Renaissance Xerjoff 2011

Renaissance opens with a strong blast of very realistic lemon. As it dries down, the lemon becomes smoother and subtle florals appear. Finally, a dirty woody and musky base appears under the lemon and florals. "Dirty" in this case is rather mild. In the far dry down, the lemon becomes powdery to some extent. Longevity for me was only average, with Renaissance becoming a skin scent after about 3 hours. Projection is mild as well after the first hour.

My preference is for Xerjoff's Fiero which is dirtier and a has somewhat sharper citrus for a much longer time. Fiero also has a better balance between the woody accord and a green accord, something Renaissance lacks.

Still to be tested is the newest Orto Parisi, Risvelium which is supposed to be an even dirtier citrus. But for now, I'll stick with Fiero.

Refreshing, playful, and yet somehow still deep and intriguing, Renaissance is one of the best citrus-forward fragrances ever in my opinion. Similarly to Petit Matin, Renaissance uses powerful musks to extend the lifespan of the citrus notes, but whereas in Petit Matin, the focus is on the fresh-laundry-like nature of the musk, the focus in Renaissance is squarely on the effervescent bubbly almost sweet citruses. It really reminds me of a lemon-flavored Italian soda, one with natural high-quality ingredients. Mint and light florals add some sweetness, and the base of amber and musk extend the effects of the citrus and mint, usually ephemeral notes, beautifully, well into the drydown. Composed and blended wonderfully, leading to performance that is above par for a citrus-based freshie. Perfect for summer and enjoying the Italian sunshine.

What a great fireworks display ! Citrus notes shimmer in the sky: look at this bright bergamot ! Here is a green and bitter grapefruit followed by a juicy orange and tangy lemons ! The citrus sparkles mirror in the waters of the maritime lake, surrounded by fragrant flowers and woods.
Renaissance is a fresh, aromatic and woody fragrance. It is really easy to wear and refined. The mint note brings a nice twist to this harmonious fragrance. I used to share it with my husband. Now the bottle is empty, looking for another one that would be my own ;)

From my window I can only see a beautiful sunrise, in wich under a blue sky I can see a wonderful field of showy lemmon and orange trees, bathed in the first warm rays of the sun. The lemons and oranges, all of them, tender and ripe, shine harmoniously.
Small sprouts of fresh grass and mint create a velvety green carpet and, to my surprise, someone very kind has taken the time tí gently embellish this carpet with delicate rose petals and lilies of the valley.
And on the horizon, right where this beautiful field ends and as if It were a painting, I can see drawn a forest of Young cedars and tender patchouli buds.

Renaissance is a beautiful dawn, full off golden and citrus light, a sparkling, crystalline and also make It warm and very welcoming, with an elegant and sophisticate air.

From my sesensory experience, I can assure you that the citrus in this aroma awakens my salivary glands. This has never happened to me with any citrus aroma, wich has greatly and pleasantly surprised me, and makes this aroma very especial, at least, for me, since where I live there are plenty of lemon and orange trees, in addiction, their fruits are very precious, both in perfumery and in gastronomy.

I think that the longevity could be improved, but it's worth having such a beautiful scent in a collection to enyoy it.

Renaissance, a beautiful sunrise that remind you that the sun will shine every day.

The scent journey starts with the mouth watering citrusy fruits and fresh notes are dominant... and a pinch of mint says "Hello" among the yellow lemons...

In the middle part, I can feel the rose and green notes, they come into the game for giving more color to the scent...

And in the end of the journey, Patchouli and misk tell me "don't worry, we are still here !"

Long-lasting for me, at least 9 hours on skin and more on my shirt...
I adore this ! Thanks Xerjoff !