I was looking forward to trying Cruz del sur I & II but neither have really met my expectations. This one opens very strangely indeed and has a signature Xerjoff opulence about it, I don't find the mixture of an animalic, but modern IBQ driven, leather accord, boozy fruits and smoky resins appealing at first but as this thing progresses it gets much nicer. After about five hours it's now a boozy, rum and minced fruit cake of loveliness, with hints of the animal leather and sharp labdanum and myrrh but much tamer and easier to handle now. Rewind to the opening and it was knocking me sick with it's spiced diesel fumes and stinky animal musk but with all the nice things I've mentioned too, all at the same time.... Cruz del sur I is an insane, statement fragrance. It's no joke and reminds me of loads of different fragrances non of which I can recall right now due to the sensory overload I'm experiencing. Full of intrigue this one, great performance and if you can wait out the initial harshness, a blissful drydown. When I say it reminds me of other fragrances, it totally does, but has so many phases and notes that it is unique in a sense as well, and who doesn't like a fragrance that is multifaceted even if you probably wouldn't wear it and definitely couldn't afford it.