Hey guys! It’s Kayden back with another perfume review! Today, I will be talking about this Xerjoff perfume that Ice gave to me as Valentine’s gift! That’s right, it is Alexandria 2 from Xerjoff :3
Alexandria 2 is part of the Oud Stars collection that was launched in 2012 which is dedicated entirely to traditional Arab perfume making using high-quality oud.
Out of this entire collection, Alexandria 2 is arguably the most special. Before oud stars were launched, there was actually an Alexandria perfume. It was a limited release of just 120 flacons using oud oil aged for 25 years. The demand was so overwhelming that Xerjoff had to release a new version but due to the limited nature of the 25-year aged oud, they had to source for a new oud that allows the release to be more sustainable and yet exudes the same quality and class of the original release. It was said that it took Xerjoff a few years before they found a replacement using a respectable 5-year aged oud oil.
Top notes: Palisander rosewood, Lavender, Cinnamon, Apple
Middle notes: Rose, Cedar, Lily-of-the-valley
Base notes: Agarwood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Amber, Musk
Scent
When you first sprayed it on, you will get hit with a blast of woodiness mixed with a hefty dose of cinnamon and a slight touch of the powdery lavender. The spiciness from the cinnamon quickly dissipates within 5 minutes while the dry cedar slowly creeps out to play. While all this is happening, the lavender gently blends everything in place.
As this scent evolves, vanilla & amber starts to get more prominent. This gives the overall scent a very slight sweetness and smoothness.
Into the dry down of this fragrance, the creamy sandalwood starts to work its magic. It blends in so well with the vanilla, amber to give off optimum smoothness and fullness.
Throughout the entire lifetime, the oud is always present but never loud. To me, Alexandria 2 belongs to the same family as Tom Ford’s Oud Wood. While oud wood tends to play it too safe, Alexandria 2 has its very own unique character that will make others hard to take their glances off you.
Longevity and Projection
Insane longevity and above average projection.
Oud is known for its long-lasting nature and given the 5-year aged oud used in this fragrance, it is no surprise that the longevity of the fragrance is top-notch, easily lasting over 10 hours.
The projection is average with the scent bubble around 1 arm’s length away. This is perhaps the perfect projection for this classy fragrance as it shouldn’t be too loud and obnoxious that it starts annoying those around you, especially on formal occasions like weddings or meetings.
Seasons and Occasions
This fragrance is perfect for semi-formal to formal occasions. The scent itself is nothing short of regal. I can easily see someone wearing this to a formal meeting, wedding, or even on a date to a more upscale restaurant.
I would highly discourage someone from putting this scent on when wearing casual attire or when visiting the grocery store.
Conclusion
I can really tell that high-quality ingredients are used in this fragrance. This, combined with the outstanding presentation and performance makes it a worthy buy. Price is on the high side as Xerjoff is a niche perfume house after all. Overall, I really love this fragrance and it is growing on me so much so that it is probably going to dethrone Baccarat Rouge 540 as my signature scent. You can read my review on Baccarat Rouge here (:
