L’Interdit Édition Millésime by Givenchy

L’Interdit does something weird to me: the EDP feels way too heavy, but this version actually won me over. It keeps those nard and orange blossom notes, though toned down with an almond milk touch that adds creaminess. The projection and longevity aren’t like the original, and that’s a good thing because it doesn’t overwhelm me in summer or winter.

I bought it after reading many positive reviews, though I no longer buy perfumes blindly. I didn’t like the EDP of Interdit and thought this one, softer with bitter orange, ginger, and almond milk, would be amazing. It was a total flop on my face: I can’t handle it, it overwhelms me too much and makes me dizzy with just one spray. I’ve tried it in all seasons without success, and now I just want to shower to get rid of that nard smell.

For me, it’s almost perfect. The neroli, which I love so much, has arrived to relax me and complement the nard. It’s the original L’Interdit with an extra dose of neroli that I can detect in every phase, and it’s intoxicating. I’ll take it off a point because, although it lasted a long time on my skin, it didn’t project as much as I expected.

I’ve always hated flankers. I start thinking ‘just another copy, really?’ and tell myself I won’t fall for it, that it’ll be the same. But then I shut up. This happened with L’Interdit Millésime. What a torture! I walked into a perfume store a while ago to try some things and there it was, among the new arrivals. Well… I couldn’t say no. They gave it to me in a blottler, I smelled it, and I was surprised, but that’s it—I left and put it in my bag. Why? To torture me, because after that I couldn’t stop smelling it. L’Interdit by Givenchy has several derivatives; I own and adore the first two (EDP and EDT). With the Intense, unfortunately, I didn’t have the same experience because its excessive vanilla plus the sesame are too much for my skin. And this last one? It seemed marvelous. Why? Because it strikes a perfect balance between the EDP and the EDT, yet it’s different enough that owning all three isn’t redundant. The opening is majestic: citrus and ginger. Please, that ginger! Spiced, slightly spicy (like the opening of Twilly). Minutes pass and the citrus fades, but the ginger lingers, accompanying the white flowers that peek through, wonderful. Unlike the other versions, here besides the neroli (which remain the stars) there is orange blossom, whose citrusy touch combined with the ginger creates a perfect blend. According to Fragrantica, it has almond milk, vetiver, musk, and patchouli, but honestly, what I perceive are white flowers with that spiced citrus note that lasts until the very end. In the little time I’ve used it, I can say it has excellent longevity, surely more than 7 hours. In my opinion, it’s the most floral and least sweet of all the flankers, absolutely versatile, sparkling, and super elegant, noticeable without being overwhelming. Don’t judge as I did and dare to try it. For everyone who wasn’t satisfied with the previous ones, go to the perfume store and try it; you won’t lose anything.