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Base Notes 
03/29/2024
Joshless
8 Reviews
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Joshless
6
The detour to Alexandria
You walk through Manavgat unsuspectingly and see the sign "MAD Parfumeur". Smelling this and that on paper, the Forza convinced by far, was allowed on the wrist, proved its worth after the bazaar stroll and was subsequently bought (the comparison with Alexandria II Parfum and WO/01 Somewoody follows at the end).
I don't find the opening as drastically bad as some statements describe it. You are greeted by a cinnamony apple with a pleasant floral lavender touch. Yes, the opening is a little more synthetic than that of Alexandria II Parfum. No, it is not more synthetic than most mid-priced designers. On my skin, the synthetics evaporate after just a few minutes.
The drydown just screams niche, depth and complexity: a pleasant sweetness of vanilla and a rose that is second to none. Slightly ambery, rounded off with musk and an oud that completely blows me away, even as an oud skeptic. By this point at the latest, we have arrived in Alexandria, but more on that in a moment.
As Forza is an extrait de parfum, the fragrance already has a high oil content, which is quickly noticeable. It lasts for 10-12 hours on my skin and sometimes 3-4 days on my clothes. The sillage is strong, no doubt about it. It does fade a little after about 6-7 hours, but it is still incredible.
The bottle looks high-quality and feels even more valuable. One point is deducted for the fact that the spray head snagged once after approx. 10 sprays - but that's complaining at the highest level.
The price is a little tricky. Since I bought the fragrance in Turkey for 1,100 lira (around €31 at the time), I'd give it a 10 anyway. In Germany, MAD fragrances cost more than twice as much (I mean around €75), but they're still more than worth the money. If you consider that you already pay this price for designer fragrances, you get much more for your money here. In a world where you can buy the WO/01 Somewoody for €18, I would still give the P/L ratio of the Forza a 9.5 at German prices.
Battle of the superclones:
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Alexandria II Parfum, you will probably stumble across Forza, but more likely WO/01 Somewoody.
If you disregard the controversial opening for the moment, Forza is 97% as good as Alexandria II Parfum. MAD's fragrance is a little lighter and airier in the drydown than the original, which makes it not quite as dominant/impactful, but still present enough to scream niche. There are differences within the fragrance nuances, but these are so marginal that I couldn't name any specific differences here (purely by sensation, the Alexandria II Parfum has a higher oud content - but I could be completely wrong).
The comparison to WO/01 Somewoody: This is much more linear, more synthetic and of course cannot compete with the extrait in terms of H/S. Nevertheless, it hits 90% of the DNA. Those who attach great importance to the opening will be much happier with the Forza, as the WO/01 Somewoody begins much more synthetically (and, in my opinion, more alcoholically). Woody unfortunately lacks the spice, depth and progression of both other fragrances.
In conclusion, as a rule of thumb, the Forza could be a weaker batch of the Alexandria II Parfum, while the WO/01 Somewoody already goes in the more obvious dupe direction (still, it's a no-brainer for the price).
My recommendation:
If you're looking for something high-quality, deep and yet cheaper than the XerJoff fragrance, go for MAD. Those who simply want the Alexandria II DNA at a low price will also be happy with the Zara clone.
I don't find the opening as drastically bad as some statements describe it. You are greeted by a cinnamony apple with a pleasant floral lavender touch. Yes, the opening is a little more synthetic than that of Alexandria II Parfum. No, it is not more synthetic than most mid-priced designers. On my skin, the synthetics evaporate after just a few minutes.
The drydown just screams niche, depth and complexity: a pleasant sweetness of vanilla and a rose that is second to none. Slightly ambery, rounded off with musk and an oud that completely blows me away, even as an oud skeptic. By this point at the latest, we have arrived in Alexandria, but more on that in a moment.
As Forza is an extrait de parfum, the fragrance already has a high oil content, which is quickly noticeable. It lasts for 10-12 hours on my skin and sometimes 3-4 days on my clothes. The sillage is strong, no doubt about it. It does fade a little after about 6-7 hours, but it is still incredible.
The bottle looks high-quality and feels even more valuable. One point is deducted for the fact that the spray head snagged once after approx. 10 sprays - but that's complaining at the highest level.
The price is a little tricky. Since I bought the fragrance in Turkey for 1,100 lira (around €31 at the time), I'd give it a 10 anyway. In Germany, MAD fragrances cost more than twice as much (I mean around €75), but they're still more than worth the money. If you consider that you already pay this price for designer fragrances, you get much more for your money here. In a world where you can buy the WO/01 Somewoody for €18, I would still give the P/L ratio of the Forza a 9.5 at German prices.
Battle of the superclones:
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Alexandria II Parfum, you will probably stumble across Forza, but more likely WO/01 Somewoody.
If you disregard the controversial opening for the moment, Forza is 97% as good as Alexandria II Parfum. MAD's fragrance is a little lighter and airier in the drydown than the original, which makes it not quite as dominant/impactful, but still present enough to scream niche. There are differences within the fragrance nuances, but these are so marginal that I couldn't name any specific differences here (purely by sensation, the Alexandria II Parfum has a higher oud content - but I could be completely wrong).
The comparison to WO/01 Somewoody: This is much more linear, more synthetic and of course cannot compete with the extrait in terms of H/S. Nevertheless, it hits 90% of the DNA. Those who attach great importance to the opening will be much happier with the Forza, as the WO/01 Somewoody begins much more synthetically (and, in my opinion, more alcoholically). Woody unfortunately lacks the spice, depth and progression of both other fragrances.
In conclusion, as a rule of thumb, the Forza could be a weaker batch of the Alexandria II Parfum, while the WO/01 Somewoody already goes in the more obvious dupe direction (still, it's a no-brainer for the price).
My recommendation:
If you're looking for something high-quality, deep and yet cheaper than the XerJoff fragrance, go for MAD. Those who simply want the Alexandria II DNA at a low price will also be happy with the Zara clone.
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