Xerjoff Casamorati 1888 Mefisto Gentiluomo Eau de Parfum for Men Xerjoff

Mefisto Gentiluomo is, as the name
suggests, a gentleman’s cologne, composed in the style of the eaux de
cologne used in upscale barbershop joints in Italy circa 1888. Like its
progenitor, Mefisto, Gentiluomo takes what seems to have become a dirty
word in perfumery – clean – and makes it sexy again. Think the steamy
aromas in a traditional Italian barbershop after a shave – triple-milled
soap, plush white towels, $500 handmade leather loafers, and the sweet
creaminess of sandalwood lotion massaged into warm skin. Yes, Gentiluomo
wins the day by being gorgeously, luxuriously clean without leaning on
cheap musks or powder.

Right off the bat, Mefisto Gentiluomo playfully updates its
predecessor’s model by brushing its bright, salty citrus notes with icy
mint and a burst of bitter green leaves. It wows on the basis of just
how natural and mouth-wateringly fresh it smells. Salty lavender lends a
subtle ozonic feel – not marine or aquatic per se, but rather a
hillside of leathery herbs brushed by sea air. We’re impressed with the
bubble of sweetness that floats up here, a slightly candied citrus or
lavender note that serves to balance out the sharper notes, giving it a
polished, modern vibe. But if Mefisto Gentiluomo starts out in the
maquis of a Mediterranean hillside, and lingers in the luxuriantly
bright, clean atmosphere of a traditional barbershop, it ultimately
comes to rest in the milieu of a Florentine artisan’s workshop, where
the scent of suede mingles companionably with the patina of
centuries-old wood. The flowers contribute only a softness of texture,
but the iris stands out, bathing the aromatics in its spectral glow.
Handsome, refined, and full of Italian braggadocio, Mefisto Gentiluomo
is a fresh barbershop fougere with a hidden creamy floral-citrus core
that pulls it out of 1888 and right into 2018.