Symphonium

Entry number 4 in my Xerjoff journey; Symphonium. When I read the note breakdown I saw there were orange and chocolate notes, and I was instantly reminded of those chocolate orange candies you can sometimes find in the candy aisle at the drug store. I was pretty hyper-fixated on that to be honest, and probably should have paid more attention to the rest of the notes. Oh well, let's see how this goes; Scent: Opening is sweet, citrusy, and woody. The primary notes I get are chocolate, orange, oud, and cardamom. The strongest of the notes are the orange and chocolate. The chocolate and orange notes in this fragrance are both very realistic and meld together to perfectly mimic the smell of the aforementioned candy. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it will smell like high quality milk chocolate and juicy, rindy oranges to you. This is followed by the oud notes and cardamom. The Laotian and Thai oud mix to manifest as a woody note with the trademark funkiness that oud carries. However, be warned that this is not your typical designer oud. This is the first time I've experienced an oud note that made me understand what it means when someone describes oud as having a "barnyard" quality. It does carry a very distinct aroma underneath the woodiness that some might interpret in that manner; very animalic. Behind that in the background is the cardamom offering up it's usual spicy warmth. Dry down is sweet, woody, and warm. The primary notes I get are chocolate, vanilla, oud, and cardamom. The strongest of the notes are the chocolate and vanilla. The chocolate note still has that gourmand milk chocolate accord from the opening while the vanilla has risen to the top to provide a contrasting type of sweetness. The oud is still very woody and animalic; almost leathery in nature, but not quite as jarring as it was in the opening. The cardamom still lingers in the background for supplemental warmth and spice. I prefer the opening as it has that strong orange note that works well with the chocolate, but I enjoy the oud more in the dry down. Performance: Initial projection is strong at around 6 feet. Sillage matches that intensity with an easily noticeable scent trail. After a few hours the projection was still about 3 feet and the scent trail was still easily noticeable. A little over 8 hours later the projection was about arms length and the scent trail was still noticeable. When I checked again at the 10 hour mark the projection and scent trail were still performing the same. This fragrance lasted 12+ hours before it became a skin scent, making it certified eternal for me. When to wear: This is a fall/winter fragrance most suited for evening wear. This is definitely not a safe pick for the office or formal occasions, and I honestly wouldn't even recommend it for a date unless you want to be incredibly daring in your selection. With how challenging the oud can be I would consider it more of a casual wearing fragrance. A "wear it for yourself" sort of thing. Blind buy: I would not recommend blind buying this fragrance simply because of the oud note. The only exception would be if you're very familiar with animalic ouds and love that scent profile, in which case you'll enjoy this scent by extension. Final verdict: Exotic and powerful; this fragrance was a memorable experience. It was my first encounter with a truly animalic oud; and while it initially made me turn my nose up a bit, it settled down into a very unique note that I was able to enjoy. I can also confidently say this is the best chocolate gourmand fragrance I have come across thus far. I've tried my fair share of fragrances with chocolate notes, but this is the first one that reached out and grabbed me as something high-quality and edible. Combine that with powerhouse performance and you've got the first fragrance in my Xerjoff journey that I could see myself paying the premium for. When the budget permits, I will be picking up a bottle of this. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 Sillage: 9/10

This fragrance is simply breathtaking. I have tried out many Xerjoff fragrances but never liked them enough to purchase. These include Nio (too sharp) and Uden (which I hated because of the grapefruit and coffee combo), Naxos (which I don't like as much as Kilian Back to Black as far as honey and tobacco goes), and Italica (which is wonderful but I already have Black Phantom, which has a strong resemblance in the use of Almond and toffee/caramel - they even smell similar in an A and B on opposite wrists, but BP has added complexity due to the coffee and rum notes). I also have Kilian's Noir Aphrodisaque, which I love and has cocoa and orange notes, but is airy enough to use in the summer. So I was looking for something uplifting, gourmand, and very clean/luxurious, even soapy that I could use in the winter to get away from some of the more heavy masculine fragrances in my collection. When I sampled this I was totally blown away. It opens with a photorealistic orange juice vibe which gradually transitions to Indian cardamom (think Kilian Intoxicated) with an underside of Belgian chocolate that comes out from hiding as the scent develops. Eventually the orange fades but never vanishes and you start to detect very elegant clean musks and a mesmerising sweet clean oud. I think the oud here is used like it is in Fragrance du Bois Oud Orange Intense, something in the background to add depth and longevity rather than a dominant or even noticeable note. It then enters its final phase in which you feel like you have just bathed with the Angels. It is clean and elegant and soapy and very rich smelling like Fragrance du Bois Heritage, but in a way that is warm and comforting as much as it is sparkling and happy. Just wearing it makes me smile and makes the difference between feeling average and feeling on top of the world. It is never cloyingly sweet like Nishane Ani, perfectly unisex, lasts for 8-12 hours, and projects about a meter for about 5 hours before settling down to a scent aura of about 1/2 a meter for the rest. The presentation is wonderful with the white box and the stone in the bottle and the price is high, but I would easily put this in the top 10% of fragrances in my collection of 40 plus fragrances (90% niche) and it can even be used in the summer it is so elegant and airy without ever being too heavy, but deep enough to penetrate the coldest weather. So if you have the money worth a serious look. It is also very different from Noir Aphrodisiaque, which is more dark cocoa powder than Belgian chocolate and takes everything in a powdery iris direction rather than a musk and oud direction. It is also too transparent to use in the cold weather, so Symphonium gives me an a) fall winter orange/chocolate fragrance and b) something clean and musky and opulent in the way Fragrance du Bois Heritage is. So it hit two needs in my collection. Given it is cheaper than Heritage I think it is a bargain. A complete banger and makes up for my fairly ambivalent view of this brand up to now. Everything the Youtubers are saying in 2021 is true. It is that good.

