TheMonaco

A friendly Parfumo sent me 3 Mancera scents that, according to the description, fit my preferences: This one here: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/Mancera/Aoud_Lemon_Mint
https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/Mancera/Lemon_Line
And
https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/Mancera/intense-cedrat-boise
Citrusy, woody, spicy fresh is how the package insert reads, and I wasn't familiar with Mancera.
This review, yes (subjective, this is just my opinion or impression, nothing more), serves as a representative critique for the one I had the highest hopes for.
Anyone expecting a lemon scent with mint here and hoping for something summery and Mojito-like will be severely disappointed. All 3 Manceras start off, of course, in their own way, rather synthetically chemical, this one probably Oudish combined with something citrusy that doesn't quite fit. Then there is (at least) a development towards a synthetic woody mixture that I recognize from cheap quick-wash fragrances and that becomes quite overwhelming after 5 minutes.
However, there is something positive to report. The nerve scent lasts for hours and projects well; it must be due to the artificial ingredients.
Towards the end, it transforms again into something skin-close that is not quite as annoying. This lasts for 12 hours and longer, so for those who enjoy this kind of chemical powerhouse, they have purchased pure H&S Power, at least.
That the house has developed its own scent DNA can be sensed by my nose, as Intense Cedrat Boise smells almost as annoyingly chemical after 2 - 3 hours as the supposed lemon scent here.
Lemon Line, finally, fails at H&S, smells rather short but simply like the sweet lemon candies from my childhood... also not what I had hoped for.

Personal conclusion: Mancera and I, it's not going to work. I must be spoiled by the never-annoying Creed scents for synthetic fragrances. However, I really can't understand why the prices are so high....

I am very grateful to this forum and the souk with the many perfumers who take the effort to offer decants, for the great opportunity to try almost everything without significant losses. It’s really fun! Thank you very much.

THE PROLOGUE:
(feel free to skip -> "TO THE FRAGRANCE" takes you to the scent ;-)
After a long time, I feel called to submit a review again. And this time for a true Creed underdog - Tabarome Millésime. A fragrance that is almost classic just by age, now 24 years old, from my - yes, I am surprised myself - favorite house, Creed. I can't quite say why I am a fan of Creed. I've tried many "high-quality" premium houses (many Roja, PdM, Amouage MFK, EdPFM, Xerjoff, and all the others) and only from Creed have the bottles (almost exclusively sourced here - the souk here: simply genius - genius simply!) remained, while the former often left after rather short stints.
Maybe it's because, at the slightly advanced age of early 50s, I increasingly enjoy "classic" fougere-like, citrusy, woody, spicy, fresh scents, while the more pompous, sweet gourmand, oriental-cloying, or floral fragrances are becoming less and less my thing (or actually never were - or I only liked them briefly, but they quickly became a nuisance to my nose).
And Creed has some nose-iconic recognizable classics exactly in my direction, as you can see from my small collection.

TO THE FRAGRANCE:
Rather by chance, as it is hardly offered and even less discussed or in focus, I spontaneously sourced the aforementioned T. M. here (batch code F000xxx indicates the year 2022 and beyond) and upon the first spray, there was initially a big Uuuuh-mistake skepticism: citrus-spicy with ginger and an underlying tobacco note (fresh tobacco, in my opinion), something I hadn't smelled before, in high concentration, which left my nose initially puzzled and a bit overwhelmed.
I was already mentally sorting it out, but then I gave it a chance for a few days, and similar to a complex song that doesn't immediately catch the ear due to its compositional complexity, T.M. became better in my nose day by day. The fresh-citrusy start, which transitions into an ethereal-spicy-fresh scent after a short time, pleases me more and more. I also like the development into a classic-woody finish. Once again, one of the Creeds with a beautiful transformation from top->heart->base. I think Creed does this particularly well.
-> My nose has worked for it and now finds it really good.

Sillage is present, but always rather close to the body and not intrusive (very important to me personally).

