DarkWinterCS

The other day at Xerjoff headquarters, in product development...

Lorenzo: Hey Mattheo, the boss has a new order for us !
Mattheo: Again ? We just created a new fragrance last week.
Lorenzo: You know him, he makes so much amore with his fragrances and the 200 mark in the number of creations doesn't come by itself.

Mattheo: Now don't tell us to do anything with Overdose again...
Lorenzo: You can rest assured, it's supposed to be something for the Join the Club line.
Mattheo: So again mix something wild together and hope that something decent comes out of it, as usual?
Lorenzo: Haha, no we take our craft seriously and compose a fragrance that will be unforgettable.
Mattheo: Ok, so again mix wildly together and see what comes out.
Lorenzo: Don't let the boss hear that, otherwise he'll get the idea of doing it better himself.
Mattheo: Exactly, because we are the professionals, sometimes more or less...

Mattheo: Tell me Lorenzo, how should it actually smell in the end or what should it be called?
Lorenzo: I don't know how it's supposed to smell, I think it's supposed to be worn in one of those newfangled clubs. So in any case sweet. How it should be called, the boss said, Ivory Route.
Matthew: Ivory Route? Tell me, have you been drinking?
Lorenzo: I never drink on the job, apart from the five, six vodka.
Mattheo: What am I supposed to think? Hmmm, the name sounds a bit like Ivory Coast, so Africa. We could make something that comes across as animalistic, leathery and warm.
Lorenzo: The smell of a Land Rover Defender, where a lion shit in it?
Mattheo: Lorenzo, how much have you had already ? Who should wear something like this ? It should i club wearable.
Lorenzo: A Land Rover Defender on the dance floor where a lion shit in it?
Mattheo: I think you rest for now, the smells in here must have got into your head too much.

Mattheo: I imagine a warm resinous scent which captures the warmth and humidity of Africa. Plus spices, which is supposed to mimic flora, and some smokiness, which isn't supposed to bring in animalicness, but an animalic touch.
Lorenzo: What a fantasy, which one of us has been drinking now?
Mattheo: In the end, it sounds a little like the competitor product Grand Soir by MFK with a little smoke, but it sounds pretty cool. But the fragrance will be able to show its full power through the spice and the smoke. It will radiate beautifully from the skin and also last for what feels like an eternity. I am a genius.

Lorenzo: Let's do it that way then, we'll have to toast to that, hicks.....

What is a signature fragrance? Most people would probably say that a signature fragrance is the scent by which you are unmistakably recognized by family, friends or your daily environment. A fragrance with which one is directly associated and which stands for oneself, as our parents or grandparents already had "their" fragrance. At that time it was also quite unusual to hoard larger collections of fragrances and to worry every morning about which scent to wear. Thus the respective persons were already recognizable for us at the smell.
Nowadays, the subject of signature fragrance is outdated in my eyes. Because too many fragrances appear, we in our community exchange fragrances and samples with each other and everyone learns more and more and has a huge arsenal of tested perfumes. As a result, tastes change as I had written in my last blog posts and the collection changes as well. But is also the last bastion, the Signature thereby broken?
My answer to this is YES !
Because only through all the samples and fragrances I get to know myself and my fragrance preferences and expand my horizons further and further. I do not want to limit myself by choosing a fragrance that represents me best in my eyes and which I thus wear more often than others. There are certainly fragrances that I like more than others or express myself more than others, but my signature is allowed to change as a result, depending on what phase of fragrance and life I am in. In my more than two years on Parfumo, I've had three signature scents so far. First it was Spicebomb before Parfumo, then Black Phantom, which always accompanied me until a few months ago and also presented me well. Then it became Ombre Nomade, which has more represented what fragrances I have currently tested and which corresponded more to my current tastes.

Now, however, I see a replacement coming. Not just because I sold Ombre Nomade, but because I've rediscovered new things for myself and my fragrance journey has taken me back to some gourmands and generally slightly sweeter scents. Xerjoff Uden was on the cards and I had heard quite a bit about this fragrance. I had received a mini-sample at the very beginning of my perfumo time, but it was by no means representative of a full-fledged test. Thus, I was looking forward to the experience, since the fragrance is very popular in the community and I had no idea what to expect here.

