Irisss

[1150] Irisss is my first Xerjoff scent, a sample of which I bought as it has often been recommended as one of the best iris scents. Iris is my favourite note of all, and I am on a quest to smell as many iris-dominant scents as I can. Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist is the gold standard as far as I'm concerned - a top-notch multifaceted iris - steely, rooty, powdery and shimmering. I've since tried a few other irises, mostly pretty decent, but Irisss is easily the best I've smelled since ISM. Irisss is also a cold, vegetal iris, but is more floral than ISM. However, it is very expensive. Apparently, Irisss is made with natural ingredients only, which explains the price. Orris is one of the most expensive materials in perfumery, and sadly, it means that there is no affordable iris anywhere near this quality (or that of ISM) that I can spray with abandon. However, given just how good this is, I'm tempted to buy a bottle. Irisss is iris-dominant from initial spray, earthy and rooty from the get-go. There is a good bit of orris root in here, and the carrot seeds enhance the rootiness to perfection. I get tart bergamot up top, adding some freshness to the grey powder. Clove-like carnation follows, adding its unmistakable sweet spice. Carnation marries beautifully with iris and violet, and its inclusion here is perfect. It doesn't overpower the iris; instead it plays second fiddle, complementing it to perfection. As it develops, violet emerges, a common bedfellow of iris, adding a more floral nuance to the cold, earthy iris note. It becomes somewhat candied, akin to Parma violets as it progresses. The soft spices linger. The musky base begins to develop early on. The other floral notes are subtle, relegated to the background, but they come to the fore as this scent develops. Clean jasmine adds body, but rose is most evident, powdery and sweet, giving a lipstick-y nuance to this scent, together with the iris. It becomes increasingly powdery here. Some soft woody notes creep in as it dries down, and the clean musk becomes more prominent as it fades. There is a balsamic nuance to the base, perhaps thanks to the incense. The powdery florals remain until final fade, with the iris remaining dominant throughout. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. It is feminine-leaning in my opinion, but can easily be worn by all iris lovers. Iris to me is evocative of late winter giving way to early spring, which is the optimum time (in my opinion!) to wear iris scents. A deeply satisfying, high-quality iris scent, Irisss lives up to my high expectations. The price tag makes me hesitate, but I would love a full bottle. 4.5/5.

Sergio Momo of Xerjoff told me in person at a recent fragrance launching event in Hong Kong that the formulas for the Attars of the XJ17/17 line did not contain any kind of media (alcohol/Jojoba oil/base oil) to dilute the fragrance compound and the fragrances were 100% pure. I recalled he mentioned that Irisss Attar was made with mostly pure Iris butter with only very little of other ingredients. This is a review based on my full wear of the Attar version of Irisss yesterday. I applied three drops of the Attar on my wrist at around 5pm yesterday and I could still smell the soft musky balsamic deep dry down of the fragrance when I got up at 7am this morning. The fragrance opened with prominent scent of the powdery carrot seeds mixed with rich buttery earthy note of the Iris roots. The scent was quite heavy but not over bearing to my nose. It was actually very comforting and I could not keep my wrist off of my nose for the entire time. After about 45 minutes of initial application, faint floral notes started to emerge but the buttery warm Iris note remained the most prominent. Although the scent remained basically the same for another four hours, the floral and buttery earthy Iris notes just kept on rotating back and forth making the scent very complex and fascinating. I could not detect any of the warm Bergamot note until after the Iris note finally began to soften in the fifth hour. After another couple hours, the fragrance became slightly balsamic and musky and lingered on my skin until the next morning. I am not sure whether the Attar is made to smell the same as the EDP as I really could not detect any incense, Jasmine, Rose or Cedar notes as indicated in the notes description here in Fragrantica. IMHO, Irisss Attar is absolutely gorgeous and although it might be leaning a bit towards the feminine side, it is still very wearable for men who look for true elegant and luxurious scents.

To Allan R, the reviewer below me, I salute your dedication. I have to concur with many other reviewers - to me, the resemblance between Irisss and Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens is undeniable, with what I would call a 90% similarity. However, the lingering 10% difference is both clearly detectable to my nose and, I believe, quite significant - I don't think I would confuse the two if given two blind blotters. Iris Silver Mist uses every material within a certain scent database tagged with "Iris", which includes both natural extracts and various irone-based synthetics, including the carrot-like, metallic clanging Irival base. ISM is an expensive scent to make, and I've read that Lutens don't make much profit from the bell jars containing it. Irisss, as I understand, focuses more on using natural extract only, which is what takes it from expensive to ultra-expensive, at over half a grand. So, is Irisss worth it? Yes and no. I must take my hat off to Xerjoff and admit that Irisss is actually very slightly more enjoyable to me than Iris Silver Mist, though I dearly love both. However, it's not the natural iris that gives Irisss the edge to me, but rather the inclusion of other florals, soft musks and soaps which makes Irisss less cold, more approachable, and more crowd-pleasing. One has to learn to love ISM, while Irisss is cuddly from the start. The grand irony, of course, is that it's probably not the exclusive use of natural iris that makes Irisss so kind-tempered, and dumping a load of synthetic irones in it would probably have made it far cheaper without compromising it at all. In that respect, I'd have to say Irisss won't be worth >£600 to me, but I will whisper sweet nothings to my 2ml sample vial.

