Uden by Xerjoff

It is extremely similar to Chanel Allure Homme Sport Edition Blanche. If you know the Chanel one, you know it’s citrusy yet has a sweetness that pushes it towards pastry; this one heads in the same direction but with much less sweetness, allowing the citrus to retain its freshness, resembling a fresh lemon caramel. The previous description is quite crude, just to give an idea. It is a far more refined perfume than a simple caramel, with many hidden nuances to demonstrate. Furthermore, the quality of its ingredients and the composition of its notes is very good. It is truly worth a try, as it is not the typical citrus scent.

After buying Xerjoff, I was gifted a sample of Uden; I was curious but couldn’t quite imagine its scent, although it wasn’t alien to some of its supposed similarities. In the scent, the quality of the notes stands out, perceived with great realism, though I can’t isolate all the declared ones. The opening is citrusy, but from the start, there is a fantastic woody base that serves as a tray for the citrus. The bergamot is wonderful, mature and creamy, because the citrus isn’t bitter but tends towards the sweetened, matching perfectly with the woody base and other sweet trails. That initial woody base persists and grows alongside a very real and elegant vanilla, which doesn’t lean towards candied but stays on the fine line between edible sweetness and the pod itself. In total, we have a scent with a citrus first phase that remains on the mature and candied side, though it loses consistency as hours pass; the opposite happens to the deep woody base of guaiac wood and the vanilla, which, together with the musk, provides the strength to last all hours. I’ve omitted some declared components because they are barely perceptible to my nose, the rum and coffee, as well as the rose or ambergris; the former is noted very fleetingly as it blends with the guaiac woody base, giving more strength, and the latter is lost in favour of the vanilla and the potent Xerjoff musk. In short, we have a citrus, woody, and vanilla scent that lacks great explosiveness but enjoys very good performance. It is not a perfume that stands out, but it will always be present, having more than good longevity and leaving a pleasant trail from the bubble it creates around us. It is a sort of Chanel Edition Blanche taken to a higher level with fewer lemon nuances and more wood; it also has some elements of Montale Wood and Spices but less dry and with much more body. Its use is very varied as it suits any climate, and although it is more serious than the previously mentioned ones, it would be a great signature perfume if not for the high price, which means its use should be cared for unless we don’t mind that. It is the typical perfume I wouldn’t mind wearing on my wedding day or at some important event, but if I were a millionaire, I would use it at will in daily life; undoubtedly, it is the perfume I have liked the most so far, despite it not being a surprising scent or having that difficulty or challenge that is presupposed for niche perfumes.

A companion has had the kindness to allow me not only to try it, but to debut it, so I cannot help but comment that the presentation is fantastic and adds an extra enjoyment to the experience. It is the first time I have had the impression of smelling three distinct (dessert) phases, perfectly identifiable for me. A very citrusy opening that reminds me of a lemon tart, but without harshness or synthetic aromas, something more ‘for adults’ due to the bitterness given by the bergamot and the rum note. Subsequently, it evolves, and we have a panna cotta with vanilla, a note that will accompany until the end, gaining more and more protagonism, to finish with a sort of rice pudding with extra vanilla that slightly overwhelms me a bit. It hasn’t disgusted me, but in my modest opinion, and still valuing the quality of the components and the almost gastronomic experience, it is not one of my favourites (very likely due to the general disinterest I have for desserts). P.S. Finally, matters of life, it finds a place in the collection again courtesy of the aforementioned friend.