Even after testing the scent, I can't say exactly what I found. A thoroughly wild combo of different notes, which simply convinced me as a large whole. The start was definitely getting used to my nose, but after a quarter of an hour, this is an excellent fragrance, which I also did not expect. I may also be a bit biased here, as it smelled to me like a fragrance my father used to have easily 20 years ago. As mentioned, the citrusy beginning put me off a bit, as there was still a note incorporated, which didn't quite want to me in the nose and came along inappropriately. However, as soon as the top note disappeared, the scent blossomed into its complete glory. Light woods, a wonderful creaminess from sandalwood and musk, which combined with the alcoholic notes was so soft and smooth I would have loved to lick it. Wow, just wow. Gradually came then warmer resinous notes, which have conveyed the certain sweetness and are conducive to the durability of the fragrance.
A dream of fragrance, so that I hardly come out of the rave. Especially because it is so incredibly portable, discreet and then again present. I can imagine the everyday life with this fragrance very well.
In addition, a fine but not too loud sillage, which delicately mists the neck of the wearer and brings out its notes in hugs. As mentioned, the durability of the fragrance is extended by the resinous notes, which is why it definitely holds its six hours, if not longer. Also, the current temperatures just below 20 degrees seem to support the scent to the point where it doesn't get too much on you, even during intense testing. To me, this was quite accommodating and the fragrance will show similar to his Shootings Stars colleagues Starlight in autumn and spring even more of its strengths.

Will Uden so my new Signature ?
For the moment YES! Because the fragrance convinces me all along the line and I soon have a mini bottle of it. But he will most likely have to fight with the Xerjoff Homme in the future, if I am offered a used bottle here. Because has again completely different properties, which fascinate me even more.

Yay, I think slowly my passion for great gourmands is coming back. I've come full circle. After I have tested pretty much all categories of fragrances and my collection has adapted accordingly, I now land where I started and enjoy again beautiful gourmand notes, which have already accompanied me before Parfumo so some time. All the more I'm glad that after almost two years and 250 tested fragrances my nose is back to "zero" and my enthusiasm for this type of fragrances was rekindled
Since currently the test marathon of many Xerjoff fragrances on the plan stood and stands, it was clear to me, it had to come to the point where I get a great Gourmand under the nose. Especially Xerjoff as a brand with its many variations is predestined to present the right fragrance here. That the Xerjoff Starlight is not the last good and convincing fragrance of the brand, I then quickly realized, but this will be visible in the coming weeks in my reviews.

The Starlight was not even my first choice in the first step or test. Many other candidates were before this in the mental row, if he would have landed at all with me. However, the opportunity arose and so I could not resist. In retrospect, a very good decision, because by the test and its result Starlight was now part of my 15ml miniflakon package of Xerjoff.
At this point I would also like to express again a special praise for Xerjoff to offer these miniflakons. The selection of the composition of own sets could be even larger, however, I can take so many different fragrances without being tied with masses of milliliters to a fragrance.

So what makes Starlight so special or interesting for me as a gourmand nose?
To do this, we have to make a little trip into the fragrance pyramid, because here are three components or fragrance notes noted, which just at the beginning for a very specific association and a comparison to a very popular fragrance produce. Almond, cinnamon and balsamic notes (whatever is to be defined under it). These three notes are strong on the nose for me at the start and combine into such an incredibly great creaminess, reminiscent of the complete scent progression of Tom Ford's Fucking Fabulous. I thought I got the wrong sample at first. It was surprising and pleasant to sniff. If the further course is then also as beautiful as the beginning, then it could only be a horny fragrance.
With time, some clove, some wood, some resinous notes join it and the almond and the balsamic moves something in the background. Since then come at some point the associations with unbaked cookie dough. The whole thing seems less sweet than I first imagined, because the spices counter the resinous notes a bit and the woodiness also takes away a lot of sweetness. So the fragrance is also interesting for people who otherwise get the horror with sweet fragrances and can not do much with Gourmands.

What I have to highlight this fragrance but again is the drydown. Many Gourmands have the habit at the end either in a sweet sundries or in strong vanilla notes to fall off. Not so with this one, it stays extremely long the only slightly sweetened cookie dough to then at some point rather in a spiced wood note with vanilla hints and light resin transition. Thus, one has compared to other fragrances not the feeling to have to re-spray or to go to the environment with very sweet notes on the nerves.
You could already read it out in this paragraph, the fragrance holds up really well. With a spray on the arm I have heard the fragrance really the complete day. So at least twelve hours long, even if he is skin after a good eight hours. I feel this longevity is really quite good with the current temperatures, and I'm sure it will be extended a bit by even slightly colder temperatures. The sillage isn't too bad either, if you're expecting a sweet gourmand not to flood entire city canyons right away. The first time there's no question where the scent lingers in the Fucking Fabuous-like state, there's some real power there. Also the following one to two hours were very pleasant with me, because every now and then a small surge of the great aromas arrived with me.

The test of this fragrance has currently really worthwhile and I'm looking forward to my mini bottle, as it can be the perfect companion for autumn and spring, if not already mentally with me. Just the in the long run only finely dosed sweetness leaves me with a big grin.

The next Xerjoff and the next fragrance from the XJ1861 collection is at the start or is tested with strong sniffing. This time it is Zefiro, the wilder brother of Naxos, which gives itself the honor to wet my skin. Zefiro was one of the fragrances I had tested once before at the beginning of my time on Parfumo. A small free gift was included in a fragrance package at the time and I was already critical of it at the time. This was partly because I didn't know the brand Xerjoff at all and assumed it was some cheap concoction that was added to me. Later, however, I realized that I had no idea what we're talking about and what I had in my hand

The first impression was then something restrained and not spectacular. From today's I would attach that to the fact that it was a sample without spray head and the amount so small. My skin probably could not bring the fragrance to unfold, if the liquid is only spread, instead of properly sprayed. This experience was also an example of how important it is to have a good spray head on the bottles, as the fragrance will only unfold to what the perfumer intended if it is really well dispersed.

