Mandorle

Still reeling from the disappointment I got from yesterday's fragrance, I'm moving onto a true blind buy experience with a fragrance that I have zero pre-conceived notions of. Up today is Mandorle from the house of Sora Dora. Now the only reason I know of this fragrance is because it was brought up in a single video I watched a while back. I can't even remember what the topic of the video of, but Mandorle was mentioned as one of those "hidden gem" fragrances to look out for. Will it indeed turn out to be a hidden gem? Or will it fall flat like yesterday's fragrance? Let's get into it and find out; Scent: The opening is leathery, sweet, and boozy. The primary notes I get are suede, rum, tonka bean, and vanilla. The strongest of the notes are the suede and rum. The suede starts off the fragrance with a blast of soft, supple animalic tones. It's undeniably leathery and animalic, but not like a hard leather note. It's gentle, sensual, and buttery, like the inside of an expensive suede bag. The rum comes in behind the suede with a boozy, warm, and sweet accord, reminiscent of a dark spiced rum. Up next is the tonka bean and vanilla. Both notes are similar in that they are sweet and vanillic, but the tonka bean is distinguished by its warm, spicy, and fruity cherry-like undertones, while the vanilla brings in a gourmand creaminess in the base. I also get hints of the caramel in the background. The dry down is leathery, sweet, and powdery. The primary notes I get are still suede, vanilla, tonka bean, and rum. The strongest of the notes are the suede and vanilla. The suede is still the star of the show in the dry down, with the same soft and supple leather accord. It still has animalic tones, but a bit more subdued than it was in the opening. Meanwhile, the vanilla has opened up and strengthened in the dry down for a powerful blast of the creamy vanilla from the opening. This is followed by the tonka bean and rum. The tonka bean still brings the same warm, sweet, and spicy accord. The fruity cherry accord is still there, but to a lesser extent. Lastly, the rum has moved to the background with its same boozy, warm, and sweet accord. Performance: Initial projection within the first hour is very strong and can easily fill a room. Sillage matches that intensity with a dense and heavy scent trail. After a few hours, the performance was largely unchanged. Around the 7-8 hour mark, the projection was still about 3-4 feet, and the scent trail was lighter but still noticeable. The fragrance became a skin scent around the 11-12 hour mark. When to wear: Mandorle is a fall/winter fragrance best suited for evening wear. I don't particularly perceive this as a casual wearing fragrance. It could potentially be worn casually, but it's really made for special occasions and/or formal events. This is not something I'd wear to the office. Blind buy: If you like sweet, leathery fragrances, this is a safe blind buy for you. Final verdict: From the moment I sprayed on Mandorle, I knew I had something good in my hands. The blast of sensual suede, the sweetness from the vanilla, the boozy warmth of the rum, and the cherry undertones from the tonka; they all coalesced into a fragrance experience that brought an involuntary smile to my face. When a fragrance can do that, I know it's something special. It's worth mentioning that I do get whispers of other fragrances in Mandorle, namely YSL's Babycat, Hugo Boss's Bottled Absolu, and even a little bit of PDM's Herod. Performance was excellent too, with very strong projection and sillage for at least the first few hours, and continuing on until around the 11-12 hour mark when it became a skin scent. When it comes to versatility, Mandorle isn't taking home any awards. It's made to be a fragrance worn during special/formal occasions on cool nights, but that's about it. In terms of mass appeal, it's above average. The strong vanillic tones give it a great compliment factor, but the suede keeps it from being just another mainstream vanilla bomb that everyone will like. I would bet most people think this smells great, though. To wrap this up, I think Mandorle is indeed worthy of being called a hidden gem. There's something about this fragrance that's just addictive, and I will be adding this to my list of full bottles to buy. I'll have to look into this house some more and see what other treasures I can find. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 8/10 Sillage: 10/10

Decided to add this to a sample haul order after hearing some rave reviews about it. When my order arrived I smelled it n was like ok, not bad. Out of the 9 samples I ordered this one and another made the cut but I wasn't blown away. Day 2: Decided to take it for a spin so thought I'd put it on for my Dr. Appointment. I remember thinking, yo this actually smells really good today! Maybe I was sniffing so many fragrances from my sample I didn't really appreciate what this fragrance was putting out. Anyway, arrived to check in and after a few minutes the receptionist said "I just want to say you smell really good by the way, what is that?!" I came home and placed an order for a full bottle 🤣 Day 5: : 2nd time applying this sample, Back for my Dr. appt. follow up at a different facility. Check in and the receptions at that location says: "excuse me, I hope I don't offend you by saying this but you smell amazing" I came home and checked the status on my order 🤣 Now with that said; forgive me for what i'm about to say cuz once i say it you'll never unhear it. This is 1:1 Vicks throat spray, cherry flavor...but it's an addicting Vicks spray lol Scent: 8 Projection: 10 Impression: 9.5 Longevity: 8 Uniqueness: 8 Value: 7.5 Overall: 8.5/10