Taking a somewhat spontaneous stop at the house of Xerjoff today I found myself revisiting Symphonium, a fragrance said to leave its mark with a distinctly gourmand allure. It is often described as a symphony of notes arranged to create something beautiful. This is not one of the bright fresh summery releases that have been getting a lot of hype recently. This one sits on the deeper richer end of the spectrum. In the opening I get orange and cardamom. It does not come across very fresh. Instead it feels warm slightly spicy and a little sweet with a dusty chocolate note already sitting in the background along with a small touch of oud. The first thing it reminded me of was an orange Tootsie Pop which is something I have seen others say as well. That comparison really does fit at the beginning. After about 30 to 45 minutes the orange starts to fade back a bit. The chocolate becomes more noticeable and the oud starts coming through. It smells slightly sweet and blends well with the remaining citrus and chocolate. At this point it feels more mature and less like the candy-like opening. It starts to come across more like what you would expect from a higher end niche fragrance. As it continues to settle over the next couple of hours it dries down into a smooth base of chocolate and vanilla sweetness with soft woods. The oud becomes more noticeable but on my skin it stays refined and never turns animalic or harsh. There is still a faint trace of that dusty orange in the background which keeps everything connected. Symphonium is a fragrance I really enjoy but I would still recommend sampling it first. It can vary quite a bit depending on skin chemistry. On some people the orange fades quickly or the gourmand aspect does not fully develop while on others the oud can come across more smoky. On my skin it performs very well and feels balanced throughout. For me this is a special fragrance. It is sweet and rich but does not just smell like a gourmand and the dry down comes across refined and more mature like a higher end take on that orange chocolate idea. If it works for you the way it does for me it is one of those scents that really sticks with you. I usually go for fresher scents and try to avoid anything that leans too sweet or feminine, but this does both and still ends up being one of my all-time favorites. That’s not something I say often.

SYMPHONIUM from Xerjoff is a fragrance that is sure to captivate the senses of chocolate lovers. This fragrance is a delightful symphony of pralines and chocolate notes, with just a hint of citrus to add a touch of freshness. For those who appreciate the indulgent aroma of chocolate in their fragrances, SYMPHONIUM is a masterpiece. The rich and decadent scent of pralines and chocolate is skillfully blended, creating a fragrance that is both comforting and luxurious. While I personally don't have a strong preference for chocolate notes in my fragrances, I can certainly understand the appeal. SYMPHONIUM is a scent that exudes warmth and sweetness, perfect for those who want to envelop themselves in a cloud of deliciousness. If you're someone who enjoys the comforting and mouthwatering scent of chocolate in your fragrances, SYMPHONIUM is a must-try. Its minimal citrusy undertones provide a refreshing balance to the overall composition, making it a versatile fragrance that can be enjoyed in any season. In my opinion SYMPHONIUM is a great fragrance for the right people - those who appreciate the allure of chocolate in their scents. Its pralines and chocolate notes create a delectable and inviting aroma, while the subtle citrus undertones add a touch of brightness. Give SYMPHONIUM a try if you're seeking a fragrance that will satisfy your chocolate cravings in the most elegant and sophisticated way possible.

This one is one of a kind! Delicious and unique smelling orange and chocolate so perfectly mixed together. Gourmand perfection. Honestly if someone told me that I'll go nuts over these notes i wouldn't believe him. To me it's linear and doesn't change a lot even after a few hours. I can pick up tiny a little bit of cardamom, but nothing else from the list of the notes, which is not bad cause it's still beautiful. To me it doesn't smell animalic at all, actually nothing repelling or strange at any moment of it's development. However, it's not a safe blind buy especially because of its price (even if it's beautiful scent, i find it over over overpriced). It could easily become my signature scent if the price was more reasonable. Very good thing is that longevity and projection are enormous. This one is definitely not for someone young even if chocolate might make you think so. I see an elegant, mature, well dressed person (man or woman), with very kind but confident and assertive personality, wearing it. This person has something special that makes you want to hang around them, and this perfume just adds its magic to it all.