Xerjoff
SKETCHBOOK – P. 70
2025
bergamot
mango
violet
turkish rose
clove
amber
jasmine
leather
tobacco
oakmoss
vanilla
peru balsam
‘The latest releases from the Sketchbook collection explore some of the many ways in which desire manifests itself, with each offering a different perspective on the theme. p.70 is all about possessiveness and the extremes it can drive people to. In this case, locking something up and throwing away the key so that nobody can have it. Confined by the chain and padlock, the perfume is now forbidden, but this only makes it more desirable — one always wants what they can’t have. p.70’s desirability comes straight from the heart. Seductive notes of leather and amber give the perfume warm and gently spicy facets, while creating an undeniable air of sensuality. More hints of spice emerge from the Peru balsam and tobacco notes at the base, anchored by vanilla. The flacon is the work of expert Tuscan artisans. Polished glass surfaces, metal elements bathed in gold, grooves to accommodate the gold chain — all of these features were achieved entirely by hand. As a result, no two flacons are exactly the same. Each one is a unique work of art in its own right.’ – Xerjoff
Some general thoughts on the P. 13, P. 18 & P. 70 trio that I’ve wore over a weekend, before diving into the individual review. These are definitely fragrances where you are paying for the bottle, with prices ranging between €1100 & €1300 each. I like all 3 to some extent, but neither feel as elevated as the 17/17 line, most of the oud collection or the other Xerjoff that comes close in price, Lunosa. For me these are solid scent profiles, but they feel like they are no different than the lower end Xerjoffs or perhaps most accurately, the Iommi & Duran Duran collaborations. Notes overlap between them, but they are 3 quite distinct scent profiles. I’m a fan of the opening of P.13 & P.70, with P.70 staying the most interesting overall.
So yes, overall, I think P.70 just edges out P.13 for me. As with the other two, the opening is the most interesting part; I get fruits and resinous sweetness. I find this one the most abstract and smooth.
It feels slick; like a slick subtle leather and wood, but with enough brightness and fruitiness to cut through it.
The mid of the wear reveals a sort of sugary hay, tobacco or black tea vibe on my skin. I get more tobacco here than in P.13, but it’s not dark or heavy like in Lunosa for example. It’s a rather mature, sophisticated take on both the fruity side and the darker side of the fragrance.
As it dries down further, that resinous, slick side is still there; like thick sweet leather with a bitter edge. I can picture coffee, liquorice. I think this one in particular feels like it could’ve easily fit in with the DuranDuran collaborations Black Moonlight & NeoRio. Another fragrance that came to mind is Gritti Biassanot, which admittedly, I like a lot less than P.70.
The late drydown is a bit too… bitter, leathery woody for my taste, but overall, this is a nice fragrance. I think I prefer the first hour of P.13, but there are several hours after where P.70 has most to offer for my taste. It does not feel like a €1300 fragrance however; I wonder if these Sketchbooks will come in a more affordable bottle (as happened with P.33 Blank Page Edition) and at what price this will be offered than. Either way, it’s a good fragrance.
