Black to Black

Mancera Black To Black is a really nice woody-spicy scent with a beautiful amber dry down. B2B opens with a bombastic woosy-oody-dark amber acccord and it is also very spicy. While I sense some citrus notes, I can pick-out any specific notes since the spice, wood, amber and oud are so powerful. Ten minutes later and I'm start to detect a more prominent rose - it shows itself, but it really does take a backseat to the blend of spices, woods, oud and amber. The rose feels deep, dark, rich and slighty muted...not at all bright or intense. To me, it's much like that Turkish Delight Rose in Mancera Black Intensitive Aoud. B2B starts out packing a punch of warm spices and continues that way through the middle before before fading into the background, but never going-away. Like many Mancera oud fragrances, performance is outstanding; one little spray and the first half-hour of this scent projects like a beast. Moreover, it sits oily on my skin...very oily...so don't spray this one on your clothes. Moreover, I sense a strong black pepper and clove accord which, I believe, is giving it that spicy zing. Don't over-spray or this one will make your eyes water during the first hour or two. After an hour or so I start to sense a lemony note. The scent (1-spray) is still so strong it is making my eyes water. After 4-5 hours it transitions into a gorgeous spiced amber/light-oud scent with a creamy-woods and musky vibe; the spice has toned way down, there is a faint rose in the distant background and perhaps even a whisper of vanilla may be pushing forth. Although I loved the first few hours, some won't, so try before you buy. However, the drydown is really quite nice and pleasant--which is where this fragrance truly shines--and most people should really love this part of Black To Black. Update: I just wanted to add that B2B is beast mode extraordinaire! I went 4-5 sprays the first time I used it and it was still easily detectable on my skin 24-hours later and after a shower. I went to work the following day and worked-out later that evening after having come home from work. While breaking into a sweat while doing bench or deadlifts (or whatever I was doing), I could smell B2B reappear 30+ hours later even though I had applied an office fragrance earlier that day. I could still smell B2B on a coat that I had worn more than a year earlier...and I didn't spray my coat or clothing. So understand you'll be wearing this one for a while.

OUD-ROSE LIDOCAINE: pain-numbing, spicy, vintage & gothic oud-rose combo par excellence. I have a tester bottle with the screw-on cap from June 2021 (lot 21F161161A/T), and the performance is beast mode. I'm currently in love with this, but it wasn't love at first sniff. Initially I found it too peppery dry & soapy, but whether it was the bottle maturing, or my nose, it's now blowing my mind. Opens with a spicy burst of saffron & cloves supported by multi-faceted bergamot, that deepens into a rose-oud-patchouli heart with resinous & floral touches, all resting on an oud-woody-leather & white-musk base. Overall I get a slightly vintage & gothic oud-rose blend distinguished by an extra-spicy opening & earthy-soapy patchouli in the base. Anyone can wear it. It helps if you're familiar with oud and Mancera's style of making scents. This isn't a close match to anything I've smelt before, but for those familiar with Mancera-style rose-oud-patchoulis, there's that plus reminders for me of Agent Provocateur Agent Provocateur in the opening, Rose 31 Le Labo in the heart and Noir Patchouli Histoires de Parfums in the base. Contrast to Shaghaf Oud Aswad Swiss Arabian: These are different, but there are similarities in the oud-rose combo and as they dry down they become more similar. Black to Black has a more peppery & spicy opening and is a stronger performer although both have excellent performance. Contrast to Agent Provocateur Agent Provocateur: These are different, but the openings have some similarities with spicy rose. Black to Black dries down a lot richer & creamier, whereas Agent Provocateur is mossier. Black to Black outperforms. Overall: Some reviewers have cited issues with performance, but I find this to be beast mode and beyond (batch no. above.) This is a special extra spicy rose-oud scent with beast mode performance. It's become a love for me. According to JacquieDS below, this is 'good for numbing pain'. 10/10. Enjoy! Update 03/03/25: This has aged really beautifully. The spice has calmed way down, and rose has come way forward. Today I'm getting rose syrup primarily, with leather & oud. Just gorgeous. Today it's reminding me of Noir de Noir Tom Ford, wonder if that has anything to do with the name... Love it.

