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bombara – :
Elegance in a bottle, in the first half.
This is not Fair Lady type of elegance, nor the old English gentlemen’s gracefulness, for it doesn’t shout “lady-like” or “aristocratic”, since it’s deprived of any gender stereotypes, but not to the point of being “minimalist”, or robotic.
I think the core of elegance is being refined/reserved and harmonious. This perfume certainly conveys that idea. The violet element is not quite realistic, but kept its powdery hint; that balanced with an extremely refined leather note, they work together creating a…quite “cultivated” impression.
The notes may be simple, but the portion of each component is perfect.
Though in the latter half, the violet seems to hijack the whole scent. The sense of portion is gone, we get a usual over-powdery structureless mess.
Stavr-dark – :
A witty reference to 19th century formula when dandies would use violet water (not cologne) to moisturize the skin. Violet leaf absolute smells green, leathery and a touch earthy on its own but in a formula can provide a perfect lasting deep sleek leather background for lighter notes.
Shvets – :
Yes, I get the green vibe, but there’s something about the violet leaf that comes across powdery to my nose. I am not a big fan of that powdery vibe. I also don’t really pick up on leather.
ilnar 1984 – :
Fresh, sweet candied violets, a little powdery and green. I don’t get any leather. Came into work wearing it and the guy sitting next to me asked if I had been eating sherbet.
It’s a pleasant smell, the sweetness is not too overdosed or annoying, the violet leaf doesn’t have that sharp ozonic quality you tend to smell in more mainstream mens scents. This is more violet flower than leaf in my opinion.
It is quite linear, as are most scents in this line. Performance is average. It would make a nice casual scent for spring; The sweet freshness is clean, cute and happy smelling.
I wouldn’t pay the ridiculous price for it though.
cristy555 – :
This went on bitter, herbal, medicinal with a little smoke then in the middle notes I had a hint of citrus. On the dry down, it is a soft, masculine leather but sits VERY close to the skin with no projection at all.
vyacheslav-b71 – :
Un EDP per gli uomini! Sono rari e l’arquiste aleksandr ne è un esempio. Sofisticato, Caldo ed Intenso tre aggettivi che la casa pubblicizza e che io trovo adeguati per descrivere questa fragranza. Personalmente l’apprezzo ma non lo comprerei mai soprattutto al prezzo con cui esso è commercializzato. L’odore di pelle l’avverto in maggiore presenza rispetto anche alle foglie di violetta tanto rimarcate dagli utenti di fragrantica ed infine io noto il balsamo di’abete che ora non trovo tra le note bah!
Sillage 6,5/10
Longevità 7/10
Profumo 6,5/10
gera0610 – :
I first thought this was going to be a very heavy scent, but that’s not exactly true, even though the first smell gives you that impression. I notice leather immediately mixed with fir. I can’t tell much more initially. On the peripheral I get some glimpses of something softer, which I imagine are the neroli and violet leaf.
15-20 minutes later and the leather has subdued a bit with everything else still there. The neroli and violet leaf are still sitting pretty. Overall, I think this is as much floral as it is leather and fir. This lasts several hours on me. Very nice – not sure I’d buy a full bottle with the prices that I’ve seen, though.
piraniya – :
Very nice mixture of notes, but I received little leather. The leather would have been a nice addition if I could sense it. This is very pleasant, but feels uninspired on me. I will smell very good, and the niche feel is great (personal, not for those around me), but it does not stand out as something special. I did have expectations that may be causing me to be biased though. I acknowledge that much.
lavercraft – :
Pleasant, low sillage fragrance. It has a slight powdery undertone on my skin, with a little neroli on top. Didn’t get either the leather or the fir balsam which are two of my favorite notes, and I was disappointed. Anima Dulcis by Arquiste is one of my all time favorites, so my expectations were probably unreasonable. To me, Aleksandr is more unisex than masculine. The fragrance is classy, inoffensive, but ultimately too light and unmemorable.
Alternative_28 – :
Ok, but really adds nothing new. Nice, but not niche. More of a nicer mall/department store kind of thing. Indeed, everything from this house I’ve tried reads as J.Crew: ordinary product reliant on microvariations of traditional, common themes but backed up by hype designed to present the product as radically chic. Why this brand is getting so much press is partly a mystery, partly not: I think this brand is more about Carlos Huber than what’s in the bottles.
vip2404 – :
A lovely composition utilizing fairly delicate top notes which are counterposed with animalic rich leather. Opening with floral notes of neroli and powdery nuances of violet leaf, Alexsandr starts rather tame. Neroli’s sharp and delicate aroma (at first pleasantly bitter, then turns floral and herbal) mirrors perfectly with the herbaceous, earthy/oily characteristics of the violet leaf. It is here I get a melon/cucumber vibe which I believe is due to the violet leaf, with an overall effect which is watery and chilled. The musky smokiness of leather then pierces through, albeit in a subtle way. This is by any means a leather heavy scent, as in my opinion, in doing so would have drowned out the delicate notes of the opening. Here leather is utilized as an accent. It is definitely an emboldened leather, one of military boots and horses’s reigns (don’t expect a soft, supple suede note). Lastly, fir balsam provides a woody backdrop to the fragrance. It further accentuates the dry and sweet facets of the leather. While very pleasant, Alexsandr is nothing ground-breaking in the world of perfume creation. (155)
jora040509 – :
i thought this perfume will be an extreme leather from the reviews and how it has been praised, but unfortunately no, i don’t think this is a niche product either, it is an extreme common perfume from the big mass brands, to me it’s too light and very repetitive & i guess it is similar to Polo, Armani, or something alike that the ones who likes those perfumes would love this. to me i smell nothing special at all, just another perfume i will never buy.
nov – :
There is something inexplicably sexy in this smell. Dunno if it’s the saddle leather, the face against the soil, shrubs, grassy stains combo but it smells like a proper, inappropriate, forbidden, grown up frolic in the woods. My oh my. I’m blushing.
