White on white by Xerjoff: A Comprehensive Review

“Be the one to Select the next Xerjoff Scent and have your Poem Published.” That’s the slogan of the new trio set release, “White on white” by Xerjoff. The message behind this new release is very intriguing, to say the least, and this is the first time a brand has come up with a completely novel idea like this one. The idea is simple yet quite meaningful to Xerjoff’s clientele. With the White on White Set of perfumes, Xerjoff clients will be catered for with an opportunity to pick their favourites and decide which one will receive its standalone release.

Containing a selection of three 15ml perfumes, all-embracing white musk in their notes, the White on White Set requires your skill and judgement upon choosing which scent to be released.

I was beyond excited when I got my hands on my box set, and I could not wait to smell and scrutinise the perfumes. I already decided on my favourite of the set, but I would love to dive deep into each olfactive presentation the trip set offers.

Musk, in my opinion, is a fixative, beautiful and all-encompassing note that conjures different emotions and varying olfactory notions. My favourite variation of musk is white musk, which gives off different nuances based on the olfactive composition. Xerjoff presented their three musk formulations in numeric format, and each scent is structured in multiple layers. The good thing about each musk is that the note is thoughtfully inlaid in other supporting notes. Each scent has a milky tonality with clear distinction.  

White on White No. One:

No. One is a cloudy musk enveloped by the starchy rice accord, fluffy Mimosa and creamy sandalwood. The opening is quite lactonic with a green tone of carrot that almost feels slightly rooty and vegetal. The segue into the nutty territory of almond and heliotrope happens in tandem and adds a bitter-sweet gourmand edge to the scent, but Mimosa takes over the whole composition quite fast, and after a certain point, my nose could not smell anything but the increased explosion of Mimosa, which unfortunately did not sit well on my skin.

The musk tries to overcompensate by adding its fuzzy side, but does not get overridden by overtly powdery Mimosa, which ultimately emerges as the prominent note of the composition. The scent has a clean, musky skin-like dry down with some chalky residue of Mimosa.

The projection is low and ultimately did not do a great job in the performance category. So, it might come off as no surprise that No. One is my least favourite out of the lot.

White on White No. Two:

No. Two has the best of both worlds. It has an earthy green tone of fig leaf and a delicious overlay of fig milk. The dominant directive of fig establishes a perfect Sympatico with the woody heart of cedar and patchouli that later glides through a beautiful warm amber base. The musk and sandalwood play a cohesive duet to encapsulate the aura of all the woods and lactonic elements, which converge at a warm, comforting base of fuzzy blanket.

No. Two is a beautiful green vanilla with fond memories of summertime. Projection and performance are decent, with only one caveat. This is 90% similar to Vele by Tizianaterenzi, which shares almost the identical scent profile. Had I not smelled and owned Vele before, I would have marked it as my favourite.

White on White No. Three:

No. 3 tops the chart for me. We still can smell the similarities of green and milky fig but with a pop of rose on top, hints of white florals in the heart and an enhanced dose of vanilla and woody musk in the base. In the opening, you get that quintessential candied rose sensation swathed in the creamy white floral heart. From time to time, cedar interjects its woody elements to make it well-rounded and not make it go into an overly sweet category.

Now the base is all about a very well-pronounced white musk and vanilla which never gets cloying but leaves a silky satiny trail. Towards the end, vanilla mellows down, and the enthralling musk joins an ultra-smooth base of sandalwood. In my opinion, this fragrance has the highest projection and longest-lasting power. That being said, No. three makes the cut as my top pick and is a decisive winner for me.