Oud Stars

Alexandria II Anniversary XerJoff 2024

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8.7 / 10 157 Ratings

A new perfume by XerJoff for women and men, released in 2024. The scent is oriental-woody. Projection and longevity are above-average.
Pronunciation

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Main accords

Oriental

Woody

Spicy

Sweet

Floral

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bulgarian rose

Cumin

Lavender

Cardamom

Heart Notes

Borneo oud

Amber

Civet

Clary sage

Cypriol

Florentine iris

Mint

Vermouth

Base Notes

Bourbon vanilla

Musk

Australian sandalwood

Ratings

Scent

8.7157 Ratings

Longevity

9.2149 Ratings

Sillage

8.8147 Ratings

Bottle

9.6151 Ratings

Value for money

5.8119 Ratings

Submitted by Spl3xx, last update on 23.04.2024.

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the "Oud Stars" collection.

Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions

04/14/2024

5
Pricing 10
Bottle 9
Sillage 9
Longevity 9.5
Scent

Cimi
94 Reviews

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Cimi

Alexandria II Anniversary: Xerjoff does everything right for the anniversary! My 100th (anniversary) review to go with the fragrance!

Alexandria II Parfum is not the bestseller of the Oud Stars collection for nothing; it is perfectly balanced with key ingredients such as lavender, rose, oud, amber, soft musk, etc. If you had asked me where to start with this fragrance, I wouldn't have known where to begin. With the Alexandria II Anniversary, however, Xerjoff has given the Alexandria II Parfum a final polish, which can be found particularly in the opening and in the heart note.

1) What is the Alexandria II Anniversary like and for whom is this fragrance worthwhile?
- In my perception, Alexandria II Anniversary is much better rounded at the beginning; the lavender is a little more embedded in the opening, with a slightly fresher feeling at the beginning. However, the more pronounced cumin and a rather slightly green cardamom in the opening come in fairly quickly.

- We continue with the typical Alexandria II Parfum DNA, but before we go there, we must of course go into the civet, which gives the fragrance a much stronger animalic; ATTENTION: It is not a "stinker" and also not as animalic as the Alexandria Orientale , but really well tamed and beautifully with amber as well as balsamic notes (cypriol, etc.). A really beautiful composition.

- In the drydown, Alexandria II Parfum and Alexandria II Anniversary become visibly closer in terms of DNA; of course, Alexandria II Anniversary is still different and slightly more animalic and special, but it is hard not to recognize that it is an anniversary edition.

- The performance is far better than the new batches of Alexandria II Parfum ! A really strong H/S for this fragrance!

- I would say that the fragrance is worthwhile for people for whom the Alexandria II Parfum has become too "ordinary" (sick right?!) - or for people who want more "animalic" and rough edges in the Alexandria II Parfum, but don't want to slide into the Alexandria Orientale - track. At the same time, people who want to get the Alexandria II Parfum should think carefully about which of the two they get; having both is not a must (unless you are a collector :) ), especially not in this price category.

2) What are the main differences to the Alexandria II Parfum:

- As explained in the course of the fragrance, the main differences are in the opening and in the heart note, where the fragrance is simply "nobler", slightly fresher and at the same time also animal-spicy as it progresses

- the performance of Alexandria II Anniversary is far better!
- the bottle is of course even more refined with golden aspects! Beautiful!

- the price is significantly higher again!
How does the Alexandria II Anniversary fit into the Oud-Stars family?

Sirenbennyone has written a great summary here, so I'll keep it short from my perspective.

