Mauna

In my journey through Mendittorosa's current line-up, I finally reach a perfume where the inspiration and creative direction makes sense to the technical direction and overall message of the perfume - I, for once, am not reading a Mendittorosa press release and getting a headache! Mauna is the phonetic of the Sanskrit word for silence, but this is silence according to Ayurveda, which is the Upaveda of medicine for Hinduism. This silence is more appropriately described as a soundless vibration, an energy that is the lifeforce driving equilibrium amongst the primary areas of the body - similar to Om (Aum) which acts on a universal scale. I'm not quite sure what this means for a perfume, but as to the validity of the various practices in this alternative medicine I will simply state that for a divine being, Dhanvantari, to miss, or at least not warn us, that mercury, lead, and arsenic are highly toxic to humans is quite bizarre for a being who is supposed to guide us to good health. If something works, the evidence will show it; if people die from poisoning and at younger ages than non-practitioners, it probably doesn't work. What will Mauna do...? Anyway. Thankfully, Cristiano Canali, the composer for Mauna, connected this idea of a silent vibrating lifeforce to beautiful Indian sandalwood, having been stirred on a spiritual level by his initial encounters with it in India, as opposed to the Ayurveda (what a relief). I fully understand how, and why, he wanted to make this connection. Real sandalwood is gorgeous, and Canali wanted to capture the hum - the vibration - that he smelled in the real-deal while in India. He succeeds in creating a perfume of simple but compelling beauty. The opening of black pepper, ginger, and olibanum is tightly focused. There is hardly any nose-tingling piquancy associated with pepper or ginger, but they both have a naturalistic fruitiness to them that are very present in Mauna. The deep, earthy, currant-type note of pepper gives a very tight and impenetrable feeling, while the citrus component of ginger gives a feeling of levity and energy. The olibanum doesn't seem to present itself immediately. There is a bit of a green and fungal aspect in immediate moments, but the olibanum wants to slowly reveal itself: as the pepper and ginger fall away, the resinous and slightly smoky notes gain strength and presence. The silky tendrils of olibanum usher in swells of sandalwood and benzoin, and it's beautiful. Creamy, aromatically woody, peppery, resinous, salty, animalic and musky, it is incredibly complex without being the least bit pushy about it. It has the texture of fine suede - there is definitely a leathery note in here - but it's far from a skanky and animalic tanned leather accord; it's plushy and thick, but yet soft and dense like silk. There are a lot of high-quality materials, and more than a couple tricks being played, to deliver this composition, and it's very convincing. The overall effect is a palpable, gentle, vibratory hum rippling throughout the life of the perfume. There is an energy to this very complex woody accord that doesn't excite you to mania, but also doesn't lull you to sleep: every time I raise an arm or the back of a hand to my nose for one more intoxicating sniff I feel relaxed yet highly focused. That's also it's best trick. I have no doubt this perfume took a lot of time and skill to make; it presents itself clearly, uncomplicated, and magnetic, but if you stop, relax, and focus, I'm finding there is a lot happening below this uncomplicated and pretty surface but not to the point of being distracting. One should relax while experiencing Mauna. You're in for a long and beautiful journey.

"Some... celestial event... no... no words, no words... to describe it. Poetry! They should've sent a poet. So beautiful... beautiful... so beautiful, so beautiful. I had no idea." This perfume is just... so hard to put into words. For me it's more about what it does than how it smells, which I never ever thought I would be saying about a fragrance in a review. Sure, it smells wonderful; being a well balanced sandalwood... airy, creamy and with some musk, which intermingles with sweet and spicy ginger, tonka and resins. The wow factor, for me personally, is where it puts my mind. It brings silence to the over thinking and, turns the dial all the way down on my anxiety, my sadness, and the anger that seems to have nowhere to go other than self directed, stuck inward and overwhelming me. Everything softens, softens, softens. Everything stops. Shifts. My focus comes back to myself, my body, my surroundings. I'm out of my mind. I've got out of my mind and into my life. Suddenly, awake right now and seeing again this world that, in my disassociating trauma filled state, I had lost all anchor to and stopped appreciating and interacting with. Forgetting to just breathe and be still in the now. In the silenced mind, in the silence, Seeing and feeling the beauty of life. I had forgotten. Like I saw it again for the very first time... what the hell just happened? I have no idea. So, so beautiful. These words cannot truly describe it. I got myself the full bottle and will absolutely treasure it as something far more than just a perfume. Mauna is also a tool and a remedy for the woes of this existence.

