Alexandria II

Alexandria is exclusive to Fortnum & Mason in London. I'm so happy that one of the perfumista's on here introduced me to the lovely second floor in F&M. Anyway, back to Alexandria. It's a part of Oud Stars collection. For starters it's very, very long lasting. I had a paper strip sprayed on Saturday and I can still smell it on Wednesday. Smell it not only when I bring the strip straight under my nose but also from about a meter distance. I would describe Alexandria as woody floriental. The notes I can definitely smell through different stages of development are: rose in the opening and middle, lavender - I think the slight whiff of freshness comes from it, very subtle oud throughout the whole life of Alexandria, and finally sandalwood, vanilla and cinnamon in the drydown. There is also something that smells like bitter almonds - not sure what that could be? Maybe just my sense of smell? I enjoyed this fragrance a lot and it's now on the top of my 'to buy list'. Now, on a side note, I didn't really think much of Xerjoff after my big disappointment with Iriss. And I only smelled few Xerjoffs from the Shooting Stars collection but they didn't make my heart beat faster. But Alexandria proved that Xerjoff has beautiful things to offer. Also, another exclusive to F&M is Emery from the Shooting Stars (it's not listed on Fragrantica yet and there aren't any information on the net yet). Emery is a stunningly wonderful oriental rose. I fell in love with it instantly. When it appears on here I will follow with a description of my beautiful experience with it. :-) Update1: I just found Serguey review of Alexandria on here and it says there were only 120 bottles which sold out immediately and that Xerjoff wasn't going to make more. Somebody also mentioned that they did release Alexandria 2 - so maybe that's what I sampled? Need to go to F&M again. Update 2 (26/11/2013): Yes the current version in F&M is Alexandria II. I actually met Sergio Momo in F&M yesterday and had a really nice chat with him. He explained that the difference between Alexandria I and Alexandria II is the oud. The one used in A I was 25 years old. The one used in A II is 5-6 years old but it comes from the same plantation. The rest of the notes is the same. Sergio also explained why they needed to name it Alexandria II saying that even though it's almost identical fragrance yet still the main ingredient is different. That little chat really made my day! Yay :-)

Alexandria II is a fragrance that blends oriental richness with a contemporary twist, anchored by a peculiar use of Laotian oud combined with a rather unusual lavender opening. In fact, the composition starts with a curious mix: lavender, apple, cinnamon and rosewood. The lavender adds a powdery lift that contrasts with the gourmand warmth of apple and cinnamon. In my opinion, this head accord is what sets Alexandria II apart... it’s rare to see lavender leading in an oud-centric perfume, and it lends a nuance of brightness to the otherwise deep and woody profile. The heart reveals rose, lily of the valley and cedarwood, transitioning the scent into a floral-woody phase that feels quite elegant. The base is where the Laotian oud becomes more perceptible, along with the sandalwood, vanilla and musk. The oud here is earthy and slightly hay-like, not really animalic nor stinky. IMHO it is vaguely reminiscent of Loudo oud (courtesy of Mr Maurice), but without the chococaramelly factor. Performance is very good. It easily lasts 10+ hours on skin, and when applied to clothing, it maintains a consistent scent bubble throughout the day. Projection is substantial for the first few hours, then settles into a moderate but persistent aura. Seasonally, Alexandria II is versatile. While it is an obvious option in cooler weather, wearability in warmer months is manageable by containing the number of sprays. Two-three spritzes suffice for a refined presence, without overwhelming. In summary, Alexandria II is a well-structured, oud-forward (but not dominant) fragrance with a unique lavender twist. Do I think it is overpriced? Absolutely yes, but we have discounters and/or people who are too afraid of the Laotian oud... and will be quite keen on getting rid of their bottles :)

Alexandria II by Xerjoff stands above all others in my collection as my ceremonial signature-the scent that announces my presence. What makes it remarkable is how it bypasses the rational mind and strikes directly at something deeper, triggering memory, comfort, safety, and awe all at once. It opens with a freshness polarized by rich darkness, an olfactory experience like no other: palisander rosewood, lavender, cinnamon, and apple, moving into Bulgarian rose, cedar, and lily of the valley, then settles into Laotian oud, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, and musk. Many different woods dancing together with florals and spice. The scent itself is hard to capture in words. Deep creamy woods and floral from lily of the valley, dirty rose brightened by fresh lavender, all wrapped in dark oud, warm amber, embracing vanilla, and caressed by those woods. There’s musk, cinnamon, even apple hiding in there. Together they don’t just blend, they tell a story. It reminds me of ancient libraries filled with aging manuscripts, or the forgotten hull of a decommissioned wooden ship. It’s pungent, demanding,something that takes your breath away while simultaneously making you breathe deeper. Intoxicating. Powerful. Mystical and deeply mysterious, maybe even ancient. There’s nothing else like it. Alexandria II fuses different emotions, different geographies, different intentions into one singular experience. Projection is wide, others will certainly lean in to your space to smell it. Longevity is phenomenal as it lasts 8-12hours on my skin (depending on my activities) and even longer on clothes - retaining its woody, creamy, warm darkness. It’s a 10/10 experience for me, but the expensive price point makes it a 9/10 recommendation.

