Tony Iommi Monkey Special

Man oh man. As a guitar player for 20 years, a big Sabbath fan, like another review below me, this along with Back to the Beginning having just happened, this purchase just felt right. Ordered this as a total blind buy, I saw the "smells like" had A*Man and I dig that one a lot in the cooler months. I also noticed that there are a LOT of frags out there with celebrity names on them, be it the brand or the frag itself, but this for me was the first niche offering that I'd ever seen attached to someone. This absolutely blows away ANY other frag that I've ever seen in that "celebrity" category. Its just on another level. It opens really abrupt and fierce, boatloads of rum, passionfruit, leather, rose, and a metric SHIT TON of patchouli, the longer it sits, I get caramel and cinnamon dancing around too. It has a very luxurious chocolatey coffee thing. Like if you gave A*Man a HUGE Luxurious makeover. There is a beautiful touch of freshness here as well that doesn't seem to be in the accords or notes here but there is a touch of something, maybe that passion fruit? That with the patchouli, almost makes this a weird kind of fresh gourmand. The patchouli itself with the leather, seems to provide a smoky kind of thing to it too. REALLY well done, like they put a lot of thought into making this something special, and this isn't missed here. I could imagine Tony Iommi and other bigger rock guys smelling like this, 100%, especially over the years meeting some guys like that at my job, I've smelled stuff very much like this sometimes. It actually deeply reminded me of what Ace Frehley and his manager smelled like when they came into where I work. Hard to say if this is the fragrance, but it seems to check the boxes. This truly does smell like someone that has influence, someone that wants it to be known that THEY are in charge, THEY are the center of the attention. The performance is immaculate, for the price of almost 300, its exactly what I'd expect, huge sillage, longevity that I can tell even after I take a shower and apply fragrance today, my sample spray of this will still be there. THIS is how all high priced fragrance should be, sure maybe take the sillage down a bit on warm weather frags, but I want shit that for 300 bucks doesn't need reapplying after a few hours. And while the price is high for this, this is one like Sauvage Elixir and a few others I own, where it feels worth it every bit. I do not recommend this stuff for the hotter weather. Not at all. Lol. I'd say any temp under 50 or so would do this stuff a lot more justice... It's hard testing it out for the first time on a hot day because all I keep thinking even sitting in my AC at home, is that DAMN this is like a goth Christmas in a bottle. Lol. The one thing I will say, and this is not a negative as I'll be 32 this year, and the reviewer under me would appear to be able to attest to this, but most younger noses will smell this and immediately think its mature and for old guys, I disagree, but I can see why you say it. I think more its the patchouli, its a very dominant patchouli note they've used here, earthy and gritty, and its definitely something that is gunna be either you love it, or hate it. I personally think its the best patchouli I've encountered so far. I'd say any age can wear this, but its all in your confidence to pull it off, but also, its not the kind of stuff a pop star would wear, or I can't see a preppy high school kid wearing it either... I could, however, see a 20 year old in a metal band wearing this all the same. It has that darkness to it that requires a certain wearer in my eyes. If you enjoy stuff like Black Orchid or Encre Noir, this sort of thing is a good choice for you. It's not similar to those, but it sits in a very dark wheelhouse. In this case, a very dark, but exotic, and luxurious wheelhouse. Lol. One thing I like with fragrance, is choosing a good one to wear when a band I'm in is playing a show, and this for me, along with a couple others in my collection, are absolutely reserved for this purpose, with this now being the number one choice for me. All in all this is one of the greatest fragrances I've ever had the privilege to smell, let alone own a full bottle of. It's like a mix of A*Man and the smell of the store Hot Topic, but the way it smelled in the 90s and early 2000s. That kind of incense patchouli smell. It's literally fucking AMAZING. This is also my first Xerjoff, and I think now that I have one, I may end up atleast grabbing Naxos at some point and maybe another one, just not certain of which yet. This is one of those that keeps you pulling your arm up to your face like a fool because you just keep wanting more of it. Lol. A new fall and winter favorite. I just need it to be fall and winter. 😂

WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY SMELLS Black Sabbath are credited with the creation of heavy metal. The success of their first two albums - Black Sabbath and Paranoid - marked a paradigm shift in the world of rock. It was then that the term "heavy metal" entered the popular vocabulary to describe the denser and thunderous form of rock. In my memory, two members of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi, were the masters of such a creation. Osbourne, with his devilish lyrics, but also with his melodic voice, made the heavy sounds still be understood as music. Iommi was the guitar man who turned every note into a pound of lead. Tony Iommi once said in an interview, "The name (Black Sabbath) sounded mysterious, it gave people something to think about and it gave us a direction to follow". Black Sabbath were the polar opposite of the Beatles (although they all liked the Beatles). Whereas the Fab Four sang "yeah, yeah, yeah", Osbourne pleaded "no, no, please, no" in Black Sabbath. Tony Iommi combines his monolithic riffs with Xerjoff's esteemed expertise to create the first multi-sensory interaction between music and perfume in an unexpected and unique olfactory venture. The Tony Iommi Monkey Special by Xerjoff is what rock 'n' roll was to Iommi in the late 60s. Tony Iommi Monkey Special is the epitome of a niche fragrance. What do you picture when you think of a heavy metal rock star? Probably a leather jacket, a Gibson lead guitar and the inevitable "sex & drugs & rock 'n' roll". This fragrance is all of that and more, and is a work of art. It opens with a strong rum note paired with sweet and tart passion fruit. This blend reminds me of the smell of a strong cherry liqueur called "ginginha" in Portugal. Defined as such, it's overly attractive, but definitely not an overly alcoholic accord. There is also a dry, leathery note, which is perfectly in keeping with the olfactory image of a rock star. A typical Xerjoff rose emerges in the background, with warm spices, cinnamon, caramel and tonka providing the necessary sweetness, but also depth and sophistication. All in all, a very special and unique perfume. I combines the arts of pleasure, seduction and passion. That's what heavy metal is all about, at least for those who love the genre. All in all, this is a very special and unique perfume. I combines the arts of pleasure, seduction and passion. That's what heavy metal is all about, at least for those who love the genre. Xerjoff has created many fragrances that could be considered masterpieces. However, it's no exaggeration to say that Tony Iommi Monkey Special is different and... special! For me, it is one of Xerjoff's best fragrances. It suits my needs perfectly for autumn, winter and cold spring days. As well as being unique, it is a little strange because I cannot define it. Yes, it is a sophisticated and wonderfully beautiful fragrance that touches the boundaries of a boozy and gourmand scent without ever being exactly that. It's like an old Black Sabath concert... very difficult to describe, but defiantly enchanting and wonderful. MY OPINION: His perfume is extremely popular with everyone who smells it: Men, women, dogs, cats... you name it! Be careful with the dosage, the scent is a beast! The low to normal dose of three sprays can be enough to fill a room. If you use it in a club, you will be sharing ownership of the scent with a dozen more people 🙂 . It's also very expensive. My 50ml bottle cost me €170 with shipping. For this reason alone, I would advise you to try it before making a purchase decision. Otherwise, this fragrance would seem to justify a blind purchase. MUSIC: "Changes" by Black Sabath (published in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/733041855168347)

Did you know that this fragrance has its own soundtrack? Tony Iommi himself actually recorded a track together with the Xerjoff founder (who is also a guitarist). Look it up on YouTube: "Tony Iommi & Xerjoff - Scent of Dark". Now, which other fragrance can say this? Kinda cool. People weren't joking when they said this is strong. This shit isn't even nuclear, this is neutron star supernova galactic threat explosion level. When I bought it, I sprayed it once on my leather jacket. Four weeks later, I went for vacation to Santorini. Took Naxos as my daily fragrance, but I brought the same leather jacket with me and I put it in the hotel room wardrobe, then I closed it. It was warm so I didn't need the jacket. When I opened the wardrobe 5 days later to pack for my flight I got hit by a flashbang of Monkey Special, still from the leather jacket. You can probably smell it inside to this day. As for the scent, in the same hotel, by coincidence a pool bartender brought me his signature cocktail for free, he told me some of the ingredients are secret, but he can tell me it has vanilla, passion fruit and rum. When I took a sip I immediately remembered my leather jacket in the wardrobe. It does also have a tiny bit of that old lady "rose scented hand cream" quality to it, which luckily isn't too strong, but it might be an issue for some. I like rose so I'm okay with it. If you too like Chanel Egoiste you'll be right at home. Being a metalhead myself, I don't really see the "heavy metal" in this fragrance, it doesn't have the same dark, brooding quality as the music, I think it's more cheerful due to the passion fruit, although it certainly has a heavy presence. People will definitely smell you inside a concert venue. And probably those walking outside in front of it as well. It's not something you wear daily. Very easy to get tired of. Just like listening to metal for 24 hours a day, including sleep. But it is addicting in a way. You will find yourself reaching for the bottle and smelling it over and over if you're in the right mood. Which for me is maybe a few days in a month, not more. But then I'm glad it's sitting on my shelf and it will be there for a while, probably. Also: the bottle design is the bomb. And it comes in a leather packaging. AND you get a guitar pick (a shitty one, but a guitar pick nonetheless). Pretty cool to have in your collection as a guitarist. 10/10 presentation.