2019 Purchase. Opens with a blast of medicinal rose, with the oud making a rather subtle appearance behind the rose. Intoxicating scent with beastly sillage capable of filling up multiple rooms. Lasts for around 8 hours on skin and a whole day on fabric which is rather impressive considering I live in a place that has 95 - 98% humidity all year long and perfumes tend to dissipate rather quickly. The drydown is even more impressive with the rose taking a backseat and the spicy nuances at the forefront. All in all, count me happy! update - having recently tried some of the other offerings from Mancera I can safely conclude that black to black has been reformulated. Its nowhere as oily as the newer releases from the house and does not last as long either. They have definitely reduced the oil concentration and watered it down terribly. Red tobacco on the other hand is extremely oily and lasts and projects forever. Instant crush is also extremely oily but isn't as loud as Rt.

#631 in my "Tour de Fragrance" Got this as a decant from Fragrancesline.com and I fear this is discontinued since all the usual suspects show it sold out or out of stock. Which is a shame since it's a good, high quality rose/oud scent, but we have lots of those to choose from, and the dry down is kind of boring as the clove note doesn't last, which is a shame since it really is nice in the opening. Mancera's Black Prestigium and Montale's Black Aoud are both pretty close to this. Don't know about the rest of you but I prefer Mancera's substantial glass bottles to the Montale metal cans that feel empty to me even when new (I realize it's weight not volume, but the psychological effect is there anyway). The two houses make a number of scents not all that distinguishable from each other, and when I find that I go for the Mancera specifically because I prefer their packaging. Bummer this is out of production because it's a good one, but there are alternatives.

Totally agree with sniffy2807's review below. For my taste at this stage of my fragrance journey, this ticks every box for me. I grew up in Saudi so this kind of oud-rose combo is nothing new to me. However, Montale did a great job at elevating this DNA with patchouli and leather. It's intoxicating, classy, and rich. It's quite middle eastern so it won't be for everyone but for me, this is the best Mancera I've tried so far. Sucks that it's hard to find now where I live. I still have around 40ml left and will get another bottle as soon as I find one. Edit: a few bottles popped up where I live and I picked up 2 of them. One is a screw-on cap from 2018 and the other is a magnetic cap bottle from 2023. And... yes it's been reformulated. It's still the same DNA but the 2023 one is fresher/less deep, not as animalic/pungent, and less powerful (not weak though). Maybe it gets better with time. Still worth it and always will be.

When I first smelled this i was like omg this smells very very similar to tom ford noir is like for me 90% but you got a more refined rose in exhange for the other notes. If you know how tom ford noir smells like you know how this smells like. After 6 years this parfume to me smells closer to the skin, when I first sprayed it at least will have to test it and see about the projection. The longevity though it lasts so long that you almost is nauseating. However the perfume is very blended so you don't get bored of it if you like rose perfumes. On my skin is quite sweet and the rose is proeminent. The ouds are very soft like in oud wood but they combine well with the rose. At the base you get more spice which is very nice combined with that rose that lingers for the duration of the whole parfume. The rose in the drydown gets more shy and you get more woods and spice but you can still smell it.

Two words: Have. Love. It has some of the best qualities of Guerlain Santal Royal, but in a more gutsy, masculine scent with better performance and less sweetness. It also reminds me a little of Rasasi Khaltat Al Oudh (but not Khaltat Al Khasa, which is a different scent). Black to Black has far better performance than the Rasasi Khaltat Al Oudh though. Black to Black even resembles Rasasi Faqat Lil Rijal in some ways, but with less standard woodiness and more oudy/rosy goodness, especially in the drydown. I like this a lot more than Montale Black Aoud, because this has more oud. I also prefer it to Juliette Has A Gun Midnight Oud because this has far better performance. @Jewelpaq, I like your attitude: "I am going to enjoy wearing this and people are going to love having me around." I rarely ever receive compliments, but I got a compliment about this scent. Recommended!

