XJ 1861 Zefiro

Xerjoff Xefiro is a total clove bomb. Right out of the bottle, the opening hits you with an intense wave of clove. The way the white wine and incense mix together gives it a heavy, medicinal vibe that instantly reminds me of Indian Ointment called Tiger Balm. Once it moves into the mid, the clove is still front and center, but the supporting notes step in to smooth things out and make it a bit more bearable. The dry down is easily the best part. It settles into a warm, woody-spicy scent with the clove finally taking a back seat. But honestly? Having to suffer through that brutal opening just to get to a decent dry down means I end up hating this fragrance way more than I enjoy it.

I've had some trouble with this one. This is very unique and i don't have anything in my collection that smells similar. It's a bright citrus spikey incense aromatic that's rounded a bit by the resins, honey and amber. I've worn this quite a bit trying to understand it and seems like some combo of the incense and elemi that gives me a headache. I'll keep trying with it after all i keep coming back so its quite interesting. Sometimes a scent needs some nose maturity and experience before it clicks and i'm hoping this is the case here.

This one I reaaaally like. I get resins, white wine, incense, probably the iris with that slight powdery feel. It's smokey yet soft at the same times. Somehow the incense is not too smokey. The wine gives it an effervescent feel that is quite rare. I think I'm getting the artemisia as well. Thankfully I'm not getting any honey, which is definitely not my favorite note. The only thing that I somehow dislike is that this scent makes me think of Rome and Italy in a very strong way. Think catholic church in an Italian city, if it makes any sense... I think it's the wine note causing that. It's like a non oriental incense fragrance. Like a light European smoke scent. 7.75/10

This might be the best from Xerjoff bar none. So elegant, comforting, fresh yet deep, light yet has substance. A very complex set of notes that blend amazingly with lovely wispy incense then all blended with high quality woods, florals, and beautiful smooth subtle sweetness. Just an overall elevated quiet and rewarding experience...I love it.

a masterpiece..top 3 in Xerjoff's inventory, imo. Once I smelled how the honey "got down" with the incense, I was in...all the way. Got a sample...Will buy the bottle. Done.

Everlasting incense 7/10

There have only been a few times when I've felt the need to scrub a perfume off my skin, and this is one of them. It's so medicinal that it actually made my nose burn after just a couple of sprays. The strength is ridiculous. What's funny is that it also smells incredible. It feels like Falling Trees by regime de fleur on steroids, and unsurprisingly it's created by the same perfumer. If you're heading to an outdoor party and want to be noticed, this is your fragrance. That said, it's not office friendly, and I wouldn't wear it on a date at a restaurant either. This thing is a bomb. Heavy on cinnamon and artemisia, with massive projection and presence. Not for me!

