Golden Dallah Xerjoff 2018

Since I got the bottle of Golden Dallah, a scent has crystallized in my collection that can and will push Oud Wood Intense off its highly coveted Signature throne. I don't think I need to emphasize again that the two fragrances are not similar, as they are two completely different scents.

First of all, I want to talk about the presentation from Xerjoff.

Whether in the more affordable collection like "Join The Club" or the more expensive "Oud Stars" collection, of which I own Alexandria III, Shunkoin & More than Words, an above-average quality is consistently displayed.
The bottle comes beautifully packaged in a cardboard box adorned with details, inside which lies a box covered in dark red artificial leather. When you open this, the fragrance is protected by a silk-like paper.
The bottles from the "Coffee Break" collection feature a wonderfully chosen red-black gradient, with the bottle becoming darker towards the bottom. Plus, the golden details and the massive golden metal cap... A dream!

After this long intro, let's finally get to the scent.

As soon as you free the fragrance from its bottle, you are almost enveloped by many different spices, and from a certain distance, you can already catch a whiff of cocoa, hazelnut & coffee.
Unfortunately, I can't pick out the spices individually, and guessing doesn't really help either.
In my opinion, the fragrance does not undergo a significant transformation. The spices fade away after about 20 minutes, and Golden Dallah now reveals its true self.
The combination of a note of incense (by no means churchy-smelling incense!), roasted coffee, and the well-known rose-oud duo truly leaves me speechless.
The incense, together with the coffee, creates a scent reminiscent of perhaps slightly over-roasted coffee beans, resulting in a breathtaking fragrance. I don't think I need to tell anyone that rose and oud make a strong team.
I personally don't really perceive amber here. At most, it is very, very far in the background.
The base of hazelnut, cocoa & tonka is always present and underscores this wonderful composition, although I can only slightly perceive the tonka bean after several hours.

There is nothing to complain about regarding the longevity of the fragrance, and thus Xerjoff extends my daily coffee break to nearly 9 hours. The sillage should not be underestimated with this scent, and Golden Dallah should be dosed carefully. In my opinion, for the first 2 hours, it radiates like plutonium. By the 6th hour, it becomes quieter and afterwards can only be perceived in close proximity.

For me, this fragrance is always an experience, and I don't regret a cent I've invested in it.

Thus, Oud Wood Intense unfortunately has to make room for a new fragrance after just about 4 months.

Thank you all for reading, and if you're looking for a gourmand, unique, and long-lasting coffee scent, you should definitely try Golden Dallah!