XerJoff
XerJoff
258 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Cumin hits like a warm body in a cool room—immediate, almost confrontational—before Bulgarian rose sweeps in with its honeyed depth, creating an odd-couple pairing that shouldn't work but does. Lavender attempts to civilise the proceedings whilst cardamom adds sharp, green punctuation marks throughout.
The Borneo oud emerges with its characteristic barnyard funk, tempered by iris's cosmetic powder and an unexpected burst of mint that keeps the composition from suffocating under its own weight. Clary sage and cypriol create an earthy, almost medicinal undercurrent whilst civet wraps everything in a musky, skin-warmed embrace that's more sensual than shocking.
The spice retreats, leaving Australian sandalwood's creamy woodiness to dominate alongside a plush amber glow that feels resinous and warm. Bourbon vanilla and musk create a foundation that's sweet but never syrupy, with ghostly traces of oud and rose still visible through the haze like memories of the fragrance's earlier intensity.
Alexandria II Anniversary is a study in contrasts that refuses to resolve into easy harmony—and that's precisely its allure. The opening salvo of cumin against Bulgarian rose creates an immediate tension, the spice's savoury warmth rubbing against petals still damp with morning dew. Lavender and cardamom circle this central pairing like curious onlookers, adding herbal coolness and green-pod crunch respectively. But it's in the heart where Xerjoff's ambition becomes clear: Borneo oud's barnyard funk collides with Florentine iris's powdered elegance whilst mint threads through with unexpected freshness, preventing the composition from collapsing into dense opacity. Clary sage and cypriol (that undersung vetiver cousin) add earthy, almost medicinal facets, whilst vermouth's bitter-herbal character nods to classic fougère territory. The civet—likely a synthetic rendering—adds a plush, skin-like warmth that bridges the raw and the refined.
This is a fragrance for those who've grown weary of polite, office-friendly compositions. It demands skin with character, thriving on bodies that run warm and chemistry that can handle its complexity. The amber-woody backbone is utterly dominant, but it's the spice and animalic elements that give it teeth. By the base, Australian sandalwood's creamy sweetness finally tempers the earlier aggression, with Bourbon vanilla and musk creating a foundation that's plush without being cloying. This isn't a scent that whispers; it holds court in velvet smoking jackets and worn leather chairs, equally at home in a Marrakech riad or a Chelsea townhouse after dark.
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3.5/5 (170)