Don

Don from Xerjoff is an under-rated subtle and absolutely beautiful fragrance! I chanced it by ordering a tester from Xerjoff a couple of months ago, along with a few hyped heavy-hitters, like Accento Overdose (love it!) and Uden Overdose (meh). Among the other testers, Don didn't seem to warrant much attention from just smelling it on a piece of paper. So that tester sat in my tester drawer for a couple months, just macerating. That is, until I had to fly north for New Years and it was time to pick some testers to take with me. I threw the Don tester in the bag along with about ten others, not thinking much about it. Fast forward about 5 days, I'm in the mountains, snow's piling up outside, but I made an acquaintance with a wonderful barista at a local coffee shop, who also happens to be from the same hometown. So, one morning, I decided to give Don a chance, while making my coffee run, which was the majority of my social life while I was up there. This morning the snow let up enough to allow me to walk, and walk I did. Having sprayed about 4-5 times from the tester, I really didn't expect anything phenomenal from Don, but boy, was I wrong! And, in a good way! Okay, so a little tangent about Don's notes and performance. I cannot testify to it having a strong tobacco note. It is subtle - more subtle than in the Naxos even. I detect a bit of green, patchouli-esqueness there. Overall, I would describe the scent as a beautful, fresh, blue/green scent that leans very masculine on my skin. Longevity was about 5-6 hours from the tester, but now that I have a bottle, it seems that it stays longer and projects better. Back to me, working my way through sidewalks of a small mountain town with about 3 feet of fresh snow, on my morning coffee run/social visit with my new lady-friend. After about 5 minutes of walking in snow, as my body started work up a bit of heat, I started noticing Don coming through, even through the layers and a puffy jacket. At first, I thought it could've been some left over Accento Overdose from another day, but the character of this scent was something completely different. Accento Overdose, by the way, is an incredibly sensual scent. I'm not sure I can pull it off, but I do own a bottle of it and do wear it occasionally. Anyway, the smell that was hitting my nostrils eventually became distinctive enough and that's when I finally realized what Don ACTUALLY smelled like. When I came back to the cabin, I ordered a bottle of Don and now, couple weeks later, just received it and put it on my shelf. To me, this is what collecting scents is all about - memories; memories of travels and of amazing experiences we all have every day. Maybe to most people walking a couple miles through 3 feet of snow isn't a big deal, but for me, living in Southern California, it is pure poetry in motion. Don, coincidentally, is poetry of fragrance - it rhymes, it has a wonderful rhythm and it is beautiful. It is subtle, rare and underrated - so much so, I hesitate to even add a review for it. But hey, if you hate it - that means there's more of it for me. I love it, I own it, but I won't recommend it to just anybody ;)

Presentation is textbook Xerjoff and as always is beautiful and luxe. The bottle and cap are made of plutonium or something cuz these bottles are heavy and the glass across the JTC line is a gorgeous deep blue that's in the actual glass itself not a paint finish. These are front of the collection kind of good looking. The fragrance does not disappoint. Make no mistake, this is not a "my first aftershave" kind of frag and it is going to challenge some people. If you enjoy a deep, dry whisky and tobacco that sits close until it's moving and the scent trail is just mind blowing. It opens with a rather metallic, medicinal note that has a camphor like vibe but that settles out rather quickly to a subtle under note. Anyone who knows the smell of cordite will instantly recognize what a lot of folks will get as gunpowder. That note settles down and lifts the now emerging whiskey and tobacco notes. The tobacco is not a honeyed or cherry pipe tobacco but more of a cigar leaf but not as sharp. The whiskey is in and out as it trades places back and forth with the tobacco and it's a peaty, aged bourbon sort of note. It all works together in a nearly perfect harmony, There's a sweetness in there that's never at the front and it reminds me of the wax sugar syrup cone candies we had when I was a kid. It's a sweetness that's not cloying. In the drydown it settles in close and yet will still project if you are a little bit active. It goes to a deep, rich amber note with some sweetness and the occasional returns of both the tobacco and whiskey notes. I'm baffled at some of the negative reviews on this but as I stated it can be a challenge to newer noses with that bit of camphor (and cordite) in the open. Presentation - 10/10 Fragrance - 9.5/10 Longevity - 8.5/10 Sillage - 8.5/10 If you appreciate the notes above and enjoy the Xerjoff DNA I would recommend this even as a blind buy. If you can get a decant and give it a try you'll probably agree it's great. Strong Recommend.