Oh man, Mauna, Mendittorosa: why must you be so beautiful, so pricy, so very nearly perfect? An upscale sandalwood island idyll with none of the cliches but all of the subtle, laidback, languorous relaxation of a gorgeous secluded retreat. No surprise here that one of my favourite houses, doing one of my favourite notes and slathering on even more that I love for good measure (ginger, olibanum, benzoin, pepper - yes please, to all of that) results in a very wonderful thing indeed. The spiciness adds immense appeal to that sweet, gentle central accord, giving it JUST enough rasp to be interesting without getting overbearing. The sandalwood itself is light, pinkish, seeming magically un-fake (though I have my doubts over what its exact synthetic-to-naturals ratio might be, it really does not matter.) Tonka often turns a little plasticky on me, but here just makes the overall effect even smoother and more comforting, and isn't high enough in the mix to be overbearing. All adds up to a safe, warm, welcoming bubble of loveliness. Really adore it, and if it weren't for the high price and its striking resemblance to Amouage Meander, which I own a large partial of, it would be a very dangerous temptation. For now I'll hold out, but stalk the web for unloved leftovers, decants or discounts. One for the true sandalwood aficionados and very much worth anyone's time.

Mauna surprised me in the best possible way. When I first tried it a few months ago, I wasn’t impressed. The ginger came across as sharp and overly spicy on my skin, and I honestly didn’t think it was a fragrance I would reach for again. After letting it macerate for about two months, everything changed. The ginger has softened into something creamy and beautifully blended. Combined with the sandalwood and amber, it creates a scent that feels completely unique in my collection. There’s an almost meditative quality to it, reminiscent of the quiet calm of a luxury spa, yet it remains undeniably elegant and refined. What I appreciate most is that Mauna doesn’t smell like everything else. It has its own identity. It’s unusual without trying too hard, sophisticated without feeling formal, and quietly captivating. This has become one of the most pleasant surprises in my collection. I never expected to fall in love with it, but now I know a full bottle is in my future.

Sandalwood butter + olibanum-whipped cream Add a touch of resinous spices and the meditative gelato is complete A wonderful Italian rendition of a most peaceful India. Profoundly delicious :))

This is a real masterpiece. (and now I don’t mean the bottle design.)

I think this ends my search for the perfect sandalwood. On first spray, it's so intense and alcoholic that it stung to smell. But soon a delicious sandalwood emerges― delectable. And I get the feeling it's projecting the dreamiest scent cloud around me. It's better than any other sandalwood I've tried (which I guess is reflected in the price) because it smells like it's own thing. I know there's a ginger note, but thankfully that doesn't show up on my skin; I'm not a ginger girl. It feels like a perfect layering scent as well― you could add complexity in so many ways, like adding intensity with Jo Malone's Bronze Wood & Leather or making it more fun and playful by layering with something fruity. This is a true masterpiece with insane longevity.

At first, the sandalwood is quite strong, but so fresh! I get ginger but mint as well. Very refreshing. It can instantly transport you to a spa or a massage salon or a yoga class. Somewhere, where you can recharge and meditate. Really nice and I do say it as someone, who is not a fan of sandalwood in fragrances too much. The bad part is that the freshness evaporates after 1-2 hours and you are left with a bitter, musky, smokey sandal, that I do not enjoy anymore. So I would wear it, when I need a quick boost or need to clear my head, but not for all day.

Very nice, strong sandalwood. Creamy, and dry, as others says.

