Nathan

Have you ever wondered how Arabian royalty smells like? I myself have, and when I first got my nose on Al-Khatt from Xerjoff, I was almost certain that I had found my answer.

Do not judge Al-Khatt on it’s opening. It starts off absolutely uncompromising with that oud assam and bangladesh oud knocking out ones face, held slightly together with Italian bergamot. But give it around 5 minutes and watch the magic unfold. Slowly creeps in the benzoin, vanilla and best of all, the wonderfully blended Arabian jasmine, to make this a luxurious and regal smelling scent. Let me just say this… This smells very expensive!

It’s so beautifully composed with that high quality oud combined with sweetness and flowery touches. This is an absolute masterpiece in my book. The kind of scent you put on when you want to leave an intoxicating and unforgettable trail behind you. People will turn their heads and you will leave them speechless. They will not know what it is, but they sure know that you’re wearing something that the local Sephora do not have on their shelves.

Do not be afraid of the oud in here, it can smell a bit animalic and fecal up close but in the air, together with the other notes it’s just mesmerizing. It also takes the backseat with time, only to let the jasmine and vanilla shine through. The oud ends up being the backbone holding all strings together and does a beautiful job in here.

Can we talk about the blending just really fast? Jesus Christ.. The way that oud, the flowers and the resinous ingredients mingle in between each other is simply genius. It feels so well balanced and round as if every drop was carefully executed. My absolute favorite of all Xerjoff fragrances, possibly tied with Mamluk and Symphonium. Yes it’s that good! Totally unisex in my opinion, fit for a king and queen. Niche perfumery at it’s highest level possible. If you want something that is unique, refined, opulent and artistic… Then look no further.

When the Arabian nights settle, when royalty makes their presence known, when darkness and beauty collide in the most spectacular way possible, that is Al-Khatt.

Remember when you were a kid…. Playing around, carefree and running around… At some point you would get tired and the sun would make you feel warm… Eventually a family member, or the neighbor would call you over for a refreshment. A cool drink, with citruses and a hint of vanilla… So delicious that it stays in your memory forever. That’s the sort of feeling I get, whenever I wear Dulcis in Fundo.


I remember the first time I smelled this, I had to buy a bottle straight away. I ended up using almost half of a 100ML bottle within 6 months. So now I use it sparingly, as this does not come rather cheap. This is more than a perfume for me.. It’s a journey through nostalgia and childhood, and all the beautiful and innocent things that come with it. Profumum Roma only released two notes for the public: Sicilian citrus fruits and vanilla. There has been added other things to this, but we can only imagine what it is. Whatever it is, they knew what they were doing, all the way through. The scent DNA is very simple, yet so addictive and bordering to gourmand territory.


Longevity is very solid, and so is projection and sillage. Not too strong or anything, but above average which is also to be expected with its pricetag. One of the few perfumes I have in my collection, where people really come to you and ask what you’re wearing. Not too sweet, not too cloying… It has the perfect balance. The blending of the citruses with the vanilla is done so beautifully that words don’t come easy. Dulcis in Fundo is often praised as one of the standouts from their whole line up and rightfully so. If you’re on the hunt for a fragrance, that’s both fresh and uplifting, but at the same time has gourmand touches to it, then look no further. Italian perfumery done to perfection.

I still remember the first time I laid my nose on this one. I had never tried anything like it, and I was sure I had to get a bottle one way or the other, despite the price tag. This fragrance reminds me of when I was younger, when random people would pass you by on the street, and once in a while you would smell the sillage of something magical... And for a few seconds time stands still… You are transported to a different place. All you can think of is: “who on earth is wearing that fragrance?!” You turn around… But the person is gone, and now you are only left with a dreamlike sillage and your own imagination. That is Ambre Nuit.

It is hard to find the right words to describe this masterpiece. Sensual, luxurious, sophisticated and very upper scale, those are the first things that come to mind. Completely unisex in my opinion, and I would love to smell this on a woman one day. Simply breathtaking fragrance… People will want to know what you’re wearing… They will follow you around… Until they get the courage to ask what it is. It’s that special. When this dries down, you get the interplay between the ambergris and the Turkish rose which is simply mesmerizing.

