John Varvatos XX Elixir

I have 4 other John Varvatos fragrances. I consider myself a big fan of their offerings even though they aren't long lasting. This is the first JV fragrance that has truly eternal longevity. It's now 13 hours from the time I applied XX Elixir; I still smell it strongly on my wrist. My wife enjoys the scent and says it radiates well. I do not detect any leather in this whatsoever for the first 10 hours. As I am a lover of leather notes, this is a bummer. However, this surely makes it more wearable and crowd-pleasing. I detect interesting and refreshing citrus notes at the top, which is to be expected of a Rodrigo fragrance. Cedarwood seems to be the main component; I smell it strongly at the start and the cedar doesn't begin to fade until at least 10 hours into the wear. I didn't smell the rum, tonka, or the faint hint of leather until the cedarwood starts to die out, at which point the scent finally starts to sweeten up. Intriguingly enough, this is the only fragrance I own that has numerous essential oils listed on the ingredient label. Predictably, there are several citruses noted among these. There's also Virginia cedar, sandalwood, and a few others that aren't listed in the note breakdown. Very solid release. Better for cold weather, but due to the citruses, this is wearable in the warmth. The bottle is gorgeous. It has tremendous heft to it. The golden emblem integrated directly into the bottle is a design I prefer over the original JV XX bottle -- OG XX had the awkward dangling silver chain thing hanging off the cap. It was cool conceptually, but it made using the bottle frustrating. No such issue exists here. The cap has great weight as well. Overall I give this release an 8.5/10 for the price. It is expensive, but if you've got a decent nose, you can tell this is full of real fragrance oil. I'd have liked some real vanilla over what appears to be a mixture of tonka bean and vanillin (which is much cheaper). Cedarwood isn't my favorite note, but I can't deny the sheer potency Rodrigo achieves with it here. I think the amalgamation of cedar with citrus and rum notes is quite unique. I don't believe this has been done before in men's fragrance. In a way, this scent makes me appreciate cedar despite it being a note I'm not terribly fond of. P.S. -- anyone who is saying the lasting power of XX Elixir is anything other than "eternal" either has olfactory issues or did not actually wear the fragrance. I have over 50 fragrances on my shelf and this is easily top 3 in terms of longevity. Edit after 4 months of use: this has to be one of the most concentrated fragrances I own, second perhaps only to Arabians Tonka. This has absolutely an monstrous sillage. One single spray fills my entire house with the scent. My wife loves it, but do not use more than one spray or you will choke everyone out. Same warning applies to Arabians Tonka, another lovely but supremely concentrated parfum. To anyone complaining about the price, one bottle will last years if you take my advice. One spray only.

This is an excellent release from this house and easily shit up to my top spot from this house. It’s unisex leaning masculine, constructed beautifully, it’s not super unique but it’s great for what it is for sure. It’s bright, airy, a little fruity, sweet, but not overly or in gourmand territory, it’s a little spicy, leathery but not animalic it’s more like a supporting note like the rum. And there’s a bit of some woods. It’s sophisticated, sexy, a little flirty, and gentlemanly to my nose. And it’s got great performance. Don’t listen to these ppl in the comments they haven’t even smelled it and it’s quite obvious lol the perfumer dud his thing with this one.

Tried it at John Varvatos store, the retail was 160$. Hmm. I thanked the sales person and walked out. I had smelld a few other colognes that day. to me it smelled like Ed Hardy Born Wild. I really liked EH BW. It smelled like old grand father's books, musty, earthy, woody, that take you back memory lane kind. I got it for 18$ at TJ Maxx. Unfortunately, i can't find EDBW now anywhere. Now you can imagine paying 160$ for JV XX E ?! Will wait when it gets discounted.

Great to see Rodrigo back for another Johnny V release. Hands down my fave perfumer!

Another Elixir? Let’s be honest. The bottle looks gorgeous to me, very vintage in style and with that English royalty vibe. Reminds me of the medals of honor on old war veterans' uniforms. The sprayer is not the best in the world, but at least it’s better than Artisan Pure, so I can’t complain too much in that regard. Now, the important part: the scent. I have to say I’m not a fan of the leather note, and this fragrance opens right away with it. However, it’s not a heavy or aggressive leather. What I get is more of an aromatic, clean, soapy kind of leather. In fact, my very first impression was the smell of the interior of my Honda Pilot, with its leather seats, but in a fresher and easier-to-wear version. Nothing like a mechanic’s workshop vibe, and definitely no kerosene-ish. After that opening comes a very particular nuance: something like a distillery scent, almost like rum liqueur with chocolate, which gives it a very attractive gourmand touch. At that moment, it even reminded me of a less sweet version of Ferragamo Uomo or Liam by Lattafa although here it feels a bit more refined. I also clearly notice a powdery-iris nuance, but let me be clear—it’s not baby powder or grandmotherly powder. And it’s not like Prada L’Homme either. It’s more of a vanilla-like, soft and elegant powderiness that blends with the rest of the composition without overwhelming it. Overall, I think this is a very elegant fragrance, classy, perfect for a gentleman. I see it as ideal for cold nights, romantic dates, or evening events where you want to leave a good impression. It doesn’t strike me as something super innovative, since it’s a type of scent we’ve smelled before in one way or another, but the quality is definitely there. For now, I’m still testing its performance in terms of projection and longevity, though it seems like both will be quite good. I’ll give an update later on. My current rating: 8/10.