Amongst the perfume niche world I must admit I have very high expectation for Mendittorosa as their creations are truly unique, and they don’t invest in advertising as much as other commercial niche houses. For Mauna, sadly there’s nothing creative nor ground breaking because the scent profile is very much similar to other “Creamy sandalwood” perfume out there. That said, Mauna is a creamy sandalwood scent with Mendittorosa DNA. Given the concept of silence I totally understand and see the relevancy here. But for the price and the redundancy of the scent profile then this is an easy pass.

Powdery sweet woody aromatic scent that could have been better without the overt use of a calone like musk in the base. The scent opens with brief aromatic spicy notes of pepper, ginger and incense. The heart is sandalwood and powdery benzoin. The perfume settles on a base of synthetic musk, styrax and tonka bean. The unisex scent has moderate projection and very good longevity. All in all, miles ahead of the usual offerings on the market, but what could have been a truly special scent is just okay, even though the bottle is interesting as usual from this eclectic Italian brand. Enjoy!

i’m learning that the mendittorosa DNA might just not be for me. this is my favorite of the three samples that i got, but there’s still something slightly too straightforward about the way that amber mixes with the woody notes. a bit too peppery and dry on me

Wearable art is the first 2 words that come to mind with the scents I try from this brand. Some are a little too avant garde for me and some just blow me away. This and Amygdala are amazing, special fragrances. Transportive. Addictive. Works of art. This one is all about the majestic sandalwood. The ginger uplifts it the the beginning and the resinous notes ground it in the dry down. Also in the dry down there is a velvet note that is so comforting. The musk is very lovely as well. Very meditative as the brand suggests although I couldn’t meditate to save my life lol, I’m always thinking about a lot at once and struggle to turn that off but I respect/envy those who have trained themselves to mediate. I on the other hand have used it lately while I do my stretch sessions after I get done at the gym, later that night I’ll wear this. My stretch sessions are quite long, I put on some relaxing music without words and that is probably the closest I’ll ever get to mediating. This is perfect for that but is also totally wearable for anything else too. I look forward to getting to know it more as my full bottle is on it’s way to me. A must try for sandalwood lovers.

This is one that takes time to set properly. It reminds me of the patience you need to have with creative houses. Mauna is my third FB from Mendittorosa. I have Talento and Osang. I’m an admirer of this house as they generate beautiful, gently boundary pushing fragrances. At first spray I worried as (to my nose) it had a medicinal smell. Possibly the ginger and olibanum messing with me. My mistake was not waiting. About 15 minutes in Mauna became a beautiful, ethereal incense fragrance. Where Osang is dark and ritualistic, Mauna is ancient and knowing. If you want to tie it to the familiar then it’s dry green sandalwood with a muted ginger background. While it smells like good hand made incense, it’s incense that isn’t yet burned. No smoke here. It’s reasonably long lasting and versatile throughout all seasons and day or night wear. 9/10

This scent is really beautiful, especially if you love sandalwood. This opens clean and powdery for me. As it dries down I get a dry woodiness and creamy sandal wood with something bright and almost citrusy just behind it. For me the projection is creamy, but I get more dryness when I smell closely. I don't get any smokiness or funky notes at all. As it develops some of the woodiness and brighter notes fade away leaving a very pleasant and realistic sandal wood.

Simplemente una belleza Un sándalo especiado elegante para generar una sensación de seguridad y estatus sin sofocar a nadie pero robando todas las miradas. El gengibre le otorga un componente ligero que le ayuda un poco es su versatilidad. Las notas resinosas y de incienso aparecen una vez asentado el perfume en la piel y forman un conjunto maravilloso.

such a strong opening that my nose tingles and stings, and for me personally, I can't identify what I smell at that stage after about 5min it calms down into a beautiful creamy ginger resinous sandalwood, but a taaaaaad sweet for me and not as woody as I'd like for a sandalwood fragrance, very beautiful tho

Relaxing and meditative. Is it possible that I smell lavender there?