Cruz del Sur I by Xerjoff

Cruz del Sur I 2017

CivetOnly
02/03/2025 - 11:30 AM
6
Helpful Review
8
Pricing
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
10
Scent

A boozy masterpiece

I don't like to throw the M-word around, but it's obligatory in this case. Xerjoff and Miroslav Petkov have a massive winner here, venturing into the realms of boozy, sweet and leathery, with a mild animalic tinge and a warm myrrh note.

When you see grapefruit, cumin, boozy and animalic notes, Overture Man immediately comes to mind. How do the two compare? While Overture smells like a spice bazaar with a sweaty nuance, Cruz is a lighter wear with more sweetness and booziness.

The opening is unique and incredibly pleasant, with an opulent rum note that's elevated by citruses, then grounded by a powdery sweetness of cinnamon and dried fruits. To my nose, it's not candied fruit - it actually reminds me of prunes and raisins.

Citruses and cumin merge into a subtle animalic facet, but don't worry, it's subdued by the boozy note. The scent bubble evokes a vivid image of Jack Sparrow holding a bottle of rum. Once the spiciness fades away, the animalic touch morphs into castoreum and labdanum, staying subtly present in the background.

Think of it as something between dry leather and clean animal fur, which complements the sweetness of the composition. Speaking of which, the combination of cinnamon and dried fruit is the perfect foundation for myrrh, making its resinous quality all the more appealing.

The performance is solid, I get 8 hours on skin, with 2 hours of a boozy/sweet cloud, then it turns into a leathery skin scent with honey-like, smoky myrrh. If you don't mind coming off as a slightly drunk, yet charming pirate, grab a sample of this hidden gem.
4 Comments
CeesieCeesie 8 months ago
1
Oh lord another one I have to get my nose on hehe.
CivetOnlyCivetOnly 8 months ago
Tbf I started on the wrong foot with Xerjoff.
It was early in my frag journey and I tested the mainstream stuff.
But when you search through their library focusing on notes like myrrh and oud, you're bound to discover some absolute bangers.
CeesieCeesie 8 months ago
1
That looks great indeed, thanks for the tip! Xerjoff has too many frags, no? Impossible to know them all.
CivetOnlyCivetOnly 8 months ago
I want to try Amber Star as well. Xerjoff has incredible myrrh accords.
Like Amouage's frankincense level of iconic quality.