Xerjoff Luxor Perfume Review

Xerjoff Luxor Eau de Parfum kicks off with heavy spices and sweeter, animalic oud that is leathery, resinous, and earthy with some mustiness but by no means the full spectrum of the pungency of a real barnyard can have (which oud can give off). I found the oud to be central player throughout the opening to the drydown, with the oud going from earthy, musty, and woody to sweeter, nutty, and figgy at times. There was a fair amount of incense, myrrh, and cedar during the middle and early part of the drydown. The notes are listed as:

• top notes: cinnamon, leather, cardamom
• heart notes: incense, tobacco, myrrh, cedar
• base notes: Cambodian oud, Thai oud, cypriol, patchouli

The opening was heavy with cinnamon before allowing the oud to come through, which smelled on the sweeter side, somewhat animalic (but not as pungent as oud can be) and leathery with spiced, smoky woods and rich resins. In the first few minutes, the oud wove in and out, sometimes adding depth and nuance to what was a mix of resinous, spiced woods, until it finally stayed closer to the forefront to create a fragrance that was moderately animalic, leathery and resinous.

The cinnamon and cardamom, along with the myrrh, seemed to provide a blanket of warm, cozy spices in thick, resinous sweetness. After a half hour, the spices were dialed down, more blended together and less distinctive, which gave the oud space to really shine over the dry, smoky, lightly spiced woody base. There was something nutty between the middle and the drydown, and sometimes the sweetness almost read syrupy and fruity, like figs.

Until the drydown, the oud remained on the sweeter side, almost musty, a little damp, with a spiced, earthy, smoky base of patchouli, incense, and cedar.

Application

For testing, I used 1/3 of a 0.7ml sample vial dabbed to the underside and topside of my wrist area on my left arm. I used an unscented moisturizer prior to applying the scent as this is also my swatching arm (aka, incredibly parched at any given moment) as I found scent did not hold well here otherwise. 

Longevity

It lasted for five hours until it was a skin-scent and about eight hours before it was quite difficult to detect on my skin. The sillage and projection were moderate with the sillage dropping faster than the projection within the first hour of wear.

Personal Thoughts

Oud was a star component throughout the development, but it had a lot of supporting notes, which mitigated what can sometimes be pungent, smelling of blue cheese or feces. It was less barnyard as animalic to my nose, while the spices, myrrh, and patchouli gave it a sweet, spiced, woody base to sit upon. It was a lovely fragrance that I’ll have to revisit again!

Available Sizes

• 50ml for $325
• 0.7ml sample for $7

Where to Buy

• Jovoy Paris
• LuckyScent
• Twisted Lily