A Sexy Little Number on the Right Skin

In true Xerjoff fashion, La Capitale is a bit of a shape-shifter, taking us on a journey from ripe fruitiness and sweet leather, to a place that feels rich, ambery and resinous.

The opening is quite something - a realistic strawberry note that feels thick and viscous, yet stripped of the sweetness we'd expect from a jam. This is certainly the work of the leather - masking the sweetness and letting the floral aspects of the fruit shine.

In time, the caramel note gains strength, and when paired with a more nectarous, fleshy, peach-like fruitiness, La Capitale does become very sweet - probably too much so for those less accustomed to syrupy fragrances.

There's also a sharp muskiness here - noticeable from the start, and intensifying as it dries down, giving the fragrance a sparkly, feminine character. The ambery base goes some way to round this off, but I do feel this sits better on a woman's skin.