Gao

EN I discovered this company at the fair Fragranze 2012 in Florence Italy. It wasn't easy to find then the store that sells fragrances to the regular customer like me, but in the end I was able to buy the whole line from the site ausliebezumduft.de I must say that there is a system to buy perfumes Xerjoff paying the relatively low price (the normal price of the bottle of 50 ml is up to US$ 260-325). Since the Shooting Stars line and the Oud Stars line are the masterpieces of artistic perfumery, it is worth to buy the Shooting Stars - Discovery Sets - Part One and Part Two and Oud Stars Collection - Discovery Set that cost US$ 208 for each of the first two sets and US$ 254 for the Oud collection set. Of course there are the Discovery Sets for XJ17/17 Collection (US$ 331) and XJ Casamorati 1888 Vintage Collection (US$ 182), but personaly I do not like the last two lines, so I didn't order them. In each set there are 6 fragrances of 15ml each and therefore the price for a volume of 50 ml drops to US$116 for Shooting Stars collection and to US$142 for Oud Stars collection instead of USD$ 260 and US$ 325 for full version bottles. IT Ho scoperto questa casa di profumi alla fiera Fragranze 2012 a Firenze. Non era poi facile di trovare il negozio che vendesse i profumi ad un mortale come me, ma alla fine sono riuscito ad acquistare tutta la linea dal sito ausliebezumduft.de Devo dire che c'è un sistema per comprare i profumi di Xerjoff al prezzo relativamente molto basso (il prezzo normale della bottiglietta di 50 ml arriva a circa €200-250). Visto che tutta la linea Shooting Stars e la linea Oud Stars sono i capolavori della profumeria artistica, vale la pena a comprare il Shooting Stars - Discovery Sets - Part One and Part Two e Oud Stars Collection - Discovery Set che costano €160 per ciascuno dei primi due e €195 per la collezione Oud. Ovviamente esistono anche i Discovery Sets per XJ17/17 Collection (€255) e per XJ Casamorati 1888 Vintage Collection (€140), ma quest'ultimi a me non piacciono. Nel ciascun set ci sono 6 profumi nelle bottigliette di 15ml e quindi il prezzo per un volume di 50ml crolla a €89 per Shooting Stars collection e €109 per Oud Stars invece di €200 per Shooting Stars e di €250 per Oud Stars.

This is a potent and very "serious" scent. Definitely a blast of medicinal oud with saffron sharing dominance with the oud. Somewhat jarring on first spray, yet alluringly calling for you to repeatedly sniff your wrists. The resins are certainly present, as is another element that I cannot identify... perhaps the cypriol oil? I don't have a reference for what that note even is, to be totally honest. Overall, this is nice but as others have mentioned, very similar in overall style to Montale, although I can't think of exactly what Montale. The oud in this is extremely reminiscent of Montale's Dark Aoud... but Dark Aoud is all about oud and a little bit of sandalwood... and nothing else. The saffron and resins add another dimension to this that makes it overall more satisfying to me. I wear this when I'm in a contemplative mood. It is not really a comforting scent although I could see how it could be for others. As Jack Hunter's review alludes to, this is far away from being a safe scent, and thus I would caution that versatility is low, as this perfume has enormous projection and sillage.

Oud Stars Gao is rich, opulent, oily and thick; it is the only oud perfume that I truly love. When I first sampled this in winter, I was not a fan of the (much talked about) medicinal, menthol- like notes paired with the thick, oily oud. A few months later, the temperature had risen and the sun was beginning to punctuate the days more- this was the key to unlocking this gorgeous scent. The warmth of the summer days gives the menthol something to keep it in check, and so, the medicinal scent ended up being the reason I love this. Without it, this would be like many other ouds- a winter scent that’s opulent but not particularly unique. Instead, this is an oud that keeps its challenging, powerful DNA whilst being wearable on warmer days (and I would recommend wearing in the warmth- not the winter!) It’s essential to try this before buying and also essential to let your nose ‘acclimatise’ to the scent over a few months before you decide whether you like it or not. I gave it a fair chance and as a result, was rewarded with an incredibly well performing and opulent summer oud fragrance.

