Casamorati 1888 vs Alexandria II
Side by side. Scored honestly.
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Side by side
Comparing the originals — price, breadth, listed-note depth.
Bergamot opens bright and citrus-clean but moves quickly, handing off to a heart of rose and iris that reads as powdery and slightly cool — classic and composed rather than lush. Patchouli gives the whole thing a dry, earthy backbone that keeps the vanilla from going sweet or cloying, while sandalwood and musk anchor the dry-down into a warm, skin-close finish. Projection is moderate and well-behaved; sillage lingers gently without announcing itself across a room — a refined, date-night or office-appropriate wear for fall and winter, best suited to anyone who wants polished warmth without drama.
Honey and rose open together in a thick, almost syrupy accord — warmer and more resinous than floral — before lavender pulls things briefly cooler in the heart. It settles quickly into labdanum and patchouli, which anchor the whole thing in a dark, earthy sweetness that vanilla softens without making cloying. Projection is confident but not aggressive; sillage trails rich and close-worn by the dry-down, leaving a skin-warm amber-honey base that lingers for hours — fall and winter evenings, for anyone who wants to smell expensive without smelling loud.
How they overlap
Casamorati 1888 and Alexandria II share 3 notes (rose, patchouli, vanilla). The same note name doesn't always mean the same scent — different houses use different vanillas, different woods, different musks — but a multi-note shared spine usually does indicate genuinely-comparable wear character. The remaining notes (4 unique to Casamorati 1888, 3 unique to Alexandria II) are where the divergence happens.
The buying decision
Casamorati 1888 is the cheaper original at $195 compared to $540 for Alexandria II — about 64% less. Casamorati 1888 covers 3 seasons (fall, winter, spring) — wider weather range than Alexandria II, which leans fall/winter-only.
Recommendation
If you're price-sensitive, Casamorati 1888 delivers comparable territory at $345 less than Alexandria II. If you want the specific character of Alexandria II — the prose above is the better guide than the price — the premium is what you're paying for.