From the time you spray this to the time you take your fourth sniff , it changes dramatically and even more on the tenth time smelling. Listen to the reviews that mention soapy undertones with the beautiful bergamot contrast wow !!!. It goes from your basic oud rosé combo to this complex oud rose so fast and the whole time is ever changing. This has to be one of the most drastic evolving fragrances I’ve ever came across and it’s beautifully done . Who would have known mancera could pull off such a great quality rose oud ( I knew ) . Ignore a lot of reviews here . I notice a lot of ppl just don’t know what they are smelling. For example the silly review under mines . They compared this to oud satin mood 🤣🤣🤣. I’m sure oud satin mood was probably the only oud rose they ever smelled being so that it’s so popular. And after that they became an enthusiast. It’s so silly

This fragrance is a bold and intense one. It starts off with a strong burst of oud, rose, cloves, and bergamot. As it settles down, it transforms into a rich, leathery, rose saffron bomb. It’s a very long-lasting fragrance, and I’ve been able to smell it on me for over 7 hours later in the night. I really like the combination of these notes. However, it’s a very mature scent, so if you’re not a fan of rose, leather, clove, or other strong notes, this might not be the best choice for you. It’s an intoxicating fragrance, and I’m glad I got it before it’s almost impossible to find anywhere. It’s been discontinued, so it’s a bit of a hidden gem you soon won't ever be able to acquire. I was able to find mine on fragrance net for a decent price! I definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys strong rose fragrances. 10/10 keeper

I like this perfume so much. The opening is medicinal + pungent a bit, but after an hour, it transforms itself into magical rosy-woody affair with some powdery character. A touch of leather is also present. The rose is prominent here and the oud is just shadows. However the blend is just right in the drydown thats where you will fall in love. Similar to Black Aoud Montale but BA has more powdery and old stuffy churchy character. Since i have both, to me BA has more sillage and longer lasting. But BTB is just an inch behind it and more wearable. i like both but i really admire BA more which is stronger, darker, gothic, cruel and individualistic. Though both perfumes are strong, surprisingly the drydown is so pleasing and friendly. People will like to be around you. yes coz i got many compliments on both. rating : 9/10

This is a very well made oud scent. It is for man, and for MAN only, it doesnt change too much from the start, but I would say it goes just a little bit sweet (but it is a dark and misterius perfume). Performance of a real EDP... stays on skin till you wash it off, sillage it is great and projects very well, every place you go the perfume stays for a long time in the air, so it is a beast performance. This can be comparable with Interlude the earlier versions, it is a powerful scent one or two sparys and you are ready. In my colection this is one of the great performers. New updates: In 2022 this was changed a little bit and it is not so intrusive with beastly performance, it has now average performance 8hrs top and not so loud as the older version. In this case more wearable perfume.

No time to shower? Use this. It also refreshes clothes. Stand out in a good way at unexpected social encounters. Black to Black will spruce you up in seconds. Rose heavy for a men's perfume, but urprisingly debonair once it settles down. It lasts for weeks on clothes, so be careful. Fragrances this powerful need a certain panache otherwise you just reek. Perhaps a little strong for everyday use, but sometimes you need extra help. Black to Black is a distinctive fragrance that can perform a difficult task with aplomb. I used to wonder if it was a bit too floral, but over the years a surprising number of women have said how much they like it. So relish those unexpected get-togethers, you may even receive a spontaneous compliment.

This is strangely a compliment getter I think as its goat a clean soapy undertone also the oud is not very skanky its just a soft but deep woody accord after it dries.The only brash part is the beginning with the spicy leathery saffron which I love but it only lasts for the 1st 30mins.Once the Rose Sandalwood Amber and Musk kick in this is gold its also very natural smelling which is often not associated with Mancera. Dont listen to the critiques of this house its great get a sample set and see what vibes with you.This is my staple niche house for a reason affordable and high quality. Yes I do have Amouages and Xerjoff but Mancera is not inferior at all they simply have their own style of perfumery.

