Richwood.

Richwood carries its intention in its name, a celebration of precious wood as both concept and material. The fragrance was composed by Jacques Flori, who worked with materials sourced from Grasse to construct a woody composition where the wood wasn't merely a base but the defining character. The 17/17 Stone Label collection, where Richwood lives, represents Xerjoff's pursuit of ambitious, art-forward compositions housed in bottles designed to be treasured rather than merely used. Flori's task was to make the rose feel woody, the citrus feel warm, and the entire structure feel like a single material, rich wood, rather than a collection of notes assembled together.

The combination of rose absolute and blackcurrant is deceptively simple, it's a classic pairing found in many compositions, but the proportions here create something darker and more substantial than the usual rose-and-cassis interpretation. Blackcurrant bud brings a tart, almost jammy darkness that deepens the rose rather than sweetening it, while rose absolute itself carries more weight and resinous quality than the more common rose oil. The woody base, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, labdanum, provides a foundation substantial enough to support that dense floral heart without collapsing under it.

The opening announces citrus with immediate confidence, bergamot and grapefruit arriving bright and tart, creating an optimistic first impression that lasts about fifteen minutes before the rose begins to assert itself. This transition is the first surprise: the citrus doesn't fade so much as dissolve into the heart, the way morning light softens as the day grows warmer. The dark rose arrives dense and slightly smoky, blackcurrant lending a tart, wine-like quality beneath it. Patchouli begins its slow assertion around the thirty-minute mark, earthy and grounding, pulling the composition toward its base. Sandalwood joins next, creamy and warm, threading through the patchouli and preventing it from becoming too heavy. By the second hour, the composition has settled into its middle phase, still floral, still fruity, but increasingly woody, with vanilla appearing in the background like warmth from a fireplace someone just banked. The drydown arrives around the fourth hour, when the florals finally recede and the woody base takes full command.

Richwood represents the 17/17 Stone Label collection's ambition, fragrances designed to be experienced as complete works, where the bottle and the juice receive equal consideration. The collection draws on Xerjoff's broader philosophy of treating perfume as art rather than commodity. Community response centers on the quality of materials, particularly the Mysore sandalwood, and the sophisticated, complex character that distinguishes it from more straightforward woody fragrances.