This is not my first experience with Xerjoff, but I have to admit that I haven't found one yet that has led me to complete satisfaction. Erba Pura is no exception. That said, I find this one really interesting. The top notes are: Sicilian orange, Calabrian bergamot and Sicilian lemon followed by a Mediterranean fruity accord in the mid, and a base of white musk, amber and Madagascar vanilla. The dominant accords are fruity, sweet, fresh, musky, citrus, vanilla and amber. And yes, this is VERY fruity. It opens with loud, almost tropical fruit, but as the drydown begins, the fruit becomes creamier. The musk remains subtle, but I think its presence is important because it carries the fruit through its transformation. What starts as very tropical fruit eventually reminds me of a frozen tropical cocktail. And there is an appeal to the creaminess of that. This is the point at which, if this vibe was your thing, it could become addictive. The softer it gets, the more approachable it becomes, but it never stops making its presence known from a distance. I can see this being perfect after you've decided you've had enough of the beach, take a refreshing shower and reset on the pool deck for happy hour. This doesn't ask someone to come closer. Instead, it seems to say that if they choose to, they'll find someone who is confidently fresh. I also don't think this is trying to make a man smell traditionally masculine. It's unapologetically fruity, and I think the guy wearing it has to be comfortable with that. Xerjoff describes it as a fresh, fruity fragrance inspired by the Mediterranean at golden hour, moving into the evening, and I can absolutely see that image. Performance is definitely part of the story. Projection and sillage are strong, and I'm expecting very good longevity from the way this is wearing. It's an interesting fragrance, and I can appreciate why people love it. But after trying several Xerjoffs, I'm still waiting for the one that gives me that feeling of complete satisfaction. Erba Pura isn't that one.

Released in 2021, by Pierre Montale, the nose behind the entire Mancera line. This is the heavier, richer evolution of the original 2011 Cedrat Boise. The one point everyone should be talking about is that opening, some say it's comparable too Creed Aventus, but I'd pick this any day over the Creed. Here Montale took a bright citrus-fruit DNA and cranked it up with leather, oud and some serious woody depth, so much so that this is effectively a different fragrance entirely. Also worth noting: despite being labelled Eau de Parfum, it’s bottled at Extrait-level strength, which goes a long way toward explaining why it performs the way it does. You can tell with just a few sprays on the back of your hand. Note the oily film it leaves. That's a sure sign. It opens loud and proud, with a bright, zesty citrus hit alongside juicy, tart blackcurrant, with warm spices underneath so it never reads thin or sharp. If you’re here expecting a straight Aventus clone, hang around: that fruit burst fades faster than you think. Within 45 minutes it darkens up considerably, smooth leather, creamy white sandalwood, and soft Cambodian oud bringing a gentle, refined smokiness rather than anything harsh or medicinal. The jasmine is polite and well-behaved, just a touch of elegance, while patchouli leaves add a clean, earthy-green anchor that keeps it grounded. By the dry-down, warm vanilla, polished grey amber, wild oakmoss and that signature Mancera white musk wrap everything up. Its luxurious, rounded, and surprisingly balanced. The leather and oud don’t scream; they just give the scent real weight and maturity. Performance is surprisingly closer to the 8hour mark than I expected. With strong projection for the first few hours, then a solid, noticeable trail that clings to clothes and lasts well into evening. It settles beautifully and is also noticeably sweeter and heavier than the original. Fantastic in cooler weather, evenings and autumn/winter, but far too dense and syrupy for scorching summer days. And yes, the hype is largely deserved. It’s not perfect, and it’s not cheap, but if you want serious performance and depth rather than just flashy marketing. This is the one.

Going with Percival from Parfums de Marly today. This is one of those fragrances I sometimes forget just how good it is until I put it back on. It doesn’t need to be complicated or challenging to work. It’s fresh, clean, masculine, and incredibly easy to wear, but still has enough polish to feel like I made an intentional choice rather than simply grabbing a “blue fragrance.” What I enjoy most about Percival is the balance. There’s that bright citrus and aromatic freshness up top, but as it settles it gets smoother, a little warmer, and more refined. It has that fresh-out-of-the-shower character without smelling like shower gel — which is a distinction I appreciate more and more as my fragrance collection has grown. I have plenty of fragrances that are more unusual, richer, darker, or more complex, but there is definitely a place in my collection for something like Percival. Some days I want the fragrance to be part of the conversation. Other days I just want to smell really damn good without thinking too hard about it. 😎 Today is definitely a Percival kind of day.