CivetOnly
02/16/2025 - 08:00 AM
11
Helpful Review
6
Pricing
10
Bottle
6
Sillage
9
Longevity
8
Scent

Aquatic? Where?

40 Knots is a surprising fragrance. Xerjoff promises to transport you to a luxurious sailing lifestyle with a taste of freedom coming from open water and colorful marine life. Sounds like an aquatic freshie, right? Well, it dries down to a sweet, powdery scent.

Upon spraying, it's abstractly sweet, then it develops into a blend of calone, honey and salt. There's also a floral undertone and the overall impression reminds me of a sea breeze with comforting sweetness. This phase lasts for about 30-45 minutes before it ventures into the more warm and resinous territory.

It's worth noting that the honey-like nuance also has a boozy twist to it, which immediately makes me think of myrrh. However, the more it dries down, the more powdery it becomes, so it could be a honey note mixed with amber accord. It's harder to tell on skin, but spray it on a strip and compare - it's boozier on paper.

Another strange thing about 40 Knots is a spicy facet, introduced 1.5 hours into the wear. The drydown phase has dry woodiness to it, which might be cedarwood. At this point, the scent profile is woody, resinous, powdery, sweet and spicy, with boozy and floral aspects. Not quite a marine experience, but perhaps something a yacht owner would wear.

Performance is good, it lasts for 10 hours on my skin with soft projection. It's more versatile than the aquatic tag would suggest, given its ambery charater. If you're hoping for a freshie, you'll either be disappointed or surprised. Yes, the opening is refreshing, but it morphs into a warm perfume with lingering sweetness. Maybe it was reformulated, who knows?
3 Comments
MoshikokoMoshikoko 7 months ago
1
I agree with what you wrote. Great perfume, I had it and sold it because I didn't get to wear it as much.
MoshikokoMoshikoko 7 months ago
1
In my opinion, you can definitely settle for Megamare and 5 ml of 40 knots.
CivetOnlyCivetOnly 7 months ago
I had the opportunity to blind buy a 100ml for a VERY good price…
Needless to say, I’m glad I’ve opted for a 5ml decant first.
It’s not bad, but I guess I’ll have to settle for Megamare or something in that vein if I want an aquatic that performs.