John Varvatos XX Artisan by John Varvatos

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John Varvatos XX Artisan John Varvatos 2020

7.8 / 10 60 Ratings

A popular perfume by John Varvatos for men, released in 2020. The scent is woody-green. It is being marketed by Revlon Inc..
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Main accords

Woody

Green

Fresh

Earthy

Citrus

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bitter orange

Bergamot

Heart Notes

Absinthe wormwood

Nepalese sichuan pepper

Geranium

Base Notes

Vetiver

Cedarwood

Musk

Ratings

Scent

7.860 Ratings

Longevity

7.055 Ratings

Sillage

6.955 Ratings

Bottle

8.365 Ratings

Value for money

8.254 Ratings

Submitted by OPomone · last update on 11/21/2025.

Source-backed & verified

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Reviews

3 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/18/2025

blindy
38 Reviews

blindy

Helpful Review 3

Worth every penny

You’ve probably already heard about John Varvatos and his Artisan line: the most well-known of which is Artisan Pure with a cool looking bottle. In my opinion, however, Artisan Pure isn’t the best frag of the line, I would place XX Artisan on top, and here’s why.

XX Artisan is a frag that was launched in 2020 and was dedicated to the 20th year of brand’s existence. I see this fragrance as a more mature and enhanced version of Artisan Pure. Yes, technically they don’t share the same fragrance profile with Artisan Pure being more soapy-citrusy and XX Artisan being more of a citrusy vetiver scent, but I can definitely smell similarities between these two: they both appear clean and somewhat fresh.

XX Artisan is a beautiful vetiver surrounded by bitter citrus notes. Due to its bitterness, it reminds me strongly of hand crafted vetiver soap bars you can buy in Italy. The only difference is that the soap smell will fade away pretty quickly while this fragrance will stay a decent number of hours on your skin.

So, why do I think it’s better than Artisan Pure? Both of them are “clean soapy fragrances”, but XX Artisan takes the soapiness to the next level thanks to the darkish and rich vetiver note. XX Artisan lasts longer than Pure and is sold for almost the same price.

Amazing dumb reach for the summer when you want to have a clean but non-obligating (doesn’t require to be dressed in any particular way) smell without breaking a bank. I think I got mine for around 30€ three or four years ago.

08/12/2023

8.5Scent 6Longevity 5Sillage

Leimbacher
2878 Reviews

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Leimbacher

Very helpful Review 9

Millennial Vetiver

“XX Artisan” by John Varvatos is much more than just a celebration of the anniversary and a tribute to the classic “Artisan.” Rather, it is a significantly vetiver-infused bitter orange blend, incredibly casual and wearable. And that’s quite an achievement with vetiver, as in my experience, it is one of those very specific fragrance notes that today’s youth seems to struggle with and has not yet fully embraced…

John Varvatos does not pander to the fragrance-obsessed youth; the mega hype surrounding the brand or any of its scents never took hold. Nevertheless, it has always seemed very hip, youthful, and modern to me, even futuristic. Without completely drifting away from classic perfumery or losing itself in triviality. I have liked and still like John Varvatos very much; I am glad they survived a supposed insolvency (?) or a threatened buyout a few years ago. And “XX Artisan” is in its style anything but an outlier to this olfactory brand DNA. It boldly interprets it through a fragrance note that does not seem very en vogue to most, but rather timeless and elegant. And that’s what “Artisan XX” does very well. It is still a citrus scent for after the shower, refreshing, invigorating, perfect for high summer. But at its core and all around, it is significantly more mature, universal, and gentlemanly. A classy suit. It may make a 20-year-old seem older than he is - and that is meant as a compliment here. Smooth, clean, no rag. Well-groomed and with edge and taste behind its smoothness. Even if that doesn’t make sense. Smell it yourself - it deserves it and will have a hard time finding its audience. It sits between chairs. Too young for some, too old-fashioned for others. For me, it is just right and one of the best vetivers so far - at least from “trend brands.” With potential for further development. With history in mind. It also has something of the inside of a PC. The Tron among the JVs. Take that for whatever.

Bottle: stylish and “handmade” in appearance as always
Sillage: delicate and not overbearing
Longevity: still rather a weakness of the JVs/Artisans… 5 hours it was today despite the heat

Conclusion: rarely has vetiver been smoother, more youthful, and modern; rarely has a cool guy been more stylish. A silver fox of the new millennium!

06/17/2022

JanWood
1 Review

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JanWood

2

Summer Evening

It's great that the brand John Varvatos is back among the living, also with new fragrances like this one.

The XX Artisan has, like its predecessors, a good bottle. Heavy, high-quality, great design, sturdy cap, mediocre sprayer. The box is, as always, unremarkable.

The scent is quite fresh at first. A bit bitter, a bit peppery, it feels somewhat rough, but by no means unpleasant and very suitable for warmer weather. However, in very warm weather, the bitterness and the pepper can be a bit bothersome, especially as they linger on clothing.
Quickly, the vetiver joins in.
After about 2.5 hours, the fragrance takes a significant turn. It is less fresh, but feels finer, woody with vetiver. From this point on, it STRONGLY reminds me of Terre D'Hermès Eau Intense Vetiver in the dry down, albeit with less intensity.

It is precisely this strong transformation of the fragrance that makes it not an everyday companion for me, as I prefer more linear scent profiles. In my opinion, this is optimal for evening outings on warm days. Initially beautifully fresh, while the sun radiates its last warmth of the day, later more woody, perfectly suited for the night.

Sillage is strong at the beginning, but decreases linearly until the magic is gone after about 5 hours.

All in all, a good fragrance, but in my opinion, it cannot be compared to the other Varvatos scents. Before purchasing, I would definitely test it over the entire longevity of the fragrance.