Extremely potent fragrance could be popularizing but it is up my street very imposing scent masculine with delicate touches. Very potent on the intial spray dare I say even brash almost petroleum like however after an hour it develops into one of the most beautiful rose/oud spice combinations ever it's not versatile but it's a masterpiece. Strictly for black tie events and in winter not a casual scent by any means.This is a truly niche fragrance niche is quality and niche situationally it constantly develops during the wearing.I rate this as a 9/10

WOW !!!!!! This is my first ever Mancera perfume and a blind buy . This scent is beast , I had it on three days ago on my jumper and I can still smell it . This scent is not for everyone , since I own few Arabian Ouds so it wasn't too bad for me but still one of the strongest and longest lasting perfume I own by date. Highly recommended for Cold winter nights , and this stuff is for MAN AND MAN ONLY in my opinion . If you are looking for long lasting winter frag that will linger around on your clothes for days then look no further , buy this beast

Black to Black notes (prominent to my nose) are: ROSE, OUD, patchouli, saffron and little leather. I believe it's Bulgarian Rose used here as it's dark, heavy, juicy and silken with woody facets. Tho' I still have my Black Aoud, I'd rather keep rocking Black To Black and would recommend Black To Black to anyone who loves deep or rather, "dark" rose and oud fragrances. Also, the latter has more value for money: 120ml against 100ml. I'm pretty glad to own this LIMITED EDITION BOTTLE (which I bought two weeks back)! IG: mr_cornells

My friends gave me this on my bday, and mannnnnn!!! This is the real thing. I mean it isn’t mass appealing as some people relate it with mist that is sprayed over roses to keep them fresh. But i wore it only 2 times and both times- it got noticed and girls loved it. They said a pleasant rose smell is coming wherever i am moving. Some boys said it looks like a room freshner but still good. So I’ll rate it 8/10 just for its projection and longevity and pleasant smell.

I made a blind buy on this one. Lovely scent at night. Initially did not like it. But I later developed a new love for it. In a funny way, it reminds me of Bond No. 9 Dubai Emerald. Only that the bergamot keeps popping into my nose. Dubai Emerald is way sweeter and smells way more expensive (it is actually more expensive). I think the similarity is the saffron and Leather notes. A good scent that gets better on the dry down after 1 hour.

9 Augusta 2025. I got this yesterday it is amazing worth the money. It filled the whole room and stayed on my clothes 24 hours. Mancera outstanding for there unique scent means you don't smell it every where so it is outstanding. It is mixed roses an middle eastern spice typical DNA as mancera black lines and black prestigioum, montale black oud almost identical that why mancera stopped producing this one there are other alternatives.

Oh my days I got a whiff of this in the museum I worked in recently and I run after the lady and asked her what her perfume was, it was this, I got a bottle and the spicy, heady aromas that has a sillage, longevity and strength that you can’t question the £100 price tag, it’s gonna last ages If you like woody, spicy, oriental, feral fragrances like amber sultan by serge Lutens you will love this

Another hit by Mancera. A sweet cozy jammy rose with amnber and saffron, absolutely beautiful fragrance and truly an EDP concentration as it lasts easily 10-12 hours on clothes and projects heavily in the 1st 4 5 hours. The dry down is even more beautiful as some may find the opening a bit medicinal. For the faint of heart, 2-3 sprays will do the job. A compliment getter and a head turner.

This got discontinued and I just bought the last bottle on the internet. This stuff is so good I had to pickup a backup and thank goodness I was able to get another. Fragrance net was the only retailer that had it and they happened to have one left. This stuff is nuclear and in my opinion the best rose oud combo ever produced.

Just got my black to black. Very similar to montale black aoud without the harshness. This is definitely one of the best from the house. Unfortunately they discontinued it and there's only a few left out there. 10/10. Performance is off the chain. Sillage is enormous and longevity is eternal.

Very nice classy Rose and Oud! It have touch of saffron and leather in the background! Not for everyone and not wear it everywhere! Try this before you buy!! Be careful, it is very potent, no more than 3-4 sprays (even that can be headache inducing!!), And no in warmer weather!!!

I layered this with Mancera Black to Black and Montale Oudmazing the combination is stunning a spicy resinous fruity oud that would blow any Roja,Xerjoff and MFK Oud out the water.Alone they are both great but together mind-blowing especially once they fully dry drown

Clean/soapy smokey Oud, spicy, Rose, woody with just a tad of sweetness literally just the right hint of it. The patchouli and leather go perfectly with this style and damn it’s so good. It’s masculine and very strong as well. I’m looking at getting a backup bottle.

