Fragrance Review: Don by Xerjoff

You ensure the coast is clear before walking over to the dark rosewood bookshelf and tilting back the hardcover copy of The Great Gatsby. The entire shelf rotates, revealing a secret staircase. As you descend the stairs, the sound of smooth jazz and the aroma of cigars delight your senses. You walk into the dimly lit, smoky speakeasy. Surrounded by fedoras and double-breasted suits, you sit down and order a Manhattan. This is the life.

Don by Xerjoff transports you to the days of prohibition, gangsters, and the golden age of jazz music. Launched in 2013, Don is a unisex fragrance combining tobacco and whiskey notes with sweet and smoky undertones. It's an uncommon fragrance with some unique characteristics that set it apart from most fragrances on the market today.

Who Is Behind It? 

Don by Xerjoff was created by master perfumer Chris Maurice. When we say master perfumer, that isn't just a grandiose title; as of writing this article, Chris has created and released 224 different fragrances and has worked with other luxury fragrance houses including Bois 1920, Nishane, and Sospiro. 

Considered by some to be one of the most creative and knowledgeable people in the industry, he created some of Xerjoff's most popular fragrances like Alexandria II, More Than Words, and Tony Iommi Monkey Special. He has a tendency to combine unique ingredients in his fragrances, like those found in Don.

Join The Club Today; No Membership Required 

The Join the Club collection of Xerjoff perfumes represents a series of exclusive clubs, from art and poetry to yachting and golf. In keeping with the rare nature of these scents, Xerjoff keeps the ingredients as a closely guarded secret, instead inviting the wearer to immerse themselves in the imagined world.

Reckless, intense, and irresistibly intoxicating, Don by Xerjoff transports us into the hidden world of classic gangsters.

Don by Xerjoff

Note Breakdown:

Since Don is part of the Join The Club line, the fragrance notes are not officially released. So we are going to do our best to describe the fragrance and how it develops as best we can.

Please note that you may have a different experience if you get your nose on Don.

Top notes: Metallic, sugar

Middle notes: Tobacco, whiskey

Base notes: Must (like old books or old money), resins, vanilla

Packaging: 

Xerjoff spares no expense when it comes to packaging and presentation. As soon as you remove the outer protective cardboard, you are met with luxury and elegance. The box is made of a leather-like material and includes nice contrast stitching around the border with the famous Xerjoff "X" in the middle.

Once you open the box, the fragrance nests behind a fabric-like paper donning the Xerjoff brand name. Behind the paper sits the iconic six-sided bottle and fountain pen-like gold cap.

The bottle is a deep blue gradient with the name of the fragrance at the bottom, sporting a fedora. A nice touch for a fragrance that's supposed to smell like a mobster. The bottle also has heft, and the cap clicks into place very tightly. You could probably pick the fragrance up by the cap, but we never recommend doing that with any fragrance.

Opening: 

When you first spray Don, you are immediately met with a sweet, metallic scent. It isn't sharp like you would expect, but rather a subdued, muted, slightly sulphurous scent like a firework or used gunpowder. This metallic note has a bit of sweetness to it, like granulated sugar, but it isn't sweet enough to lean feminine.

Development:

The opening notes dissipate rather quickly and soon the tobacco and whiskey notes are the focal points. The tobacco in this fragrance is smooth and light, like a Connecticut or Cuban leaf used in cigars, and pairs well with the earthier whiskey note. It isn't heavy or smoky like Islay scotch, but rather subtly sweet, like a higher proof aged bourbon. 

As the scent developed, I smelled a hint of leather that reminded me of suede. This note could also be cashmere or cashmeran. It's silky smooth, powdery, and slightly animalic.

Drydown: 

The whiskey note begins to taper off a bit, but tobacco remains center stage. During the drydown, I noticed a resinous accord which gives Don a vanilla-like sweetness with a faint spice. There is also a distinct musty note, like an old book or wad of old dollar bills.

Performance: 

With 3 sprays of Don on my neck and upper chest, it projected quite far. The scent could be smelled over 5 feet away upon initial application. After four hours, it became an elbow-lengths scent, and within 5 hours it was almost a skin scent.

It lasts a very long time as a skin scent, and I could even smell it on myself the next morning, over 12 hours later. By that time, it was faint, but not unnoticeable.

Note for next time: only spray twice.

When To Wear Don: 

Don is a unique fragrance that may not appeal to everyone. Due to its unique composition, this fragrance is probably best avoided on a first date, at the office, or anywhere you may be in close contact with other people for an extended period of time.

We recommend wearing Don if you plan to wear a suit, go to a hidden speakeasy bar, or attend a 1920s-1950s themed event. It's best worn in cooler weather, where it can really stand out from the usual spicy, woodsy fall/winter fragrances.

Who Is This Fragrance For?

Don speaks to those who appreciate a nice cocktail, a cigar, and counting their money. There's a touch of class with Don, but you need to be willing to take a step outside of your comfort zone to pull it off. Some may find it unappealing or offensive. Due to the unusual scent profile, we might not recommend Don to someone who is just beginning their journey into fragrances.

If you are still quite new to the world of fragrance, our article How To Properly Test A Fragrance Before Buying is a great resource to help you choose the right fragrance for you.

Overall Thoughts On Don By Xerjoff 

Wearing Don will whisk you away to the golden age of men's style with imagery of cigars, cocktails, and classic cars. Its combination of notes gives it an opulent, high-class profile that should be worn dressed up. With its high price point and polarizing scent, it would be best to try a sample before committing on an entire bottle.

Interested In Other Fragrance Reviews? Check Out:

Fan Your Flames by Nishane - A coconut and rum based fragrance with vanilla and woods.

Speakeasy by Frapin - Fizzy mojito with smooth leather and sweet pipe tobacco with resinous honey.

Liqueur BPM by L'Orchestre Parfum - Imagine walking into a fine cigar humidor with a cognac based cocktail in hand.

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