Aleksandr

I can clearly remember that my first thought when I first sampled this scent was "How bizarre." Then I ended up tipping some of my sample onto a glove. Over the next few days I continued to catch whiffs of it and decided I had to have it. All of the notes are there but I'd argue that this is more of a violet /flower/, not the leaf. On the other hand, it screams sophistication unlike any other scent I've tried. There's just something about it that conjures images of well manicured nails and expensive suits. Fresh, clean, and best of all in my book, different! Not for those who don't want to stand out in a big way. Having applied some on the way back from lunch, I had co-workers physically turning in circles to figure out where the scent was coming from. Most people I've encountered love it but it's worth pointing out that I've found this one to be a little polarizing. However... I wear scents primarily for my own enjoyment with other peoples' opinions being secondary; Cue raspberry. I would venture to say that Arquiste's website is spot on to consider this one unisex. (They claim all of their scents are.) The sillage really dials back after an hour or so but I've caught trails of it coming off my collar six or more hours after applying when I'm moving around. Edit: After a while of wearing this, I have had more than one person comment that Aleksandr smells 'minty' to them. I can't exactly argue now that the suggestion is there in my head.

I recently am riding the wave of Arquiste fragrances. After some shopping, I was rewarded with quite a few samples from their collection, and my overall idea is that their thinking line draws a perfect retro panorama (or this seems to me). Let’s take this Aleksandr (supposedly representing Russia from I don’t know which year). Well, to me, it’s the 70s, and more specifically, those disco clubs where you could smoke inside, on leather couches, drinking fragrant alcohol. It vividly produces what I still have in my mind so clearly. Besides the stated notes, I think Arquiste perfumes are always very well crafted and recreate an atmosphere rather than a smell. Fantastic job, for sure. It’s on my wish list.

This is actually a beautiful scent! And I think completely unisex. It has a minty-camphoraceous feel at the beginning (perhaps reminding us that Alexander Pushkin and Russia are the inspirations). I suspect from the fir balsam. Then violets, intense. The violets are then wrapped up in suede, or leather. Floral, yet has an animalic edge to it. This is not, in my opinion, a casual scent. More formal, reserved. For occasions grand, and to impress with elan. That Yann Vasnier did it, is no wonder! Recommended!

There is something inexplicably sexy in this smell. Dunno if it's the saddle leather, the face against the soil, shrubs, grassy stains combo but it smells like a proper, inappropriate, forbidden, grown up frolic in the woods. My oh my. I'm blushing. This would be the way i'd like my man to smell....

This smells like you just left a leathery indoor smoking club and are laying in a snow pile next to an open bottle of vodka, surrounded by pine trees. love this.

Green pines. Crisp violets. Old, sullied leathers. Nearby, frozen furs and a broken bottle of vodka lie entangled in a vast frost.

I am Russian, live in Moscow and IMHO - this is the first real "russian theme" fragrance after all "Russian leathers" and "Ambre Russe's"! Harmony of notes. Very spiritual, not heavy and not brutal. Real "Russian calm landscape" spirit. In details: "Yes! – my inner voice said. – This is the first scent of authentic Russian atmosphere - (among all these “Russian leathers”, “Cuir russe”, “Ambre russe” etc) – the atmosphere of the Golden Age of the imperial Russia. It does contain base ethereal elements of its great spacious decoration: the spirit of the Russian aristocracy with its ambivalent note of optimistic melancholy, the fresh spirit of vast Russian winter landscapes with its subtle note of the special Russian nostalgia for... who knows?.. something beyond cut off... I do know the winter scent of St. Petersburg outskirts and after the first sniff I’ve imagined immediately an aristocratic saunter along the river beach in a snowy forest... Only then I discovered the inner theme of the fragrance in its description... Wow! How these Mexico City resident manages to catch the point of so far alien epoch and reality?! And what is the theme “Aleksandr in 1837”? No doubt – this is the last month of Aleksandr Pushkin life. May be exactly the day of his duel near the Chernaya (Black) river – the apotheosis of honor. One of the most dramatic day of the Russian culture... but Pushkin is the most positive character in our history and a symbol of huge optimism. So it is the perfect hit the target! Besides all ALEKSANDR is one of the best gentleman’s fresh day fragrances for any case and any season with light but very distinct sillage and good longevity.

A lovely composition utilizing fairly delicate top notes which are counterposed with animalic rich leather. Opening with floral notes of neroli and powdery nuances of violet leaf, Alexsandr starts rather tame. Neroli's sharp and delicate aroma (at first pleasantly bitter, then turns floral and herbal) mirrors perfectly with the herbaceous, earthy/oily characteristics of the violet leaf. It is here I get a melon/cucumber vibe which I believe is due to the violet leaf, with an overall effect which is watery and chilled. The musky smokiness of leather then pierces through, albeit in a subtle way. This is by any means a leather heavy scent, as in my opinion, in doing so would have drowned out the delicate notes of the opening. Here leather is utilized as an accent. It is definitely an emboldened leather, one of military boots and horses's reigns (don't expect a soft, supple suede note). Lastly, fir balsam provides a woody backdrop to the fragrance. It further accentuates the dry and sweet facets of the leather. While very pleasant, Alexsandr is nothing ground-breaking in the world of perfume creation. (155)

Aleksandr is supposed to be worn by men, but being a female, I love it too! The description of a scent is quite fitting - I can also smell violets with traces of neroli and gentle leather, then a hint of mint - crispy winter air and then woody notes seal the deal. Not overly complicated scent pyramid, not a lot of notes, but those that are in the perfume, are there for a reason. The outcome is an elegant delicate scent, definitely unisex I would say, that I love wearing in winter. Suitable for a wide range of occasions: from a walk in a city park to a dressy uppy outing. Wearing Aleksandr I feel more sophisticated and elegant, even if I'm wearing jeans and parka - that's the magic of this scent. UPD: the price tag is totally hideous.

