Sand Aoud

I first tried Mancera Sand Aoud back in 2013 and, finally, just got around to pulling-the-trigger on a full-bottle purchase this evening. I love Sand Aoud so why the five year delay? Well, Sand Aoud is certainly a unique oud fragrance. The feeling I get is sweet, dry, desert sand when wafts of this fragrance reach my nose. The oud is noticeable but it is certainly not the pungent, dark, medicinal (e.g, Bandaid) or overly smokey variety, so it is safe for the office and significant other. Moreover, Sand Aoud is a little spicy (warm) combined with that light sweetness. I was drawn to this fragrance, which I really enjoyed when I first sniffed it, but decided not to purchase a bottle because I didn't quite love it enough. You known the feeling! Yep, really unique...and interesting...and the type of scent that I keep sniffing my arm. Alas, it's just difficult to find an appropriate time to wear this one and I had enough of these "for myself" fragrances. Plus, I had more than a half-dozen samples so what the heck. Over the years I would occasionally wear one of my samples and find myself loving it more with each and every wearing. Sand Aoud is a quality fragrance and there is just something ultra unique and interesting about it. Sand Aoud is a perfect name and I am so glad that my bottle will be arriving shortly after wanting a bottle for so long.

I can't comprehend how this fragrance is so low on the top rated Mancera fragrances on Fragrantica. Of the 12+ Mancera fragrances I own this is easily one of the best. It strikes the perfect balance of what makes the other more talked about Mancera fragrances so good. Sand Aoud will always work. The longevity is not in your face but is easily 8-10 hours. The image I get in my mind is like aging wine in a wooden barrel to get the aromas from the wood into the wine, this is what Sand Aoud reminds me off, almost like a sweet port wine matured in oak barrels. Not to say the the fragrance smells like wine and woods, but the class of Sand Aoud can not be mistaken. Don't sleep on Sand Aoud, get it. On the days you don't feel like Instant Crush or Red Tobacco this will slot in perfectly. If I was forced to, I would easily let some of my more well known Mancera's go to keep this gem. Matt's review from Questioning Scents on YT describes Sand Aoud perfectly and ultimately made me pull the trigger. 10/10 in every aspect.

#629 in my "Tour de Fragrance" This is a mild, spicy, incense and oud scent. It is reminiscent of Amouage XXV but spicier and better longevity and sillage. Priced right. Car pool, elevator and office safe, but more of a date night scent to me. I'm beginning to think I should just stick to Mancera and Montale since the majority of their scents I've tried so far have been a hit with me, but I think that's because they're pretty much all variations on the same theme and I like the base notes they so frequently use. Sand Aoud, Wind Wood, Hindu Kush, Saharian Wind, Gold Incense all have the same basic character with a couple of note variations, so they're all likeable in the same way, but all pretty much interchangeable. You could have thirty of them on the shelf, but which one you reach for doesn't really make much difference. But I'm a stockpiler (kind of a 'hoarder lite') so I may end up with thirty of these on the shelf by the time I hit 800 trials.

Having owned this a week I've had a couple of unsolicited compliments and I can smell this stuff for hours..one of the few perfumes I can smell shafting around after 6-8hrs. I thought it smell slightly feminine at first but it's more masculine for me now. I think that saffron comes across slightly feminine, I've always struggled with saffron. Either love or dislike in any perfume it's in. This stuff smell great and quite unique. 8/10 - losing a point for versatility and for feeling slightly overpowering... Worth a sniff I totally under this is a love or hate type perfume. I really like it but not a love. This is more of a guilt pleasure at home perfume. Although having twice compliments in the first week hasn't happened in a long time with a new perfume. Would love to know how this smells in the air, ladies clearly love it...

Very underrated and beautiful Oud fragrance. It is quite unique, and it does match the name as it's evocative of a night in a desert tent. The black currants and spices at the opening are highly complimented as it evolves. They give a crisp, sophisticated and exotic scent that meshes into the Oud, Incense, Saffron and Musk. The Vanilla is there but not cloying or loud, but just enough to give some sweetness to those other notes. It smells "expensive" and luxurious, but in a different kind of way. Very suitable for a more mature man who wants to make an impression, in a formal or elegant setting. The performance is quite good. I go noseblind quickly but it lasted over a night into the next afternoon for me. It's my favourite Mancera and I'm going to definitely buy more of it.

Very underrated release from the house, probably because it's not the typical, loud and sweet Mancera/Montale. The Rose and Vanilla notes are very subtle, and the Oud accord smells more like Dry Woods than Agarwood Oil. The stars of the show are: bittersweet Blackcurrant Liqueur, Spices (including Black Pepper and Clove), Saffron Powder, Myrrh rather than Frankincense, the aforementioned Woody Notes, and a slightly earthy Patchouli. Less dark/heavy than I expected it to be, and perhaps not strong enough for cold winters, but definetely great for temperate Spring and Autumn days. Office-safe, mature, masculine and a great performer that's not overwhelming/spiky.