Judging by al the negative comments that make no sense at all from my personal experience with this fragrance it is very likely that either the fragrance has been reformulated terribly or there is a weird hate thing going on with this fragrance. I own 2 100ml bottles ( which you can see in my profile picture )with batchcodes from january 2017 and march 2017 and there is absolutly no burned or fecal or poor performance or anything negative listed by most latest negative reviews at all with my bottles. Almost everyone who smells this on me has to know what it is bcos it smells so good and they also want to buy it ...( until they know the price 😆) By far one of the most addictive and beautiful perfumes i have had the pleasure of smelling and i sampled hundreds of high end niche perfumes. Perfectly blended,fills a room with only 2 sprays and lasts over 10 hours easy. I guess it must have been reformulated so i am probably not going to buy another bottle of it again and treasure the ones i own and move on to the next great thing. Why do people blind buy perfumes in this price range because the official website from xerjoff sells samples worldwide and you can find samples of alexandria 2 in a lott of different places. I return on a weekly basis to my favorite perfumes to read what other people think of them and i noticed people like Chesco copy paste their bashing of a fragrance and repost it again a few months later so there is a hate thing going on with this perfume otherwise you would not keep reposting your disdain for a perfume

a beautifully made scent by xerjoff. the opening is woody and sweet, the main woody notes here are sandal wood and rosewood to my nose, the oud being a supporting note here and its very very lightly used to my nose. the oud note is balsamic and woody, maybe a bit musky, i really do not get how on earth do people get manure/diaper here, i have asked many normal non fraghead peoples opinion and all instantly fell in love with the opening and the dry down and when i asked them about the manure thing they all thought im crazy. this woody concoction is complimented by tiny dose of cinnamon, noticeable lavender and a small dose of fruity and floral notes. on me the opening woodiness duo (rosewood and oud) dissipates in 2 hours and the creamy sandalwood remains and dominates, the sandalwood is siting on a musky silky vanillic base and some amber woody molecules help with the longevity and diffusion. the scent always feels dense and silky, and makes me feel happy and calm. i have tested the newer batches and the longevity is second to none, 12 hours of solid projection with one spray and the scent can slightly be felt on my skin for 3 days. on the negative side however, the price is just very high, but you get quality here. also i wouldn't recommend this to people who want to "study oud", because oud is not the main star of the show here.

First, I must mention that I'm confused by other reviewers here, on YouTube, and on TikTok. For me, this definitely is not beast mode, and honestly, not even difficult to wear. Apart from the opening, I think most people will find this scent very pleasant. I don't even understand people who say they wouldn't know when to wear it. Just wear it whenever you want instead of waiting for a special occasion, it's not such a challenging scent that you'll never find a time for it, tbh. This is the first oud perfume in my collection. At the beginning, it can smell a little medicinal, and the oud is kind of strong. After a few minutes, you get a lot of lavender and then a very creamy, complex scent. The oud is always there, but it's very subtle. I can really feel the fragrance evolving as time passes, so it's definitely more complex than average, I feel like I'll always be pleasantly surprised every time I catch a whiff. Again, not a beast mode performer, so if you're after that, you'll be very disappointed. I'd say it's completely the opposite: this is super classy and refined. I get 1–2 hours of medium-to-strong projection, then moderate projection from hours 2–6, and then mostly a skin scent after that for another few hours.

Alexandria II is not a perfume. It is an amazing combination of smells that work perfectly together. The wood and spice and clean lavender smells all go well together. When you first put it on it smells amazing. The apple and lavender smells are fresh and nice. Then the smell of rosewood comes in. It is wrapped in a warm cinnamon smell. It smells really fancy from the start. It does not have that smell that some perfumes have at first. Instead it smells rich and nice away. As the smell changes you can really tell how great it is. The sharp smell goes away. It starts to smell smooth and nice. A rose smell comes in. It is not too strong. It is a smell that leads into the other smells. The base of the perfume is made up of oud and sandalwood. The oud smell is really deep and nice. It is not harsh or annoying. It is supported by an amber smell and a little bit of vanilla. The vanilla smell is warm. It is not too sweet. The perfume lasts a time and it smells great. It is not too strong. It is noticeable. Alexandria II is a great perfume. It is made with ingredients and it smells like it. It is a combination of smells that will not go out of style. Alexandria II is a great perfume. It is one of the perfumes you can buy.

