Shingl EDP by Xerjoff - fragrance review

XERJOFF is a luxurious Italian niche brand owned by Sergio Momo, that has been around since 2004 but only now it has been really drawing bloggers' and perfume passionates' attention. Controvertial comments due to the astronomic prices of the fragrances (Sergio himself is very fond of Astronomy); truth is, the brand offers amazing fragrances in amazing artistic bottles. What caught MY attention to the brand was the fact that I have been reviewing many niche brands over the years, but this is really the first time that I find a brand that has really captured the artistic skills of the craftsmanship of the early ages of perfumery, when perfumers did sell fragrances as art in liquid form in amazing unique bottles. Times when each fragrance launch was an event to last more than a year. XERJOFF's perfume bottles are indeed small luxurious sculptures crafted to last forever, and in my opinion, the concern about the presentation of the fragrances, the use of unique high quality raw materials makes XERJOFF one of the new standards to international niche perfumery. The brand offers many collection but today I will cover the Shooting Stars Perfume Collection. It offers 10 fragrances: Shingl, Modoc, Uden, Dhofar, Oroville, Oesel, Kobe, Nio, Lua and Ibitira, and I picked the aromatic floral SHINGL to start unfolding XERJOFF's celestial mysteries.
Shooting Stars was a collection inspired by the love Sergio Momo has for Astronomy, more specifically, to an even in 1947 when a fireball seared the sky of eastern Siberia and rained 70 tons of iron meteorites onto the landscape. 
Shingl is one of the 02 florals of the collection (the other one is a woody-floral called Oesel), with notes of bergamot, basil, anise, vetiver, patchouli, Florentine iris, amber, rum absolute, vanilla and musk. So if a fireball rained meteorites in Siberia - I am sure they have released a fragrant strawberry red cloud of SHINGL!

Described by the brand's catalogue as "evocative of a stylish garden party on a hot day in Tuscany", or "a lively yet sophisticated scent" and a "cocktail of playful sensuality" in the e-boutique page ...Sergio needs to reconsider hiring someone else to describe his fragrances (nothing personal Sergio...but one must say what one thinks, at least here I can). I see no Tuscany here, sparkling cocktails...playful - cocktails YES, sparkling - ??Stylish garden? HUH?


The vision in my mind is lollipop. A giant strawberry lollipop, just like the one I have seen in 1889 Moulin Rouge by HdP when I first sprayed the fragrance on my arm, but this time  less powdery, less furry-meaow...more aromatic and a rather alcoholic one to tell the truth! Si signores, the pink ladies of Italy like to start their charming daily routine with a glass of fruity Caribbean treats...

SHINGL is a strawberry cocktail to savor drop by drop. A cocktail of felicitá, of joie de vivre with a kinky naughtiness to it. That said, it is exquisite and creative. The woody- earthy trails of vetiver and orris give the lightheaded effect some grounding - one toe on the ground, or a shoulder of a classy gentleman to hold the drunk pink lady when her Louboutins are zigzagging.
One can get very addicted to this fragrance, and if I had to choose between Moulin Rouge and Shingl, I would prefer Sergio's lollipop. It is more refined, more classy than HdP's. (Do notice that this is a major thing for me to say due to the fact that I am HDP most fervor's fan!)
If price is a matter to you - Moulin Rouge has a more attractive price. But do remember - they are not identical, and each one has its own uniqueness! Don't get me wrong here!!!
All I am saying is that both brought me the same image to my mind - the giant powdery strawberry lollipop.


And here goes a Lollipop by The Chordettes video - click HERE  - to get you a joyfull swing today!!!