- Alexandria II Parfum is the perfectly balanced fragrance of rose, oud, soft musk, warm amber as well as lavender and precious woods; absolutely not animalic, but high-quality pleasant.
- Alexandria III : The focus here is primarily on the rose with the typical Alexandria DNA. A beautiful rose fragrance that smells really high-quality! - Alexandria Orientale has a much more oriental feel; incense, leather and basil in the opening are already very challenging for many, even if it then becomes noticeably softer

The other fragrances from the Oud Stars collection deviate more strongly from the typical Alexandria DNA; here you really have to be an enthusiastic lover of certain main accents. For example:
- The Fars is a great entry-level oriental with a good lavender-bergamot freshness at the beginning before it goes into a light rose-oud-wood base
- Gao is a herbaceous-spicy fragrance with a saffron opening, which is rather intrusive and difficult to understand at the beginning before it fades out more beautifully. More for connoisseurs and not easy to understand/wear.
- The Ceylon is the next special candidate, which simply smells like "Swiss cheese" to untrained noses; for 500 euros + you have to be a connoisseur for a special, strong oud fragrance. This one is very animalic and a big challenge even for experienced noses. Although it says Ceylon and many expect a balanced teen note, this is really minimally perceptible from my point of view, so as I said, very special.
- and the series is completed with other fragrances such as Mamluk , Al-Khatt , Luxor , Malesia (2017) , Zafar , Oud Stars - Indochine , Oud Stars - Zanzibar , which I still have to test :)

You see, Xerjoff has of course built up a "pleasant" subgroup of the Oud-Stark collection with the Alexandria series, but has also left enough room for fragrance notes with fragrances such as Ceylon , Gao , Oud Stars - Indochine , so that a broad market can be covered!
Hope you like the review and it helps! Looking forward to your feedback!

04/14/2024

6
Pricing 10
Bottle 10
Sillage 10
Longevity 10
Scent

K44N
5 Reviews

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K44N

He is not a simple flanker! He is a more mature version!

Wow, I'm just thrilled with how beautifully this fragrance develops on the skin, how long it lasts, how radiant it is and how the bottle looks...

It has definitely become my favorite fragrance!

Before I wrote my review, I naturally read/listened to one or two opinions and somehow couldn't understand why so many people equated the fragrance with Alex2.

It is a flanker, yes.
It has the Alexandria DNA, yes.
But so do the others in the Alexandria range.
It is definitely wrong to call it a more expensive Alex2 with a nicer bottle.

When I did an A-B test, I could kind of understand what many have written, but it wasn't the fragrance, it was the silage and my nose, so you could hardly tell the difference, so another test had to be done.

So I tested both the Alex2 and the Alex2A extensively on different days and my first impression was confirmed this time!

As the previous speaker has already described, the Alex2 has become a clear gourmand with a very strong vanilla and medicinal note. Unfortunately, that was also the reason why I sold my bottle back then.
The far too gourmand note at the end kept pulling me towards a headache.

It was great, but somehow I could never love it as much as I would have liked.

And now came the Alex2A...

Definitely more lavender, spicy, green and earthy notes at the start.
Over time, a really great oud with a touch of refined animalicism (not like the Orientale, where it becomes musty and, for the environment, very unpleasant).

The Alex2 DNA naturally continues to accompany you.
Then it becomes softer and softer WITHOUT becoming gourmand!

"THIS IS IT!", I immediately thought to myself.
It was the long-awaited Alexandria that I had been looking for in vain until now.
The normal Alex2 came closest to my expectations at the time,
but never fulfilled it 100%, but the Anniversary definitely does!
It is more mature, more grown-up and edgier than its predecessor!
I always think of the Alex2 as a young prince who is slowly coming of age, but still likes to emphasize his youthfulness.

For me, the Anniversary is the Malik (Arabic for king/ruler).
Mature, rough, dominant, yet close to the people and with time (in DD) becoming increasingly wiser, calmer and gentler in terms of his rule.

The price is of course an announcement, but for me it's definitely worth it.
Especially in comparison to the Alex Imperiale, it was suddenly not sooo expensive after all :D

But yes, everyone has to weigh that up and decide for themselves.
I think the Alex2 is simply unbeatable in terms of P/L and perhaps even the most pleasing, but for those who want the Alex2 without that gourmand touch, this is a great opportunity to test the Anniversary.
For a more detailed analysis of the entire Alexandria range, please read the great review by the previous speaker, highly recommended!
Thanks for reading and your time :)

03/30/2024

2
Pricing 10
Bottle 8
Sillage 9
Longevity 8.5
Scent

NicheOnly
44 Reviews

NicheOnly

Why even release this?

