Aqua Allegoria Forte Mandarine Basilic

A friend and I, while waiting for a flight, descended upon the duty free store and smelled basically every perfume they had in stock and we both really fell in love with the entire aqua allegoria collection. I ended up impulse buying this as mandarin orange has always been a favorite scent of mine and while the sample that I tried (the original non forte) smelled exactly like a freshly peeled orange, I bought the forte version (hoping for a longer lasting perfume) but was initially disappointed to find it doesn't smell as photorealistic as the original version (this was the first like. Real/expensive perfume I'd ever bought so I was flying kind of blind) However, I do still really love it!! Though the mandarin is only a single note working in tandem with others in this vs it being front and center in the original version, it creates a lovely harmony with the background floral/sweeter scents and prevents it from being floral/sweet in an irritating way, and as hoped it does last a pretty long time, until at least early evening. Different than what I thought I had bought, but a serendipitous purchase!

Very different from Mandarine Basilic EDT. You can tell that and the Forte are related but I would classify the EDT as a younger casual frag. The Forte is the more mature office/formal scent. The photorealistic mandarin note is sharper and more pronounced in the EDT - it smells like you're literally smelling freshly cut oranges that's been dunked in fresh cool water. The Forte, being an EDP, smells more blended. The mandarin note here is more of a bit player doing its part rather than being the star of the show. The mandarin is also not as photorealistic here but still beautifully orange-y and not synthetic smelling. UPDATE: An hour in, the mandarine has subsided and given way to basil. UPDATE 2: 2 hours in, the basil is still hanging in there but the scent of very grassy vetiver is starting to come into the fore. Same kind of grassy vetiver as in Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense EDP and Hermès Eau Intense Vetiver but not quite as strong. UPDATE 3: 3-4 hours in. Not the longest lasting frag. For an EDP it behaves more like an EDT. Will need a respray in the middle of the day to keep it going.

Mandarin Basilic Forte was a blind buy for me. Owning the original version for years and loving it so much but wanting more in terms of performance, I was sure I would adore the Forte version as much as the original. But the scent itself is not just more strong as expected, but it is slightly different, not as expected.. Turns out that Mandarin Basilic Forte is just a strong like. It is not an entirely different fragrance but it is quite different. This is more floral, more sweet, a touch spicy from anise. This has lost the freshness and greenness with a citrusy sweetness that the original had! The original was so unique without being a groundbreaking scent. What made the original special for me was the combination of basil, chamomile, green tea and clementine. And maybe the peony, I prefer every time peony over orange blossom. I will use my Forte bottle but I don’t think I will repurchase. But I will repurchase for sure, next summer, another bottle of the original Mandarin Basilic. Nothing is quite like that one for me!

The opening on this is a crisp, invigorating mandarin scent, almost reminiscent of pink grapefruit somehow. I never got the basil note at all. On my skin, I need two sprays on each wrist for the mandarin scent to prevail longer, but it certainly does. About 1-2 hours later depending on your chemistry or nose, it begins to die down as the floral notes begin to come through, but for me, it's still there. I think this is different for everyone, just as I am anosmic to Light Blue Intense although it smells to die for for about 20 minutes, but then it's just gone. For some reason, this is a great replacement for me because it just LASTS. NOT a safe blind buy - but if you want a nice citrus that's not too sweet that lasts, try this at least a few days in a row (that meant several trips to my local perfume shop) before turning it down or buying. LOVE IT!

Out of all the Mandarine Basilic versions — the EDT, Harvest, and this Forte — this one definitely leans the most feminine. The others sit comfortably in the gender-neutral zone, but Forte steps out a bit with a sweeter, richer presence. That said, I’m a cis guy with a masculine vibe and I still wear it with absolute ease. It’s fresh and zesty with a real burst of energy, but there’s also this polished orange blossom note in the dry-down that feels clean, smooth, and a touch sophisticated. Compared to the EDT, the EDP (Forte) is louder and more intense, so go easy on the sprayer unless you’re making a statement. Longevity is fantastic — it easily lasts the whole day. Thanks to the mandarin it’s a summer stunner, but those subtle hints of vanilla, green notes, and sandalwood makes it just as lovely in the cooler months too.