This is Xerjoffs masterpiece and a true and near perfect example of fine perfumery. The bottle is beautiful, the color is incredible. It's literally art through and through. smells like art, looks like art, priced like a small piece of beautiful tabletop furniture art. This legitimately makes you wonder how on earth anyone could sell their fragrances for more than Alexandria ii because they wont be better expressions of fine perfumery no matter how hard they try. I sound like a pretentious snob with this review but keep in mind I have like 100 clone bottles. if there is a clone of a great fragrance I almost always buy it. but this is really a 1 of 1 standout never been done before and never will be done again type of fragrance. clones may come out and thats fine, but this is one of the few high priced fragrances id buy the original of purely because of how incredible it is and because the perfumer deserves my support. im not even gunna describe the note breakdown but I will say this, its not a super floral fragrance at all and the oud isn't fecal at all at all. 10/10 fragrance, no complaints, no questions asked.

I've had a small sample of this for a while. I would take it to work with me and dab a small amount on me so I could inhale the beautiful aroma. I swore I would make this mine, but I'd have to save up for it. Well, that day came and now I have a bottle of this for myself. Very beautiful woodsy oud and yes, unisex as well. I get more vanilla and cinnamon in the opening, and as it's settling, the sandalwood, oud and woodsy notes come through with a touch of amber. This smells like a desert to me; very unique in aroma as well as presentation. I really wish mainstream perfumes were like this; unusual and magical. I guess that's why there's a niche market in perfumery! Alexandria II is simply stunning, and if you love oud, then get a sample of this and if not, still try it. It's smooth as silk, no harshness or sharpness; all of the notes are so well blended. The only downside is the price tag, but I'm glad I saved up because this was so worth the splurge! I just to add that this stuff is tenacious! I can still smell it the next day and I could still smell it on my clothes after I washed them.

This is a love hate for me. I'm a recent convert to Xerjoff after years of finding them abhorrent, and this perfume is a paradox for me, because it has what I love and what I hate about the house in one bottle. I hate the bullshit. These perfumes are highly synthetic, with booming amber wood bases and no real discernable oud, which is fine by me, but don't wank on about laotian oud or whatever they're claiming is in here, it's total bollocks. I don't like these screechy synthetic oud bases they use. But, I do find the drydown of Alexandria II very addictive, sort of 50% revolting for it's standard Xerjoff sugar-coated powderpuff flounciness, and 50% compelling for the same reason. Via this house I'm learning I can tolerate sweet perfumes. And look, so what if they're synthetic, some of them are very good, and unique too, not so much this one perhaps if we're talking about unique. I suppose a house with five thousand perfumes must have a few gems somewhere.

Judging by the comments this fragrance must smell different on people quite drastically. I get zero off putting notes. Currently watching Mo on YouTube describing it as a baby’s diaper. I genuinely get absolutely nothing along those lines. I get a beautiful woods and powdery fragrance with really nice musk on my skin. This fragrance actually comes off very clean from my skin. I’m so confused by all these comments, I sampled it from a branded vial. Edit 5/26/2026: Just got my full bottle in after sampling. Smells exactly like my sample. The lasting power is perfectly fine as well. Done to perfection. I don’t know what’s up with some folks saying it’s not long lasting or reformulated to death. Maybe it’s not a 24 hour in your face beast, but my bottle is a full day’s wear, with it being noticeable for most of the day without cramming nose to skin.

For a fragrance to make me like It when it has Rose/Lavender in its notes, it should be a masterpiece. The only Xerjoff that's actually worth the money; it has the most unique Rosewood note I've ever smelled and is a very well balanced perfume that is actually signature worthy. If TF actually wanted to make Oud Wood a great product I assume it would smell something like this. If you're like me and used excessively love Oud Wood and now the reformulation and the passage of all this time has made it a bit dull for you, go with this. As I said it's signature worthy but actually would work way better for special occasions. The Oud in this is not of a barnyard or skanky nature, it's actually slightly more potent than a western Oud you'd find in Shams Oud/Oud Wood. I'd Rate this 8.5/10.