This review will sound more negative than I actually am about Alexandria II Anniversary (A2A). Also, a disclaimer: I wear the original Alexandria II Parfum (A2) as a signature and have been for a couple years now. To me, the main criticism of A2A is that the changes relative to the original A2 are so negligible that it just feels like the brand is riding its hero franchise into the ground much like how designer brands drop flanker after flanker. I wish I had smelled Elle Anniversary just so I had an idea whether they made noticeable differences there.

Discussing A2A's profiles: The scent opens powdery rose-oud, much like the original A2. I notice a hint of animalic flair that is not there with the original. I notice the lack of that sweet-creamy artemisia/coca cola style flair that the original A2 has which brings it some additional utility. First time smelling Alexandria II Anniversary on skin, I notice the mint bringing a menthol-esque vibe. As we settle into the drydown, the mint and the animalic flair become rather tame, dare I say they almost entirely fade. There are two core differences that I can notice in the base: (1) the scent smells a bit more aromatic, thanks to the introduction of mainly the clary sage; and (2) the leading accords are oriental & woody because the prominence of the sweet & creamy accords is not there with A2A (relative to the original A2).

So we had some twists in the top, we have some twists in the heart and even the base. What is there not to like? Well, my question to you is what does this achieve that the existing catalogue of Alexandria releases doesn't? If people wanted a less mature A2, they had the option of Alexandria Orientale. If people wanted a more mature A2, they had the option of Alexandria III. To me, A2A sits somewhere between A2 and A3 as it's clearly not in the direction of A2 Orientale.

The most annoying part is that even if I did like it, I would be expected to shell out €580 for 100ml knowing that the original is now €545 for 100ml. That €580 would pay for a fragrance that has less utility than the original (noticeably less sweetness), the same performance and only minimal changes to the existing catalogue of Alexandria releases since the scent is 80-85% similar to A2, A3 and A2 Orientale (nobody experienced would mistake this for a non-Alexandria product). To conclude: the scent is fine, but the changes are minimal; therefore most fans of the series stand to gain nothing from purchasing it, so why even release it?

03/16/2024

6
Pricing 10
Bottle 9
Sillage 10
Longevity 9.5
Scent

Sirbennyone
164 Reviews

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Sirbennyone

The BEST? / Characteristics of all flankers / The problem of batches / Did it need you? / First impression!

Hello everyone,

although this will only be a relatively short impression of the Alexandria II Anniversary, I would still like to give you a few things - things that may have added value for you!
Foreword:

I have been a real FAN of the line for many, many years and I am probably one of those who has the largest "real consumption in ml" here and by that I mean that of Alexandria II Parfum , Alexandria III , Alexandria Orientale , Oud Stars - Alexandria Imperiale , if we are talking about numbers here it is about 300ml since 2017 (!) and somehow it was clear that I would get the Alexandria II Anniversary...

Comparisons to the other Alexandria's! (Always just a short version)

Oud Stars - Alexandria Imperiale :

It is the most independent one, yes it has a natural (like all of them!) more than subtle similarity to Alexandria II Parfum, but it does 1, 2, 3 things a little differently. You notice the extreme high quality and that definitely. Here we have the complex/deep and evil oud that we know from Kemi, among others, and a very well-made leather (and if I, as a non-leather lover, say it's good, then you can assume that it's really good ;) ). Besides, we have significantly more lavender (noticeable) and less of the vanilla sweetness of the current Alexandria II Parfum batches.

Alexandria Orientale :

It is the one that is most similar to Alexandria II Parfum and that by 90%. You have a TICK more noticeable animalics in the opening (immediately) and afterwards. But there are "hard differences" that I experienced. I had the UAE Special Edition about a year ago and when I compare it with the current batches of 2022 and 2023, they are tame CHEESES...

