Mandarine Glaciale

A new presentation from Atelier Cologne last year (2015) one of four in their exclusive Collection Azur release though Sephora (also available Atelier Cologne’s website), Mandarine Glaciale is a summer time fragrance perfect for a snowy winter day by which to conjure up the warm sunny shores of the Amalfi Coast in Italy. It is romantic, enticing, and filled with passion and desire. All the things we find so appealing when the weather grows frosty. Not to say that Mandarine Glaciale is not right for the spring and summer. Well in fact this spicy bright as sunshine over Ischia fragrance is perfect all year round. It splashes across the skin in stunning opening notes of Delicious Mandarin orange, tart, succulent Sicilian Lemon, and bitter green Calabrian Bergamot all of these together are so reminiscent to me of the smells one gets in the spring and summer along the coast of Italy from Castellammare di Stabia to Positano. The heart of this fragrance is where we get a spicy bite, the romance of the fragrance dwells here. There is a sharp almost peppery Ginger that shoots into the air like Italian fireworks, a creamy Jasmine adds glamour, and greet sharp Petitgrain from Paraguay keeps it lively and sparkling. In the dry down there is a grassy earthy touch of Heart of Vetiver, a rich dark Oakmoss adds depth and weight, and it is all topped off with a very subtle touch of White Amber. This Amber gives a creamy sophistication to the ending of the fragrance leaving you wanting to spray it on again. The nose behind this stunning fragrance is Burgundy born Jérôme Epinette who was educated in the art of perfumery in Grasse at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery. He is known for such creations as Bal d’Afrique by Byredo, and Fougere by Jovoy Paris. He has done seven fragrances for Atelier Cologne as well including Sud Magnolia. Mandarine Glaciale along with Sud Magnolia, Figuier Ardent, and Cedar Atlas all presented by Atelier Colognes in their Collection Azur. Each fragrance was inspired by places in the south warmer climates. From the American South to Morocco, Southern Italy and the south of France. So there is certainly more beautiful fragrances to explore in the collection. For me it is a perfectly blended pure perfume not a cologne as is often the common mistake people make when it comes to Atelier Cologne’s fragrances. The pure perfume therefore gives it a fine life on the skin of about six to eight hours. The sillage is moderate but when you get up close quite enticing, inviting and invigorating. Mandarine Glaciale for me is a winner for any season. A Beauty that will be a part of my collection for years to come. Mandarine Glaciale Five Gold Stars ***** (FOR THE STORY INSPIRED BY THIS FRAGRANCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG SCENTS MEMORY AT WORDPRESS)

Like mandarin on ice... Although I only have a small vial-sample, this was love at first sniff for me. While many citrus scents shed their citrus facets while drying down since citrus notes are usually the quickest to burn off (for example if you add lemon juice to pasta sauce just before serving it's more present, but add it at the beginning or middle of cooking and you may not notice it). This scent, however, manages to keep the mandarin going throughout the life of the scent. Opens with a burst of sparkly mandarin supported by multi-faceted bergamot and lemon, that deepens into a ginger heart resting on an amber-vetiver base with faint oakmoss nuances. The mandarin here is maintained thoughout - 'frozen' in time, and never turns too warm, and seems to continue throughout the drydown, riding atop ginger and then vetiver. Overall I get a mandarin & ginger vibe that is versatile enough to wear year-round, and the ginger aspect reads almost candied to me and would work for the holidays. Contrast to 4711 Acqua Colonia Mandarine & Cardamom: These are different, but this is the most similar scent to MG that I've smelt, but the mandarin in MC doesn't continue throughout the drydown but evolves with more cedar-spicy nuances. MG is more ginger forward, while MC is more cardamom forward as its name implies. Roughly equivalent performance, or slightly better performance with MG, but MC can be layered over its matching body lotion to improve performance. Overall: Beautiful scent profile with above average performance for a citrus scent. I could see myself wearing this during the holidays, when mandarins are in season, but could be worn year round. It's a love for me. Enjoy!