The bottle and cap are made of plutonium or something cuz these bottles are heavy and the glass across the JTC line is a gorgeous deep blue that's in the actual glass itself not a paint finish. These are front of the collection kind of good looking. The fragrance does not disappoint. Make no mistake, this is not a "my first aftershave" kind of frag and it is going to challenge some people. If you enjoy a deep, dry whisky and tobacco that sits close until it's moving and the scent trail is just mind blowing. It opens with a rather metallic, medicinal note that has a camphor like vibe but that settles out rather quickly to a subtle under note. Anyone who knows the smell of cordite will instantly recognize what a lot of folks will get as gunpowder. That note settles down and lifts the now emerging whiskey and tobacco notes. The tobacco is not a honeyed or cherry pipe tobacco but more of a cigar leaf but not as sharp. The whiskey is in and out as it trades places back and forth with the tobacco and it's a peaty, aged bourbon sort of note. It all works together in a nearly perfect harmony, There's a sweetness in there that's never at the front and it reminds me of the wax sugar syrup cone candies we had when I was a kid. It's a sweetness that's not cloying. In the drydown it settles in close and yet will still project if you are a little bit active. It goes to a deep, rich amber note with some sweetness and the occasional returns of both the tobacco and whiskey notes. I'm baffled at some of the negative reviews on this but as I stated it can be a challenge to newer noses with that bit of camphor (cordite) in the open. Presentation - 10/10 Fragrance - 9.5/10 Longevity - 8.5/10 Sillage - 8.5/10 If you appreciate the notes above and enjoy the Xerjoff DNA I would recommend this even as a blind buy. If you can get a decant and give it a try you'll probably agree it's great. Strong Recommend.

Xerjoff Don, from the Join the Club collection, is a 2013 release inspired by the mob/mafia that has very interesting notes of gunpowder, spun sugar, tobacco, and whiskey. It’s sharp and sweet, but with some boozy, tobacco-laden depth as well, and particularly with the gunpowder note, feels very unique. I’ve not smelled such a note in fragrance before, and its contrast with the spun sugar accord makes for a great intersection of “opposites” in concert with the mandatory mob contributors of whiskey and tobacco in the background. I’d argue that Don leans masculine, but that it’s not too dark means that it feels a bit more accessible than it otherwise might be, not being quite as intense overall as, say, the first main release from Dua Fragrance, The Mobster, but with leather and some other weight to it. I really like Don for this reason, in carving out a distinction from other similarly-inspired scents. Think also of Wiseguys Vegas Cologne, quite differently a bit of a Pure Havane-esque sweet cherried and honeyed tobacco inspiration. Don lands somewhere in between—sweet, but sharp, with some edges, a little bit of depth, but not too much darkness. Don is sold seemingly mostly through secondary markets like discount sites, at least in the US, like the reliable FragranceX, FragranceNet, and Max Aroma, but it does not appear to be for sale through official/standard retail means (correct me if I’m wrong). Pricing for the 100ml size runs around $200, with a 50ml size also being available, so it’s in a pretty good spot, pricing-wise, under the $2/ml mark at the 100ml size. Overall, I love this fragrance, as it’s creative but wearable and is a fun realization of an interesting (even if perhaps often-used) concept, and it performs well. 8 out of 10