Very close to Ombre Nomade Louis Vuitton, at least to my nose. Of course you can tell the difference in the quality. But still i would pick Mancera giving this DNA of (Rose, Oud, Saffron) is very common, and projection and performance wise, Mancera is a monster.

After getting a bottle on our site (Scentpocket.com) available for everyone else to sample and owning both Black to Black and Red Tobacco, Black to Black not only smells better but is somehow stronger than red tobacco, discontinued gem, amazing rose oud!

To those of u who own this perfume, enjoy it, coz it’s been reformulated to death. I get maybe an hour now. And yes I bought my bottle from a legit store. It’s a shame, they always do this. Quite a few others have also been reformulated. Sadly

Absolutely delicious! Mancera has done it again, luxurious and elegant. I get a lot of oud with rose/patchouli, rounded of by saffron and cloves. Perfect for fall and winter days and nights. It lasts a very long time on me.

This got discontinued some time ago. There are only 2 discounters that still have it. Jomasshop has it for 74.99 for those that still want to get their hands on it. It says 2 to 4 weeks shipping mine shipped in a week.

Since mancera discontinued this I'd love to see an intense black to black at some point. It's sad they did away with this because in my opinion it's one of the best from the house.

True beast mode boss! For me this is a all year frag. Projection is for 8+ hours. Longevity - all day! This frag is for true classic gents. :) Purchased in Slovakia (in 2018).

I love this on the dry down the opening is quiet busy but this is rose/oud/saffron/spice at its zenith.Smells like a wealthy arab sheik on an excursion in the desert

One of the best oud rose fragrances period all things considered dark bold spicy exotic yet clean warm pleasant and inviting wearable.This is a true masterpiece

Today Try at Store and its 90% Same to ST Dupont Oud & Rose but more Long Lasting and not very strong oud in this Fragrance only Rose

2 hours I will get the bubble around me but after that it's disappeared let try me this again may b my experience change

This stuff is more nuclear than red tobacco. One of the best fragrances of all time in my opinion. 10/10 still

Uma fragrância de rosas Compdartilhável amo muito isso, noite e inverno.