As we come around the bend of winter, and spring beckons us through the heavy veil of wind and rain, many of us turn to thoughts of citrus--and this is a pretty good one. I agree with "No-fi" below, except that a heavy hand with most of the Ateliers is not going to get you into trouble (unless it's Oud Saphir--monster beast). This is mandarin, very fresh, bitter, spicy with the other citruses coming into play 10-15 minutes later. I try not to look at Fragrantica when I'm going for initial "sniff" runs, and I swore that while this is NOT Serge Lutens Mandarin, a "star anise" quality popped out immediately which reminded me at first of some SL qualities (though SL Mandarine is AMAZING TLF!). "Star Anise" fled and left petitgrain and bitter citrus accords behind (any floral and amber is just not there for me). When I read the notes, I realized that "ginger" must have been that "top note"--but more like "Chinese spice shop, dried ginger." When the petitgrain arrives, the ginger transforms into fresh, peeled, "lemony" ginger. I already have my citruses lined up for the coming swelter in a few months, so I"m set, but if I didn't, I'd buy a FB to freshen up and tap into some energy when it's too hot to move. Silage is low--longevity good.

nothing--NOTHING--about mandarine glaciale is something i'd be drawn to on paper. but, while i find it to be a bit out of left field for me, i find it to be an absolutely delightful fragrance ! most citrus heavy scents are objectively fresh and pleasant, but to my nose fall into a rather generic and underwhelming realm through their ubiquity. this gem, though, offers something different (something....dare i say...."fresh" ? forgive me). the mandarin is there, of course, but that is not what makes it special. it's the lemon and fresh ginger on a bed of oakmoss and petitgrain that keep it earthbound but with a sharp upward ZING. in fact, the oakmoss in particular, though rather subtle, helps it bind with and melt into the skin, helping it last longer than just about any citrus-leading fragrance (and a cologne, no less!) i've ever experienced. because of this and the icy (and perhaps seasonal) quality of the ginger, i actually really like this for a different take on a winter fragrance. i can understand why it's polarizing--it almost has a plastic quality at times--but i implore anyone to give this one a try. it may surprise you.

It’s a nice sweet pleasant smelling citrus, but I have a few other much better and longer lasting citrus frags. And as with all Atelier frags, they don’t last long. Half hour of a very nice scent then it’s a skin scent and then an hour later it’s all gone. I’ll use up this 15ml bottle but not buying any more.. I don’t know what these ppl are talking about smelling a celery note. I don’t get any celery or weird sweat smell. I guess some ppl skin brings out weird smells or maybe they got a bad batch or even a fake. Idk The ONLY problem I have with this fragrance and this Atelier house is the longevity and sillage is very very poor. I guess if u really love Atelier, buy the 15ml size and keep it in your purse or pocket and keep reapplying every half hour. I’m not willing to do that. Thats like the guy who keeps a comb in his back pocket and is always taking it out to comb every hair in its place, if you’re THAT guy, then this is for you....lol

I'm a little surprised by how much I like this one. Citruses, in general, tend to be too sterile for me. But this one retains a bit more humanity, which I find quite appealing. There's a very savory quality to the scent that lasts all the way from the opening to the dry-down; it's a little herbal, a little grassy. Other reviews mention things like curry or cumin or human musk—while I don't get any of these specifically, I think they are all very similar smells, and speak to the way that this fragrance melds seamlessly in with the skin, warmed all the way through by the ginger. (A ginger that, by the way, is less fresh ginger meat but maybe the paper skins, or ground ginger in a jar.) While the zestiest part of the fragrance doesn't last too long, I find it remains a citrus on the skin. It's really pleasant and unassuming. I'm adding it to the list... (8/10)

I love Atelier Cologne because their perfumes are never cloying and synthetic in my opinion. Wearing this side by side with Clementine California: Mandarine Glaciale is: cooler (mintier), tarter, brighter, has more of a bitter rind to it. I like this one a bit more because I usually wear citruses for hot weather, though some might find this a little more unisex lemon cleaning spray. Clementine California is: warmer, sweeter, muskier. I smell juicy sweet and a little sour clementine, over a tiny bit of something musky and woody almost like cinnamon. It is predominantly fresh. The one thing I don't like is how they become spicy on the dry down, mandarine glaciale a bit more so. Both are lovely though.