Irisss Xerjoff (Tester Box, 100ml., USD260) Irisss is an Iris fragrance in Floral-Woody-Musk Stucture form Jacques Flori, a great perfumer who create many good scents. I personally like his work. Irisss, to me.. as name suggest, use all element possible to hyper-accentuate The nature of Orris Butter, the source of this main fragrance. Orris Butter, smell like butter without laconic tone. And its naturally green. the hybrid substance in its own genre. Partially Woody / Partially Floral (Violet) / Partially Earthy. With a whip of Creamy/Powdery. I know when you read until this point. You probably venture Iris for a big while already and you could somewhat relate. Due to faces of Orris, Orris seems to have many direction. And it various from one to others, Interpretation of Iris. Orris is form-shifter, and highlighting Iris natural behavior is not easy. The point is, if you true to life Iris lover. Irisss might be a great place to actually intrigue the nature of Iris. I believe, in the mass niche market. They is no other brand that put as much as orris as this. Irisss, is not designed to be pleasant by others. Instead, accentuate the nature of Orris as much as possible. Competence and Precision. Irisss could be a great teacher for Iris fragrance. Allow me to suggest, Iris -by Santa Maria Novella. Another great iris, without any over-accentuate (not to be confuse with L’iris - the newer work, I love Irisss, for being just that.

As much as I've tried to resist, Irisss is my Holy Grail iris scent. I didn't even want to smell this because of the price tag, since looking at the notes gave me a premonition that this would likely be love for me. Simply put this is the nicest, smoothest, most beautiful iris/orris I have ever smelled. Yes its floral, but its so much more: creamy-waxy like lipstick, papery and a bit bready, dry smelling and a bit earthy with a soft muskiness. From the sillage I keep getting tiny wafts of something a bit sweet and just a touch animalic and warm--perhaps a soft impression of ylang ylang or maybe orange blossom mixed with iris. Why is this better than Serge Luten's Iris Silver Mist? For me, ISM beautiful but it is soooo cold and I get a bit too much carnation and vetiver for me to fall head over heals. Irisss is all about the iris, nothing ever overwhelms its staring ingredient. For those of you have ever wondered why the name is spelled the way it is, its because it's pronounced like Golum from Lord of the Rings would say it: preciousss = Irisss. ETA: after literally years of living off of decants I finally gave in and bought a full bottle and am so glad I did. Honestly now that I have it, it feels silly to have waited so long.

You can barely catch a glimpse of her through the imposing cedar trees that cast long shadows over the forest. If you look closely, you'll see her silver hair, like smoke undulating in the breeze, then her thin silhouette, like witch of the forest. She is on her kneels, picking iris flower. She keeps the bouquet in her arms, and her movements became frantic as the bouquet is taking shape. Among clods of soil, there can be seen the roots of the iris flowers, but just for a second, than she buries them quickly with her small hands, as she looks back over her shoulder looking worried. The movement makes her hair flow like a river over the petals. I look at her. She is unbelievably beautiful and she impregnates even the air around with her tenderness. She rose up. The bouquet's weight draws ghostly shapes on her dress. She starts to run but suddently she looked back and I saw her lips move rhythmically. Irisss, Irisss ... she whispers and loses her trace in the majestic forest.

I've grown irises for decades, several different kinds, and every rhizome I've rubbed through my fingers, every blossom into which I've shoved my nose has a distinctive smell, but that smell transferred—or translated—into perfumery always seems to me to be some kind of super amplified version of iris—technicolor, otherworldly, a dream of iris, ranging from earthy and floral to carroty and cold creamy. But I don't remember one this opulent and oriental. It's for sure heavy on iris, but also on funereal amounts of carnation and rose, with additional notes of incense and waxed wood floors, reminding me in some ways of Bond No. 9's Chinatown. Ultimately, this is an iris that arches its eyebrows and plants its flag firmly on the hill of not just lush but lux. As for the price, I'm reminded of my mother's warning: buy expensive, you'll only cry once.