I first thought this was going to be a very heavy scent, but that’s not exactly true, even though the first smell gives you that impression. I notice leather immediately mixed with fir. I can’t tell much more initially. On the peripheral I get some glimpses of something softer, which I imagine are the neroli and violet leaf. 15-20 minutes later and the leather has subdued a bit with everything else still there. The neroli and violet leaf are still sitting pretty. Overall, I think this is as much floral as it is leather and fir. This lasts several hours on me. Very nice - not sure I’d buy a full bottle with the prices that I’ve seen, though.

Un EDP per gli uomini! Sono rari e l'arquiste aleksandr ne è un esempio. Sofisticato, Caldo ed Intenso tre aggettivi che la casa pubblicizza e che io trovo adeguati per descrivere questa fragranza. Personalmente l'apprezzo ma non lo comprerei mai soprattutto al prezzo con cui esso è commercializzato. L'odore di pelle l'avverto in maggiore presenza rispetto anche alle foglie di violetta tanto rimarcate dagli utenti di fragrantica ed infine io noto il balsamo di'abete che ora non trovo tra le note bah! Sillage 6,5/10 Longevità 7/10 Profumo 6,5/10

Having it on right now. Very hard to describe how this smells... Like lounging in an old library or salon inside of a run-down castle somewhere in old Bohemia? There is something outdoorsy, like riding a horse, and opulent clothes and scents in the salon, type of vibe with this. Upon spraying, it starts as unpleasant and very hard on the edges, mellows down to something elegant and rich but stays daring and specific. You have to be in the mood for this.

Cold slightly sweet cucumber freshie, with a touch of leather and musk. The fluffy musk is prominent, there's not that much aldehydes, orris, fir/conifer, or booze. There is some really old 80s chypre note but only a touch of it. There is a pinch of neroli. It's a freshy on vintage legs. Overall interesting, well-layered, not basic.

Very pleasant, the floral notes make a spicy sweet opening and it has a very pleasant base of vanilla and powder on leather. Sillage and projection are minimal but not too personal. Overall this is lovely but, for the price, you could od better (luckily I got a large discount, I'd say it was worth shelling out up to £75 for).

Cold and austere green scent with the dominating note of suede+violets. I wish fir was more prominent and neroli less as the latter together with violets make it a bit too powdery.

Elegance in a bottle, in the first half. This is not Fair Lady type of elegance, nor the old English gentlemen’s gracefulness, for it doesn’t shout “lady-like” or “aristocratic”, since it’s deprived of any gender stereotypes, but not to the point of being “minimalist”, or robotic. I think the core of elegance is being refined/reserved and harmonious. This perfume certainly conveys that idea. The violet element is not quite realistic, but kept its powdery hint; that balanced with an extremely refined leather note, they work together creating a...quite “cultivated” impression. The notes may be simple, but the portion of each component is perfect. Though in the latter half, the violet seems to hijack the whole scent. The sense of portion is gone, we get a usual over-powdery structureless mess.

Ok, but really adds nothing new. Nice, but not niche. More of a nicer mall/department store kind of thing. Indeed, everything from this house I've tried reads as J.Crew: ordinary product reliant on microvariations of traditional, common themes but backed up by hype designed to present the product as radically chic. Why this brand is getting so much press is partly a mystery, partly not: I think this brand is more about Carlos Huber than what's in the bottles.

So you're drunk at a leather daddy club. Some people around you smell like they remembered to put dove deodorant on. Others clearly didn't shower before they got here. You need some air, and though it's a cold November night you figure it's a step above being suffocated in here. You're wrong. The streets smell like sick and just as you are about to be... you lean over a garbage can and the last aroma that burns your nostrils is a heap of stale cigarette butts. I won't be sampling this fragrance again.

Aleksandr is far from deserving the hype it's currently getting. Don't get me wrong, the fragrance is actually pretty nice yet not completely satisfying. It opens with a green accord of violet leaf an subtle neroli notes paired to a suedey undertone that while being everything but novel, it still doesn't achive the successful status of other fragrances which played the same thing in the past (expecially more classic russian leather-inspired fragrances). What really makes the difference is an overall transparent, kinda watery, vibe which is, at the same time, modern and a tad off-putting. Fortunately, this aspect quickly recedes to leave space to a refined leather base enriched by slight vanillic elements with balmy undertones. Understated, elegant and quiet yet not groundbreaking as they want us to believe. Mild thumbs up. Rating: 7/10

Very soapy, ozonic opening, similar to a mixed vodka drink with an earthiness from birch and a subtle sweetness that's from the alcoholic notes. It smells a little too boozy to me, which isn't attractive up against aldehydes and birch tar, but I'm not a huge boozy scent fan. The main problem I have is this contrast between the smoky, leather, and alcoholic notes and the ozonic, fresh ones- It feels like you're cleaning up after something and not really succeeding. Violet leaf adds this metallic edge to it which is another contrast that keeps you guessing and doesn't really make you comfortable, but maybe intrigued. I like pieces of this perfume separately, but together they don't work for me, and it smells kind of cheap.