I have to say that I prefer Mandarine Glaciale over Orange Sanguine. Even though orange sanguine is the star of Atelier Cologne. I truly have no idea what this celery note is about. I don’t smell any. Maybe you got a bad batch? Maybe from a dark online store? Who knows. This is a fall/winter citrus. Starts bright, zesty with the combination of citrus and ginger but it quickly turns woody and a bit dry. Vetiver is quite predominant after the brief happy opening. If you are looking for a summery, light, beachy citrus fragrance, keep looking somewhere else. And it tilts a bit towards a male cologne in general. I like it a lot. It’s the only cologne from Atelier that I bought twice.

Opens with mandarin and ginger. But not in the way you may be thinking. Feels like a velvety mandarin, soft and elegant, yet refreshing and invigorating. The ginger forms a big part of this composition, and in fact this is the way I like ginger to smell, with a little zing and natural. Later it pairs with the vetiver and creates a nice combination of woody/spiciness. It has the aura of a genuine cologne, simple and bright. It won't make you stand out and next to major uber scents (like one million and similar) this perfume will be unnoticeable. But for a daily use, weekends and casual activities this is a good option.

This is my favorite fragrance for summer. I'm really glad it was summer when I first tried it as I otherwise would have missed out on something wonderful. Seriously, don't bother with it in the winter. This is one that absolutely blossoms in the heat of the summer sun and ekes forth a sour,strange sort of minty note in the cold. I couldn't understand the negative reviews until I tried it in the winter. Turning up the thermostat does not fool her. It's like she knows.

I've been sampling about 8 Ateliers over the last couple months and this and Cedrat Enivrant were my favorite scentwise, the performance on all of them were a joke but the performance on this one is downright comical. It's too bad because overall this house has some GREAT scents, very natural, bright and refreshing. The quality is unquestionably great but the performance and price point is rather quite insulting... in my opinion

This is a lovely, multifaceted fragrance. It opens with a realistic juicy orange note, but the green notes and the ginger bring a cooler quality that makes it overall more evocative of a citrus cocktail than a fresh fruit. I think it's versatile enough to be worn in every season, and the longevity is very good on me. Definitely worth a try if you want a different take on a citrus scent.

Fresh cut mandarins on extremely clean cold white marble and a bowl of crunchy fruit loops without milk. I have the travel version, dark blue glass bottle inside an "Hermès Orange" colored leather sleeve with my initials on the side. These little travel fragrances are so underrated and chic!

من از طرفداران این برند هستم. این عطر نارنگی یخی برای من ترکیبی است از نارنگی و زنجبیل. یک بوی تابستانی که در پاییز هم قابل استفاده است. روشن نیست و همین هم موجب تفاوتش با بقیه عطرهای مرکباتی است. بوی زنجبیل کمی حس کثیف و گرما به عطر میدهد و این متفاوتش میکند

This is a fresh, clean, simple citrus scent! I like to wear it on it's own or layered with Commodity's Gold. Either way, it is a gem of a daily scent that wears well, no matter what season you wear it in.

Ginger isn't usually a favourite note of mine, but in combination with citrus in a light fragrance it seems to work very well for me - Mandarine Glaciale reminds me of Acqua Di Parma's Bergamotto di Calabria in that respect, and like that one, I like this one very much as well. In fact, testing this has been much the same experience as with most other Atelier Cologne citruses I've tried: they really do make some of the best citrus fragrances around, and the first hour or so is a pure delight, but that spectacular burst of brightness fades much too fast. In the opening Mandarine Glaciale really lives up to its name; and to the high expectations I have for this line. It really does smell like icy cold mandarin oranges, with the sweetness enhanced by the ginger: not really a realistic kind of citrus, but gorgeous in its own subtly candied way - out of the entire line this smells most like Pomelo Paradis because of this, and it's utterly unisex as well. Like with most Atelier Colognes I've tried, my first impulse every time I spray it on is to rush out and buy a full bottle immediately, and wear it for the rest of the summer and often in the colder seasons as well. But then as usual the spicier, vaguer, more masculine drydown starts to kick in and I decide to wait a bit, not able to decide whether that delicious first hour is worth spending the rest of the day with this much less lovely scent...

