SOTD: Naxos by Xerjoff. TLDR: Don't blind buy it 😕

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Feb '25 (edited) • SOTD 🍊

I blind bought a 5ml decant of Xerjoff Naxos based on glowing online reviews and a desire to branch out into something more fresh/citrusy, and have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. It came today and I excitedly gave it a try, two sprays to the arm to see how it is on skin. And guys... I don't love it.

Top notes come out swinging - super sweet lemon lavender bergamot. And they keep swinging and swinging. This stuff is sooo strong, just two sprays on the arm and it's all I've been able to smell for like 6 hours now. There's a hint of the mid notes of honey and cinnamon, which are adding to the sweetness... Still no sign of the tobacco base note that I was looking forward to, but I'm getting some vanilla - which is adding just adding even more to the sweetness... 🤦

I've been trying to place the feeling it was giving me and here's what I came up with: it's how I imagine a Four Seasons Hotel on a Caribbean island would want their bathroom by the pool to smell. It is extremely well crafted, and it's obvious that they use natural, quality components, but it is so ungodly sweet and lemony that I don't know that I can stomach wearing it. Of course, it's 30 degrees and snowing outside, so ask me again when I'm lounging by the pool at a Four Seasons in the Caribbean.

I blind bought two more scents that came with the shipment (one went on my other arm, and all I can smell is Naxos, so I'll try that one again tomorrow) -- stay tuned for my SOTD for those two in the coming days, if and when Naxos finally wears off.

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