Xerjoff fragrances — a buyer's guide

Xerjoff is an Italian niche house from Turin, and with eight fragrances it's the most represented house in our range. That's exactly the trap: with such a wide selection, the question "what's Xerjoff like?" has no answer. Among the eight are a marine fragrance with no sweetness, a fruity citrus, a honeyed tobacco, an oud with an animalic edge and a leather with rose. If one suits you, that tells you almost nothing about the other seven — which is why with this house the order of testing matters more than with any other.

Xerjoff Naxos: The most recommended introduction and the house's cheapest per millilitre — €240 for 100 ml, so €2.40. Lavender, bergamot and lemon up top, honey with cinnamon and jasmine sambac in the heart, tobacco leaf, vanilla and tonka underneath. According to community ratings 10–14 hours and very strong sillage.
Xerjoff Erba Pura: The opposite of Naxos and the second most common first Xerjoff: Sicilian orange, bergamot and lemon over fruity accords, white musk, Madagascan vanilla and amber underneath. A sweet, fruity citrus that, according to community ratings, everyone in the room can smell. A 5 ml decant costs €23.50.
Xerjoff Alexandria II Anniversary: The house's oud reference and its most demanding fragrance: Bulgarian rose with cumin and cardamom, wormwood, clary sage, civet and oud in the heart, sandalwood with vanilla underneath. One of its accords is animalic — this isn't a fragrance for a first try. We don't have a bottle price in our database; a 5 ml decant is €35.
Xerjoff 40 Knots: The only marine fragrance in the whole catalogue, not just at Xerjoff: salt, sea water and green notes up top, cedar in the heart, woody notes in the base. Dry and salty, with no sweetness — if most niche fragrances seem too heavy to you, start here. €290 for 100 ml.
Xerjoff Torino 24: The fruity-tropical Xerjoff: mango, bergamot, mandarin and plum up top, orange blossom with pink lotus and styrax in the heart, white musk, moss and patchouli underneath. The bottle is 50 ml, so at €195 it's €3.90 per millilitre — it looks cheaper than Naxos on the shelf but is half as expensive again per millilitre.
Xerjoff Torino 21: Herbal freshness for every day: mint, lemon and basil up top, lavender with geranium in the heart, musk and vetiver underneath. The least sweet Xerjoff in our range and the only one that's office-friendly without reservations. €295 for 100 ml, a 5 ml decant is €27.
Xerjoff Deified Tony Iommi: Leather with rose and saffron, papyrus and patchouli underneath — the most distinctive and by far the most expensive per millilitre: €275 for 50 ml, so €5.50 per millilitre. For a collector, not a first purchase, which is why a 2 ml decant for €17 is the only sensible way to get to know it.

How to approach Xerjoff: (1) Don't look at the shelf price, look at the volume. Torino 24 costs €195 and Naxos €240, but Torino 24 comes in a 50 ml bottle — per millilitre it's €3.90 against €2.40, more than half as expensive again. The same goes for Deified Tony Iommi at €5.50 per millilitre. (2) Decide on a direction first, not a fragrance. Sweet-warm (Naxos, Levar del Sole), fruity-fresh (Erba Pura, Torino 24), herbal-dry (Torino 21, 40 Knots) and dark (Alexandria II, Deified) are four different houses under one name. (3) Leave oud for later. Alexandria II has an animalic note among its main accords, which is the fastest way for an unaccustomed nose to write off the whole brand. (4) Xerjoff is often among the first niche purchases because it's well known — but it's exactly with well-known names that the most money is lost buying blind. Five millilitres of Naxos cost €24, a tenth of a bottle. (5) As a gift for someone who doesn't know the house, take Erba Pura or Naxos; the other six require you to know the recipient's taste.

Which Xerjoff is best for a beginner?

Naxos if you like sweet and warm, and Erba Pura if you like fruity and fresh. Naxos is also the house's cheapest per millilitre (€2.40), which makes it the fairest for a first try.

Why do Xerjoff prices vary so much?

Because the volumes differ. Naxos, Erba Pura and 40 Knots come in 100 ml, Torino 24 and Deified Tony Iommi in 50 ml. That's why Deified at €275 is more expensive than Naxos at €240 — €5.50 per millilitre against €2.40.

Is Xerjoff worth the price?

We won't answer that for you: we can't measure the quality of raw materials and won't claim it. What we can tell you is the range — from €2.40 to €5.50 per millilitre, with big differences between fragrances. A decant is the only way to find out where in that range you sit.

Which Xerjoff is suitable for the office?

Torino 21. Mint, basil and vetiver are dry and restrained, with no sweet base, which is what becomes bothersome fastest in a closed room. According to community ratings Naxos and Erba Pura are among the stronger projectors, which is risky in a meeting room.

What about Levar del Sole?

It's in our range too and it's the warmest of the fruity Xerjoffs: green notes, apple and rose up top, cardamom with jasmine and violet in the heart, caramel, musk, tonka and benzoin underneath. €275 for 100 ml, so €2.75 per millilitre.