Today’s review marks my return to the house of Xerjoff, an Italian luxury powerhouse renowned for their opulent presentations, complex blending, and high quality raw ingredients. As a prominent entry within their celebrated 1861 collection, Zefiro positions itself as an olfactory tribute to Rome, drawing inspiration from ancient heritage, baroque architecture, and mystical incense. The intricate note profile for this release suggests an incredibly sophisticated and classically structured journey, promising a highly distinct juxtaposition of dry, boozy white wine and bitter artemisia against a deeply spiritual heart of warm spices and billowing cathedral smoke. This creation showcases the house doing what they do best, fusing rich historical storytelling with uncompromising niche craftsmanship to deliver a bold, multi texturized vision that favors atmospheric depth over mass market sweetness. Approaching a fragrance that sits as a relatively quiet, untalked about secret within the brand portfolio, the question remains whether Zefiro can deliver the stellar performance and transportive storytelling that I have come to anticipate from the house, or if it will get lost beneath the weight of its own complex pyramid. Let’s see if this fragrance stands as a majestic, towering pillar of resinous art or if it is simply a relic of a bygone era. Opening The opening is spicy, resinous, and woody. The primary notes I get are elemi resin, woody notes, artemisia, and cinnamon, with the elemi resin and woody notes leading the introduction. The elemi resin entirely dominates the initial blast with a resinous accord that is characteristically spicy and woody. Instead of presenting as a heavy, thick resin like amber or benzoin, the elemi resin here is beautifully bright, carrying a distinctly piney woodiness that is joined by a crisp, fresh, and peppery spiciness. The general woody notes reside just behind the elemi resin, imparting a dry, lumbery woodiness that feels very cedar like in its presentation. The artemisia works as a vital supporting note, introducing a sharp layer of bitter greenery that remains carefully controlled so it never detracts from the central resins and woods. Lastly, the cinnamon lingers quietly in the background as a faint but completely noticeable touch of fiery spiciness. The result is an opening that delivers a highly texturized, bright resinous heat, expertly balancing a dry timber woodiness against a unique backdrop of bitter herbs and warm spice. Dry Down The dry down transitions into a resinous, smoky, and woody experience. The primary notes I get are elemi resin, incense, woody notes, and cinnamon, with the elemi resin and incense now leading the composition. Structurally, the elemi resin maintains its hold at the forefront of the scent, continuing to push that same signature woody and spicy resinous accord from the top. However, the composition undergoes a noticeable shift as the incense emerges fully, providing a distinct, mystical smokiness that sits proudly alongside the elemi resin. The general woody notes continue to provide that same dry, cedar like woodiness from the opening, though they are now dialed back a bit to allow the billowing incense smoke to truly shine through. Lastly, the cinnamon remains anchored in the background, providing gentle, persistent puffs of warm spiciness. The result is a much deeper, more atmospheric dry down that trades the initial bright green facets for a stoic, beautifully balanced blend of clean woods and cold cathedral smoke. Performance The initial projection within the first hour of wear is remarkably potent, reaching out at least six feet and effortlessly making its presence known. The sillage perfectly mirrors this grand strength, casting a dense, heavy scent trail that hangs in the air beautifully. After about three to four hours on skin, the performance remains impressively sustained, with the projection still hovering around that six foot mark while the scent trail becomes slightly lighter but remains easily noticeable to anyone nearby. Even around the seven hour threshold, the fragrance continues to push out a solid three to four feet, leaving a lighter but completely distinct trail. The composition persists stubbornly on the skin until about the twelve hour mark before finally transitioning into a true skin scent, demonstrating the exact level of remarkable, powerhouse performance that makes this house famous. When to Wear Zefiro is a definitive fall and winter fragrance that is highly versatile, functioning perfectly for either daytime or evening wear. The heavy focus on sophisticated resins and dry woods gives this composition a highly polished, elegant character, making it a stellar accompaniment for formal events or special occasions like date nights. However, due to its unapologetically dry, complex, and uncompromised nature, I would not recommend it as a casual option for running errands, nor would I suggest it for the close quarters of a standard office environment. Blind Buy I would absolutely not consider Zefiro to be a safe blind buy for the average consumer. This composition is completely removed from what most would consider mass appealing or crowd pleasing, completely eschewing modern designer sweetness in favor of a historic aesthetic. It is a release tailored strictly for connoisseurs who possess a true, deep appreciation for dry resins and heavy woods. Sampling first is highly recommended before pursuing a full bottle commitment. Final Verdict My expectations were somewhat up in the air before finally getting this juice on skin. Having now evaluated its full development through a complete wear, I can confirm that this is a highly accomplished, ultra resinous wood fragrance that feels almost Amouage-esque in its rich, smoky execution. It is somewhat unfortunate that the anticipated white wine note never truly materialized on my skin, but the intense focus on bright elemi resin and dry timber was exceptionally pleasant to experience nonetheless. For my personal tastes, however, this fragrance borders on being relatively redundant in my collection due to its prominent woodiness, especially since I already own several exceptional woody fragrances that I absolutely love. For that reason, I will be passing on purchasing a full bottle. Scent: 7/10 Longevity: 9/10 Sillage: 9/10 Versatility: Average Compliment Factor: Low Gender: Masculine Value: Overpriced

i mistakenly bought this. happy accident.

عطر جيد و اداءه اقل من المتوسط رائحة بهارات واضحة ولبان وخصوصا الهيل اعجبني الافتتاحية واظنها بسبب نوتة الواين

Zefiro is to me one of the most sacred and mystic scents from their collection, its a deep, yet light liturgic incense that reppresents a huge cattedral scent, the main Incense, Resin and Cardamom are vertically integrated as one, and it comes off as a very serious churchy scents, when i say Churcy, it really is deep and serious composition that makes the incense shine with the powdery and airy notes of the resins, in the middle you can start to feel the beautiful Cinnamon wich i love, and gives the scent a even more refined note, this particular middle part goes away from the church and explores the mistique and asian side of the scent, even thought gets some inspiration from an asian combination, it always stays regal and religious and very Italian. I don't want that you think is too much religious, because this is more regal and wearable than a typical religious theme, lets say that is the way a churchy scent should be done to be more wearable than anything else. i find it very elegant and refined. This surely isn't for everyone tbh, but is something that works so well on the skin. I like Zefiro, because all the notes used are fairly difficult to manage, yet works very well, there is also a beautiful direct sillage that is coming more by the wear. it feels like is airy and when you think its gone, it comes back and hugs you and remind you of its power. The sandalwood drydown is absolutely epic, this is one of my favorite sandalwoods / incense combo ever on a scent, because it uses the same accord i found in a very expensive attar, impressive stuff.

All i smell is some very strong cold incense. It hit me hard. I'm not sure what these other notes are or what anyone else is saying. I like it for what it is. But try before you buy.