This fragrance is heaven-sent. I love oud frags and am always in search of the perfectly blended oud-based scent. This one is a combination of saffron, cypriol oil, oud, juniper and balsamic notes. All are my favourites, but the beauty of this is the blend - a smooth exotic mesmerizing sexy wearable unisex perfume that really pushes my buttons. Needless to say, performance is 10/10 on all parameters. I own and wear both Montale's Aoud Musk and Gao and I certainly can see the similarities but I have to say that Gao is a little more smoother-edged and performs better. I am a little surprised by the poor reviews on this one - oh well, to each his nose.

I'm a fan of the oud/cypriol combo so I love Gao. The ratings here aren't the highest as it probably not for everyone; it could be considered a little dark. Its not the sweet, fruity, willy wanka juice popular with so many these days. For me the oud and cypriol give this a woody camphor smell which for me reminds me of a forest. In today's world of synthetics it is nice to still have natural options or at least natural smelling options. This smell transports me to the forest in my mind. I find it funny in one of the review below they mention this has synthetic vibes; I couldn't disagree more.

This is kinda challenging at first, but the drydown is very nice. The main note I get from this is saffron, it smells very much like real saffron fibers, at least in the opening. Then in gets smoother and woodier. Personally, even if I don't like rose that much, I think it could have used a tiny bit of rose – I tried layering it with Black Rose by Swedoft and it's really amazing how it changes Gaos harsh, "plastic" opening into something more reminiscent of Fars. That said, it definitely has it's qualities even without rose to smoothen the edges.

A gorgeous blending of high quality saffron with oud, this mysterious and evocative offering by Xerjoff also contains notes of patchouli, amber, cypriol,and balsamic resins. The end product is a somewhat animalic, yet subtle fragrance that recalls the shifting sands of the Arabian peninsula. Only for very adventurous perfume lovers and those into exotic Oriental perfumery. In spite of heavy ingredients, the end product does not have overpowering sillage and projection and retains a refined understated luxury. Very high quality craftsmanship.

Like a shooting star crossing the evening sky across the Arabian peninsula, magnanimous. Probably the most powerful offering in the Oud Stars Collection. Gao displays Thai and Laotian oud in their most ethereal splendor, kissed in the heart by a multifaceted fiery saffron. The overall aroma is quite impressive, gothic, intriguing, Nothing flowery , or artificially sweet was added to soften this beast. Gao is a bombastic woody spicy creature of the highest quality. The magnificent powerhouse rest on a rich ambery bed of resins & woods.

This is an amazing drydown but the opening feels like smelling salts. Synthetic rubber and cough syrup in the opening. But man the drydown is great. A dark masculine woody scent wrapped in a blanket of spicy smoke. This is my first impression of Xerjoff and this is my favorite fragrance. I only smelt the drydown of terroni once because some kid at my school was wearing it and this is very similar. Just go easy on the sprays and time it right and this is a work of art

Okay, I quite like this oud fragrance and it performs quite well on my skin lasting 12+ hours and leaving a very nice scent trail for hours. Sadly, I've smelled this oud, saffron, resins combo numerous times before and this is no better quality than the one's I have smelled Montale and Mancera for a fraction of the cost. Scent: Quite a likable full-flavored oud Performance: Quite good Value: Quite Poor

This smells exactly like an Oud oil I purchased from Abdul Samad Al Qurashi, this natural extracted oil costed 400$ for 12ml, this wasn’t the highest range nor the cheapest. I think Xerjoff wanted to mimic this kind of oil.

Ok so after 2 wearings this dries down to a very similar oud musk by montale veryyy similar and for half the price I would splurge on montale. This is still great smelling very very potent 8.0/10!

It is funny, but the great part of this perfume starts 24 hours after spraying. And the same experience I have with Tiziana Terenzi - Nero oudh. Both are intoxicating the next day :)

This is an amazing fragrance. Complex but unique. I have used it three times and each time I have gotten compliments. That has not happened to me with any other fragrance ever.

Gao is a beast mode oud scent! Super rich and woody with a spicy kick that lingers for hours. Not for the faint of heart, but if you love bold fragrances, this one's a winner.

This is gorgeous. Slightly resinous, slightly smokey, slightly animalic oud. Not western oud, not too challenging either. Just beautiful

To me it smells wonderful. Different, though, reminds me of Byredo's Oud Immortel, which I love

Great oud fragrance. Its spicy and dirty ! Strong projection and performance.