This would be the way i’d like my man to smell….
Maximka92 – :
I can clearly remember that my first thought when I first sampled this scent was “How bizarre.” Then I ended up tipping some of my sample onto a glove.
Over the next few days I continued to catch whiffs of it and decided I had to have it.
All of the notes are there but I’d argue that this is more of a violet /flower/, not the leaf.
On the other hand, it screams sophistication unlike any other scent I’ve tried. There’s just something about it that conjures images of well manicured nails and expensive suits. Fresh, clean, and best of all in my book, different! Not for those who don’t want to stand out in a big way. Having applied some on the way back from lunch, I had co-workers physically turning in circles to figure out where the scent was coming from. Most people I’ve encountered love it but it’s worth pointing out that I’ve found this one to be a little polarizing. However… I wear scents primarily for my own enjoyment with other peoples’ opinions being secondary; Cue raspberry.
I would venture to say that Arquiste’s website is spot on to consider this one unisex. (They claim all of their scents are.)
The sillage really dials back after an hour or so but I’ve caught trails of it coming off my collar six or more hours after applying when I’m moving around.
Edit: After a while of wearing this, I have had more than one person comment that Aleksandr smells ‘minty’ to them. I can’t exactly argue now that the suggestion is there in my head.
Virpinek – :
I am only including this review because I don’t want to see this scent discontinued. I have developed a bad habit of not sharing reviews of my favorites. However, this is one of the two sexiest ‘fumes I have ever smelled on a man and utterly unique and unlike the other. It is cool, leathery and mysterious. It is my DH’s favorite scent to wear because not only does it smell amazing, but he likes the attention.
The downside is that that the sillage is not long-lasting. However, this just causes women who normally have more of a sense of decorum to lean in closer. I don’t know that I appreciate this, but I suppose it is not a problem, and it is worth it because I love him to smell wonderful, too.
ybpfy – :
Very pleasant, the floral notes make a spicy sweet opening and it has a very pleasant base of vanilla and powder on leather.
Sillage and projection are minimal but not too personal.
Overall this is lovely but, for the price, you could od better (luckily I got a large discount, I’d say it was worth shelling out up to £75 for).
buywowgoldrvg – :
Aleksandr is supposed to be worn by men, but being a female, I love it too! The description of a scent is quite fitting – I can also smell violets with traces of neroli and gentle leather, then a hint of mint – crispy winter air and then woody notes seal the deal. Not overly complicated scent pyramid, not a lot of notes, but those that are in the perfume, are there for a reason. The outcome is an elegant delicate scent, definitely unisex I would say, that I love wearing in winter. Suitable for a wide range of occasions: from a walk in a city park to a dressy uppy outing. Wearing Aleksandr I feel more sophisticated and elegant, even if I’m wearing jeans and parka – that’s the magic of this scent.
UPD: the price tag is totally hideous.
igorin – :
Aleksandr is far from deserving the hype it’s currently getting. Don’t get me wrong, the fragrance is actually pretty nice yet not completely satisfying. It opens with a green accord of violet leaf an subtle neroli notes paired to a suedey undertone that while being everything but novel, it still doesn’t achive the successful status of other fragrances which played the same thing in the past (expecially more classic russian leather-inspired fragrances). What really makes the difference is an overall transparent, kinda watery, vibe which is, at the same time, modern and a tad off-putting.
Fortunately, this aspect quickly recedes to leave space to a refined leather base enriched by slight vanillic elements with balmy undertones. Understated, elegant and quiet yet not groundbreaking as they want us to believe. Mild thumbs up.
Rating: 7/10
sge320Unlogrere – :
I am Russian, live in Moscow and IMHO – this is the first real “russian theme” fragrance after all “Russian leathers” and “Ambre Russe’s”! Harmony of notes. Very spiritual, not heavy and not brutal. Real “Russian calm landscape” spirit.
In details: “Yes! – my inner voice said. – This is the first scent of authentic Russian atmosphere – (among all these “Russian leathers”, “Cuir russe”, “Ambre russe” etc) – the atmosphere of the Golden Age of the imperial Russia. It does contain base ethereal elements of its great spacious decoration: the spirit of the Russian aristocracy with its ambivalent note of optimistic melancholy, the fresh spirit of vast Russian winter landscapes with its subtle note of the special Russian nostalgia for… who knows?.. something beyond cut off… I do know the winter scent of St. Petersburg outskirts and after the first sniff I’ve imagined immediately an aristocratic saunter along the river beach in a snowy forest… Only then I discovered the inner theme of the fragrance in its description… Wow! How these Mexico City resident manages to catch the point of so far alien epoch and reality?! And what is the theme “Aleksandr in 1837”? No doubt – this is the last month of Aleksandr Pushkin life. May be exactly the day of his duel near the Chernaya (Black) river – the apotheosis of honor. One of the most dramatic day of the Russian culture… but Pushkin is the most positive character in our history and a symbol of huge optimism. So it is the perfect hit the target! Besides all ALEKSANDR is one of the best gentleman’s fresh day fragrances for any case and any season with light but very distinct sillage and good longevity.