This is possibly my favorite Xerjoff (and Xerjoff is without a doubt in my top 3 favorite houses). It isnt the most pleasant or mass appealing offering from the house, but it's entirely unique. The gunpowder opening doesn't last long before it is replaced with black pepper, and the whiskey and tobacco are sweetened quite a bit by the spun sugar. But what fragrantica fails to list is the most interesting note of this composition: money. In the mid and drydown, the notes of the fragrance combine to create an accord I've never imagined would be captured in perfumery. The smell of cash. Not clean, new, crisp bills. But the smell of used, dirty money. The resemblance is uncanny. This scent is my motivation scent. I wear it for meetings, interviews, anytime that I want to feel the familiar push to earn. It's not just my nose that gets it, I've asked multiple people while wearing it and they get it too. This isnt a compliment monster or the best smelling fragrance in my collection, but it certainly an example of niche perfumery at its finest. The fact that it comes from one of my favorite houses just solidifies its place in my collection for years to come. Also, longevity is great like most Xerjoffs. However, this one stays a little closer to the skin than some of the houses other offerings, and I think this is appropriate for this type of fragrance. Also, don't expect a masculine bomb such as the opening of Jovoy's Les Jeux Sont Faits, because this is much sweeter and lighter. But, this is DEFINITELY worth a sniff and better yet, a wear. Opening 7/10 Mid 8/10 Drydown 8/10 Uniqueness 11/10 Longevity 10/10 (somewhere around the 10h mark) Overall 9/10 Not blind buy safe, but definitely worth checking out. I feel that this is unisex.

Love the fragrance, very bright if you consider the notes. Very masculine. Gunpowder and spun sugar do a twist on tobacco and whiskey by making it bright and elevating which is unique in a sea of earthy, woody and generally heavy male fragrances. It's very hard to distinguish separate notes which makes it a sign of extremely competent perfumer. If it was 2-3x more concentrated or 50% cheaper, I would consider buying it. I have to put my nose maximum 10cm from my hand if I want to sense it. Got the sample from perfumery so I'm testing it last 2 days. I've ordered a clone and I hope they've done a decent job cloning and making it in a more potent form. If they did I wouldn't mind using it as my signature scent. In this form definitely not a buy worthy perfume - you should not have to overspray a perfume which costs ~3€/ml Scent: 9/10 Performance: 3/10 EDIT: Went to perfumery again to get myself familiar with the rest of Xerjoff line. They were good but only Don was "mine" and 2 guys told me it's well known that Don is one of the best of their line (one of them said it's his favourite). A girl sprayed good 3 full sprays on my forearm. and hour later I asked a cashier girl to smell it... Her: "It smells unfinished" Me: "Out of 10?" Her: "5.5" I had this feeling before when I accidentally mixed it on my arm with something that dried down and had chocolaty notes. It actually smelled better than Don on its own. Conclusion: Don lacks body and probably because of it the projection is very weak. A great scent to layer/mix on something simpler which keeps the vibe you want. I'm currently wearing it on dried down TF Tuscan Leather and it gives Italian vibe to it in the best way!

I've been testing this for a couple months and I've determined this is right up my alley. Masculine, slightly daring and different. I don't think this will work well for the average Joe, naxos is better for most people. This doesn't smell anything like Penhaligon's Sam or Beaufort Iron Duke which are both great scents as well. This is more daring than Sam, and less challenging than Iron Duke. Although this doesn't have radical niche transitions, this perfume has more going on than the notes would lead you to believe. I think there's maybe cypriol, synthetic agarwood, maybe a touch of cedar and possibly cypress. I feel there's some vetiver which I believe was used in tandem with other materials to create the gunpowder accord. I can pick up some pepper, minerals, and a peaty earthiness that combines to smell like flint and gun metal. The whiskey and dry tobacco are discernable but not strong. I was worried it might smell like cotton candy and there is some sweetness of molasses or spun sugar, but thankfully it's unflavored, and does not smell anything like cotton candy, and I don't consider it a sweet perfume. I haven't smelled anything else like this one so it gets bonus points for being original. My only complaint is projection is below average so if you want that, you have to spray heavy or refresh with a decant. Longevity isn't bad. Great for nights out on the town and I'd say this one would work best for older guys, but wear what you want. Uber masculine and fun to wear. -------------------------------------------------------- Scent 85/100 Performance 65/100

