Avanguardia Xerjoff 2026

While Xerjoff's latest collection might be the ultimate collaboration from the fragrance brand's perspective, it doesn't absolve the brand from actually delivering something worthy of being in such a collaboration. Xerjoff struck gold with their Tony Iommi collaborations, but the subsequent Duran Duran launches were mediocre and Avanguardia is all but a nail in the coffin of this collaboration with Lamborghini.

One of the advantages that Avanguardia has over the other two XJ x Lamborghini releases is that it's very different to the aromatic DNAs of Fierezza and Perseveranza. With Avanguardia, you get a fragrance that has an intense dark cherry open with a syrupy sweet feel. This dark cherry & davana combination doesn't smell all that different to the opening of the 2025 Milano exclusive Via Manzoni 20, albeit VM20's fruitiness is fleeting and the scent structure isn't as sweet. There are light medicinal touches (amber or styrax), but what you'll mainly smell in the top is sweet-fruity. As the scent subsequently develops, the transition is more leathery (listed patchouli) with light spiciness becoming more apparent. It's fairly evident that the overall implied structure of Avanguardia is that of a sweet dark cherry built on leather.

So why am I not convinced? I think my biggest question with Avanguardia is tied to its placement within XJ's own catalogue: they have two boutique exclusives that utilize cherry (Milan and Monaco), so it's feasible that Avanguardia is there merely to capitalize off the strength off Yacht Club de Monaco, a scent that I haven't tried. As far as the product itself is concerned, I don't find Avanguardia flawless. In the top, I'd argue it's too sweet; and in the dry-down, I'd say the leather-patchouli isn't the sharpest in terms of execution.

However, the main issue with Avanguardia is where it's placed in the market. At €460/100ml, Avanguardia is competing with the cream of the crop as far as niche fragrances are concerned and that means it's directly going head-to-head with Clive Christian's hero franchise Jump Up and Kiss Me Hedonistic. Please note that Avanguardia is nothing like Hedonistic: Avanguardia is closer to various sweet cherries like Narcotic Delight and Duchessa than it is to Hedonistic. With that said, it is hard for me to state just how big the gap is between Avanguardia and a market leader like Hedonistic as the Clive Christian completely obliterates the Xerjoff on blending/note quality, depth/multitude of accords, cohesion/scent structure, and it's better even on performance as Avanguardia for me is a moderately-performing fragrance. I see others rating the performance highly, but that is not my experience with Avanguardia: the open is strong before fading to average/moderate and on first wear, I'd give it 8 hours of longevity. By virtue of all of the above as well as the pricing, I'm rating the value a 3/10, just like the other two. Avanguardia is an uninspiring end to an uninspiring story.

Avanguardia is supposed to capture a specific Lamborghini moment like the other fragrances in the collection.

The focus here is on the moment
when you press the gas pedal and the engine unleashes its full power:
an adrenaline rush between control, speed, and pure performance.

At the beginning, the scent presents itself as briefly intensely fruity.
The cherry is noticeable, but it does not stand out too prominently.
Relatively quickly, Avanguardia develops in a darker direction with leathery notes, accompanied by an elegant spiciness.
As it progresses, it becomes increasingly creamy,
which gives it a very pleasant and high-quality aura.

The longevity is truly out of this world for me. Even after 24 hours, it was still noticeably present on my shirt.

It almost feels as if you are actually pressing the gas pedal all the way down at the beginning,
to show what the fragrance can do, and then continue driving in Comfort mode.
The powerful opening transitions into a much more relaxed,
smoother progression,
without losing its luxurious character.

However, the price also moves on a Lamborghini level. The quality and performance are undoubtedly present, yet the asking price is very high and is likely to be the biggest hurdle for many.

When it comes to the bottle, opinions are probably divided.
Somehow, the design fits Lamborghini quite well:
loud, eye-catching, and a bit over the top.
At the same time, the design strikes me as almost too playful in places
and can even leave a slightly cheap impression.
For a collaboration between two Italian luxury houses,
I personally would have expected a bit more restraint and elegance.
Something more stylish would have better highlighted the high-quality character of the fragrance, in my opinion.