Pure Black

Well I'll be...I just got my bottle of "BLACK" in today and this is way better than I expected!! It opens up with this fresh citrus blast that invigorates you and wows your senses. Then, almost IMMEDIATELY, the dry-vanillic tones of the fragrance start to blossom! It's like...walking into the downtown Kuwait souk and that beautifully sweet and comforting scent of vanilla and flowers hits you and makes you want to cuddle up with a blanket and just drift off to sleep...then there's this hint of spicyness. It pokes it's head up to say "Hey there!" every now and then as the fragrance develops while you're wrapped in that comfy bubble of dry-vanilla/dry-tonka heaven. I like that this fragrance isn't super sweet, it's got just enough sweetness to be smelled and give you an aura...but not diabeeetus sweet like my "P.R. - Phantom" is. This is a nice change from my norm as of late. I haven't gotten to the dry-down yet, but I'm expecting it to be as amazing as the opening and mid are...were...is...I don't care, I just love this! I'm going to put on more before I go out tonight and see how it does. If it holds up and keeps good...I'm ordering a backup bottle tonight when I return home. (Spray count: 4 on body, two on neck, 1ea inner elbow, 1 back of neck) (The next day...) Yuuuup...this one goes in my TOP-5 fragrances. Woke up this morning still smelling like sweet vanilla heaven. Wife cuddled up and said "Yummmm...You smell good!"...and that was it. Went out for lunch today around 1100 and layered it with Ejaazi and it was perfect! That kept the citrus note in play, added on some Ambroxan to boost and really pushed the vanilla tone out from arms length to about a 5-6ft cloud for about an hour or so. After that, it's been arms length for the past hour with a niiiiiice sillage trail!

After reading mixed reviews I decided to blind buy this and was instantly impressed. For a $24 100ml bottle this smells amazing. Mandarina Duck Black opens with a fresh, bright, juicy, refreshing tangerine note, which is accompanied by a sweet accord consisting of (mostly) tonka bean, and vanilla. There is also a warm spicy, peppery layer underneath the citrus and sweetness, which reminds me just a little bit of the opening of One Million (this is not nearly as loud/sweet/spicy/heavy). There is also a slightly white floral vibe, along with the sweetness makes this fragrance slightly unisex. As it develops, the citrus lingers for a surprisingly long time and when it eventually fades, you get this creamy, powdery, warm, smooth, sensual, tonka bean dominant dry down. On my skin this progresses quite a lot with time, which is really nice because I love the different vibes it gives off: refreshing, citrusy in the beginning, warm and sensual towards the end. There are some undeniable resemblance with Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme especially in the dry down. Not sure why some people are saying they don't smell similar at all. The citrus in the Chanel definitely smells more realistic and is overall smoother, more complex and better blended. But being sub $25 you just can't complain about Mandarina Duck Black. Great cheapie, not the most unique but it's extremely pleasant, inviting, versatile, has decent performance, and easy to reach for. Opening: 9/10 Dry down: 8.3/10 Uniqueness: 8/10 Versatility: 9.3/10 Presentation: 9/10 Sillage: 8/10 Longevity: 8/10 Sprays: 3-5 Season: Spring & summer Occasion: Casual, date, everyday Overall Rating: 8.7/10 Wife Rating: 9.3/10

One of the best i've ever tried, and my most complimented fragrance. Simply fantastic. I like the opening, but the best part is the dry down. Starts with soft sweet citrus, zero black at this point. But after a 20min, it goes darker and transforms in a very well balanced fragrance. Not much sweet, not much floral, not much citrus, not much vanilla... Every note plays a little role in this composition. And the result is just wonderful. Some people say that PB is similar to One Million... I'm 50% agree. One Million is harsh, too strong, worst balanced, even a little nauseating compared to PB, which is richer, creamier and smoother. Is like to compare Acqua di Giò with Allure Homme Sport. There are many frags that look alike One Million much more than this: 212 VIP, Antonio Banderas Golden Secret or Davidoff The Game. Just to say a few examples. If you like One Million, you'll probably like this. If you don't like One Million, test PB and you'll be surprised. And not. It has NOTHING in common with Allure Homme. It's has nice longevity, above average. On clothes lasts days, (I never spray directly on clothes, but mi shirt is still smelling). Projection is nice too, considering the softness of the composition. Unisex? Probably, but not in a femenine way. It's more masculine than other evening fragrances like One Million, Dior Homme (and intense), Armani Code Ultimate, Givenchy Play Intense...

I am a cologne junkie in addition to being a men's fragrance salesman. I have smelled a great many fragrances, obviously, and I have NEVER, ever, evereverevereverever...smelled a scent as effing amazing as Pure Black. I have 2 large bottles of it on my shelf. I do like to keep my personal stock up. ;) There is just no way to fully convey the awesometasticness of MDPB to the uninitiated. Yes, it's sweet. Okay, maybe it does smell a little like pipe tobacco up front. On the skin...oh my. The Indian Pepper and woodsy undertones start popping. I can never wear this in public and not have a woman come up to me or comment on it. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I'm pretty damned hot, but when you add the fragrance...it's a lady killer. It's awesome that it isn't available at all retailers, to be sure, which is why I am grateful to have it at my disposal for those guys looking for a surefire, and do excuse the base parlance here, panty dropper. I had one cat to whom I sold a bottle return to me, declare me a fragrance deity, and regaled me with tales of carnal conquest which began with one sniff of PB. He said one girl even bit him. lol I think MDPB is just...it's the business. The shiz. Period.

I have a very different impression from previous reviewers...On me this is reminiscent of CH Men, and Hana Morei HiM - but without the boozy notes. I don't get La Nuit at all or anything as sweet as Pi. Lasting for 4-6 hrs on one spray it's really nice. It's love for me and the dominant notes I get from opening to base are sweet cinnamon woods. Very comfortable fragrance for me and my wife finds it sweet and delicious. Great, great buy. Edit: I've been wearing for many days now. It's a really beautiful fragrance and linear in the sense that it doesn't follow the traditional scent pyramid, rather it fades in and out between notes. I still get the woody cinnamon backbone, but the floral notes definitely stand out and give it a beautiful top layer that is pleasing. If I were to give this a title or catch phrase, I would say this is 1 million for the office. Not to say this smells like a 1 million clone/copy as the floral notes in Pure Black give it a unique character. It's wearer is approachable and mysterious. I love this.