Alexandria II vs Grand Soir

Alexandria II is a deeply divisive fragrance with a notoriously challenging opening that turns many people away immediately, but rewards patience with a beautiful, complex dry down that devoted fans consider exceptional. Success heavily depends on skin chemistry and tolerance for animalic or sharp top notes, making it essential to test on skin rather than paper strips before committing to a full bottle.

Grand Soir is widely praised by the r/fragrance community as an exceptional niche fragrance with a strong opening that develops into a sophisticated amber-vanilla composition. The community strongly recommends sampling before purchasing (MFK offers 6 samples for €14) and notes that while it's not similar to Carlisle, it's a masterfully crafted scent with impressive longevity that many consider a collection essential.