Black Line by Mancera

Spices, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Leather, White Musk, Sandalwood, Guaiac.

Indeed, the Rose-Oud-Sandal combinations have pretty much run their course.......or have they? When you sample numerous ones in this genre, there's a commonality to be expected and the whole category can make you indifferent.

Some, however, have that little something-something that's hard to put your finger on, but it's just loud enough, comfortable enough and blended well enough to make you take notice in spite of all the other contenders. This is how I interpret my wearings of Black Line. Personally, I find the category of "niche" rose releases to be somewhat overloaded and because of this, it doesn't seem special to me anymore. I suppose it's run of the mill these days, but that doesn't mean there aren't standouts.

Black Line, on my skin, doesn't come across as either feminine or masculine. It just is. Rose is featured here with complimentary appearances and contributions from others. Subtle spice, some earthy tones, hints of leather and musk, and a touch of woody resin are restrained but evident. The rose manages to stay a step ahead for the life of the scent and the volume never gets raucous. This is a very nice wear if you want these attributes while desiring your scent to remain polite.

It took me a few wearings to fully appreciate Black Line. No, it doesn't raise the bar for Rose fragrances. We are all too different with our perceptions and there are simply to many to choose from. However, this "wears" like I want a rose-centric fragrance to.

Sillage is average with longevity approximately 5 hours on me with moderate sprays. I don't experience mega projection, but the aroma is full nonetheless. These days, I can do without the room clearers. Thumbs up from Aromi for Mancera's Black Line. As always, a sample wear is recommended.