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If you usually prefer clean, rounded woods with a touch of sweetness, this is probably not the right direction. The opening shows a very distinct burnt nuance. It is not the typical smoky tone found in many woody fragrances. It sits closer to the smell of heated resin, hot rubber, or fuel vapors. This effect comes from the nature of oud itself. Oud is not a single smell but a complex mixture of molecules, some of which produce notes reminiscent of charred materials, leather, rubber, and occasionally a faint plastic-like edge. Saffron plays a prominent role here. It is dry, bitter, and sharply spicy. When layered with the oud, the result feels intense. At close range, the scent can carry a noticeable rubber-like quality, similar to a dark material exposed to high heat. After some time—the transition is not particularly quick—the initial burnt-plastic impression begins to fade. The oud becomes more recognizable, showing hints of medicinal tone and aged leather. The composition never turns into a smooth or polished wood scent. It remains darker and drier, more stable than the opening but still outside mainstream preferences. In the drydown, oud, amber, and patchouli dominate. The profile settles into a dense, resinous, dark woody base. The amber does not add sweetness; it mainly increases weight and persistence. The defining feature of this fragrance is that initial impact of burnt fuel and rubber-like warmth. It does not rely on softness or comfort. The character carries a certain sharpness and presence. From a stylistic standpoint, it leans masculine.

What a beautiful & dynamic scent. On par with the likes of Cuoio by Odori. Truly rich, dark & decadent. Deep woods, & resins, with a little fresh air amongst the smoky depths. A little juniper/piney freshness that keeps this concoction from being overwhelming, or "just another loud oud fragrance". there are many dark, oud/wood fragrances out there, and although im certainly not an oud expert, i have smelled some pricey potions. Truth be told i found most of them to be loud, and ill mannered. Not appropriate for some occasions. This is a gentlemans scent. Pure class, and masculine seduction in a bottle. Its not too dry, or too smokey, or "too anything". Gao has AMAZING silliage and projection. It announces itself amongst hundreds of samples, and if you touch the containment unit, youre wearing Gao today. Do not overapply! you will knock out women & small animals! That being said, discrete use will get you the girl, business deal, or attention you want. It is a powerful fragrance, of smoke, woods, resins, a little fresh air, and tiny bit of honeyed sweetness. Not much, sweet like rich tobacco perhaps. Spices are present, but in small amounts, they sing backup here. Highly recommended. I mean, this is a KNOCKOUT! Heartbreakingly sexy on men, i shall test and see how a woman can wear it also!

Amazing perfume for someone who might like the heard heavy saffron. It opens up with a LOT of saffron. It does calm down into a nice warm ambery type scent. I love that part. Its not too sweet but VERY likeable. Never smelled better amber even on amber perfumes like grand soir. But the saffron is still (unfortunately) noticeable. For me it dilutes after some time (6ish hours) and then it just turns into a hazelnut-like mush, like it just smells like a bag of hazelnuts, in a boring plasticky way. I dont see a scenario where this shines though. Maybe during the cold holidays? Its too loud for formal stuff, but too formal for casual stuff. This projects a rich manly businessman who never touched a shovel in his life. Not really sure who might want to smell like that though. Had it for months barely ever spray it as a wear, weirdly i sometimes get the specific urge to smell the saffron that lingers on the cap.

If you strip it of the resin, you get gorgeous oud. The resin in Gao is a like a red streak of paint over a Van Gogh's. Oud and saffron combine to give a beautiful, warm, Arabic truly-oudy scent. But the harsh, sharp resin note is all over that scent, making Gao almost repulsive. You can still see some of Gao's beauty through the crack of the resin. But not enough to stand and admire it. Harsh, resinous, sharp, screechy, oudy, saffrony, warm spicy. The resins' loud screams settle hours later but never completely disappear. People who like oud and loud, sharp fragrances, like Gucci Guilty Absolute, might actually love Gao. Mature cold weather wear. "Like" for I could still smell some beauty beneath.

