Xerjoff Nio

Named after a meteorite that fell over Japan in the late nineteenth century, with a certified fragment of it set into the presentation case. Nio belongs to Xerjoff's Shooting Stars collection and launched in 2009, an eau de parfum reading of a southern Italian afternoon built on Calabrian bergamot and neroli. The house works under Sergio Momo's direction in Turin. A Nio decant in Bangladesh is the practical way to test a citrus at this price before committing.

Fragrance Notes

Top: Bergamot, Green Notes, Neroli

Heart: Cardamom, Pink Pepper, Jasmine, Nutmeg

Base: Vetiver, Virginia Cedar, Guaiac Wood, Amber, Patchouli

Full note breakdown on Fragrantica.

The Scent

The bergamot is the reason this fragrance has the reputation it has. It is photorealistic to the point of being startling, with the bitter lime-rind edge of the real fruit rather than the sugared lemon most citrus fragrances settle for, and it is given room to expand instead of being buried under freshener accords. Green notes surround it, and smelled from the sprayer they are almost crunchy, like thick tropical leaves broken between your fingers. Neroli follows and lifts everything. The heart is a gradual warming rather than a change of direction: cardamom, nutmeg and pink pepper drift in with a sweet musky spice while the green turns drier and more diffuse, less crisp leaf and more tall grass in sun. Jasmine sits faintly through the middle, adding a floral nuance without pushing the composition feminine. The base is unusually light for a woody finish, with vetiver reading polished rather than prickly, and cedar, guaiac and patchouli giving structure without weight. Amber warms the last stretch. Opinion is not unanimous. Detractors call it overrated and overpriced, one finds it excessively green, and another reports it smelling appealing from the bottle but failing to develop well on their skin. Supporters point to how natural it smells and how well the bergamot holds. Comparisons run to Mugler Cologne and Bvlgari Man Wood Neroli. One reviewer who wears it often makes a useful point about the category: as a cologne with a green edge it has plenty of relatives, and the difference between them is like the difference between white t-shirts, which sounds dismissive until you have worn a good one. Nio is a good one.

The concentration is high for a citrus, and that is what keeps the bergamot present long after most fresh fragrances have flattened out. Reviewers also single out the vetiver in the dry-down as unusually polished, without the prickly or nutty quality that vetiver often brings to a finish.

When to Wear

Hot daytime weather, office hours and casual wear through spring and summer. The citrus and green structure is built for exactly this climate. Sits in our Citrus | Zesty collection.

Who Is It For

Someone who wants a citrus that smells like actual fruit rather than laundry, and who is willing to pay niche money for naturals.

If you want Xerjoff's fruitier, sweeter take on brightness, Erba Pura is the house's other warm-weather benchmark. Browse the full Xerjoff collection at Aromatica.

Available as an authentic decant in Bangladesh at Aromatica in 3ml, 5ml, and 9ml.