This is a fantastic fragrance. I've had a bottle for ages, not reviewed because its so different, so brilliant, so hard to do it justice. Woody, Amber, Fruit, so smooth, a bit sweet. [btw oud??] Mind you this sounds so meh, you get the point. The best I can do is compare with others which make me feel as good. Creed's Royal Oud (more woody, masculine). Amouage's Jubilation XXV (more fruity). Xerjoff's Richwood (more amber/warmth). It's arguably closest to the aptly named Richwood, one of my all time favourites. Compared to these three, pricing is very fair, performance is decent. As I say, a fantastic fragrance and a love from me. 5/5

Well goodness me. I stumbled upon this range in Selfridges Birmingham earlier today. The names appealed, leading to a few tests. The tests appealed, leading me to think that I had found another brand.that charges £150 a bottle. How nice it was to find the actual price was so reasonable. Whether their oud is real or synthetic I don't know or care, what I do know is that for me, this is the best value range available today. Wonderful stuff, a real consideration if you wish to enter the world of oud without breaking the bank. I am now off to buy the oud gold... Full reviews to come.

This was my second fragrance from Mancera. I also have Cedrat Boise+Wild Fruits and all three have black current which Mancera does extremely well and receives many compliments from the ladies. In Sand Aoud this note adds a very pleasant sweetness followed by a very natural musky vanilla balanced perfectly with, incense type saffron, and a spicy soft patchouli. The Rose seems to be well hidden to me. The oud is very pronounced in the beginning, but seems to drift into the other notes seamlessly. Sillage is good and longevity is excellent. 8/10

Lovely warm spicy woody scent. Was so happy to receive this as a gift from the missus. Finally found a great replacement for YSL M7 (modern one), as that one lasts an hour—two at most (pathetic). It's different, not quite as sweet, but a similar vibe to it. And it lasts 6 hours or so. Also, although I've suggested it's like M7, ironically I find it very unique! It's not heavy or loud, but soft and kind of classy. Very safe Oud (as in not barn-yardy at all). 8.5 - 9 out of 10

For me this reminds me of sand dunes. I still dont understand how they conjured such a unique scent. rest assured it will push you for the whole day. Kinda sour and fruity tones. At some point you get nose blind, however it will still be kicking. It gives me a full day of very good perfomance. When i put it on, my collegues always know that i am in the vicinity. Chances are high the next person you meet, they have never smelled something like this.

First impression: Berlin — a dirty grey city wrapped in a spicy scent. I smell the street, synthetic spices, club smoke blending with the scent of dewy grass already coated in a thin layer of smog. Plastic and rubber. Like a dirtier brother of Tom of Finland. Menthol chewing gum. The drydown is actually really interesting — bitter, spicy-fresh with that modern, slightly arrogant and avangard cool-guy vibe. I can even start to pick up some incense.

Amazing Mancera fragrance once again that is only to be judged after 20 mins! When it dries down one is left with a gorgeous blend of fruityness (mainly black currant) on a dusty bed of oud and patchouly surrounded by saffron and light spices but smelling still kind of fresh! Really unique stuff and I know nothing like it. It has above average projection and longevity for sure and performs marvelous. Thumbs way up! Rating: 8.5/10

This one smells absolutely amazing... high quality ingredients blended to perfection...with great performance, had to go out today and buy a large 120ml bottle of this stuff... A true Masterpiece My new signature scent Just smells exquisite. 29/10/2017 My 2 year on review of this scent still my number fragrance of all time. I have bought 2 back up bottles just in case love this stuff. .

Been wanting this for over a year after watching Scentrifugal Force review. Over 10+ Mancera, this has immediately climbed to top 2 with Kumkat Wood. Both are semi-sweet along with the wood and sand accord. Close your eyes and you are walking in the desert. Very pleasant, soothing, and not the typical boring scent. Super happy adding this to my collection.

Having a very decent collection of fragrances, this one is among the best purchases. It is unusual, very elegant and smells like nothing else. I personally find the most prominent notes incense, black currant, rose and very strong woody base (sandalwood, papyrus or even paper) but I really love it.

Quite a unique scent - starts with a sour and syrupy black currant, with a middle of mainly incense. At the end of the day I get a base of musky vanilla, some patchouli. Not for everyone but I personally love it. My brother told me I smell like a "crystal store" so if that means anything to you...

I've changed my mind. It's a well done fruity amber scent that leans masculine. It certainly goes in the same direction as Amouage Jubilation, but it's not a clone. The black currant note is very realistic and I used to eat a lot of those :) Scent 8/10 Performance 7/10 Versatility 8/10

Ok well some further thoughts. Longevity is 24 hours (and counting), sillage is what I'd describe as perfect. Not enormous, which is what I want with an oud (given the love/hate feelings it develops in so many people). If this was twice the price, people wouldn't question it.

Very good composition. Well blended, perfect and unique all around. Like it so much wearing it right now on a hot Summer day. And it is working really well. Love it! Perfect mixture of aoud, patchouli and spices very noticeable. Really nice.