Gao is one of my favourites out of the Oud Stars series (the other is Zafar). It's a smoky, dry, medicinal kind of oud as opposed to the barnyard soil you get from Zafar. It reminds me a bit of Pure Oud of By Kilian in the opening and middle. However in the drydown, Pure Oud is smooth and balmy, whereas Gao is rougher and smokier. You do have to be careful when applying because this juice is tenacious. On my first day using this, I sprayed once on my wrist and it transferred on my jacket cuffs. A week later I could still smell it on my cuffs. Use lightly.

Very dry oud scent with lots of saffron. Not sexy or dirty, almost austere. However pleasant and easy to wear. In small quantities office-friendly. Not sure it will gather compliments, kind of intellectual fragrance to my taste. Development of Gao makes it feel cozy and enveloping. Unusual like.

An intense smoky dry resinous woods, surprised not to see Silver Oud by Amouage on the “this perfume reminds me of”, except this is more resinous. I love the dry smoky aspects of it, gives off don’t fw me vibes. Stop by my TikTok for some fragrance content: nerolicannoli

Montale Aoud Musk? No way. This smells exactly like: MFK Cashmere Oud By Kilian Pure Oud Montale Original Aoud Sewing machine oil. I don't smell anything else.

Burberry The Beat? They have as much in common as Scotch and 7Up.

Gao opens up with a challenging smell but in this case, it's not barnyard or cheese oud. I get a pretty unpleasant medicinal type scent, which I can only assume is the saffron. As it dries down, it gets a lot better - smoother and woody. There's still a remaining medicinal or camphor type of smell. Longevity was good - got about 7 hours out of it but the projection was only moderate for me. Gao didn't really wow me. Out of the few in the Oud Stars collection I've tried, I only really liked Luxor.

First hour burnt rubber, after its woody and earthy. Long lasting and strong .Not for me.

Another UN (Ultra Niche) scent that offers to fill in every possible nuance and gradation of the saffron-oud (or rose-oud) combo possible out there. Delivering the usual high Quality of materials that for some reason never gel well with my nose as 'comfort' scent worthy, it's the one simply for the Oud connoisseurs as I just can't see entry level or even mid-level Niche junkies giving releases like this a 2nd try. Medicinal oud note; check. Uber-strong saffron blend; yep. Ambery vibes to support the huge band-aid mass project; yes it's there. Never incomplete without the enormous price tag that as a scent, no one will ever even heed to catch a whiff off. Really, Xerjoff baffle me, so much Investment spent on choice blends like this when they could be creating some amazing ambers, dedicated resins and other oriental blends. But then, it is Xerjoff and only Xerjoff know Xerjoff. Naxos was a good step but it still has an orange vibe that a million other scents have for less again. But anyway ranting over, if you are not fussed at not getting the utmost highest grades of real oud blend as over 99% of Enthusiasts, then the Montales for a start I would say definitely offer enough Quality and variety on Oud combos in their ranges to satisfy almost anyone. If money is no object then of course all this is no issue. But it also goes by saying that their famous Black oud is wildy popular and no one in that camp seems to be complaining! My rating: 2/10. Quality: 10/10.

Nose Note #1015 I will give it more time, but I can't imagine changing my mind about it. This is borderline disgusting. Nothing like I know, which is a plus, except for maybe two fragrances: Like an Egyptian by Miller et Bertaux (which also has cypriol oil) and Hatkora Wood by Ajmal (the strange citrus part of it). This nagamortha note is killing it for me both in Miller and here. It somehow smells gourmand in the worst sense, like rare indian spices which may taste OK but smell horrible. This is super niche. Not like Toskovat', but the most niche release from Xerjoff that I've tried. This is a very bold perfume, very daring. Nothing gorgeous about it in the common sense of the word. Dark, resinous, smokey, dirty oudy (but not poopy), oily. Not nice Men only. Nuclear performance. Very unapologetic. This will be extremely offensive in close encounters. 3/10, no wish to tries this ever again, but I will

I have to jump on the "nail polish remover" bandwagon. Something is rather unpleasant about this perfume and I have yet to find a person that likes this smell. Aside from the nail polish/ nail polish remover vibe, what this smell reminds me of is - a ton of chopped almonds, almond overload. Oily, satanically bitter, too much almond that makes you regret chomping on it while binge-watching a show. From the first whiff until the end. Don't know why, though... Aside from that, on two occasions, and just for a split second, I caught the tail end of some nice oud, but I blinked and it was gone. It's not a hate for me, but definitely something that's not wearable.