One of Varvatos's better offerings in quite awhile, but still not worth buying at its crazy retail price. Apparently John Varvatos is trying to get back all the money he lost in the bankruptcy with a little bit of "Elixir" magic! ........ Truth be told, there is nothing new here so definitely wait for discounters to stock before picking this one up. 7.5/10

I got this in a free sample so I decided go ahead and smell it. This smells nice, I get a lot of bergamot and cedar wood on my skin. However after looking at the price, it’s way too expensive for such a simple smelling fragrance. You can find something similar for a fraction of the cost. I would like it on my man but not as his go to.

The scent is nice, but also a meh, nothing new.

The overall feeling of the blend is very similar to the effect achieved when a smooth lavender is paired with clary sage, only here the texture is amplified by the aforementioned boozy, syrupy thickness. This is where the familiarity sets in. If you are a fan of modern designer releases like Azzaro Wanted Elixir or even Polo Red (specifically the DNA that is common in those sweet/spicy profiles), you will immediately recognize the structure. This is a very familiar, yet very well-refined creation that slots seamlessly into the Varvatos XX line. It is high quality, smooth, and decadent. That said, given its similarity to existing, popular designer fragrances, the premium price it demands is likely too high. We are seeing a trend where designers are pushing the upper limit of pricing while only giving us more of the ordinary. (Also, do not be fooled by the marketing language. The industry is heavily using terms like "Parfum," "Elixir," and "Absolute" to suggest superior performance due to higher oil concentration. However, more perfume oil does not automatically equal better projection or longevity; it is entirely dependent on the chemical properties of the actual ingredients used. The marketing departments rely on consumer unfamiliarity with perfume chemistry to justify the premium price tags with a simple spiel about EDP, Parfum, or "Elixir" concentrations.)

Not a fan of the opening. The aromatics, green and powdery notes with the strength of just being sprayed just don't work for me. But as it continues to sit it does improve quite a bit. It gets a dark fresh green aromatic smell with a light leather undertone . As is sits the leather becomes more apparent but it always stays pretty light . You get plenty of the XX DNA so any fan of the line should find something they like about this. I find this to be pretty well balanced but don't get this if you are expecting a strong leather . Yes it's there but it's light . Its also not very boozy. It's more of a dark aromatic with random tonka whiffs , very masculine. The more I wear this the more I like it but I won't get a bottle. Performance isn't bad . Doesn't project for long but it sticks strong for hours . 5 good performing hours then it starts to fade 5.5/10 . Once this hits discounters it would be a good buy for anyone that likes dark aromatics

I am a woman and received this in a sample box. The green note is lovely. More green notes in men's fragrance please. 🌱🌿 I put it on myself as an experiment, but I think this would smell balanced on anyone. The Davana, which reminds me of a more laid back pine, stands out the most on my skin. The leather and tonka are also present. I would prefer if the iris was more pronounced to further balance the fragrance (and make it unique). This is a fragrance you can layer with complementary notes because it's mild and not loud. I wouldn't say it's worth the price tag. Not when you can find similar for a fraction less. However, I do think there is a unisex quality to it and it has a mild projection so the sillage isn't overpowering. It's an herbal, earthy, confidence in a bottle without being loud. Worth smelling or testing if you can!

My nose is reminded of La Nuit de L’Homme EDP. The red bottled flanker. But it smells a little better than that one. Hard to pin down, but it has a DNA you have definitely smelled before. A rush of very popular designer releases will spark in your memory when you smell this one. I’d be curious to see what other people think. If the price goes down (as most Varvatos fragrances do) it will be a fine purchase for most people. Doesn’t excite me personally that much but I do find it pleasant. 7.8/10

Me recuerda al invictus victory elixir, pero sin vainilla quitándole esos kilos de dulzura, algo levemente verde pero no encuentro ese toque alcohólico de ron qué tanto me gusta, como se aprecia en Killian o Absolutely por ejemplo, no lo se no estoy conforme con lo que digo quizas es por que he olido varios perfumes ala vez, intentaré hacerlo mas tarde nuevamente.

I got this in a Macy's sample box. It's sweet and herbal. The leather is subtle. I didn't really get rum from it -- it was mostly ginger, bergamot, and tonka to me. Nothing to write home about.

Just received yesterday, smells similar to the Rabanne Phantom Elixir. More boozy and leathery, but same kind of DNA here. Turns into a skin scent after 3 or 4 hours. Forsure not a beast, but subtlety has its own strengths. Almost get coffee and a slight oud every once in a while, not a bad release by any means. Real good stuff for the upcoming fall🔥, that asking price is kinda silly though

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Soapy, Clean leather. Hint of green. Fizzy boozy rum. Dark powerdy iris. Hint of tonka bean in the back end mixes with the iris. High quality and Stunning.

New bottle in box, unopened, for $60 shipped Cont US. PM me. Edit: SOLD to @SportsFan

Great scent Masculine Overpriced I like boobies Wait for discounters

like the guy below, friggin just give us the vintage man! 😩