And i have tried it longer so i've gotten to like it more, yes it does open up to be this wacky artifical carmex type smell, but you just gotta let it sit for a while, as it starts to dry up, the notes get more rounded, and it gets a lot less artificial, it is def mass appealing, i rlly like this, overall it is a boozy cherry type smell over a smoky leathery suede with a "roasted" feeling to it, the cherry smell probably comes from the rum note combined with some other notes here cuz it is quite boozy, also i do not pick up on the almond, so maybe im blind to that note When it comes to who it suits, and the personality of this fragrance, im thinking, if you like a sweet, "half gourmand" type fragrance(i like to call scents like babycat, herod, or whatever spicy sweet fragrance that some ppl call gourmand but i dont this), and if u try it out and feel like u can tolerate the artificial opening maybe, yea go for it! As for personality, this fragrance is more on the deeper more sensual type of feeling, and yea just by looking at the notes you can guess what vibe this gives off, i feel like anyone can pull this off honestly, but i will say it's better if ur introverted

Please be aware that even though the note list doesn't state CHERRY, the smell is quite prominent. Here is the description and note list from the brand website as of 22 June 2025: "Mandorle tells the story of seduction. Unabashed seduction that never hesitates. An unmistakable charm that never shuts up. After the initial explosion of almonds in the top note, an icy cherry in the heart lures us into the powerful leather accord in the base. A dreamy pairing of intoxicating gourmand notes and ardently magnetic musky roundness. Tones of Mandorle captivates with its sensuality, swirling - for hours on end - on smoky leather backdrops. This fragrance, invulnerable with grace, will be your first choice when attraction arises from intuition. Here's to your bewitchment." Top notes: Almond, Absolute Cacao, Tonka Absolute Heart notes:, Heliotrope, Rum Co2, Suede, Cashmere Wood Base notes: Vanilla, Caramel, Sparkling Woods, White Musks.

Well, I almost gave up on this one...almost. The first 2 times I tried it on my hand it started so shockingly bitter that it was like a punch in the nose and I just thought: what are all those reviewers talking about sweetness and caramel and comparisons to Italica??On my skin it was bitter to no end, a lighter version of ,,Cherry punk",which I totally hate, luckily without the ,,ashtray" note.And the third time it finally happened:it still started with very bitter almonds, but then I detected a very dark and sensual cherry note (Sora Dora describes it on their page about the scent as ,,icy cherry in the heart"), slightly leathery and smooth,very well done.The sweetness came much later to me, with a spicy caramel, rum and vanilla.It is a very good interpretation of a sexy,mature cherry scent without being overly sweet,ideal for a fall or winter evening.

I know there’s a lot of Cherry fragrances out there at the moment, but this blows them ALL out the water! It’s maybe my favourite fragrance of all time, it is so so good! If you love luxuriously rich, deep, sexy fragrances this is a must try. I was a guest at a wedding recently and another guest asked me what I had been wearing at the hen/batchelorette party. She had smelled it on me then and said she couldn’t wait to see me again so she could find out what I was wearing. It was of course Mandorle. I would go in search of a sample of this if you: a) enjoy Sugar Leather b) enjoy cherry almond fragrances, but want one that doesn’t resemble lost cherry. c) are bored of traditional/literal gourmands. d) like a little bit of leather and booze. e) want to smell like a sex siren and/or how Dita Von Teese looks.

To me, this one is very true to the name, because the almond note is very strong on my skin, along with the cherry, for about 30 minutes. I bought a few 2 ml vials and sprayed it 4 hours ago and the fragrance is still strong, leaving the main role to the leather and cocoa. I haven't tried the Tom Ford cherry perfumes, because I have other TF fragrances which are not very worthy, so I am kind of done with this house, hence I can't really say whether this DNA is repetitive or not, but I can definitely say it left quite an impression to other noses, because I was asked what perfume I was wearing. The price point is high, but I haven't received such a positive feedback so soon after trying a perfume for the first time, so I might get a full bottle after the samples are over.

Not your typical gourmand. I understand why Mandorle has become so popular, it’s amazing! It’s definitely unisex. I sprayed this to leave the house, and my boyfriend said: “WOW, this smells so good! What is it? Is that a tester? If so, you need to remember this one!” - he is never so excited about my fragrances, so I was impressed. On my skin, I only smell the icy cherry in the beginning, the first 10 minutes. Then the almonds show up (lots of them) together with the sweet, boozy suede. Further in the dry down, I am left with a musky vanilla scent. Delicious and super unique! It was a blind buy, so I am glad it isn’t very sweet because I can’t handle real gourmand perfumes.

My God, I've found it! The cherry amaretto scent of my dreams.... absolute perfection. Opens up with a relatively strong but extremely pleasant composition of Rum, cherry, almonds, heliotrope and of course that sexy leather/suede note. As it dries down the vanilla becomes more creamy and powdery and that same delicious cherry amaretto and suede combo continues to linger in the background. Highly recommend! For me this is a personal 10/10, and is one of my current favorites if not my current favorite in my collection. If you don't like cherry or almondy based fragrances I'd stay away. But if that is your cup of tea, please get your nose on this immediately!

