Caron Farnesiana and Mazzolari Alessandro
June 16th, 2006
Today’s Smell-alikes are Farnesiana by Caron and Alessandro by Mazzolari. If you consider the notes, these should be worlds apart. Farnesiana incorporates the notes of cassie flower, mimosa, bergamot, jasmine, lilly of the valley, violet, lilac, opoponax, vanilla, sandalwood, and musk. As a side note, thanks to Octavian, it doesn’t contain cassia tree bark - it’s cassie flower (Acacia Farnesiana), a member of the mimosa family. Alessandro is said to have the notes of bitter almonds, honey, heliotrope, and vanilla. Almond is not listed as a note for Farnesiana, yet almond is what I smell in both scents. The difference is perhaps in the overall effect: Alessandro is a powdery almond while Farnesiana is a balsamic, slightly spicy almond. I presume a combination of cassie flower, mimosa, opoponax, and vanilla is what gives Farnesiana an almond-like quality which I find extremely fascinating. Besides bitter almonds and vanilla, Alessandro also features heliotrope which in itself is similar in smell to opoponax (to my nose), so it’s no wonder I see the likeness here. Alessandro is hardly as complex as Farnesiana but it’s just as warm and velvety. In spite of an array of florals in Farnesiana, they’re so masterfully blened that my nose hardly detects them. I love both scents equally but would probably pick Farnesiana for more formal occasions and Alessandro - for casual ones. Note: I’ve used Farnesiana extrait in this comparison which is superior to the eau de parfum composition.
Farnesiana can be found at Perfumebay, 1stPerfume, Ebay as well as the Caron boutique in New York. Alessandro is available at Luckyscent, Aus Liebe Zum Duft, and Gabriele Kraetschmer.
Image source: www.parfumdepub.net and www.luckyscent.com
Entry Filed under: Smell-alikes
21 Comments Add your own
1. Patty | June 16th, 2006 at 11:12 am
I’m still trying to decide if I love Farnesiana yet, which may help me decide on if I want to try Allessandro, which sounds lovely.
2. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 11:24 am
I think you’ll love Alessandro. I’m very close to succumbing to a full bottle purchase.
3. IrisLA | June 16th, 2006 at 11:39 am
I have both Farnesiana extrait and Alessandro. I adore the latter while I merely like Farnesiana. I agree with your statement that Farnesiana is better for dress-up occasions and Alessandro is more suited for casual ones. Since my lifestyle is laid back I wear Alessandro much more often. Also, I find that Alessandro can be worn year round while Farnesiana is a cool weather scent since it’s spicy.
4. Elle | June 16th, 2006 at 11:49 am
I could mainline Farnesiana. It’s one of my ultimate comfort perfumes - really soft and rich. Alessandro is definitely similar, but it’s more aldehydic and perfumey to my nose. I love both of them, but slightly prefer Farnesiana. The Alessandro gets some extra points since those sueded Mazollari boxes are a perfect match to the mood of the scent. Yeah, picky detail.
5. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Hi, Iris! Nice to see you here.
And I agree with your statement that Alessandro can be worn any time.
6. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Well, that sueded box might very well become the last straw for me… As in, must get Alessandro while supplies last.
7. Marina | June 16th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
I adore Farnesiana. Your comparison makes me want to revisit Alessandro, which I remember trying and not being overly impressed. Parhaps I haven’t given it much thought/chance.
8. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
I’ve gone back and forth on Alessandro, too. It’s all forth now.
9. Christina H. | June 16th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
They do indeed share certain qualities that I love.They smell powdery !
10. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Yes, they do.
11. Judith | June 16th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Alessandro is quite lovelybut too sweet/foody for my tastes. I prefer Farnesiana parfum–actually, in the abstract, I think it’s beautiful–but I never wear it because it doesn’t feel like “me.” Oh well–there are many other scents!
12. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
I had a bottle of Farnesiana extrait, too, and I ended up giving it away as I never wore it. A small decant is enough for me.
13. Victoria | June 16th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
I also found Alessandro to be too sweet. Nevertheless, it is a nice fragrance for anyone who loves the mimosa and heliotrope effect.
14. Ina | June 16th, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Alessandro would be a perfect comfort scent.
15. octavian | June 19th, 2006 at 9:42 am
it doesn’t contain cassia tree bark but cassie flowers (Acacia farnesiana) used in old perfumes as a precious absolute. there is always a confusion between cassia and cassie. but their odor is quite different. Farnesiana is merely a cassie soliflore.
16. Ina | June 19th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Thanks for the info! I was obviously not aware of that.
Do you know where I can read more about it? Thanks!
17. Neeta | June 20th, 2006 at 7:24 am
such interesting review, it makes me fell like I want to try them both
Talking about smell-alikes, I recently smelled Raving by Etro, and it’s surprisingly similar to Bond n.9 Chinatown, at least to my newbie’s nose 
They start very similar and then in the dry-down the Etro feels more powder-spicy to me. And it’s a Eau perfumee, so it stays definitely less (and the price tag is more clement ;-)). Have you ever tried it?
18. Ina | June 20th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Hi, Neeta! I think I’ve tried Raving but I can’t recall what it smells like. Thank you for the suggestion! I’m going to have to find a sample.
19. Aromascope » From R&hellip | June 29th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
[…] Ambre Dore: violet petals, rose, patchouli, coriander, amber, oakmoss. Now we’re talking! I think I love this one the most. Spicy, not too heavy amber. Once again, my nose does tricks on me. This reminds me of Farnesiana, just a bit. Dries down to a soft and slightly powdery amber. Wow! If you’re looking for nice cheap amber, look no further. […]
20. Aromascope » Mazzol&hellip | July 9th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
[…] Mazzolari is a perfume line that just recently came to the U.S., and not much is known about it. According to Luckyscent, it was founded as a barber shop in Italy in 1888 by Augusto Mazzolari who later on created aftershaves and colognes for his male clients. His son, Ferdinando, developed the line even further by adding women’s scents. Today it’s one of Italy’s most prestigious perfumeries. I’ve already reviewed one of their best sellers, Alessandro, and now another one has caught my attention, with the signature name Mazzolari. […]
21. shari | September 23rd, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Anyone heard of Zibilene Woman to Woman/Secret De Venus?Not sure of the exact name. The name is not Secret De Venus (by itself) because I have some of that and it doesn’t smell the same. Maybe it is just Zibeline Woman To Woman? I used to love this perfume but it has been out of stock for many years. Is there anything that measures up to this fragrance?
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