Top Notes 
Cinnamon
Apple
Lavender
Heart Notes 
Lily of the valley
Rose
Cedar
Base Notes 
Vanilla
Musk
Oud
Sandalwood
Amber
Joshless
24 Reviews
Translated · Show original
Joshless
Very helpful Review
11
The Detour to Alexandria
One walks unsuspectingly through Manavgat and sees the sign "MAD Parfumeur". Having smelled this and that on paper, the Forza convinced me the most and was allowed on my wrist, proving itself after a stroll through the bazaar and was subsequently purchased (the comparison to "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff" and WO/01 Somewoody follows at the end).
I don't find the opening as drastically bad as some statements describe. It greets you with a cinnamon apple accompanied by a pleasantly floral hint of lavender. Yes, the opening is a bit more synthetic than that of "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff". No, it is not more synthetic than most designers in the mid-price range. On my skin, the synthetic note dissipates after just a few minutes.
The drydown simply screams niche, depth, and complexity: A pleasant sweetness of vanilla and a rose that is truly exceptional. Slightly amber-like, rounded off by musk and an oud that completely blows me away, even as an oud skeptic. By this point, we have definitely arrived in Alexandria, but more on that in detail shortly.
Since the Forza is an Extrait de Parfum, the fragrance already has a high oil content that becomes noticeable quickly. On my skin, it lasts 10-12 hours, on clothing it can last 3-4 days. The sillage is strong, no doubt about it. Although it does taper off somewhat after about 6-7 hours, it is still incredible.
The bottle looks valuable and feels even more so. I deduct one point because the spray head got a bit stuck after about 10 sprays - but that's nitpicking at the highest level.
The price is a bit tricky. Since I bought the fragrance in Turkey for 1,100 Lira (around 31 € at that time), I would give it a 10 anyway. In Germany, the MAD fragrances cost more than double (I mean around 75 €), but they are still worth every penny. Considering that you can already pay this price for designer fragrances, you get significantly more for your money here. In a world where you can buy the WO/01 Somewoody for 18 €, I would still give the price/performance ratio of the Forza a 9.5 at German prices.
Battle of the Super Clones:
Anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff" will likely stumble upon the Forza, but more so over the WO/01 Somewoody.
If you set aside the controversial opening, the Forza comes 97 % close to the "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff". The scent from MAD is slightly lighter and airier in the drydown than the original, making it not quite as dominant/overwhelming, yet still present enough to scream niche. There are differences in the scent nuances, but they are so marginal that I couldn't specify any concrete differences (purely based on feeling, the "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff" has a higher oud content - but I could be completely wrong about that).
The comparison to WO/01 Somewoody: This one is significantly more linear, synthetic, and cannot compete with the Extrait in terms of H/S. However, it still captures 90 % of the DNA. Those who place great importance on the opening will be much happier with the Forza, as the WO/01 Somewoody starts off much more synthetic (and in my opinion, more alcoholic). Unfortunately, the Woody lacks the spice, depth, and progression of both other fragrances.
In conclusion, one could say as a rule of thumb that the Forza could be a weaker batch of the "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff", while the WO/01 Somewoody clearly heads in the more obvious dupe direction (yet it is a no-brainer for the price).
My recommendation:
Those looking for something valuable, deep, and still cheaper than the XerJoff fragrance should go for the 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 greets you with a cinnamon apple accompanied by a pleasantly floral hint of lavender. Yes, the opening is a bit more synthetic than that of "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff". No, it is not more synthetic than most designers in the mid-price range. On my skin, the synthetic note dissipates after just a few minutes.
The drydown simply screams niche, depth, and complexity: A pleasant sweetness of vanilla and a rose that is truly exceptional. Slightly amber-like, rounded off by musk and an oud that completely blows me away, even as an oud skeptic. By this point, we have definitely arrived in Alexandria, but more on that in detail shortly.
Since the Forza is an Extrait de Parfum, the fragrance already has a high oil content that becomes noticeable quickly. On my skin, it lasts 10-12 hours, on clothing it can last 3-4 days. The sillage is strong, no doubt about it. Although it does taper off somewhat after about 6-7 hours, it is still incredible.
The bottle looks valuable and feels even more so. I deduct one point because the spray head got a bit stuck after about 10 sprays - but that's nitpicking at the highest level.
The price is a bit tricky. Since I bought the fragrance in Turkey for 1,100 Lira (around 31 € at that time), I would give it a 10 anyway. In Germany, the MAD fragrances cost more than double (I mean around 75 €), but they are still worth every penny. Considering that you can already pay this price for designer fragrances, you get significantly more for your money here. In a world where you can buy the WO/01 Somewoody for 18 €, I would still give the price/performance ratio of the Forza a 9.5 at German prices.
Battle of the Super Clones:
Anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff" will likely stumble upon the Forza, but more so over the WO/01 Somewoody.
If you set aside the controversial opening, the Forza comes 97 % close to the "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff". The scent from MAD is slightly lighter and airier in the drydown than the original, making it not quite as dominant/overwhelming, yet still present enough to scream niche. There are differences in the scent nuances, but they are so marginal that I couldn't specify any concrete differences (purely based on feeling, the "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff" has a higher oud content - but I could be completely wrong about that).
The comparison to WO/01 Somewoody: This one is significantly more linear, synthetic, and cannot compete with the Extrait in terms of H/S. However, it still captures 90 % of the DNA. Those who place great importance on the opening will be much happier with the Forza, as the WO/01 Somewoody starts off much more synthetic (and in my opinion, more alcoholic). Unfortunately, the Woody lacks the spice, depth, and progression of both other fragrances.
In conclusion, one could say as a rule of thumb that the Forza could be a weaker batch of the "Alexandria II (Parfum) | XerJoff", while the WO/01 Somewoody clearly heads in the more obvious dupe direction (yet it is a no-brainer for the price).
My recommendation:
Those looking for something valuable, deep, and still cheaper than the XerJoff fragrance should go for the MAD. Those who simply want the Alexandria II DNA at a low price will also be happy with the Zara clone.
Updated on 03/29/2024
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