Nose Note #870 I smell a dump lot of cinnamon and a strong note of lavender. The lavender reminds me of Naxos. Besides that I'm finding it hard to describe the scent, I've been pondering for 3 weeks. It smells like a Xerjoff fragrance and it feels oily. I guess it smells oudy too, but it's not barnyardy, it's like the oud note from Oud Wood, but very sweet and less fruity. Most people voted for "eternal" longevity, but I can't back it at all. It's just strong and it's not a beast in projection. I don't know, I completely lose sense of it in an hour or so. If you smell it upclose it can quickly make you dizzy, so I guess it is pretty strong. It's a very nice scent, but I'm not mad about it. I still can't get to the bottom of it, it's a mysterious scent for me. 8/10, soapy

I blind bought this against all of the recommendations saying not to. WOW the oud in the opening is very cumin like, not fecal or animalic at all. But it is stinky and strong. That only lasts about 20 mins, then this fragrance really starts to shine. Someone said it gives imagery of an old royal German castle with the red velvet carpets and cobblestone, and that description is spot on. There is a sparkling cola note in the opening as well. The dry down is a regal woody amber scent that performs all day, and the wood is a rosewood! It is not your typical woody scent. I wear one spray under the shirt to work and that gives the perfect projection that I'm looking for. I don't know how people smell apple in this. I get no apple at all.

Wow this juice is pokey af! I've been wearing it on and off over a month and today is where the magic finally happened! I did go a bit mad and hit 3 sprays on each forearm, 2 on the other side and one on each wrist. 5 sprays around my neck and chest area and it's performing like I wanted it to. This is sweet and musky with a bright oud note which I rarely experience. The florals are an absolute delight! Im 12 hours in and it's still projecting around 12" off my skin and I imagine the sillage is to die for. The sun has been shining brightly all day and the soundtrack is Monsieur Dmitry from Paris - De Luxe House of Funk cranked up with 750w of bass in my tiny Peugeot 107. Really matches the ambery florals. My happy place!

I received a decant of Alexandria II when I purchased another Xerjoff fragrance, and from the very first spray, I knew this was something special. My nose and my taste have evolved, and now I can truly appreciate its richness. This is a fragrance made for unforgettable nights. Sensual and elegant, it wraps you in deep, dark, and unmistakably oriental notes. The oud is velvety and refined, melting seamlessly into creamy vanilla and warm woods, while a gentle touch of lavender adds an unexpected brightness. It’s not a scent for everyone it demands confidence and presence totally unisex maybe it’s a little Masculine side but for me, it’s an absolute yes. Straight to my wish list. A true masterpiece. 100/10

This has performance. The dry down might be the best I've ever come across. It really lingers. This is exceptional. I can't afford a bottle but I got a carded sample and I'm amazed. I tried it on skin and it's wonderful. But I'm going to really cherish these sprays on my winter coat every so often. It lingers for days and days. Smells even better the next day. I grab my coat and it's been wrapped in this scent with just a spritz. I don't get any foul odors. I do get the Maurice signature xerjoff vanilla heavy anise which is rarely ever listed. I really enjoy his touch. I'm always impressed with his work. It turns heads. Mainly mine. Everytime. With this one here being the most grand.

On first wearing, I was unsure if it was “all that” like the frag community says. But on 2nd wear, I love it. My bottle is from 12/2024. I’m wearing it with shirt and jeans and it works great, but I feel like it deserves to be dressed up. It’s a beautiful and classy fragrance. For just under $200 for 50ml, I think it’s a pretty good deal. Not the best oud rose I own, but it’s welcoming and extremely versatile. In 50 degrees F, it projects arms length with 8 sprays and lasts about 6 hours. I’m guessing 10 sprays should be perfect. Probably bloom better in the 70 temps. Either way, I could sit in this scent cloud all day. It definitely has a special place in my collection.

For some reason, when I smell it up close on my skin, I smell like mold, but the scent in the air is very pleasant. The price is too expensive, I don't think it's a very special scent at a collector's level, it's a bit like a luxury, general taste perfume. I had the chance to try it again today and to be honest, I didn't smell the musty smell I first mentioned, in fact I noticed that note sounded more like wet wood. Overall, I smelled cinnamon, apple, rose and amber strongly. My opinion hasn't changed. There's nothing innovative about this, it's not a completely unique, collectible scent, but damn, it smells amazing :)

Ovaj parfem sada nazivam ‚zlo’, zato sto je opasan i dobar, Ne slusajte ljude kojima se ovo ne svidja, parfem je stvoren da vas drogira a ne da vam mirise kao neki boss bottled, on daje neki osecaj kao lajna kokaina, podigne vas i osecate moc,euforiju, jednostavno je remek delo. Ljudi oko vas ga osecaju i brutalan je, a vama ce zatvorit nos nazalost.. Na 25 stepeni sam ga nosio i vise se tad oseca ruza ali svakako je parfemcina, 12/10 cist kokain cista zavisnost i kvalitet sto je veoma retko, ni prejak ni slab, tacno onako kako treba parfem da mirise. Probao sam neke slicne parfeme ali ni blizu ovome