# M. Micallef — Notorious XO

> Notorious XO is a 2025 cognac-themed woody-spicy EDP from French niche house M. Micallef, composed by Daniela Marty (a senior perfumer at Luzi A.G., per Micallef CEO Roland Altenburger) and launched w

## Essence
Notorious XO is a 2025 cognac-themed woody-spicy EDP from French niche house M. Micallef, composed by Daniela Marty (a senior perfumer at Luzi A.G., per Micallef CEO Roland Altenburger) and launched within the brand's Jewel Collection after a debut at the Esxence expo in Milan. The "XO" references cognac aged a minimum of ten years; the concept is a "boozy" cognac-leather scent - refined and grown-up rather than dessert-sweet. Its defining context is the inevitable comparison to By Kilian Angels' Share: it shares the cognac/cinnamon/vanilla/tonka note list but, per critics, takes a drier, more masculine, more transparent and aromatic direction.
## Scent Profile
The opening is the most distinctive part: a sparkling, effervescent cognac - warm and slightly sweet with dried-fruit nuances (raisin, prune) - lifted by black pepper, cardamom, and a saline/"watery" mineral note that several reviewers explicitly identify as ambroxan in disguise ("marine notes" as a codename). One reviewer likened the salty-cognac top to Profumum Roma Acqua di Sale; Olya Bar described it as "a vivacious burst of spices and aromatics: think cardamom's peppery snap and salty whisper, laced with a citrus zing that evokes the first sip of a well-aged VSOP." Around 20 minutes in, a brown, slightly rough, bitter leather emerges, wrapped in cinnamon, cardamom, tonka, and a touch of oakmoss - this is what keeps it masculine and "beautifully bitter." The base softens into a creamy, golden gourmand-adjacent drydown: vanilla (frequently praised as excellent), praline, amber, sandalwood, and musk, kept in check by the leather/moss so it never becomes overtly dessert-sweet. Per Olya Bar it "settles into a gourmand base of cognac accord, vanilla, and tonka bean, wrapped in a cocoon of sandalwood and amber." Reads as masculine but with what she calls a "unisex tenderness," the praline softening it on some skins.
## Performance
The consensus is moderate, and this is the most common complaint relative to the price. A one critic states verbatim: "The performance (give it around 6h longevity, light-to-average sillage) and value (retails at 245/100ml) objectively aren't the worst, but product wise, I'm beyond puzzled why anybody would want to buy this." Several owners go further, calling it weak - "an instant skin scent" even sprayed on clothes - and warning buyers to test first. Others find performance acceptable for the style. One critic compared the overall performance/experience to Guerlain L'Homme Ideal Extreme. Net: expect a refined, relatively intimate projection and ~6 hours, not a beast. Apply liberally; manage expectations given the niche price tag.
## Wearing Context
A clear fall/winter scent: warming, boozy, and "Christmassy," ideal for cold evenings, the holidays, dinners, bars, and cozy fireside settings - one reviewer called it "perfect for winter," evoking "1980s New York holidays." It could stretch into cool spring/summer nights but shines in the cold. Skews masculine and somewhat dressy/"private club," pairing well with formalwear and leather; one detractor dismissed the vibe as a bit "douchebag-y" (someone who drinks a cognac because a rapper had it in a music video), which captures the assertive, status-signaling read some get. Conversely, several note real unisex potential.
## Comparisons & DNA
The dominant reference is By Kilian Angels' Share - but critics are split on how close it actually is. Many first impressions called it a "designer-y take on the Angels' Share cognac accord," sometimes "crossed with the ambroxan-iness of PDM Althair." However, Olya Bar and others argue it has "almost nothing in common" with Angels' Share on skin: where Angels' Share is plush dessert-comfort, Notorious XO is "transparent, dry and golden." Her most useful deltas: its amber-vanilla structure recalls MFK Grand Soir, while the booze/dried-fruit/leather/tobacco theme is handled like Les Indemodables Vanille Havane - except Vanille Havane is "denser, plusher and darker." Other comparisons named: Roja Enigma (one reviewer says Enigma is the superior, better-value blend), By Kilian Apple Brandy/Overture Man, and a "smidge of MFK Grand Soir" in the drydown. Several reviewers note the masculine pepper/moss/ambroxan layer doesn't fully mesh with the sweet boozy accord.
## Reception
Polarized, and heavily colored by the "free bottle hype" dynamic. Positive camp: a high-quality, well-made, different boozy scent - "half designer, half niche," elegant and warming, with an excellent vanilla and a genuinely interesting salty-cognac opening; some call it one of Micallef's best recent men's releases. Critical camp: overpriced for moderate performance, and suspiciously hyped - one critic was "beyond puzzled why anybody would want to buy this" at 245 euros, and comments openly accuse the buzz of being "the power of free bottle crew hype" ("Big let down. Trade it immediately"). The Angels' Share comparison is itself a polarization axis (clone vs. distinct). Blind-buy verdict: not recommended blind given the price and divisive performance - sample first; it's a "try before you buy," especially if you already own Angels' Share, Grand Soir, or Enigma.
## Versions & Reformulation
Single composition, no known reformulations. It's part of M. Micallef's Jewel Collection (alongside DesirToxic, Ylang in Gold, and EdenFalls) and is offered in a 100ml flacon (with 5ml/10ml decants available via splitters). As a 2025 release there is no reformulation history.
## Acquisition Notes
Niche tier. Official retail is $265/100ml on Micallef's own US store (price stated to include US customs taxes) and 245/100ml at EU retail (corroborated by an EU retailer and a reviewer who notes it "retails at 245/100ml"); some third-party US resellers list it higher (e.g. ~$285 - $294 at Maxaroma/others), so $265/245 is the authoritative manufacturer figure and resellers above that are overpriced. Sold in 100ml; 50ml exists at $149. Decants/samples (5ml, 10ml) are the recommended entry point given the divisive reviews and the price. Buy from Micallef directly or authorized niche stockists; as a brand-new niche release counterfeiting isn't yet a documented problem, but verify the seller.
## Notable Facts & Lore
- It was first revealed at Esxence in Milan and is built as an olfactory tribute to cognac and "the French art of living."
- The "XO" name references cognac aged a minimum of ten years.
- Perfumer Daniela Marty is credited, a senior perfumer at Luzi A.G.
- A brand-sponsored review-plus-giveaway (one 100ml bottle, EU only, draw closing 11/11/2025) ran in early November 2025 - a detail relevant to the "free bottle hype" skepticism some reviewers voice.
- The name plays on "notorious" (infamous) to build a deliberately rakish, status-driven aura.