Zeste Mandarine

well well, this is a beautiful summer fragrance , super fresh, very appealing and beyond all I loved the bottle, classic yet artistic in a way Over all 8/10

At first wear I did not like this very much. There was something about it that was off putting to me (it seemed overly tart with citrus notes that were too sharp). I wore it two more times before letting my 10ml decant sit for couple months. Like most Creeds (or other high-end frags), if given time it has the potential to blossom into what it could be through the maceration process. Using it now, as it has become much warmer in temperature and softer in expression. I can start to understand the fragrance more for what it should be. The opening is very citrus forward with a subtle patchouli accord that becomes more prominent as time goes on. The initial tart citrus burst lasts for about an hour on my skin before subtly fading into the background. The middle consists of a more balanced citrus/patchouli accord with a pronounced petitgrain vibe that rounds it out. The middle lasts on my skin for roughly 2 hrs after which the base of fragrance takes over for the remainder. The dry down consists of a pleasant patchouli/petitgrain mix with most of the zesty citrus that was present in the beginning having taken a backseat. The scent sits very close after roughly 2-3 hrs but it continues to be present for another 2 or so. The heat definitely allows the fragrance to open up much more versus using it in colder temperatures. This is definitely a summer fragrance - I believe most of the spring will not be hot enough to draw out the nuances in full with this. To be honest this is a decent fragrance, but it leaves me wanting more especially considering the price that is being asked for it. I would recommend a small sample first before moving onto something bigger. Price: Expensive at $440/50ml (my little decant was a fraction of this, thank goodness!) Edit: $440 for 100ml not 50 ml Longevity (6/10): It lasts for roughly 5 or 6 hours in total before it becomes barely noticeable on my skin. Mind you it is already sitting very close after 2-3 hrs. Suffice to say I'm not over the moon about this. Projection (5/10): It has about arm length projection for around 2 hrs before it sits very close. I understand that this was designed with warmer weather in mind, but for the price you pay you would want to smell rather nice without having people come too close for inspection. Sillage (4/10): It does not have a very big scent trail at all, much like the projection issues it faces. With the help of wind it can increase but overall this is lacking any sort of "oomph". Scent (5/10): I understand what they wanted to convey with a lighter citrus forward fragrance, but this just leaves me feeling like it is rather incomplete. It lacks any sort of real "spine" to it I guess you could say. Creed didn't completely fail here, they just came up a little short. For this to be at its best, try it during a rather warm (20 Celsius +) day and give it a go. Sadly not for me, but I'm glad I tried this.

There's not much to say about Creed's Zeste Mandarine other than it is really REALLY citrusy. As soon as I sprayed this it felt like I had been smacked in the face by the stench of what I imagine an orange-flavored Lemonhead candy to be like. It's just orange. Sickly sweet orange. There's not much else there. I tend to quite like citrus scents but this was just not good at all in my opinion. The only notes I can pick up on are orange zest, citrus leaves, and a whisper of patchouli. If you've ever bitten into a citrus peel and then gotten that bitter taste from it, this is what this smells like, but a lot sweeter. The main problem here isn't the citrus, it's the lack of balance. Everything in this scent is completely citrus-inspired, with absolutely nothing to counteract the sharpness. Something like pink pepper or potentially a gourmand note such as cinnamon or even chocolate could have made this fragrance tolerable, but alas. Sillage is surprisingly weak for a citrus scent, and longevity is just fine. I'd say this is a very androgynous scent, though I would prefer it if no one wears this fragrance at all. The price tag is almost as offensive as the odor. $325 USD for a bottle of orange snowcone syrup is just unthinkable. If it weren't for the price tag, this could be alright for layering I suppose. But other than that this fragrance is a complete dud. Rate 2/10 Sorry Creed.

Smells like air freshener, only worse - can't imagine who would want to buy it, especially at that price point.

Perfomance to price ratio is not great on this however the hate seems unfounded considering this smells dead similar to afternoon swim to me. With a bit of maceration this could be quality. I'm certain afternoon swim is inspired by this.

I got to sample this at NM today. It’s my favorite of the 3 new offerings from this line. Reminds me of Hermès Mandarin Ambree. The dry down is very nice.

This is pure citrus. Smells like lemon bleach or something. Never smelt such a citrus fragrance in my life.

I haven’t seen this in the USA.