Manhattan Roja Parfums 2021 Parfum

Roja Manhattan was my test candidate for today. I was very curious to see how Roja Dove would interpret the motto Manhattan. I always find it very difficult to create fragrances with a geographical motto because the impression of a place can be very variable and different. But enough boring chatter from me.

Manhattan has a zesty top note with bergamot and lavender, which I like. After 2-3 minutes, the freshness recedes and makes way for the sweet and dark notes. Here I can identify the following: tonka bean, tobacco, vanilla, cinnamon, a hint of patchouli, some woods, and musk.

I really like the scent, quite a lot actually, but I can't say it any other way: It's Tobacco Vanille with a bit less sweetness, but the similarity for me is about 80-85%. I really don't want to pay over 800€ for a dupe; at that price, Tobacco Vanille seems like a bargain. Unfortunately, I have to reduce the rating by 3 points because, to be honest, I don't want to acquire an 800€ dupe. Of course, everyone can see this differently, but I'm not convinced by Roja Manhattan for that reason.

The longevity is solid, but it could have been more. After just over 8 hours, Manhattan is already gone from my skin. The sillage is always just under an arm's length and becomes very close to the skin after about 6 hours.

Edit 16.10.2021: I now find the lavender note to be more present than I had noted in my notes on Manhattan. Therefore, I am giving one more point because the similarity to Tobacco Vanille has further decreased as a result.