What a over priced mess of a smell. High quality or not, I appreciate fragrance as art, I’ve smelled probably close to 1,000 honestly and as a niche lover , this is garbage. There are very few oud scents I love, so my opinion may not matter, but this smells like a harsh chemical. The girls that have smelled it on me say it smells like plastic would if it were in a chemical form before it hit the mold. Does it last long? Yes. I wish it didn’t as it seems to be a scrubber. Projection is moderate I was hoping this would morph into something great but it’s been linear and smells like nail polish remover spilled on a wood log. Blahhhhhhh next

See Jefwithfrags' review below. It's precisely how I feel about this one. I received Gao as a sample with a recent purchase. It is tenacious, medicinal, animalic, earthy and powerful -- the reigning king of oud fragrances designed for true connoisseurs who demand the best ingredients available. It is so strong and pungent, a scouring pad won't scrub it off. It is a 10/10 for oud lovers ... but to my nose it's a 5/10. It's a work of art, perhaps, but I can't imagine wearing this in any social situation.

smells like not washed a while armpits

A very scratchy, obnoxiously synthetic perfume for people with new cars, new clothes, surrounded by plastic—Gao somehow also faithfully recreates the smell of pure myrrh essential oil in all of its rubbery-resinous facets. This would be my top choice for secretly poisoning a room by sliding into the janitorial closet under the cover of night and dumping a bottle of Xerjoff's liquid into an air vent. Everyone in the conference room would first smell a piquant saffron, then some kind of tart apple, before scrunching their noses amid the increasingly balsamic and bittering notes of latex. Later, the detectives arriving too late to the scene would only encounter ISO-E super.

This went on as oily lab alcohol, very medicinal and unpleasant. That was soon followed by an overwhelmingly sharp saffron. With nothing to balance against, it smelled on me like I was swimming in paella. I tried to see if it would do something better on my skin but just couldn't make it. Scrubbed after about 20 minutes. My husband says he is going to try it since it actually does lean masculine. (I suggested he stay far away when he does.)

It smells medicinal or almost like a glue. I wasn't a fan of this house but this time it's definitive. Oud is present, but it's so chemical, i can't smell anything else above it. 💙 Male ❄️Cold Seasons 📌 Personal Note: 3 / 10

Yes, this is the medecinal oud, more so with the green camphorous Cypriol note. This reminds me a lot of the MFK "Cashmere Oud", but not as good. This smells like synthetic Ouds I've tried. I recently purchased Zafar, it also is not the barn-yard oud but a similar band aid, medecinal oud with lots of black pepper. I may like Zafar more, which is a black pepper dominant fragrance, from the Oud Stars collection. If you want to try a good barn-yard oud at reasonable price, Diptyque "Oud Palao" is a favorite. I am disappointed with Xerjoffs, and the Oud star collection. I'm waiting on a sample of Al Kahatt, but not very hopeful. Someone said Xerjoffs is overall very synthetic. Compared to my favorite houses, Guerlain, Diptyque, Frederic Malle, Creed, I think they are. Nice bottles though. I used to like these weird chemically fragrances, like "Rien" from ELdO, or Tom Ford Oud Wood Intense. Taur Desert Moracan has some of that industrial chemicals going on, but it's better, yet not very wearable. I have ordered some Bortnikoff samples. Reviewers who know their Ouds, recommend them highly. This is still a nice fragrance, though I boubt the oud is even genuine. I did buy a bottle of MFK Oud Cashmere Mood, the most masculine of Kurkdijian's Ouds. GAO is in the ballpark to that one. Rating: 7/10 God bless. John 3:16

To me this smells like deep dark woods like Mahogany. It also has that medicinal hospital disinfectant smell you always get when you are in hospital mixed with the mahogany wood. As time passes the wood aspect starts to fade and you begin to smell incense resin. I have to say imo this fragrance would not appeal to the mainstream but moore to the Oud connoisseur as it does not smell good in the conventional sense. What surprised me though is it does in fact strongly resemble a Burmese Oud oil called Kyra Koutan which I actually have a sample of. I could not resist doing a side by side comparison and they are quite similiar. Both have the dark woods and that hospital medicinal disinfectant smell. Except the real Oud was deeper and did not dry down to that incense resin accord. I would say if you are into your Creeds, D&G and Hermes frags then stay away from this.lol....... But if you are serious about Oud then this is worth checking out as it actually does smell like real Oud oil which surprised me.