I find the longevity very good; after 8 to 10 hours, the woody drydown is still good, but then it becomes very close to the body, detectable, and lasts longer on clothing.

THE CONCLUSION:
In my nose-eyes, this is a uniquely classic-modern men's fragrance, suitable for the office and also for official occasions, as well as evening-gallant events, more for the mature man, who may need to be 'earned' first. Then it appeals to connoisseurs and friends of the citrus-fresh-spicy scent direction. For women, it is therefore - in my opinion! - not suitable.
And one more thing: I explicitly do not find it old-school, old-man-classic, but that always depends on personal scent experience and the associated olfactory memories - which for me are neutral - I didn't know it and don't associate anyone/nothing with it.
Therefore: If you like this direction - get enough samples, work with your nose, and then, with a bit of luck, buy it here at least at more reasonable conditions ;-)

I have been testing Aventus and Explorer in parallel for days, and for this beautiful close-to-the-original homage in a much more premium bottle (for those interested) at a comparatively bargain price (about €40 per 100ml), I give both thumbs up.
We don't have a 1:1 clone here (of what, when each Creed batch smells different from the other...) but the almost euphorically fresh-fruity-spicy scent is just as present, as well as the similar drydown including the two inherent longevity (6 to 7 hours) and the rather polite, skin-close sillage.
In my humble opinion, perfect for the office and everyday use. One always appreciates a waft.
If you have one, you don't need the other in my opinion... unless, of course, Creed as a status symbol in the mirrored cabinet for the initiated. ;)

I'll keep it unusually prosaic and brief and simply describe what I smell and how I like it. No elegy, no pseudo-lyricism, no haiku, no synesthesias.

Thanks to a quickly arranged fragrance sample from the souk (great thing, that), I finally get to experience perfumer's art with very different phases again. For that alone, a big compliment.

In Phase 1, right after spraying on the skin:
Fresh mint and pepper together, ethereal and slightly sharp but invigorating, with stimulating citrus and a hint of apple and some floral notes, the rose. A strong start that lasts about half an hour, with the mint and pepper quickly fading.
Start 9 out of 10

In Phase 2, the rose begins to dominate, but there’s still a bit of sourness from Phase 1 that reminds me of my parents' geranium box.... and I never liked that smell. If it were to stay like this, it would definitely fail. This lasts about 1 to 2 hours.
Middle phase: 5 out of 10

Phase 3 features a very nice, softly fading masculine vetiver finish on the skin, with a bit of fine sweetness underneath, and again quite different from the start and middle. With diminishing sillage, it's still "there" even after 8 hours.
Drydown 9 out of 10

Overall, all phases smell appropriately high-quality for the price.

What I also like is the uniqueness compared to many other current offerings that are out there.

Due to the start and finish, I recommend it. Yes, I would buy it and also use it. Creed prices (and not just those, it’s clear) are generally debatable, but luckily there’s the souk for that ;)

If Davidoff is the scent twin, then it’s astonishing that Jean Louis Vermeil (never heard of it, let alone seen it anywhere - Parfumo is simply genius) has preserved this classic fragrance so perfectly.
No sugary notes, fresh, spicy, long-lasting, so that you enjoy smelling it all day long, masculine but not whiny, classic but not outdated. Great and incredibly affordable.
The bottle itself looks elegant and feels high-quality (the marble-colored glass). The cheap, wobbly plastic cap and the really poorly functioning spray nozzle are a downside (at least it sprays finely, but you always end up with sticky fingers...), and the plastic box is questionable and indeed reminiscent of €1 shop quality. This does not do justice to this fine fragrance in any way and could be off-putting. I will probably fill a good spray bottle if I can manage to get it out somehow.
Longevity on my (skin) is okay (about 5-6 hours) on clothing phenomenal (12-16h)
Conclusion: A true winner in terms of price-performance and immediately my number 1 in the collection.