#63 As An Asian , This kind of Incense is Unique for us, I have Smelled church incense scents before that is only reason I am relate this scent Otherwise this scent could be a complete question mark to me. Quality is Very nice . 8/10 Liked it for craft and experience .

Zefiro reminds me of mulled wine at a christmas market. Versatile and unique scent that shines in the cooler months, but works in summer too.

لن تشم اغلب النوتات بشكل منفصل. العطر من النوع المتجانس، ليس خطي ولكنه متجانس ولاتشم اغلب هذه النوتات بشكل منفصل البخور يظهر في الثواني الاولى حاد ولكنه بعد ذلك يخف وهذا اعتبره شيء جيد، الرائحة الطاغية هي نوع من البودرية متوسطة الثِقَل والعمق، لا بودرة خفيفة ولا ثقيلة تغث، مع بهارات. اشم رائحة بهارات اكثر من مجرد القرفه، قابلة للتحمل ولكن الافضل لو كانت اقل. ما اشم الهيل ابدا. باقي نوتات ثانوية لاتشمها بشكل منفصل وبعضها غير موجود ابدا كالعسل. باختصار، اذا بتشمه بدون تركيز = بودرية السوسن + بهارات + لمسة بخور مو ثقيل، فاتح نوعا ما او متوازن بسبب الحمضيات والالمي رغم انك ماتشمها بشكل منفصل ولكنه يفتّح المزيج العام. ينفع طول السنة، بالصيف ليلا او بمكان مكيف، لانه البخور يخف بعد دقائق وتبقى رائحة قوامها عميق ولكن هوائية وخفيفة كانها غيمة وليست كريمية وكثيفة مثل الفانيلا، يمكن هذا اقرب وصف جيد. لكنه هادئ نسبيا بعد ماتبرد نوتة البخور مافيه نوته محددة قوية، وهذا اعتبره شي جيد ولكن قد يتوقع البعض اكثر من عطر نيش ينفع كعطر يومي ليلي او اردت الشعور بالفخامة. لاتدفع فيه اكثر من ٤٥٠ ريال باختصار فاخر، عميق، خفيف، جذاب ٨.٥/١٠ - You won’t smell most of the notes separately. It’s a blended style, not linear but cohesive, where individual notes don’t stand out clearly The incense appears in the first seconds, sharp at first, then fades, which I see as a good thing. The dominant scent becomes a medium weight, mid depth powdery accord, not too light and not overly heavy, combined with spices. I smell more than just cinnamon, tolerable but it would be better if it were lighter. I don’t smell cardamom at all. The rest are secondary notes you can’t pick out, and some aren’t present at all, like honey In short, without focusing you get iris powder + spices + a touch of incense Not heavy, somewhat airy or balanced thanks to citrus and elemi, even though you don’t smell them separately, they lift the overall blend. Suitable year round, in summer at night or in air conditioned spaces, since the incense fades quickly and what remains is a deep yet airy scent, almost like a cloud rather than something creamy and dense like vanilla, that’s probably the closest description Good. It becomes relatively calm after the incense fades, with no strong standout note. I see that as a positive, though some may expect more from a niche fragrance Works as a daily evening scent or when you want to feel refined. Don’t pay more than 450 SAR In short: refined, deep, light, attractive 8.5/10

First smell was from sample and It was bad experience, then I spray it again and it was different style its classy Gentl man , wearing a tuxedo at secret mafia meeting 🤣 , the depth and tens of this perfume is amazing you feel that each note has its own performance alone and then it mix in a very amazing way

First wear is today and this might be my go to scent (for right now) when it comes to wanting to smell very classy on a dinner date or very clean out with the family at night. A warm scent on the dry down and the white wine isn't bad in the beginning but once it dries down that honey and amber make it shine. Winter and fall win for day time use but the warmer seasons at night is where this bad boy will shine. My first niche frag and ill give it a 7.9/10. I like it.

I have this bad boy coming in the mail one of my first from the Xerjoff house cant wait to get my nose it will be back with a review

Yes. A big yes. Masculine elegance in a bottle. A beautiful creation by Mr. Nardin. Forget about the utterly hyped fragrances that promise smell like a royal. This is what charisma smells like: luxurious and unpretentious. This is Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, and Loro Piana. If you know, you know. Incensy, warm, woodsy, champagne-isk. Reminiscent of the best Italian eras, brought forward into modern times.

Zefiro is truly authentic. The wine and bergamot quickly fade away. Then the church incense comes into its own in all its glory. It is unique. But it is probably not a perfume for everyday wear. A purely sacred scent.