why is this discontinued its their best output

Awesome masculine but unisex fragrance

Mancera Black to Black EDP opens with a very strong projection of sweet, roses, and oud notes. The opening is bold, dark, floral, sweet, elegant, and pleasant. The roses create a feminine, slightly powdery, sweet, and floral aromatic note, which is evocative of red roses as opposed to any other type of roses. The oud is also very noticeable, elegant, very dark, woody, bold, with an animalic touch. A few steps behind are the saffron, amber, and leader forming the next line of notes. The saffron and leather combine their notes into a bittersweet, leathery, soft, earthy, and projecting spice accord; and the amber adds a sweet and resinous touch. The cloves, sandalwood, patchouli, musk, and jasmine are support notes, they position themselves in the far back enhancing the featured notes. The fragrance is linear, all feature and support notes come up upon application and continue into the dry down. Once Mancera Black to Black EDP has reached its full dry down, it can be summarized as a strong projection, sweet, roses, oud, leather, amber, and saffron fragrance with spicy, green, and musky accords. The fragrance feels ambery, slightly animalic, bold, casual, classy, comforting, commanding, dark, delicate, dense, elegant, exotic, expensive, floral, formal, heavy, high-quality, imposing, intense, inviting, leathery long-lasting, mature, musky, natural, nicely-blended, nocturnal, oudy, persistent, mildly powdery, resinous, rich, seductive, simple, special, sweet, syrupy, unisex, warm, wild, and pleasant. BATCH REVIEWED: 2020 (#1901178). WOW RATING: 10/10. The combination and potency of the notes, roses, oud, and leather, creates an impressive fragrance. DISLIKE RATING: 6/10 The oud, leather, and roses are intense. UNIQUENESS: 10/10. The combination and intensity of its notes, give this fragrance a unique character. MASS APPEAL: 2/10. This is a dark and sweet floral fragrance, not a crowd-pleaser. PROJECTION: 6/10. Very good, about 6 feet around the wearer. SILLAGE: 10/10. Excellent, about 10 feet behind the wearer. APPLICATION: 2-3 atomizations. LONGEVITY: 10/10. Outstanding, over 10 hours. SEASONS: Winter, spring, fall, colder days, nighttime, and climate-controlled environments. OCCASIONS: Formal events, outdoor gatherings, casual, holidays, vacations, romantic, dating, clubbing. VERSATILITY: 6/10. A great and intense fragrance, ideal for nighttime, formal, and casual wear. GENDER: Unisex. Unisex. The oud note feels masculine whereas the roses feel feminine. Because of this contrast, some women will find it masculine, and some men will find it feminine. AGES: 30 and above. RECOMMENDATION: Mancera Black to Black EDP can be purchased for about $100, it is a simple, but very elegant, unique, and impressive fragrance but it is far from a crowd-pleaser. It is ideal only for those that appreciate the notes of oud and roses. It is a great buy. BLIND-BUY: No, sample it first. SIMILAR: These are examples of fragrances in the same genre. Tom Ford Noir De Noir is a great, mild, roses, patchouli, oud, vanilla, and truffle fragrance; Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade is a great, intense, mildly sweet, dark oud, smokey incense, sweet resinous benzoin, and spicy saffron fragrance; Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood Extrait de Parfum is a great, intense, roses, oud, and sweet vanilla fragrance; Bond No 9 New York Amber EDP is a high-quality, mildly sweet, very resinous amber, myrrh, oud, and rose fragrance; Mancera Black to Black EDP is a great, intense, sweet, roses, oud, leather, amber, and saffron fragrance. SUMMARY: A strong projection, sweet, roses, oud, leather, amber, and saffron fragrance with spicy, green, and musky accords. The fragrance feels ambery, slightly animalic, bold, casual, classy, comforting, commanding, dark, delicate, dense, elegant, exotic, expensive, floral, formal, heavy, high-quality, imposing, intense, inviting, leathery long-lasting, mature, musky, natural, nicely-blended, nocturnal, oudy, persistent, mildly powdery, resinous, rich, seductive, simple, special, sweet, syrupy, unisex, warm, wild, and pleasant.

Seeing as this fragrance does contain Rose and Oud, it does remind me a bit of PDM's Akaster. Akaster somehow seems a bit softer in the sense of it seeming more unisex to me. BtB, on the other hand, is louder, more in your face. The rose has a certain sweetness to it that reminds me of Turkish delight, or the rose-water drinks that are often served in the Middle East. I think it's this more upfront smell that makes BtB lean more masculine to me than what Akaster does...which seems counter-intuitive since Rose seems more prominent in BtB. As other have said, this thing is indeed a beast, so go lightly on the trigger. One spray max for indoors or other confined spaces, 2 max for outdoors. EDIT 1 : Ok, so Black to Black, I think, is in deed a very good fragrance. But you also have to be somewhat familiar and comfortable with Middle Eastern fragrances. Rose can be quite weird on men, and I think Black to Black walks a very fine line, at times almost crossing over into the feminine camp, but there;s something about it which still keeps it masculine for me. Projection and longevity are both excellent, but I think, however, that the biggest downfall for this fragrance comes to the versatility. It's a luxurious-smelling fragrance, and so I really don't think this has any potential to be dressed-down. Perhaps the best way I can describe it would be to say that it's like trying to wear a pair of nice Oxfords with swimming trunks and a vest....that's how out of place Black to Black seems to me with anything other than a suit. I also wouldn't go anywhere near Black to Black during the warmer months EDIT 2 : In the end, I flipped this one. I still think it's a really great-smelling fragrance along with incredibly good sillage and longevity, but it just isn't versatile enough. If you find yourself to be mostly in colder climates and tend to be a bi more dressed up, the BtB can work really well for you, but for anything more casual I just couldn't make it work.