I just can’t explain what this fragrance makes me feel, it’s otherworldly. My literal fragrance dream came true. My favourite notes mixed so well together: tonka bean, almond, cherry, rum and a little bit of smokiness and leather. This is a gourmand scent but not edible rather seductive and sexy. It’s boozy, smokey, creamy and dark at the same time. I really-really love Bodicea - Bodacious, but this one is even better for me. It leans a little bit on the masculine side on my skin, but not that much. I wouldn’t say it’s an everyday, every occasion scent, it’s more like a nighttime fragrance, but if you like sweet and dark, leathery fragrances, try this!

ok, im gonna need some time on this, i am alternating between liking and disliking this on one side, it fits my fav genre of fragrances: a vanilla or similar thicker sweeter type note made darker, smokier, deeper and/or spicier, it's very boozy with the rum which kinda makes the cherry note, and it's over a base of a smoky leathery undertone, which is the suede i think. on the other side, it is a bit chemical smelling, and it does smell like carmex ong, im probably gonna need more time with this, cuz even tho i feel like im supposed to like this smell, it's weirdly artificial to my nose which kinda makes me a bit sick i think.

This is the most perfectly crafted almondy bright cherry tonka bean note. I absolutely love this. The suede is very present as well and manages to be so perfectly buttery soft and smooth. I feel like the cherry presence is strong, but remains unique from all the other cherry fragrances out right now. This is sex in a bottle. This was love at first sniff for me. I had a 5ml decant which I went through the entire thing while waiting for my full bottle to arrive. I wish this came in 100ml bottle. That is my only complaint. It is pretty expensive for being 50ml, but I do not regret my purchase.

a cross between Rouge Smoking and Creme de Cuir by BDK! I own a full size bottle of Sugar Leather as well, and nope, that's not it. If you are really in love with this one, try BDK - if it's this realistic suede combined with caramel and spices aspect that you are after, then Creme de Cuir, and if it's the heady boozy almost edible cherry with florals that you are drawn to, try Rouge Smoking. BDK is also an expensive niche house but those perfumes are older, you are likelier to find them discounted, Sora Dora I only ever saw for full price which is biting

Incredibly Sexy, boozy, Smokey, Cherry Fragrance! Its Sweet, cozy, warm and slightly powdery/leathery. The opening reminds me of a cherry Halls and also instantly thought of Chapstick. Love! Every other Cherry I have tried is either sour, medicinal, synthetic, water-down/weak. This is very strong, longevity is 6+ on the skin for me and it projects about 4-5 feet. Its delicious! Alluring! Addictive. Date night worthy. My only issue with this fragrance is the 50ml for $300CAD price tag(100ml please!). no bueno.

On my skin this is first and foremost a leather dominant fragrance and a beautiful one at that. Supplementing the leather is the metallic almond and a faint cherry but it’s overshadowed by the musk, heliotrope and rum. I also detect a faint powdery lip stick iris note that may be the cacao. This was a blind buy purchase based on positive reviews. Up until now I’ve liked very few leather fragrances with Puredistance M 03 being the best of the bunch, and imho Mandorle is leaps and bounds better.

Reminiscent of Herod in the beginning thanks to rum, vanilla, and the overall cinnamon-y vibe. Later in the drydown, when the cherry and amaretto notes step to the forefront supported by leather in the background, I get an unmistakable Red Tobacco -esque vibe. Performance department is in check. A good 2 to 3 sprays should definitely get you through the day. Goddamn this is a fine scent. Makes waves in the fragcom for a reason. Had to get a full bottle for the winter.

Cherry liqueur and spicy suede. Particularly boozy and leather the first hour on skin then fading to a simple sweet vanilla. The cherry lasts longer on clothing, but softly. Sillage is okay, longevity good, not a room filler by any means. I think it’s more successful than Cherry Punk at the cherry/leather combination, it has more complexity and depth. Would be nice if the top notes hung around a little longer but still the most enjoyable cherry I’ve come across.

Mandorle is a lovely creamy, cherry-esque fragrance. The heliotrope, combined with the cacao, suede, rum, and vanilla create one of the best evening scents that I have ever tried. I get a cherry vibe from it rather than suede which I much prefer, which hovers in the background giving it some strength. Performance is good, and the bottle itself looks great. I don't see how you could go wrong with this fragrance.

There’s a real smoky quality to this fragrance that turns me off from it. Smoky notes are not my jam but if you’re into smoky warm, cherry vanilla fragrances this ones for you. At first it was rather pungent, then the cherry came out to play and the smokiness subsided....but then it came back and I was not here for it. I’m glad others love this one because it wasn’t for me.

I'm no perfume expert, but this Mandorle is something amazing. I got it yesterday and for the first try I didn't like it, it smelled kind of weird. But then I liked it more on my wife, then on me... now I'm working for a few hours at my computer and I'm constantly smelling my hand or the bottle, like I can't stop doing it, it's like a drug :)) Such an amazing smell.