I must confess, however, that my opinion has turned in the renewed test now not just to the positive. Because where the Naxos still monotonous and linear daherkam, so haut the Zefiro with so some spice around, so that once again the passage stood in the oxygen tent. In the fragrance pyramid only the umbrella term "spices" is noted, but I can make out one or two notes that were very strongly present in my nose and dominated the scent for too long. First of all, I would generally describe the scent as resinous, though it doesn't achieve the sweetness of the otherwise popular resinous scents. Rather restrained in that department. You can definitely pick up on the incense or other smoky notes as well, depending on how sensitive your noses are to these types of notes. Above all, however, after a few minutes an extreme cumin or clove note spread in my nose, so that I was allowed to suspect a plate of yellow curry in front of me. This was penetrating and unpleasant, in the course also scratchy in the nose. After two hours at the latest, I knew we were not going to be friends. This part of the fragrance was so long on the skin, whereby felt the resinousness could not unfold at all.

It's a shame, because I had hoped with the second attempt to come closer to the fragrance yet something. Unfortunately, he has resisted and wanted to become partout not so pleasing to make my skin happy in the long term.
I must admit that a larger part of the Xerjoff fragrances are probably not my case. At the time of writing this review, I have tested a total of twelve Xerjoffs. I have liked four of them, if I subtract one Casamorati. However, so far I can claim to have had no fragrance under my nose that smells like another of the brand.

Zefiro shines for it like his brand colleagues by durability and sillage, although the latter turned me off by the extreme cumin note and made me run away screaming. But so be it, for that I have him after half a day still on the skin.

Accento, a fragrance by Xerjoff, which is one of the flagships of the brand and is praised by many in the sky. Of course, this then accordingly could not be missing in my journey through the world of Xerjoff fragrances. I would like to know how diversified the brand designs its fragrances, whether there are partial overlaps or whether there are also experimental fragrances. After all, with over 100 fragrances, it's likely that you'll create your own competition somewhere. At first glance and reading through some reviews came to me the feeling that Erba Pura, Accento and Soprano hit somewhere in the same notch (without having smelled them !) and there seemed to me the Accento the best start, because I do not like it too floral.

In my statement I already wrote, somehow the fragrance reminds me of other perfumes I've had under my nose lately. I feel the strongest parallels to Rahaba by Anfas, which could be an exact copy (sorry, I meant "inspiration"). For right now we seem to be in a phase where these kinds of very sweet and sometimes floral scents are celebrated so hard that it's hard to get out of the hype. While some time ago it was fresher scents like Aventus or darker ones like Oud Wood, these types seem to be at their peak now. It's nice that people are always chasing a new trend and discovering other fragrances along the way, however, what's supposed to be nice about these types of ultra-sweet scents seems baffling to me. I like sniffing sweet scents and gourmands myself, but often scents like Rabaha or Blamage are a wild mix of notes with no clear structure and no fascination to my nose. Sometimes you could think it's all about creating the sweetest product ever. Since then but also sugar syrup would be enough.

But now we come to the fragrance itself. Accento is certainly and without question also one of the fragrances that falls under the above category, but does a little better than it did the Rahaba. This is partly because it becomes less sweet than its counterparts as it progresses. The start is already extremely sweet with the pineapple note and again, too much for me. My first impression was actually that I could do without getting another sweet mix of everything in front of my nose. My opinion then gradually improved, because the sweetness of the pineapple decreased and other notes were revealed. Vanilla, pepper and musk were quickly added. However, I already learned with Nasomatto Blamage that pineapple and musk are not such a great combo. It sometimes has a sweet, musty smell, like laundry left in the washing machine. I had the impression with the Accento to my well-being only briefly.
The fragrance then spends some time in this state of sweetish-spicy musk oasis and no longer moves back and forth. Fortunately, because this state was quite portable and pleasant for my nose, even if it took quite a long time to reach this stage.

The sillage is unlike some others of the brand not overly large, but still so that it envelops the wearer skillfully. For this, the durability is all the stronger. At the time I'm writing this review, I've had the scent on my skin for twelve hours now and I can still perceive it close to my skin. Therefore, he keeps really good, even if the curve so after six hours slowly flattens.

What is Accento now for a fragrance, very specifically aimed at me?
First I must note, he is also rather suitable for a younger audience. From 30 years, I would no longer wear (good that I'm thus out of the race?), because to me he is too sweet in the long run and also no longer suitable for a set person. Therefore, he does not come in my selection of Xerjoff favorites, even if I'm probably against the trend here.