After experiencing (and loving) the rugged soaked Laotian barnyards of the likes of Zafar and Oud Luban, I didn’t think there could be a more challenging oud composition up Xerjoff’s gorgeously-blended, velvet sleeve. Then came Gao and its harsh plastic-y opening. The oud here is the mentholic kind that gets right up your sinuses. There is no barnyard aspect at all to this. A haze of saffron surrounds it. Soon a fruity sweetness begins to appear through the fog. As the strength of the oud mellows, Gao becomes much more wearable. Sure to be an affront to Western noses, the patient will be rewarded with something worthwhile, even if it’s just the knowledge that oud can appear in a hundred different shapes and shades.

I don't write many reviews and certainly not of fragrances I have only test sprayed once on tissue but this is for me easy to describe and drop a few lines on. This is nail varnish remover and I don't say that flippently I mean that exactly. The only difference between the two that I can detect is that the varnish remover is far cheaper. As I'm a bloke I have no need of either. Rest assured the sample will not be getting anywhere near close to my skin. By far the worst of not only the oud stars collection (smelt many of them but not all) but the worst Xerjoff period I suspect. I would also add that I have quite a few challenging and/or oudy frags in my collection so this is not a case of "beginners nose".

Dipping my toes into the oud world with this. I am a huge fan of Dignified and its big safron note and oud in the background so thought I would enjoy this as a kind of an inverse of that formula. I agree with others that this is a really dry almost bitter metallic shade of oud at least at first. The safron is also in that dry vein and not the big juicy variety like in Dignified. I think the cypus and juniper are bringing that bitterness. Performance is strong. For me this is a like minus. Pretty conservative for an oud which will appeal to many people. I will enjoy the rest of my decant but will continue the hunt for better oud options.

I think for it's price it smells a bit synthetic to put it nicely, has some plasticy, rubbery smell to it It really reminds me of a tobacco vapeliquid I smelled a few years ago and it also reminds me a bit of fishing bait aroma I smelled as a kid. However, among the smooth leathery ouds, this one I like to wear, but I don't think the full bottle worth the price they are asking for, but I keep buying some few milliliter samples time to time . For better things that it remind me of is white oud (perfumery material, got mine from hermitage oils )

Gao is the ultimate saffron bomb. I have never smelled anything quite so strong, let alone a fragrance so concentrated in this note. Nevertheless, it seems to blend with my skin extremely well, lasting for at least 12 hours or until my next shower--a feat no other fragrance has accomplished for me. On my skin, it is extremely potent and animalic, rich and resinous to the point of inducing a headache if I don more than one spray. Provided one does wear just one spray, it is a fragrance that suits the most elegant of occasions.

When sniffing "Gao" for the first time my initial reaction was a déja-vu : "Original Aoud" by Montale smells pretty much the same. It is a less medicinical and tobacco-infused oud. With lots of saffron :-) A slightly bitter juice and more on the masculine side but I dare wearing it as a female. * I am happy I got my hands on the discovery set which allowed me to have them all without spending too much and without having to worry about even more big bottles which I will never use up anyway.

Okay, so this opens with intense raw oud, most people won't like, but is good. Yes, it can be bad for some and great for others. So this is beautiful...however so is burberry the beat. After the oud open settles, 10mins, it turns into burberry the beat. Sorry folks, that's all I smell. Again, the beat is beautiful too for like 20$. Cue the guy in without a paddle yelling "how you like me now!"

Xerjoff? So far I've loved everything of theirs that's touched my nose. This one however another story.. to me it smells like Al-Rehab Sultan (bought for $5 at a middle eastern supermarket) with a hint of that stuff they spray on lawns when they put up those little signs not to walk on it (fertilizer?), smells totally synthetic and not good.

After the initial notes of rubber and petrol, which are super hard to get used to, you get a nice woody, spicy and prevalent smell. I don't get many compliments with this one, but many remarks if thats your thing. Its silliage is immense, and lasts damn near forever. It has a serious presence.