The first time I tried this, I did not like it. I thought the ginger was way too strong and cloying. However, I just tested this again today, and I totally changed my mind. It's much lighter and fresher than it seemed during the first test. It is not the fresh juicy orange of Orange Sanguine. Instead, it is a mixture of light citrus zest with quite a prominent dried ginger powder smell. Not freshly grated ginger. Very much the ground dried ginger you use in cooking cakes, etc. I agree this could be a summer scent, but the ginger and orange actually bring to mind more of a fall vibe. Even reminiscent of scents associated with winter holidays. I'm not sure if I want a bottle. I'm really on the fence about it. I like how longevity is on the longer side for Atelier, which is key since so many like Bergamote Soleil, which I really like, virtually disappear from my skin within 1.5 hours. However, every now and then I get a whiff of ginger that is kind of cloying, making me not sure about this perfume. But, let's just say, if someone gave this to me as a gift, I would definitely accept. Not sure if I want to spend tons of money to buy it though.

The opening is pure mandarin orange. Quite realistic, and juicy, but also I detect some sort of sugar. It might me be, but the times I've worn this, it's like I smell the mandarin and on a side a cup filled with sugar. But I would not call this a sweet scent because it's not like i smell a candy marine, its two different things and the smell of sugar is not necesatily sweet. Maybe I'm not making much sene, but anyway. After a while the "sugar" fades and after a few hours the ginger makes an entrance. It gives a spicy kick that might smell a bit masculine to some. On me the mandarin and ginger stay together for rest of the duration of the fragrance, about 8-9 hours. I really really like it, but I could do without the "sugar" smell. That opening makes me think of Mochino's I Love Love, just because it is orange and sugar, but not really because they smell similar. On me this one last a good 8 hours, sometimes 9 with a moderate sillage for the first 4 hours or so.

I've sampled several Ateliers and the only one I have purchased is Cafe Tuberosa. My main complaint with this brand is performance, as I've always liked whatever precious few minutes I could squeeze out of the scent. Most have disappeared within an hour on my skin. So when I tested Mandarine Glaciale I was fully expecting to have the same performance issues. Instead my second Atelier purchase is on its way: I love this one, and I can't believe that I'm still smelling it today....more than 14 hours after applying. I pick up ginger and citrus in the opening, but this stays away from being gourmand and thankfully never gets too sweet. Once the opening dies down it stays linear to the end - earthy vetiver with spices, the orange citrus note is in the background. Very natural smelling, verging into unique territory. I can pull this off through several seasons. The low score from Fragrantica on this surprises me. If the notes sound tempting, give it a try.

They named it just right because somehow, the heat of fresh juicy ginger (definitely not dried ginger powder) here works to COOL DOWN the entire effect - this is, unmistakeably, a frozen orange ice lolly in a perfume form. REALLY chilly, super fresh, very citric, very tasty. Sadly its refreshing effect lasts for about as long as that lolly, too - maybe 45 minutes of that lovely first zing on skin, then an hour or two more of a vague, but still pleasant, skin-splashed-with-seawater clean muskiness lingering behind. And then you're done. ARGH! All the more irritating given the true beauty of the open. This one goes into the bin marked "Gorgeous Orange Disappointments", right along with Berdoues' zesty heartbreaker Scorza di Sicilia, and for the same reason - tantalisingly wonderful scents which seduce the nose and then vanish without trace. Still worth trying for the beautiful Act 1, though - and if it lasts on you, might even be worth the money.