XerJoff
XerJoff
578 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Mango explodes with near-indecent ripeness, immediately joined by pineapple's sherbet-sharp sweetness and apple blossom's clean, almost soapy floralcy. There's a creamy richness already apparent, as though the fruit's been puréed with something dairy-rich and slightly vanillic. The effect is simultaneously bright and plush, a paradox of refreshment and indulgence.
The fruit recedes just enough to let green leaves assert themselves—crisp, vegetal, with that slightly bitter sap-like quality of snapped stems. Soft florals bloom more noticeably now, their powdery sweetness intermingling with the remaining tropical notes to create something that hovers between fruit compote and white flowers in warm air. The creaminess persists, anchoring the composition and preventing it from feeling too ephemeral.
Cedarwood's dry, woody embrace finally comes to the fore, its pencil-shaving character grounding what's left of the sweetness. Vetiver adds an earthy, slightly smoky depth, whilst musk softens all the edges into a skin-close veil. What remains is a memory of tropical opulence, now subdued and polite, like expensive sunscreen fading on warm skin.
Cruz del Sur II is an unabashed tropical hedonist, opening with a fruit salad so vivid and juicy it practically drips down your wrist. The mango leads the charge—not the fibrous, stringy sort, but the kind of impossibly ripe, honey-sweet flesh that requires eating over a sink. Pineapple adds a sherbety brightness with just enough acidity to prevent cloying, whilst apple blossom weaves through with a delicate, almost soapy floralcy that tempers the overt sweetness. This is no shallow fruit bomb, though; there's a curious creaminess underpinning everything, as if the fruit's been blended with coconut milk or vanilla-tinged condensed milk, giving the composition an unexpectedly lush, almost custard-like body.
As it develops, green leaves emerge to provide structure—think crushed stems rather than cut grass—which keeps the sweetness in check and prevents the whole affair from tumbling into novelty territory. The base reveals Xerjoff's more refined hand: cedarwood's pencil-shaving dryness, vetiver's earthy smokiness, and a plush white musk that holds everything in soft focus. It's the olfactory equivalent of wearing linen to a beach bar in the golden hour—undeniably relaxed and pleasure-seeking, yet polished enough to signal you've got taste. This is for those who want their tropical fantasies sophisticated, not syrupy; who appreciate that indulgence needn't mean artlessness. Wear it when you're chasing sunshine, whether that's an actual holiday or simply a state of mind.
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4.0/5 (172)