Disclaimer - I'm female, so the fragrance reacts differently on my skin. I enjoy a more masculine daily fragrance sometimes and bought a sample of this based on the novelty appeal. Opening notes are tobacco, a good smokey whiskey sting that fades very quickly, and a slight burnt sugar scent that was gone as soon as I caught it. I was left with new cigar box tobacco, the occasional whiff of whiskey, and the smell of an armoury after a day on the range (if you know you know). I didn't get any sweet notes or cash money notes as mentioned by other reviewers, and no real dry down or later note reveals. Very linear but that has appeal for me. That said, I love it. It's razor sharp and very distinct. This one is sky high patent leather Louboutin stilettos and brass knuckles that will either make a man step into the ring with you, or beg you to use him as a foot rest, and nothing in between. Longevity is a solid four hours with one spray down the shirt after dressing so it gets trapped in your clothes and on your skin at the same time. Silage is about half arm's length, but due to longevity it will scent your space by the end of the day. I tested it in winter so the sharpness worked, but I think it would turn sour in the summer. I don't think this works as a formal or evening wear fragrance, but for daily use it will do nicely. I don't recommend it as a full blind buy for women, but absolutely buy a sample if you like something that will make a unique impression. I do love it but it's probably only going to make a semi regular appearance in my rotation.

A few years ago, when I had just started my fragrance journey, this was a scent that attracted me because of its name. While sampling many Xerjoffs that day, this one left a mark, but I didn't buy it because of the price tag. Three years later, wanting another Xerjoff to add to my collection, I retried many of their scents, and there it was again: Don is special. Nothing else smells like Don. It's not an oud scent, it's not a tobacco scent, it's not a boozy scent, and it's definitely not just a collection of notes you can see above. Don, to me, smells like a Don would. An older man, not too sweet, very smooth and rounded with a sharp quality that plays with the senses. Dry, luxurious wood is the only note I can pick up, but there's much more to it. So elegant, so rich and deep without being heavy at all. This is an all-timer for me and definitely a unique scent that will stand out in any collection in a good or bad way, depending on how you resonate with it. Personally, I wish it projected more because the staying power is okay (6-7 hours), but projection is intimate from start to finish, but that's probably the point; the subtle nature of this scent makes it what it is. 9.5/10

I might have a complete different take, good but different. I don't get anything boozy, a bit of fresh tobacco leaves rather thn pipe tobacco, definitely no gun powder (the actual gun powder I know of). I saw it going cheap, so I saw the review of Cuba Know, and thought it isn't fr me. Thn I thought, I might end up using the money in something useful instead, better buy stinky water LOL. Turns out, it was one of THE best decisions and blind buys ever. It just hits right on the spot. It's exactly how I would expect a Don to smell, as he is stepping out of his mansion in Northern Ireland on a cold morning, driving through lush green damp forests. Everything about him is simple, but yet every inch around him knows and understands his presence. The performance of this fragrance is similar as well, you and ppl around will keep noticing through the day, but it's not going to scream for attention. My vision draws it as a complete cold fresh green and moist forest, moist with snow rather than rain. Perhaps an Alaskan forest.

It's boozy allright :)) Very different from the entire JTC range. Definitely sample-first fragrance. Whiskey stays through-ought the entire wearing time. There is a crazy amount of pepperiness in the opening making it dangerously spicy and uber male for first half an hour. It then progresses into the sweet'ish bourbon and stays that way for 12+ hours. Projection is moderate but sillage is great, it trails well in the air once you move around. The warmer is your skin, the sweeter effect you'll achieve. It smells divine on gents, more masculine and vetiver'esque, bit heavy on tobacco. Initial impression might throw you off but wait for 30 min till it fully develops. I don't like the opening but I love the phase that comes next. And this juice lasts and lasts. No regrets on buying this one in full size.

My first review and first Xerjoff. This stuff is awesome and unique amongst my collection. The whiskey and tobacco are faint to my nose. Like they are there as a support role, to anchor the spun sugar and gunpowder accords. The sweetness from the spun sugar stands out and the gunpowder note gives off this peppery vibe. Clings to clothes. Lasts on my skin 12+ hrs. I sprayed my skin and clothes and had a coworker comment on the “peppery” note as he stood outside the entrance of my cubicle. Somewhere along the way I do get the cash money smell, quite spot on actually. The presentation is boss. The smell is boss. The performance is boss. Don is boss. Update: Five months later. Now that I’ve worn it enough, I’ll add it can fill rooms with a few sprays, leaves trails and gets complements.