Alexandria III :

It's the tamest, the lightest and the one with which you can indulge in the most sprays without being immediately looked at askew ;) . And in my opinion, the Alexandria III is very much overlooked - just saying. I have one from 2020 that is really AWESOME, in every respect. But what makes it stand out, or in other words, what makes it noticeably different from its brothers? At the beginning, the noticeable focus is on the lavender and cinnamon, but what's really special here is the rose! It looks 0.0% like a normal rose, but rather like a watery kind, more like rose water with oud chips in it... It is different and goes other WAYS and that's what I like!
And finally the Alexandria II Parfum :

The classic and it all started with you. From 2017 to 2021 you were my signature fragrance (except for the summer / midsummer) and really daily. For me it was the fragrance par excellence.... it was! Why? Over the years, it became quieter, softer and more appealing to the general public. And that's exactly what runs through the brand's entire (!) portfolio...

I have written a blog article on the subject - you are welcome to read it ( https://www.parfumo.de/Benutzer/Sirbennyone/Blog/Eintrag/ein-riese-der-wackelt ).

And that was also the reason why I turned my back on Alexandria II Parfum. When I smelled the new 2022 batch (the same to this day), I was disappointed + sad..., the last corners + edges were virtually taken away and a slight gourmand was created in the drydown, due to the noticeable increase in vanilla.

The others (Alexandria's) never had this "sweetness" back then and still do. The other "problem" of many people who smell the fragrance for the first time, smell something like a hairspray note - I understand what they mean..., you read that again and again in the statements or in the reviews of some and this "impression" is actually only with Alexandria II Parfum and not with the others and this impression started in 2019 and (more or less) this impression remained until today...

By the way, all batches, old or new, have power!

But now to the Alexandria II Anniversary !
(Finally...^^)

Rarely have I been so hyped - but do we need you/are you worth it?

Unpacked - an experience as always!

Now take a sniff... WOW!

It's different from all Alexandria's, but always has those moments of familiarity. Moments when you realize, ah, here we have Alexandria II Parfum and here the Alexandria Orientale and here the Alexandria III and there the Oud Stars - Alexandria Imperiale ...

He starts quite quietly and reservedly, I thought he would go straight ahead but no.... - he needs something and really moves forward! It starts subtle, light and really smooth with lavender very noticeable and a full and strong rose. I never notice the cardamom + the wormwood - so much for that! The cumin is there giving it an oriental touch (a spicy one), but that's it slowly the STAR enters the stage, it's the OUD. In my opinion, it's oud from KEMI (it's now XJ and somehow fits....).

It's dark, but wonderfully soft and zero (!) animalic. Perfect for me. I know 1, 2, 3 fragrances from EO and ALD, we're not talking about this league. EO and ALD have insanely crass raw materials, which gives them a quality that unfortunately cannot be realized here because of the IFRA. They are one of the benchmarks because they come from the Middle East (not Europe) and only ship their stuff from there, which is why they are allowed to bypass the IFRA (My level of knowledge!)

The Alexandria II Anniversary combines 2 worlds (for me) to perfection - darker and nastier oud in the smoothest form and everything has been screwed to the max.... - really noticeable!

I don't think I need to say much about the bottle, the OVP, the sprayer and the lid + the design of the bottle and anyone who gives a rating below a 9 in this respect, I can't help them, sry.

For me (!) an absolutely great work and next to the Oud Stars - Alexandria Imperiale the Alexandria II Anniversary is currently the best of the Alexandria line.

Also thanks to da KEMI!

Briefly about the price.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself: is it worth it? It's 580€...., good for 100ml..., but it's really sporty and you have to want it... ! For me as a (among other things) businessman, the question of the price/performance ratio and whether it is justified arises....

As consumers, we are not obliged to buy a product and if you want to and can pay for it because you are convinced, then that's fine.

When do I see and recommend it?

All Alexandria flankers and this one are very suitable for the colder time of the year, say from October to March (now at 15° it's already very borderline). For me (!) it has something upmarket, something special, something special. Yes, you can wear it daily during that time!
If I wasn't really convinced, I wouldn't recommend it to you!
(At least for a test)

And now have a nice day/evening, or whatever you read this review, LG the Benny
_______

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