First and foremost, Monkey Special is a standout fragrance in my collection and easily one of my overall top 10 favorites, especially for the cold weather. It ranks high here on Parfumo on the unisex list, but in my personal opinion it leans masculine. Monkey Special is a complex blend created by Chris Maurice, the same guy who created Alexandria II. It opens with a sweet (note, it is sweet indeed...) and exotic mix of passion fruit, rum, and Calabrian bergamot, creating an exotic compound - although I mentioned "rum", this won't make you stink of booze... it is a warm scent that reminds you of "rum". As it develops, it reveals deeper spicy tones from leather, patchouli, and cinnamon. The rose is there, you can smell it... but it is absolutely not dominant. It helps reinforcing the fragrance's substance, and it makes it smell opulent. The final phase sets into a comforting woody and creamy base of sandalwood, caramel, tonka bean, ambergris, and musk. Now, moving on to my personal experience with it. One of the most remarkable aspects of Monkey Special, which I found being quite rare in non-clone fragrances is the "Miracle of Maceration." Initially, when I first sprayed it, the scent lasted around 6 hours. However, after about 6 months, the performance dramatically improved. Now, it easily reaches 12+ hours of longevity with good projection for the first 4 hours, leaving a perceptible scent bubble for around 8 hours. On clothes, it will last for a couple of days at least. I would say that Monkey Special is a great option for nights out or evening occasions, thanks to its sweet, and spicy mix of accords layered with leathery, fruity, and woody notes. In my opinion, it is more suitable for a mature audience (30+). I must also say that I don't exactly perceive the "rock star vibe", but it is definitely a fragrance that does not smell cheap. In fact, Monkey Special is one of the few fragrances that in my case has consistently received comments on it "smelling expensive". Yes, factually it is expensive, but the unique composition and high staying power make it worth the £££ - just wait for a good offer or a partial bottle. Additionally, if you care about bottles and presentation overall this one is top-notch.

Felt like coming in and giving this a slight re-review as I have now had a day to actually wear this instead of sampling it here and there.... What to even say? Where to even start? Hands down, this is without any question at all, tied for the absolute BEST fragrance I have EVER smelled, let alone owned a full bottle of... It sits in a 3 way tie with any concentration of Sauvage, and Apex by Roja. Breaking the notes down, to put it simply, this stuff is a slightly boozy, leathery, patchouli in spades, caramel BOMB. Nothing more to say on the notes. This essentially to me, smells like someone who commands attention, someone that is announcing they have arrived, it exudes power, sophistication and dare I say, wealth almost. Lmfao. Longevity is really nice, you truly get your money's worth out of this one. I applied this today at 3pm, it is now midnight 9 hours later, and this is performing still, VERY much so still performing. The sillage is pretty epic all in all, it almost doesn't really tame much like a lot of other frags do, I'd say 9 hours in, the sillage is somewhere between strong still, and more moderate, but is definitely on the strong to enormous side all in all. Comparing this to other fragrances and smells; i mentioned in my previous review of this, that it has a definite similarity to A*Man, but it's like if they made A*Man as an extreme niche offering, all in all it doesn't really get that close, the patchouli will try and fool you, but this is genuinely different overall. To me, this deeply reminds me of if you sprayed A*Man in the early 2000's version of the store "Hot Topic". A very incense like touch mixing with a very gourmand caramel and LOADS of patchouli. Definitely smells like a rockstar. Lol. But not the way you'd likely imagine it. Really glad to be able to come and give this a final review now that I've gotten to wear it. It really is some level of masterpiece. Quality is not missed here at all.