared from the main stores here; it’s one of my first epic fragrances. The sales assistants say they’re only stocking the new releases due to space constraints, so it won’t be restocked unless there’s a special edition. I managed to grab the last bottle thanks to my favourite assistant, who let me have the sole clearance item at 40% off. It’s quite peculiar that in my country, I’ve only ever smelled this scent on myself; I haven’t seen other men wearing it, unlike the One Million Intense or the VIP 212. What a pity. If any forum member knows whether they’re still being manufactured in France or where to buy them online, please let me know. I’ll have to trek across the country searching for Indian shops that might still have some. So sad; now they’re only selling the Gentleman, which in my opinion doesn’t have much of the same appeal. PLAY INTENSE BY GIVENCHY WILL DEFINITELY BE UNIQUE FOR CENTURIES. I’m still sad, though I do keep an empty OVERSIZE bottle and a 100ml one that I haven’t used yet.

I have a love-hate relationship with this fragrance. Its scent is a delight; the opening is strange and citrusy, like a strong tangerine liqueur, before quickly giving way to a sweet aroma that isn’t strong coffee. It reminds me more of a dark chocolate truffle filled with dulce de leche, with a hint of very soft coffee and barely perceptible citrus notes adding a spicy touch. Why love-hate? Love for its beautiful scent from start to finish. Hate because it projects nothing on my skin. It lasts about six hours, then a couple more, but clings close to the skin. The strangest thing is that once I went out at night, came home in the morning, left my shirt on a chair, and the next day when I entered the room, I could still smell the Play Intense projecting from the shirt. Normally I wear it for personal enjoyment or a cool evening when I know I’ll be very close to someone.

I own this fragrance, but when I wear it, after thirty minutes, it’s wood, wood, with a touch of coffee.