XerJoff
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The davana strikes first—jammy, wine-dark, faintly fermented—colliding with sharp elemi resin and a flash of bergamot that keeps things from turning too syrupy. There's an almost medicinal quality in those first minutes, like crushing cardamom pods in a stone mortar whilst incense smoke drifts through an open window.
Frankincense takes the throne, its resinous smoke wrapping around the spiced floral trio of carnation, cinnamon, and iris. The iris in particular does fascinating work here, its earthy, almost carrot-like root quality grounding the composition and preventing the spices from spinning off into mulled wine territory. It's quieter now, introspective, like watching embers glow rather than flames leap.
What remains is honeyed amber and oud fused with lingering frankincense—warm, woody, and surprisingly intimate against the skin. The smokiness never fully dissipates but becomes part of the texture itself, like the scent embedded in antique wooden prayer beads handled for decades. It's tenacious without being loud, a close-to-skin whisper of resin and sweet balsamic warmth.
Zefiro reads like a Renaissance apothecary caught fire—all precious resins and exotic spices billowing into something simultaneously sacred and hedonistic. Mathieu Nardin has orchestrated a masterclass in restraint here, allowing the smoky frankincense to thread through every layer without overwhelming the composition. The davana in the opening brings an odd, fermented fruit quality that plays beautifully against the bright bergamot, whilst the wine must adds a boozy, slightly acetic edge that prevents this from sliding into typical Oriental territory.
What makes Zefiro compelling is how the iris anchors the heart, its powdery rootiness creating an earthy counterpoint to the incense that dominates proceedings. The carnation and cinnamon don't scream red-hot; instead, they simmer—peppery, slightly medicinal, like clove-studded oranges left to dry in a medieval sacristy. The oud here feels more resinous than barnyard, melding seamlessly with amber and honey in the base to create something golden and viscous without crossing into gourmand sweetness.
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3.9/5 (94)