Black to Black Mancera

Fortunately, I don't smell any amber, soap, animalic notes, leather, saffron, etc. in Black to Black. I also don't find it particularly dark for a fragrance of this genre, and to attribute similarities to Black Aoud borders on blasphemy. Black Aoud is truly soapy, Black Aoud is truly dark and harsh; there is no comparison. Black to Black takes what makes Thirty Three so beautiful to the next level. An herbal freshness brightens everything up. Where it comes from, I still don't know. Is it geranium? It reminds me a bit of sage; it has a green, herbal freshness that also has a floral quality, making it seem as if the rose can hardly exist without it.

You can safely forget the fragrance pyramid of Black to Black. It smells like a slightly coarser Thirty Three. All Mancera clones have this in common. One aspect of a fragrance is taken to the extreme, which can be good or go quite wrong. Personally, I like it because I really enjoy this aspect of Thirty Three. However, this also makes Black to Black seem a bit less rounded and perfect. Black to Black is the only Mancera so far that doesn't fade even in the drydown and doesn't become musty or sour there, which has often been the case until now. The base is soft, smooth with still a beautiful rose note. Not quite as delicately heliotrope-like as in Thirty Three. Thirty Three has an inimitable base, and after ages, it develops into a rather erotic skin scent, while the familiar rose-oud scent remains in the textiles. In Black to Black, even the copy of the drydown is well done, as the rose-oud duo fades delicately and softly, but it disappears steadily without going through that magical phase of Thirty Three. Likewise, longevity and sillage are not quite at Ex Idolo level, but still very good.

For me, Black to Black is the second-best rose-oud after Thirty Three and, considering the price, it is an absolute must-have for all fans of this direction.