XJ 1861 Renaissance

Just when I thought I had the brand all figured out—overdressed show ponies in gilded bottles—this one shows up and flips the table like it’s had enough of the usual amber-laced drama. Let me just say this: easily my favorite fragrance I’ve tried from them, and that’s coming from someone who’s sampled their lineup with a healthy mix of curiosity and skepticism. From the first spray, this thing is like cracking open the gates of a sun-drenched Italian orchard at 9 AM. You’re hit with this sparkling citrus medley—bergamot, lemon, orange, a whisper of petitgrain—that’s juicy without being sticky, bright without being screechy. But the real star of the show, and I mean the one that keeps me coming back like a borderline addict, is that mint. My god. It’s not toothpastey, not menthol bomb, not “I just chewed five sticks of spearmint gum.” No. This is fresh garden mint—crushed under the heel kind of mint—blended so seamlessly with the citruses that it doesn’t pop in and out like a gimmick; it lingers, like a breeze through a Roman villa. I keep smelling my shirt hours later just to catch it again. As it dries down, you start to get the cleaner, slightly floral-herbal heart—rosemary and rose—though don’t worry, it doesn’t go soapy or old-school barbershop. There's a kind of leafy freshness to it, grounded with soft woods and a smidge of amber and musk in the base, but the whole composition stays light, crisp, and elegant all the way through. This isn’t a scent that tries to seduce you with base-heavy theatrics—it charms you from the top and never lets go. Performance? Way better than I expected for something this bright. I get a solid 7-8 hours on skin, longer on fabric, with a breezy, noticeable sillage that’s never cloying. It's the kind of fragrance that makes people lean in rather than back up. Super versatile too—spring/summer must-have, but honestly, it’s so smooth and put-together that I could see it working year-round as a signature. If the rest of the brand’s lineup is luxury in velvet loafers, this one is linen shirts, tanned skin, and a Vespa ride along the Amalfi Coast. Effortless, magnetic, and somehow refined without ever trying too hard. And yeah—that mint. Can we talk about how rare it is to find a mint note that doesn’t hijack the composition or vanish in ten minutes? This one stays with you, rides the entire journey, and gives the whole scent its magic. Chef’s kiss. If you’ve tried this one, you already know. If you haven’t—you’re missing out on one of the freshest, classiest things the brand has ever done.

The pros: -It's got an insanely realistic tart mandarin opening, nothing fake/synthetic/candied about it. It's also rindy but not TDH/Perseus rindy. -The clever use of mint makes it feel very cool and refreshing even in the hottest summer days, without actually projecting something minty. The blend becomes slightly green as it dries, but it's mostly just cool and citrusy. -The base is light, it just becomes more discreet and musky as time goes by, no dark woods or heavy stuff to change its character when it becomes a skin scent. Still fresh. -Can be oversprayed, it might be a bit much but it will not offend or smell weird. -Lasts a long time for something so light and "clean" *coughs in Afternoon Swim* The cons: -The mandarin is so safe and front stage, it could become boring. -If you're not familiar with that very specific Mediterranean mandarin smell, you could smell it as "weird synthetic lemon" -Better appreciated if you haven't smelled it for some time, loses its appeal from overexposure. -Doesn't have a 30l/50ml size so you cannot get a small bottle for less money and use it sparsely as a Summer treat. -Even though it lasts, it stops projecting quite soon, you wear this mostly for confidence and personal enjoyment. I love this and consider it a top5 Xerjoff creation. An overdose version or anniversary edition would be awesome, but they will probably add something that ruins its wonderful simplicity.

When it comes to Bergamot, hardly there are any Houses which can beat Xerjoff. This one is abstract perfumery at its best. Like an Impressionist Painting, it creates the overall image of a Lemon Tree at its full Bloom. It starts with Zesty, sweet, juicy and green, but never earthy citruses, like smelling lemon leaves and lemons together, in a super clean white surrounding. The tartness never over exposes itself, but remains very creamy. The mint develops after 15 minutes, giving the structure a freeziness. The tartness and sweetness turns into bitter citrus, but still is very fresh. The mint overtakes the citruses. The mint is not like mouth freshener but is very natural smelling. At Dry Down the amber kicks itself in, giving an ambery sweetness. The citruses return very dry, almost powdery here. It ends keeping a lingering musk behind. I find this perfume very difficult to describe. It doesnot reminds me of anything, which really co exists in Mother Nature, but it is like the best ingredients of Mother Nature creating a totally beautiful abstract form. The only thing I can describe about it, is, it’s “NATURALLY GORGEOUS”. Sillage: Moderate Longevity on My Skin: Approx 12 Hours Longevity on Fabric: Almost 1 Day Occasion: Very Versatile, Wear it anywhere. It is sure to comfort your mind. Personally I find it Immensely Romantic, almost like a bold (masculine?) Poetry. Rating: 9.5/10

A beautiful scent, has an intense citrus opening that just smells delicious and amazing, reminiscent of limoncello. The dry down is beautiful as well, smells like woods and light florals, but not feminine leaning. The dry down smells like an expensive hotel lobby, the rose is really beautifully well done in this fragrance, the orange stays around slightly and keeps this fragrance’s citrus character. The best description is that this smells like you are carrying a basket of lemons and some oranges in a forest. This scent is very unique, separates itself from designers and even niche scents. This fragrance is made for hot weather, it could perform in spring but the citrus likely wouldn’t survive long in colder months. What’s disappointing about this fragrance is the silage isn’t really great, I love it so much I want it to project louder but it really doesn’t much, likely won’t smell it unless close, likely very close. If you are okay with an average performance then go for it, but if you want strong performance, don’t buy. I recommend over spraying. In conclusion, if you want a unique summer fragrance go for it, but if performance is a concern, hold your money. Definitely one of my favorite scents I own currently.

Old reliable - very consistent in profile. I haven't heard someone say this smells off on their skin and super different from paper. Safe masculine fragrance for year-round approach, but probably not what I'd gravitate to in the evenings or even pretty cold days. It's got enough push for cooler days, but snow weather just ain't where this shines. Green, minty, aromatic, and pretty citrus. This isn't one with that mainly musk-woodsy drydown - being very linear once the citrus settles, this is very vivid and green throughout the wearing experience. Smells elegant, has performance, good versatility, and not very typical with this scent profile. Heard some say they detect a very powdery nuance to it, which I understand, but nothing powdery as some iris/violet forward fragrances. Could be how the aromatics and floral aspects blend together for this clean aura This walks Torino21 to death. The latter being so hyped, but not delivering the wearable mint/citrus it should - Renaissance is the answer to this. This is my favorite of the 1861 line, followed by Naxos. Also, my favorite line from Xerjoff. Price point is fantastic from discounters, and definitely one I know the bottle will get finished.