Xerjoff Alexandria II vs MFK Oud Satin Mood Extrait

In both, oud is the first accord and both are in the densest concentration, which puts them in the same price class. They differ in what surrounds the oud: herbs, wormwood and an animalic note in Alexandria II; rose, vanilla and caramel in Oud Satin Mood.

Property	Alexandria II Anniversary	Oud Satin Mood Extrait
House	Xerjoff	Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Concentration	Parfum	Extrait
Top notes	bulgarian rose, cumin, cardamom, lavender	violet, geranium, ceylon cinnamon, cardamom
Heart notes	wormwood, clary sage, orris, mint, Nagarmotha (cypriol), civet, oud, amber	damask rose, turkish rose
Base notes	sandalwood, musk, madagascar vanilla	oud, vanilla, amber, benzoin, caramel, musk, cedar
Longevity (community rating)	12–16 hours	10–14 hours
Sillage (community rating)	Very strong	Moderate to strong
Full bottle	—	€345 / 70 ml
Price per millilitre	—	€4.93
Decant 5 ml	€35	€41
Decant 10 ml	€62	€80

Alexandria II opens with Bulgarian rose, cumin and cardamom and has wormwood, clary sage, mint and civet in the heart — a herbal-animalic middle that many find unusual at first. Only towards the end does the base of sandalwood, musk and vanilla soften it. Oud Satin Mood takes the shortest route to comfort: violet and cinnamon up top, two roses in the heart, vanilla, amber and caramel underneath. The oud is there throughout, but wrapped in sweetness. On price: the MFK costs €4.93 per millilitre, and a 5 ml decant is €41 against €35 for Alexandria. If you want an oud that challenges you, take Alexandria; if you want an oud you'll actually wear every week, take the MFK.

Which is better for an oud beginner?

Oud Satin Mood. Vanilla and rose smooth out the oud, so the way in is easier. Alexandria II, with wormwood and civet, takes more patience.

Why does Alexandria II smell unusual in the first hour?

Because of the cumin and wormwood in the top and heart. On some people's skin cumin has a sharp, almost salty character that calms down after the first hour. That's not a batch fault but a feature of the composition.

Are both unisex?

Yes, both are listed as unisex in our database. Because of the herbs, Alexandria II is slightly more neutral, while Oud Satin Mood, with two roses, is slightly more floral.

Which is the better investment if I'm buying a full bottle?

We don't have a full-bottle price for Alexandria II in our database, so a per-millilitre comparison isn't possible. With decants Alexandria is cheaper, which is the only figure we can honestly give.

Do they overlap?

Only on oud and rose. Everything else diverges, so both can sit in the same collection without competing.