Choco Violette Mancera 2016

Actually, it’s not so "absolutely" when you consider whether the combination of chocolate and violet works in a perfume. After all, chocolate initially suggests that Mancera Choco Violette would be a gourmand, underlined by the powdery and floral accords of violet.

Thanks to the sample kits from Mancera, I now have a whole range of fragrances from the French house to try out. Choco Violette was a mystery to me at first before purchasing, but this combination piqued my curiosity. Without looking at the fragrance pyramid, it becomes immediately clear upon spraying that it’s not just about chocolate here. The hazelnut is very dominant and immediately gives the impression of a bar of milk chocolate with hazelnuts, which I actually like the most! For me, it really is initially milk chocolate and not dark chocolate. Chocolate and hazelnut are quite present for a long time, leaving little room for other notes. I can also perceive nougat for a while. To be honest, I don’t smell bergamot and orange in the top notes, or only with a bit of imagination.

With this gourmand bomb at the beginning, one wonders for a while where the violet is. In fact, it only timidly waves after about 30 minutes and then shows itself more strongly. The milk chocolate gradually transforms into dark chocolate, and powdery/soapy nuances hint at violet. Somehow, Mancera has even managed to make chocolate and violet harmonize well together, perhaps precisely because the violet doesn’t come across as particularly aggressive. I compare this to crème de violette (violet liqueur), which can occasionally (though rarely) be mixed into cocktails. Usually, 2 teaspoons of it are enough for the soapy liqueur to find harmony; a third teaspoon and it’s already too much. So, it’s a fine balancing act. Mancera has also achieved this balancing act here and done it excellently. Not too much and not too little.

In the further drydown, the violet fades and the hazelnut picks up again. Vanilla and cocoa form a delicate, pleasant base that lasts fantastically for more than 15 hours. The sillage is very pronounced in the first 4-5 hours. There’s definitely no need to spray twice, as I can say from my test with a single careful spray from the 2ml tester that the fragrance has power.

Overall, I liked Choco Violette so much that I immediately added it to my wish list. Perhaps it will find its way into my collection someday. I definitely recommend trying it!