Zion by Alexandria Fragrances

It should have been called ElyZION. I bought a decant of Elysium due to the hype, and while I loved its natural lime, I was disappointed by the price and its weak skin longevity, something Explorer also suffers from but in a more synthetic way. Zion is the solution: fresh, citrusy, and of superior quality. It’s not identical, but it’s more complex and works perfectly as a Roja Dove inspiration. If you like citrus, go for it; if not, you probably won’t. Note: let these fragrances macerate for 4 to 8 weeks, because the surprise is real. Scent: 9/10, Longevity: 8/10 (improved from 3 to 6 hours after maceration), Projection: 9/10. Perfect for any weather except cold.

I tried Zion for the first time today and it certainly didn’t leave me indifferent, even though fougères have never been my strong suit; perhaps my nose struggles to pick up notes that others enjoy. I’ll let it rest and macerate for a few days until summer to see how it develops. I’ll update my review later.

Super citrusy opening, like freshly zested lemon peel, with vetiver and green notes. It’s ultra-versatile, a true all-rounder. The Alexandria team performs pure magic. I tried Elysium in a decant (rich, but longevity is a breath short given the price). Remember these are inspirations, not clones; they have their own touch but are very close. Zion offers better performance and outshines the hype of the ‘tubers’. Eight sprays flood the room and the trail lasts for hours. These are extracts that withstand a full working day. Excellent performance and longevity. A solid 8/10.

I’ve just bought Zion and it left me speechless. The resemblance to Elysium (which I purchased a year ago) is impressive. Zion is superior in every way, except that in the Alexandria version the grapefruit note is more prominent. The evolution is almost identical, but with a massive price difference. Highly recommended.

I bought a test set with seven 5ml vials. This is Zion. I haven’t tried Elysium, but I have sampled Creed Aventus and the ‘knock-off’ Club de Nuit Intense by Armaf. What do you think? It resembles CluDeNuit more than Aventus. It smells better than CluDeNuit because the lemon isn’t synthetic or sharp, yet it isn’t as deep and creamy as Aventus. Does this smell like Elysium? I’ll order a decant to check. Update January 2020: I’ve now tried Roja Elysium; it was a slight disappointment. Zion outperforms it in trail, projection, longevity, and scent (more density and complex fruity accords), and costs one-fifth of the price. But sssshht, it’s state secret.