I heard that François Demachy took his time while creating this perfume, and you can tell. Good things often take time and patience. Ambre Nuit was made with care, passion and love… You can smell it. The blending is sheer perfection and it lingers in the air like an invisible veil. It pushes just enough to evoke some sort of curiosity around you. I’ve heard that some apparently think the projection and longevity isn’t good enough. We are all entitled to our own opinion, but if Ambre Nuit was more loud and heavy than it already is, it would lose it’s personality and DNA. Some of the best sillages I have encountered in my life, are the ones that come creeping slowly, but surely… It teases, without being loud or obnoxious. As Ambre Nuit does best. 10/10.

A lot of times when I have come across a gourmand, I find myself thinking it’s too sweet, or too cloying or generally just too much. But when I first tried Black Phantom, I knew I had to get a full bottle, no matter the cost. This is how a gourmand should be in my opinion. Filled with dark chocolate, rum, caramel, coffee and sugar cane… This stuff is mouthwatering. Black Phantom takes a dark and mysterious, yet incredibly addictive take on a gourmand fragrance.

People get curious whenever I wear this, as if they haven’t smelled something like this before. That’s what I really enjoy about Black Phantom. Even though it’s a fantastic gourmand, it still manages to stand out from the rest. It’s still the best gourmand I have ever laid my nose on hands down. I could not ask for more. It’s really yummy, unique, addictive and very luxurious. It also gives off a vibe of some sort of chocolaty/caramel deliciousness, served at a restaurant that’s really expensive.

I found very few people who dislike this fragrance. If you like gourmands in general, this is almost a blind buy, and I’m the type of guy that HATES blind buys! Says a lot really. If you like your gourmand not too sweet, but still addictive and refined, this is a must try. I only go for 2 sprays, 3 max on this one… Longevity is amazing (8-10 hours) and it projects really well. Sillage is mesmerizing and you will evoke a great curiosity around you, from the lucky ones, who get the pleasure to catch sudden whiffs of you. I’m gonna end all this by letting you in on a secret… And tell you how much I love this perfume. It may sound really corny… But the very first time I got a full bottle of this, I had a sudden urge to rip off the atomizer, and drink all the damn liquid. Yes, it’s that delicious! What an absolute wonderful release from Kilian, they really set new standards for gourmands with this one.

I must admit, I have never been too keen on Creed fragrances. They didn’t seem special or unique, and often overpriced in my opinion. Royal Oud however, is a whole different story. This fragrance is in a league of its own. Even though the name suggests oud, it’s not the main player here, this fragrance is all about the beautiful cedar and sandalwood playing together.

Opens a bit harsh and pungent, but let it sit for about 5 minutes, and watch the magic unfold. I know this seems like a big statement, but in my humble opinion, this would be a fragrance a member of a royal family would wear, whether it’s a prince or a king. That’s how good this stuff is. Royal Oud is not loud or shouting or aiming for attention in any sort of way. It projects just enough to let others get a whiff here and there. It has no need to be loud, cause the smell itself
is out of this world. It knows its worth. It smells so expensive, and it’s blended to perfection. Lasts a good 8 hours, and performs well, which is to be expected with its price tag. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie for this one, but be aware that people will take notice of you. I have heard some say, that it also smells like money or a very wealthy person, and I tend to agree with this. It’s a fragrance that can seem both masterful but also intimidating.

I wore this one time, and I will never forget this experience. I was walking towards a light signal, and it was red.. So we stood around 3-4 people, waiting for the color to turn green. A woman beside me, looked at me without saying anything, she was just starring… I looked at her but she said nothing. She just looked mesmerized, and I could see a curiosity in her eyes, before she walked away as the light turned green again. If you have ever got a compliment from someone, without them even opening their mouth, you know that you’re wearing something special. Julien Rasquinet, thank you for giving us this timeless classic.