I discovered Paco Rabanne XS eXtreme in 2000 when on a business trip to Paris.  I wanted to pick up some perfume for my wife, so I entered one of the fragrance shops in the vicinity of the American embassy.  (I had reasoned that my paucity of skill in the French tongue would do the least harm there.)  I was delighted by the service provided by the staff, who went out of their way to help me select just the right fragrance for my wife, who at the time wore none.  Samples were placed on small absorbant strips, and caution was taken so that my sense of smell would not become fatigued and my judgment thereby clouded.  

The culmination of this rigorous process was my selection of a Davidoff perfume for her -- and I was so delighted with the system that I decided to choose a scent for myself.  Having allowed a brief resting period for my olfactory sense to recover, the staff and I initiated the process anew, only with myself as the object of the search.  The final selection?  A just-released product: Paco Rabanne XS eXtreme eau de toilette.

Paco Rabanne is new amongst Paris' fragrance firms.  Born in Spain, the man Paco Rabanne came to France with his family during the Spanish civil war.  He entered the fragrance market only in 1973 after spending a career in the fashion industry.  His line of fragrances is not as extensive as some others, but he has achieved several genuine "hits" in the world of perfumery.

the eXtreme

XS eXtreme must not be confused with the original XS pour homme, which was introduced in 1993.  This woody fragrance is still available, far more widely than is the XS eXtreme, which debuted as a line extension in 2000.  While the packaging is similar, the color of the original liquid is light yellow and the bottle has a silvery cap; while the eXtreme is orangish and has a copper top.

the original

Like the packaging of these two, there are superficial similarities as well as significant differences in the fragrances as well.  When shopping for the fragrance, make sure that the word "eXtreme" is predominant, and that the color is orange, not yellow / silver -- if care is not taken, the shopper will bring home the wrong stuff.

I seem to recall that the initial marketing campaign for XS eXtreme in 2000 touted the presence of human pheromones in the blend; however, I can no longer find references to this in today's marketing literature.  So my memory could be faulty.  At any rate, commercial descriptions of the scent range from the sublime ("a refreshing fragrance ... watery citrus ... aromatic woods") to the ridiculous ("Masculine Fruity Scent, It Has Top Notes Of Dewberry Fruit. Middle Note Is Juniper Berry, Finishing Off With Teak And Russian Leather"). 

I tend to find the fragrance to be herbal, yes -- woody, especially at first.  It is definitely a masculine scent, but one which is tastefully manly.  An elegant fragrance such as this conveys confident masculinity while sparing the wearer from being interpreted as "on the prowl."

The words "spicy", "floral" and "fruity" could not be used to describe this fragrance.  There are citrus notes, but the dominant impression seems to be one of exotic woods, and maybe a hint of new leather (by the way, how does one even know whether one is smelling Russian leather or the Austrian variety?).  A couple sprays of the eau de toilette, carefully applied, last all day.

While this fragrance may be hard to find in the United States, I have found it here, and have more often purchased it in the duty-free shops of Canada and Europe.  A 50 ml (1.7 fl. oz.) eau de toilette spray last cost me around fifty Canadian dollars.  This bottle will provide half a year or more of careful daily use.  Keeping the availability problem in mind, and because of its elegance and understated masculinity, I would consider the Paco Rabanne XS eXtreme eau de toilette to be recommended.