235 community ratings

Begum

Name: Begum
Brand: Xerjoff

Perfumer: Christian Carbonnel a.k.a. Chris Maurice

2015UnisexClassic

Votes lean feminine

8.1/ 10

Community score
235 ratings

See your match

Xerjoff Begum is a powdery, sweet floral built around Bulgarian rose, lilac and jasmine sambac absolute, warming into vanilla and amber.

Compare

Skunky's take: The flowers do the talking, the rest listens.

How does it perform?

From 228 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity

8.5 /10

Sprayed at breakfast, still around at dinner.

Sillage

8.1 /10

People close to you notice, nobody gets overwhelmed.

Bottle

9.1 /10

Talks even from the shelf.

Value for money

5.8 /10

The price makes you think, so a small size is a smart start.

Blind buy risk

Low risk

86% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Lemon Bergamot Freesia Red berries

Heart notesfirst few hours

Bulgarian rose Lilac Lily of the valley Ylang-ylang Florentine iris

Damask rose absolute

Jasmine sambac absolute

Base noteswhat stays into the evening

Vetiver Sandalwood Rosewood Patchouli Musk Vanilla Amber

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

Floral
Fruity
Sweet
Woody
Oriental
Powdery
Creamy

What does Begum smell like?

It opens bright with lemon and bergamot, while red berries and freesia add a soft, fruity touch. The heart is dominated by roses, lilac and jasmine, with ylang-ylang and Florentine iris making it powdery and creamy. In the base, sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla and amber form a woody, sweet, oriental floor.

Voters find both its longevity and sillage strong. Fall and spring lead the season votes, and it is chosen most for nights out and evenings. Though it is unisex, most voters read it as feminine. Xerjoff Damarose and Xerjoff Elle have a close profile.