This is a really nice incense forward fragrance. I love Amouage incense, but this one is quite bright and refreshing. The first time I wore it a few months ago the white wine was off putting, but I am not getting it now which is nice. I don't understand the feminine leaning ratings. To me, its very masculine. I detect some waxy iris powder in it which may seem feminine, but it goes great with the spicy incense. Xejoff is an excellent house! They all smell top notch. My only issue is that some don't perform. That is not the case with Zefiro. 8.5

A beautiful unique scent. A spicey compliment getter.

Man, I do not like Zefiro. I would not like it if its free. I would not like in a tree. I do not like it in the heat, I do not like it in the cold, I would not like it on a goat, or on a boat.

Starts off woody then incense dominates. Woods and incense. Not to projecting, but good for subtle situations. Honey comes into the mix as well. Smell some black pepper in there as well.

Solid offering from the brand. This frag isn't trying to copy the latest trend, that's for sure. I struggle with knowing when to wear this. To me, it's much more formal than casual but not "sexy-enough" for date night. It's a beautiful smell that's comes across to me as a cold Incense, brightened by a citrus along the way. Almost a bit dusty church, but in a good way. I enjoy wearing it but often grab for something else instead. I do recommend if you can find it at a discounter. My 100ml was $130USD and I have zero regrets. Glad to have it in the collection and wife gives it a 7.5 out of 10. Lol.

Oh my love at first sniff! I already have Naxos,Renaissance & a decant of Decas but had been struggling to get my nose of this. Well after a recent trip to Amsterdam & in particular Parfumerie Marjo- She has the full Xerjoff collection! This was an instant hit & all plans of a FB of Decas were shoved to the side. I don't have anything like this in my collection, what I'm getting is a fresh citrus,white wine combo not quite sweet but also not sour either. I'll update once I get the drydown.

There's something magical about how Zefiro evolves through the wear experience. It opens with a realistic crisp white wine accord. It's very fresh and even a bit chilly. And it gets warmer and warmer as time goes on. Dry riesling transforms into a moscato. The initial sweetness comes from the cardamom and cinnamon. Then at around 1.5 hours, this flips into warm amber fragrance. Woody incense becomes the main star in the drydown. My biggest complaint about Zefiro is the performance (2025 batch). Unless you spray 6+ times, there's not much sillage. This is a skin scent after 4 hours. It seems like Xerjoff benchmarked the performance to a freshie rather than a warm amber. If the scent profile wasn't so good and addicting, I'd be pretty annoyed.

If you don't like long, sentimental (cringy?) reviews, this is not for you I'm afraid. This fragrance is the unexpected story of lost and impossible love for me. Her skin smelt amazing, and I always joked that I wanted to "do a Grenouille" (from the book Perfume) and capture her essence so I could wear it. One of the fragrances she wears is Avestan, and the way it mixes with her skin is unbelievable... I was (am) addicted to that smell, on her and on fabric. But... impossible love... So that smell will always be something I can't get near, likely ever again. Flashforward to a couple of days ago, we are in a team meeting and my friend/colleague next to me smells amazing. As I lean it to ask him what he is wearing, he tells me that this is Zefiro. I was really surprised as - full disclaimer here - I never wanted to get into Xerjoff. I find the bottles tacky, don't like the name and none of the compositions seemed to interest me on paper. So I went to Harrods yesterday to try it on skin... Initial reaction was good, warmer than on his skin surprisingly (my skin tends to do that). But within a few minutes, as I was leaving Harrods, I got taken by a wave of emotions I wasn't expecting. It was her. Her scent, Avestan mixed with her skin. I had to really contain the wave of emotions coming as I was leaving the store. I sniffed my wrist outside, and yes... the same churchy, incensey, meditative quality that Avestan possesses, but... with a human quality? With a soul? If Avestan is the church, Zefiro is the priest, or nun in that case... the human, skin quality that is missing in Avestan. I credit that to the iris, potentially the carnation... Fair to say that I will be getting a bottle, and now feel like Grenouille, having finally managed to bottle the essence of "The Girl with the Plums" (without having to commit anything illegal). I'll wear it every time I miss her, and every time I want to be reminded of what we had. Listening to "Lost Love" from The Perfumer's soundtrack... Well done Xerjoff, you got me.

Zefiro is something that you have to come back to in order to truly appreciate this masterpiece. It's hard to put into words how amazing this fragrance is; to put it simply, it's evocative, melancholic and somber - nothing like the rest of the 1861 collection

Despite being an ambery, resinous, woody fragrance, it somehow remains floaty and light. A honeyed, translucent, spicy, glimmering incense. Like the atmosphere inside a cathedral, sunlight filtering through ambered stained glass, making the floating dust particles appear golden and shimmering. It feels dry, lightly dusty from iris, with a refined green bitterness from artemisia, and sweetened by thin honey. A beautiful and grounding scent, glowing with something of a sense of sacredness and nobility, but without becoming serious or austere. Zefiro is named after the Greek god of the west wind, said to be a gentle breeze and associated with spring.