If rose is the king of flowers then Black to Black by Mancera is the king of the rose/oud combo. The darkest most concentrated rose water you can find with the scent of metallic oxide pushed to the background/extracted and replaced with a tarry and gasolinic leather and oud. A powdery/makeup/iris-like facet envelops the scent, though unlisted. Saffron, jasmine, and patchouli do their song and dance somewhere in the distance but it's like a band playing while all the amps and speakers are being packed up. The gasolinic accord and rose from the opening work overtime...and by overtime I mean literally about 7 to 8 hours until you get a semblance of a drydown, but even then, finding any new notes other than Saffron that join the party is nothing more than nitpicking - Jasmine and Patchouli got tired of the bar fight between Oud and Rose and went home hours ago somewhere in the mid. And why wouldn't they? Shit, this is the only Mancera I'm afraid of as soon as I unscrew the cap... People who say it's sweet? Don't believe them. People who say the scent is anemic? Ha, no - that's anosmia. Lasts 24+ hours regardless of activity or how much I apply. Projects for 7-8 hours on my skin.

I just got this and I sprayed it twice in the air and it's currently back in its pleather pouch in the box in the cupboard for now. It's absolutely mental rose projection and strength is the strongest I have sensed in any fragrance and I haven't had the pleasure of wearing it outside on skin yet. Some commenters have said this is quiet and more subtle than Black Aoud, or it's like Black Aoud without the harshness. I have to take my hat off and a step back and be wary of trying Montale's Black Aoud as Mancera's Black to Black is more potent than most would want by a country mile. I fear leaving it in the pouch in the box in the cupboard as if maturation occurs during the next few months, the next 12 floors down should have a perfect 3 inch hole through them not unlike Breaking Bad's bathtub scene, just a little less dramatic. This stuff is a rose bomb that can't be defused. It's probably going to end up as a favourite. Discontinued nevertheless, but a favourite. It's going to last for years.

Cannot really tell the difference between this and Black Aoud, except for the cloves and leather. Beautiful and stunning scent...redundant? Yes, but I adore black aoud, so I am not disappointed. Edit: kind of have to back pedal on sillage and longevity. This is not the beast that was promised, which is fine (I will just spray more). Still similar to Black Aoud, but it loses its rose faster and takes a nose dive into musky patchouli quicker, and then sits close to the skin. My only disappointment is it not being beast as others have said. Out of the 28 mamceras I own, Black Prestigium is hands down the ULTIMATE beast...followed closely by Aoud Line, Red Tobacco and Aoud Exclusif. Side note, I hate using the term "beast", but that appears to be the common nomenclature...I just love long lasting/projecting orientals.

It is like the best smelling cough syrup. So synthetic and loud. It opens up very sour, but in a turpentine kind of way. Yeah, you can kinda smell the leather and you can KINDA smell the rose, but this smells like a freshly refurbished morgue. It is unapologetically strange and abrasive and I commend it for being just that. If you want to be weird about it, wear this fragrance. I am. I want to be weird and smell weird sometimes and this is it. EDIT: I still stand by my review but I will add this - It is definitely a dark and gothic smell. Wearing it again, I am getting a lot of metallic notes. It has that blood smell quality that Blood Concept wanted to nail, but kinda missed their mark. Again, not for the people pleasers, that is for sure.

I bought a sample to try it. I have most of Mancera perfumes and love wearing them in hot desert heat of Arizona. This one projects nicely about 6 feet with one spray on hand and lasts in 90 degree heat all day! The opening was animalic on me but luckily that faded within minutes to a rose and oud scent. Nothing unique or special about this scent unfortunately it is very linear on my skin. Two notes is all I smell throughout life of perfume...pretty but common. I won’t buy a full bottle of this because I have tons of oud and rose perfumes that smell better with more notes to keep them unique. Glad I finally tried this perfume. If you don’t have any oud/rose perfumes and want wearable scent test this one.

Top notes are harsh for a minute or two. It goes on a true camphorous barnyard oud but then the rose starts to shine through. It's still more oud than rose but the rose is there prominently with a hint of leather and saffron. Only oud lovers will like this. I am an oud lover, and this is an okay to me or a like but not a love. That opening turned my stomach. And, everyone mixes rose with oud. It's getting old. Same old same old.

I decided to buy this because there is not a single review saying that it has been reformulated. But what I have to say, to my nose, it probably has recently. Top: jammy rose, oud. sweet and strong for like 10 min Middle: rose + saffron + deep musk, natural but almost a skin scent and after 3 hours it is basically a skin scent. after 5 hours it is only faint generic white musk The smell is there, but not the performance. sigh