1888 by Xerjoff

Exquisite, a jewel for lovers of woody and floral scents. Closing your eyes feels like travelling to an old bazaar with varnished woods and velvet roses, where the bitterness of neroli gives character to that sweetness. Perhaps there is a hidden incense that adds depth. It is worth stopping to discover it and letting it evolve on the skin; it is casual yet elegant and distinguished.

My first great love in niche perfumery. I tried it at the perfumery in the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville, a corner full of authentic jewels. As it was my first time in this world and I didn’t know where to start, the salesperson recommended several, but insisted I try 1888, her favourite. I suppose my father, who always used barbershop perfumes, passed on that taste to me. It is the cleanest and most special scent I have ever tried. The quality is indescribable and lasts for days on clothes. It may not be the best of all, but it is my favourite and I reserve it for special occasions.

Spectacular composition, a masterpiece that leaves me speechless. However, it’s not flawless: it suffers quite a bit in performance, projection, and longevity. I suppose it’s been tampered with, as it doesn’t match what others say here. Incredible scent, but what a pity regarding the performance.

Perfumery surprises us. Upon spraying 1888 on my skin, I saw my father, who passed away years ago, who never knew of this perfume. It is not the only case; Prada’s Amber also brings me memories of him, although they do not resemble each other. Both have a vintage air, very marked in 1888, dominated by an unvanilised amber, tempered by the minty freshness of birch and a bouquet of neroli and rose. If you get very close, a slightly dirty note can be detected that disappears when you move away. My father used litres of Floyd balm and Haugroquina, a precursor to layering in his own way. 1888 brings back those balsamic sensations of Floyd with a touch of Haugroquina, elevated to niche level, less intense but equally masculine and elegant, modernised. It is a classic everywhere.

1888 surprises on the first sniff with that spicy opening of pepper and saffron. I discovered it in Milan and it went from dry to my hand, causing joy. However, months later, when trying it again, the opening dilates the nose with a penetrating aroma, of chemical and medicinal taste, which gradually becomes enveloping and heavy. It has a lot of trail and lasts 8 hours on the skin, projecting for the first 4, but then it stays intimate with a mark. In the course, the perception changes: it becomes heavy and cloying with its ambered and sweet patchouli base, fruit of the combination with the Ylang-Ylang that goes and comes. There it stagnates, it does not evolve. My memory is a pit. Regrettable and definitely I take it off the list.