Nice, just doesn’t project that well and becomes a skin scent. I like it. But it’s not strong, and I’m getting a huge TF Oud Wood vibe (not a bad thing). Very similar in its dry down. Thing is I love Oud Wood too, but same problem, not strong enough. The moment it starts getting interesting, is the moment it starts fading away. I wore this round three people today and no one picked it up. I asked my friend as leaving and she leaned in and told I smelt gorgeous. But she didn’t catch it before hand. And that’s 4 sprays, 1 wrist rub, 1 under each ear and 1 front of chest. I got a bottle blind buy with a good discount - I’m not disappointed, but I wouldn’t buy again. If you want Boozy... buy Ermenegildo Zegna Bourbon Vanilla. Straight up like a creamy Rum / Whisky blend. Lovely juice!

What a pleasant surprise this fragrance was. The name and the notes were somewhat off putting to me. I generally don't gravitate towards the whole 'gangster' thing in perfumes. This is quite a beautiful fragrance. The opening is a gunpowder accord mixed with some spices such as pepper, alongside whisky and tobacco. The whisky note, which starts off quite strong and woody, slowly becomes sweeter as the whole composition settles down. what you're left with is a smoky, sweet and very masculine fragrance that's unique and surprisingly good. One of my favourites from this line, alongside 40 knots. Performance like all Xerjoff's is excellent.

The first time that I smelled this I was disappointed but I found myself coming back to it. This works very well on my skin. It lasts and projects very well. This is a masculine fragrance with some sweetness. The whiskey and gunpowder notes stand out the most on my skin and provides some smokiness and slightly sweet booziness . The spun sugar adds some sweetness to the whiskey note. I dont get as much tobacco as other people. People love this and comment on it every time that I wear it. Just be aware that i often find some Xerjoff fragrances to feel rather “muted” when it comes to the notes and this is one of those fragrances

What people are describing in their reviews as citrus smells to me like a sharp metallic tinge - the gunpowder. It dominates the opening and then cools off a bit, making way for an earthy, peppery note not unlike the punchy vetiver of encre noire, but rounded out immensely by the tobacco and booze. Projects well on me. I don't get the sweetness you would expect from the booze and spun sugar claims - those things merely round out the sharpness of the other elements. I like this one a lot, but I understand this is not everyone's taste. I would not recommend you blind buy this.

Just received this and so far I love it. Very unique which is what I prefer. Hate to wear what every other clubber is wearing or being one of those TikTok bandwagon riders. Smells slightly similar to Ebene Fume. In the same family. I can’t help but disbelieve everyone reviewing saying it smells like gunpowder. How many of you have smelled gunpowder? I would say none. If you have that means you do reloads or other activities and I apologize but most have never smelled gunpowder and are just aping other reviewers. This is a great perfume.

The ultimate masculine signature. Bold, but does not scream for attention. As someone who prefers not to wear fragrances with crazy projection, but still loves very masculine leaning scents, this is a no brainer for me. The whiskey, tobacco and subtle smokey gunpowder is perfectly balanced by sugary sweet undertones. The blend of the notes is unquestionably great and acts exactly like you would expect a Xerjoff to do. Probably not blind buy safe, but very happy that I got to test it in a store, and pick up a bottle the same day.

Love it. The note profile is amazing. Definitely a man’s fragrance. But it’s masculine in the very best of ways. It’s never in your face or trying too hard to get noticed. All the notes make subtle appearances one by one. The tobacco is what you’d expect from Xerjoff, beautiful. The sweetness of the spun sugar brings all the notes together in perfect harmony. The sweetness is the most masculine, intriguing, and pleasant sweet I’ve tried so far. This is one beautiful fragrance.

This fragrance does not project much, so the sillage is quite low...therfore it is not worth it at full retail. But, if you find it at discounters for $100 or less, then pick it up! Super addictive, smoky tobacco, slight whiskey with a caramelized base...so so good...and the longevity is strong. Sometimes a screamer is not always what I want...this is for me and those that get close. This is an affair. Shocked it's not mentioned more. For a low projector: 9.5/10