Pi by Givenchy

My father was addicted to perfumes and everyone said he smelled divine. He used this for several years and it reminds me of him. He always wore a suit and tie; when he came home from work or picked me up from school and hugged me tightly, he smelled of Pi, Fahrenheit or Carolina Herrera. My dad was the man who smelled richest; perfumes were part of his very essence. Now he has dementia and no longer wears perfume, but when I smell this and hug him, I feel as though we are back again. I miss you, Dad.

Bitter almond liqueur with vanilla from the 90s. It’s a key piece that you must own at least once in your life. The current version is intense but has poor longevity, though I recommend it highly and it’s very unisex.

The scent is fantastic and very rich, but the projection is terrible; after 30 minutes it’s barely noticeable unless someone gets right up close. It starts off citrusy before becoming increasingly sweet. I think I should try wearing it in more situations. It lasts far too long on the skin (around 8 hours), but I’d love for it to project more.

Pi by Givenchy, another victim of reformulation. I first encountered it in a small perfumery that had old stock; I even saw Extreme and Neo, but I fell in love with the standard EDT. Upon applying it to my hand, I experienced one of the cleanest, brightest citrus openings I’ve ever smelled. It had good sillage and lasted through my shower when I got home; I’m sure it was an old batch. Years passed before I finally bought my own bottle. When I first opened it, I smelled the same: an opening of blood orange with a soapy, avianilla twist that dries down to a creamy, almond-like vanilla. It’s soft, never cloying, and evolves beautifully; longevity is a solid 9.5/10. Ideal for temperate climates, versatile for day or night. However, my bottle is from 2022 (launched in 1998) and smells slightly diluted; obviously, it has been reformulated several times. Projection lasts about 90 minutes before it becomes intimate, lasting 6-7 hours (up to 8 in favourable conditions). It still has spectacular bursts, but no one notices unless they come very close. I enjoy wearing it, but I wish it projected more. If there’s another scent in the room, forget about people smelling you. It’s a shame that reformulations destroy such a classic. Would I buy it again? No, but it’s a pity that reformulations kill a classic. I would recommend it only if you can find an old batch, though it’s discontinued and still relatively easy to source.

Tested with two sprays on skin. It’s creamy, sweet, elegant, and perfect for autumn or winter evenings. I don’t see it as suitable for young people and find it more feminine than masculine, although the scent is truly lovely.

What a wonderful fragrance; another great classic from Givenchy. I apply it straight after a shower, and it smells clean and masculine: it opens with a slightly sweetened orange, softened by vanilla but with a zesty kick wrapped in rosemary and basil. After 5-10 minutes, the acidity fades, giving way to a soapy, medicinal note alongside the orange (I assume the tarragon and anise). It then becomes more linear, highlighting the vanilla, cedar, and tonka, with that clean orange lingering. It’s neither sweet nor cloying; it’s fresh, clean, fruity, fougère, and sweet all at once. It’s a classic masculine scent but not heavy or old-fashioned; it was ahead of its time when clean aquatic notes with lavender, sea, vetiver, and rosemary were king. This has a sexy, sensual air without losing its cleanliness, warm yet fresh, ideal for a well-dressed evening date. It’s for men with personality, aged 35 and up, and you won’t go unnoticed. It’s not overpowering; a couple of sprays won’t fill the room, offering just enough potency to be noticed up close without invading personal space. It invites people to approach; it’s pleasant, intimate, and performs well. Lasts about 5 hours on average with batches from 2025/24/23. Give it a try even if you don’t usually like classics, because this one breaks the mould. Scent: 8.5/10 Longevity: 6.8/10 Sillage: 6.5/10 Versatility: 7.0/10 Compliments: 7.8/10 Originality: 8.8/10 (for its time) Rarity: 5.5/10 Average: 7.27

Beautiful. Vanilla and almonds, it leaves a mark and brings back memories of past times.

It’s sweet, but not cloying, very refined and very well crafted😎

I have a 2020 batch; it’s delicious, creamy, sweet, subtle, clean, and timeless. It smells unique. By the way, it’s the signature scent of the all-powerful CR7.

Sweet, it evolves for hours, but for some it lacks depth. However, it has its followers.

It smells of pure coumarin to me. I used to like it, but testing a sample today, it turned out to be terrible. The coumarin and bitter almond notes are too prominent, ugh, it’s bad.

Another masterpiece by Alberto Morillas, created in 1998. In the early 2000s I was lucky enough to use it, and it was love at first sniff. It’s revolutionary, ahead of its time, fresh and intense, where the power of the woody notes clashes with the sensuality of benzoin. At the start, notes of mandarin, pine needle, and basil, followed by anise and floral touches. It evolves by darkening, becoming creamy with the vanillaised almond that marks its DNA, transforming it from citrus-floral to gourmand. The cedar base gives it elegance and maturity. Ideal for autumn and winter, unisex with a slight masculine leaning. Previously it was overwhelming, perfect for clubs; today the longevity and projection are moderate; current batches are a summary of what they used to be.

Anyone who knew Givenchy Pi from 1998 knows it has nothing to do with the current version. The original formula was powerful, almost invasive, but tremendously seductive: warm, sweet, enveloping, characterful, and impossible to ignore. The modern reformulation diluted everything special about it. Today it barely projects, doesn’t last on skin, and has lost the intensity that made it unmistakable. I remember wearing it at night and people asking what I was wearing; it aroused desire and curiosity, it was much liked but not everyone dared. Its launch was polarising, which made it interesting. In an era of light fragrances, Pi broke conventions with a bold, oriental proposal, anticipating gourmand before it became popular. I don’t recall another that integrated almond so elegantly and prominently. It was a pioneer and left a mark. Unfortunately, an icon of the 90s has been reduced to a shadow. What a pity, because Pi didn’t just smell different; it made you feel different.

It smells rich, sweet, and soft, but there are two drawbacks: I’m not sure what gender it’s for; in my opinion it smells unisex, and in the dry-down it smells more like moisturising cream than perfume.

It smells very delicious, but I must say that although I like sweet things, this is unisex but more focused on the feminine side. When I bought it, I thought it smelled good and my girlfriend reacted the same; in the end I left it to her because, if it smells good on me, I don’t see it fitting on her, and she agreed: good but it’s not a scent I’d see on me. It feels floral, vanillaised, and in a way radiates elegance.