Opens up with a hint of carrot seeds, then it starts to get powdery. It reminded me of Prada Infusion d'Iris(original version), but smoother and less cedar. It warms up later and is sweeter with the vanilla-benzoin notes. The violet-iris notes are powdery, only a hint of lipstick, like Odin New York 04 Petrana. Mainly how Petrana would smell, if Petrana's start wasn't harsh and sharp. I did smell a little of Annick Goutal Heure Exquise in this, but not so much. The drydown is so BEAUTIFUL. I was worried it would get into Hermessence Iris Ukiyoe territory because it smells like a watery Cashmere Bouquet(the soap) to me. The floral notes in IRISSS were actually quiet, which I didn't mind. The lasting power with this is excellent and I tried the EdP version. Truly a fragrance for iris lovers.

Oh man this is nice. I get a lot of carroty iris. I do think its a little too nice for me. Like this is for a classy lady. She is super classy in really nice jeans, silk blouse, pumps, and a Hermes handbag. For me I get a lot of carnation in the opening but that disappears. Then its carroty iris with that vetiver and benzoin and musk. I think the incense helps the carrot like sometimes its carroty but others its more incensey benzoin. I would say 30+ and perfect for anytime. More of a spring/fall scent and Ibitira more of a summer iris. I personally like this over Ibitira because of the carrot, but I think if you arent into that carroty vibe then try Ibitiria.

It is a lovely long lasting unisex iris scent. To say expensive is an understatement! The orris butter, violet are very much to the fore. They ease a little and then you can make out the touch of vetiver and incense. Nothing feminine and fancy. A bit of warmth from the benzoin. The floral notes are way back. You can tell quality materials have been used. It has that depth that you expect with the best fragrances. I get moderate longevity and sillage. I will treasure my decant but when it's gone it's gone.

Love it, although would not wear it because it is strongly individualistic. Not making any compromises, not telling big stories, not particularly complex but bold and loud. And heavy. Alas, I wear perfumes amidst relatively simple folk not particularly interested in decoding smells that are dancing on the edge. I don't imply there is anything provocative (in the smell domaine) about this perfume, only want to say that its boldness could meet uncomprehension.

Modern Lovely opening of buttery orris and a little spicy carnation. A tad carroty citric keeps it from becoming overly oily. Beautiful heart of low sweet iris, dainty violets, a touch of roses/jasmine make for a wondeful feminine core. Cedar is what frames this cleanly. Restrained Vetiver/Musk add a little plushy depth without dirtiness. Benzoin adds to the complex softening of the base along with a wisp of smoky incense. Very beautiful.

just got sample and can not stop smelling it... so this is the scent of rare iris butter on vetiver and cedar refreshed by bergamot and enriched by violet and carrot seeds? well, it is amazing, rich, overwhelming, profound and after all somehow so familiar but not from perfume world. scent so ancient, calming, dare to say spiritual even. my soul reacted stronger than my body to it... absolutely adore it.

I’ve got a bottle if anyone is interested in sampling. Message me. I’ve got many other Xerjoff as well.

I decided to write a review here of this effortlessly stunning perfume for those of you who may be interested in buying this but are on the fence about it like I was. First off, I really enjoy iris-based fragrances. I’m an iris/orris butter lover. That being said, I just can’t pull this one off. It’s just too feminine and I’m glad that I sampled it first. Xerjoff had a promotion a few years ago for International Women’s Day and this was included in a bonus sample pack of perfumes that Xerjoff deemed as more for their female clientele. I purchased a bottle of Naxos, if you’re curious, and it was worth every cent! Anyway, although it’s called “Irisss” the real star of the show here is the beautiful violet note. I’d compare it to the violet note in Guerlain’s Insolence, just not nearly as sweet and loud. This perfume is cold to me—if that makes any sense—but it’s floral and not metallic, like Creed’s Silver Mountain Water is. Looking at the base notes listed above, I believe they’re incorrect. I didn’t get any benzoin from my experiences with it and Xerjoff doesn’t list it in the notes on their website. I believe this is a parfum concentration and performance is exactly as you would hope for and then some. I easily got 12+ hours of longevity from only a couple of sprays from my sample vial. It also had tremendous throw; it’s a very dense scent bubble around you that lingers, but I wouldn’t say that it filled a room. There’s really no need to spray this on your clothes unless you love it and want it to be your scent of the week. Obviously, it’s very pricey, but you’re getting top quality ingredients and a very high percentage of oils. Iris ain’t cheap, either! Xerjoff presentation is also top notch and second to none, except for maybe Kilian, but they charge you an insane amount for the coffret, so I’m giving the edge to Xerjoff. I believe anyone can wear whatever they want to, no matter what it is and whoever it’s marketed towards. I just think that this would wear more beautifully on a woman. The moral of the story here is to sample, sample, sample. And when you’re done sampling, sample some more! Xerjoff samples are expensive and difficult to obtain, however, it’s well worth the investment.

