Rose Alba

This is one of the most surprising blind buys I've made in a while. The notes looked pretty basic and the reviews were decent, not great. Turns out, Rose Alba is glorious. I've fallen in love with this one. It's an exotic rose blend that is timeless but not vintage. It manages to somehow be both bright *and* dark, something few fragrance pull off well. The peach and plum add an alluring sweetness to spicy rose heart and woody base. It is deeply feminine, sexy, and "magnetic" as my husband describes it. Yet it's not so brash as to be relegated to the status of a "bedroom-only" fragrance. It would be acceptable in an office environment too, as the is not overpowering. This is one of those fragrances that stirs an image in my mind. It evokes a gorgeous, multifaceted, and mysterious woman, whose quiet confidence draws all eyes to her. She is effortlessly sensual and enticing without being crass or raising eyebrows. She inspires profound curiosity in those who fall under her spell. It rates among my favorites: 9.5/10

A musky plummy rose, this one is definitely the top contender amongst the Alexander J range I’ve tested so far. There is some intriguing note which reminds me of the Oriental Guerlain range but I can’t figure it out. The plum starts out sour but ripe at the same time, and vanilla is present. Superior projection and longevity than others from the same family. The packaging is a bit over the top. First there’s the velvet embossed cardboard box, then another box with a drop down side, the bottle is very pretty fuchsia with gold adornments that are not quite affixed to it. A bit of an exercise if you prefer to do a quick grab and spray as you leave the house, but that’s just an observation and not a complaint. Overall would make a lovely gift or addition to a collection.

in a word: wonderful. a perfectly silky, rosy scent with a hint of sandalwood. The plum is juicy and very tender in aroma. sexy but not continuous. Strong but not aggressive. Very durable to wear. Fabulous. There is something woody accord in it that makes the scent soft and special. One of the most outstanding scents of Alexander J.. perfect!

I love it. It's got the lushness of rose, tanginess? of sour fruits, earthy woody notes. Mature, luxurious, with a lightness that makes it suitable for daywear, or even office wear. Good sillage and longevity, I sprayed it in the morning and I could smell it all day!

Fruity and sweet fragrance, it smells so, so good. A great blend of notes...I get the peach note and the rose smells amazing.The rose isn't jammy, it has a sweetness to it. I thought the black pepper would overpower everything but I don't smell it at all.

A juicy and "sour" plum. A fascinating perfume that gives me tranquility. It envelops you while being a very subtle and delicate perfume! I don't feel a "mature" rose but like a "rose water", while sandalwood is very distant a little shy. Nice overall! Sillage: 6./10 Longevity: 7./10 Scent: 7./10 Overall: 7./10

A peppery rose, I admit I didn’t love it on first sniff but once it dried down I began to appreciate it more. I get great longevity from this considering the price bracket, I’ve spent way more on other fragrances that haven’t given me anywhere near it. Not a safe blind buy but definitely worth a try.

Sweet peppery rose. Romantic, nice

Am I the only one getting a strong Cola note from the opening? It's not unpleasant as such, only a bit odd, and the scent changes pretty quickly to something else. Office friendly if not over sprayed, an easy and sweet musc rose, nothing super original or especially classy, but it's wearable. If you are after something a bit similar but better, try Penhaligon's The Coveted Duchess Rose, their discovery sets are pretty affordable at least in Europe. Rose Chant by Novelista is also a great rose scent, and comes with a less eye-watering price tag if you are considering a full bottle.

Another wannabe BR540. Smelled one you've smelled 'em all. This one is set slightly apart by the peach note, which is making it really not palatable to me-- there's a really nice warm sandalwood note but it's really not playing well with the fruity top. I get almost no rose, and then only if I really train my nose on it. I would not call this a rose-forward fragrance. I want so badly to like some of these fragrances from Alexandre J because performance is nuclear, which is what I'm after, but the fragrances themselves are a huge miss for me so far. Smells cheap, and it is. Oh well.

This is rose forward fragrance. I do not know how to describe it, but to me it’s in the same ball park as Mancera and Montal fragrances. It is not similar scent-wise, but it’s in the same category; meaning that there is something harsh and synthetic about it to my nose. Still it is not a dislike, it’s definitely wearable. Feminine leaning and can be worn in all seasons. Edit: Tried it on today and regretted it. I change my mind: it’s a dislike. Very synthetic.

This is the prettiest rose I’ve ever tried. And I’ve tried A LOT. I just can’t buy it because of the bottle. PLEASE ALEXANDRE J. YOU’RE TORTURING ME 🥲