Taurus

Red Tobacco should primarily be of interest to anyone who loves cherry fragrances, even though this does not appear in the pyramid. Only Mancera's marketing department will be able to answer why this is not mentioned. They probably weren't confident enough in 2017, because cherry is now totally hip as an ingredient, as in "Lost Cherry (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford".

Here in Red Tobacco, it blends with all kinds of spicy, woody and resinous components, especially with a little oud and above all with tobacco. At the beginning, there are still synthetic nuances in the fragrance, but this disappears after a short time.

In the later phase, the cherry is also much more subtle, but still present enough in the fragrance. It is then flanked by dark, warm accords. Here, the oud also comes through somewhat more intensively, which makes Red Tobacco appear more valuable - even if this is probably of unnatural origin.

This is exactly how the eau de parfum is properly balanced - before, it was a little squeaky and too strongly focused on the cherry note. In the finish, the dimmed, slightly red sparkling sweetness remains. Again and again, various accents stand out from the creation. Sometimes it is the incense, sometimes the cinnamon and towards the end you notice the vanilla as well as the musk. Perfect on cool days!

And all of this with a high intensity in terms of projection and longevity. Personally, I prefer cherries fresh from the tree or as Mon Chéri, possibly in rice pudding but not necessarily olfactorily. It's not Red Tobacco's fault, and I still find it appealing, but it's by no means a candidate for purchase.

Ambre Nuit is probably the best-known and most popular fragrance in Dior's Collection Privée - if you look at the ratings and number of users on Parfumo.

Although I like the fragrance, I still have to ask myself what is the main reason for its fascination. I can't make out a slow start, Ambre Nuit starts too directly for that. Without further ado, it immediately reveals a sweet Damask rose with a good dose of amber.

There is a whole lot more going on in between, which is not so easy to pinpoint and promises more than just the fragrance notes listed. (Dior's website also only mentions rose and amber).

I think I can still smell at least a little honey and a minimal hint of cinnamon. Possibly a woody base and some more spicy nuances in the restrained oriental vibe. The sweetness reminds me of a mixture of orange blossom and chewing gum, which is not meant to be derogatory.

Interestingly, I can imagine that Ambre Nuit can be worn at any time of the year, although not necessarily on a midsummer day with over 30° C. Perhaps this is also the reason for its popularity, because the fragrance is pleasant, not commonplace and can be worn without hesitation by any gender and in any age group. What's more, Ambre Nuit is not restricted to night-time use.

The fragrance label Essential Parfums has attracted extremely positive attention, at least with the release of Bois Imperial. If you compare it with the label's other creations, it is likely to have generated the most sales by a huge margin. Unfortunately, the other fragrances fall far behind, even if they at least don't receive bad reviews on average.

The situation is similar with Nice Bergamote, which stands in the shadow of Bois Imperial. After all, Antoine Maisondieu has also created some highly successful fragrances for other brands, but this "nice bergamot" is perhaps simply too well-behaved, too arbitrary, too unexciting and not innovative enough.

However, what you get here is what you get or could expect: a citrusy bergamot refresher with a clear impact with floral notes of jasmine and ylang-ylang. There is also a small hint of cedarwood and barely any tonka bean. That's about it.
You shouldn't expect an outstanding performance, as Nice Bergamote is too close to the body and too short-breathed for that.

In principle, one could assume that the entire creation is unisex, but I personally find the floral notes quite feminine and the core theme not fully served. I would definitely recommend a test before placing a blind order.

If you wear it, you have a spring-like, summery companion - but you have to ask yourself whether this is exactly what you want because there are so many alternatives. It's nicely made, but as we all know, that's unfortunately not always enough and the better is simply the enemy of the good.

... i would have signed that just a few years ago. But over time, you change your habits and getting up early is no longer torture for me, even on days off. Some would call this a senile flight from bed, but for me I simply get more out of the day, especially from spring onwards, even if I'm not the classic "lark".

Accordingly, Petit Matin is the perfect weekend companion for an early morning stroll in a park. When it's still a bit chilly and the sun is trying to spread some warmth with its first sharp rays. A few birds are already chirping, yet it remains calm and relaxed.

The olfactory notes of delicate lemon and orange blossom, blended with a little lavender and hawthorn, are slightly refreshing and keep you alert. Musk provides a pleasantly creamy stability so that the "little morning" is by no means too floral. Nothing more is needed for this fragrance, which on the one hand is familiar and on the other hand has a high-quality feel thanks to its naturalness.

Wonderfully clear, somewhat sweetish and excited without frills, Petit Matin brightens up the morning hours or even the whole morning and beyond, because projection and durability are decent thanks to ambroxan. The overall effect is quite unisex with a slight feminine twist. Not necessarily a great innovation, but rock solid and with a positive vibe.

Alongside Purple Flamingo by Marc Gebauer, Perseus was the second recent release that I was totally curious about, even though I knew full well that I was neither the target audience nor did I have any intention of buying it. I had already reviewed the former in detail, although I had Perseus under my nose a good hour beforehand.

This is also due to the fact that I was a little disappointed with Perseus despite my subdued expectations beforehand. I had the same expectations for Altair, only they were relatively high and were met satisfactorily.

The citrusy notes, especially grapefruit and mandarin, pop through right at the beginning, very fresh and sparkling. Almost a little over the top. But after a short time, the divine offspring becomes tamer and more serious. Here, the rather warm and dry woody notes in combination with timid rose geranium become apparent until the drydown. Of course, with massive longevity and acceptable projection. Remarkable for a citrusy fragrance without annoying synthetics and a point for Perseus.

That's solid, but what I'm missing is a consistent hint of innovation or sophistication. Of course, the orange-yellow bottle draws attention to where the journey is heading. But the result doesn't really offer a wow effect. I would have liked something along the lines of "Feu Patchouli | Maison Rebatchi", an excellently concentrated orange fragrance with a fine patchouli core, which deserves the niche label because it has taken an innovative approach to the classic citrus theme - and it's completely successful, but still totally under the radar.

Of course, some influencers are going crazy with enthusiasm. If they gave it to me, I'd probably secretly do the same. But at this price, I'm not even thinking about buying it. Especially as this PdM has been rather poor so far. The "Terre d'Hermès Eau Givrée | Hermès" is by far the more interesting alternative.