Nio

Continuing my dive into the house of Xerjoff, today’s review focuses on a fragrance that heralded by those that know as an absolute titan within the realm of warm weather perfumery: Nio. Released under their ultra premium Shooting Stars collection, this particular bottle enjoys an immense reputation among citrus enthusiasts, frequently cited as a definitive benchmark for high definition freshness. The structural blueprint for this creation promises a masterclass in hyper realistic botanical design, aiming to deliver an explosive, sharp blast of Italian bergamot rind paired with freshly crushed green leaves before easing into a sophisticated heart of cool spices and clean woods. This release illustrates the house channeling their technical mastery into capturing the raw, vivid energy of a sun drenched Mediterranean citrus grove, focusing on crystalline clarity and premium natural ingredients rather than the typical synthetic transparency found in mainstream summer scents. Approaching a composition that carries such heavy expectations, the question remains whether Nio can deliver the legendary performance and unmatched realism required to justify its premium price tag, or if it is simply an overhyped option in a crowded genre. Let’s see if this fragrance stands as a brilliant, towering masterpiece of refreshing green art or if the excitement is overblown.

When I consider the Nio fragrance from Xerjoff, I feel a mix of admiration and deep reflection. The scent takes me on a refreshing summer journey, as if I’m strolling through the southern Italian countryside, where Calabrian bergamot and neroli blend with gentle breezes carrying pure green notes. I enjoy its citrusy opening, which merges with mysterious spicy touches of cardamom, nutmeg, and pink pepper, before settling into a warm woody base of cedar, Haitian vetiver, amber, and patchouli, creating unforgettable romantic scent memories. I consider it a classic fragrance ideal for neroli lovers, and while using it, I appreciate its clear sillage and strong longevity, lasting around seven hours. However, deep down, I find its scent lacks the uniqueness I crave, resembling other market fragrances, which leads me to question whether its high price is justified, especially since I’ve discovered similar designer alternatives at a much lower cost. Still, I rate it personally 7/10 as one of the most balanced and beautiful summer scents, but my experience with it led me to buy it only once, without repurchasing, perhaps because I’m seeking something more distinctive within the Xerjoff range.

On first spray, it’s a really nice citrus scent. I get why some say cleaner but it’s only a little bit. For the most part, it’s super uplifting and bright. After that, it becomes soapy clean. The florals (jasmine and neroli) and spices (cardamom and pepper) are prominent on me and work well to give it a nice change. It goes from bright citrus to floral with a soapy clean quality. Smells super different from Aqva Viva, Burlington or Isola Blu which are also good performing citruses that I’ve tried. It really has its own character to it which is intriguing. Weirdly although the longevity is good, i’m not getting the projection I was hoping for but that just might be me. Super sad about that cause it’s a really nice smelling easy to wear fragrance but sadly doesn’t work for my skin chemistry as it usually like darker stuff. Really great smelling citrus scent that you should try.

This is one of the best hot weather fragrances I’ve encountered so far, and although I am not always a fan of bergamot or neroli, this is also the most well constructed of that type of scent that I’ve tried and worn. Most of the time those notes either come off screechy or like cleaning products to me, but this has such high quality and the supporting cast of other notes serve to make it very well rounded far into the drydown. The amber and spices magnify the overall vibe without taking it into a different direction. An amazing, uplifting scent that literally puts a smile on my face when I smell it, and lasts for a good while, especially for this type of scent. Price is very comparable with quality here, and more so than most fragrances of its price range, if I’m being honest. My first experience with the brand and I am quite impressed.

Nio didn't impress me the first time I tried it, but now that I gave my sample a full wear a couple of months later I enjoyed it a lot. Nio is green, has a smooth white floral aspect from neroli, a perfectly dosed citrus zing from bergamot, the scent overall comes across very well balanced and doesn't end up smelling like a cleaning product in my opinion. As it starts drying I notice a light vetiver up close on skin, and around 4 hours later the skin scent becomes a clean, white musk. They're not necessarily similar but I see this being in a similar vein to fragrances like Neroli Portofino and Sun Song, but personally I think Nio is the best of the three by far.