Irisss has been a lesson to me in how drastically your perspective on a perfume can change over time. I have purchased 5 ml decants of this outrageously priced perfume twice. I am not a rich man but my love for iris perfume had me completely open-minded about spending 600 euros on 100 ml of this if it turned out to be "the one". At first I was head over heels in love. The claim that Xerjoff used the finest quality ingredients and spared no expense dumping loads of orris butter into this seems true enough. There are no sloppy transitions revealing “chemical” smells but also no natural oil murkiness or fleetingness. And then there is the epic display of orris-centric beauty placed squarely in the heart, given such concentration that you sense iris in the top notes and early drydown as well. Initially, I was blinded by iris. I kept my decants aside for special occasions and didn't want to see it dwindle before saving up for a full bottle. Thankfully I got distracted by frankincense for awhile and never went through with the big purchase. Because upon revisiting Irisss, I came to realize I completely hate the late phases of this perfume when the rose develops and melds with the iris. It suddenly became old-fashioned, femme and gaudy on my skin and each time I wore it I was running to scrub off by the end of the first hour. So strange that it took so long to really notice the transformation but an interesting point to keep in mind when falling head over heels in love with a new perfume.

Irisss is an Alice-in-Wonderland kind of perfume; a carrot-scented, almost lactonic-feeling composition built mainly around iris butter. I can also pick up vetiver and frankincense, though they’re not dominant; they add a subtle smokiness and herbal tone. To me, carrot is the iris’s main companion here, lending a savory, earthy, spicy dimension. It has both a baby-like subtle sweetness and a boudoir-style powderiness. Although ambrette isn’t listed, there’s a note here that plays a similar role; ambery-musky-earthy; I just can’t quite figure out what it is yet. Violet isn’t listed among the notes officially, yet I can detect it. Overall, it’s soft and comforting. While I tend to prefer this kind of feel in winter, this fragrance could work beautifully year-round. Performance is excellent. I’ll be writing an in-depth review of SL’s Iris Silver Mist, and I’ll add my thoughts on similarities between the two afterward. Edit: They feel pretty different to me; ISM is way greener, Irisss gives off more of a makeup vibe and is on the sweeter side. Tag(s): makeup, boudoir, carrot, alice

I love an iris fragrance. Xerjoff’s Irisss is a definitive iris scent, and it’s perfectly lovely and expertly crafted. But it’s also reminiscent of other (perhaps superior) iris fragrances. Most notably, Irisss is reminiscent of my beloved Iris 39, by Le Labo. Except Irisss is far more powdery and feminine, whereas Iris 39 is a bit more complex with a tinge of “wetness” that gives it an almost aquatic feel. Iris 39 is strolling through a drenched and moody English garden with threatening, overcast skies overhead. Meanwhile, Irisss is the lady who’s busy lunching and downing martinis on NYC’s 5th Avenue during a sunny day. Irisss is more mature, more matronly and ultimately more dowdy, while Iris 39 is its younger, cooler, hipper and edgier son. I like Irisss, but I’m throwing the bouquet to Iris 39. In five words or less: Irisss needs more hisss.

I've always been looking for a perfume that can be a benchmark for iris scents. This time I got a sample order of XJ's IRISss and tried it on my arm. I'm also using MM's L'attesa, and irisss has a very similar, hazy, dusty top note but, l'attesa has a more refreshing and tangy taste. While L'attesa was a suede-like, dense, bittersweet iris, Irisss transforms into a waxy sweetness, much like an old-fashioned lipstick. And I also have SMN's iris edc. It has a moist earthy scent and is very fresh, I think it's a good benchmark for fresh iris. I pretty much agree with TanaC's comments about the XJ IRISss and SMN Iris(edc). If I'm lucky, I'd really like to experience Serge Lutens' ISM.

Interesting to see people equally upvoting and downvoting the comparison to Iris Silver Mist! This feels like someone took ISM and wanted to make a more "approachable" perfume out of it. There's a sweet, greenish floralcy up top and a powdery, sweet, almost fruitiness (??maybe??) that brings to mind The Different Company's Bois d'Iris. I think the carrot seed is responsible for the greenish spicy facet. When it dries down, it most resembles the cedar-orris root-spice portion of Iris Silver Mist. This scent is a beautiful balance of offbeat, woody, soapy, and floral notes, which is kind of reflective of the complexity of orris root as a material itself.