Aoud Cafe by Mancera

Bergamot, Clove, Cinnamon, White Pepper.
Rose, Geranium, Saffron.
Aoud, Smoke, Cedar, Sandalwood, White Musk, Animal notes, Leather notes.

Since I've come to appreciate a good rendition of the coffee note in fragrances, I researched Aoud Cafe before buying it as you would expect. Some say they get no coffee whatsoever, while others praise how well it's done. Welcome to the murky world of fragrance opinions.

Naturally, I have one to throw in the ring and my opinion falls in between. It's not that I'm ambivalent about the aroma of the note in question. On the contrary; I like it as it reminds me of the Coffee Ice Cream I used to eat as a kid. It simply doesn't hang around long enough to satisfy me. ( I refer to the coffee note ).

Upon application, it's almost carmelized and possesses a gourmand-like aspect to it. This semi-smoky quality endures through the heart accord on me before it dissipates into the second stage of development. The rendition is dry and slightly bitter. Now, it's not incendiary or groundbreaking, but you'll either like this or you won't. After 5 minutes, it really does conjure up ( for me ) a particular brand of Coffee Ice Cream my family used to buy years ago.

The remainder of the wearings afford a mild and nuanced oud note.This isn't a bold oud. It's implemented more as an accent or complimentary note. It works just fine with the smoke, woods and leather qualities inherent in Aoud Cafe. If this genre appeals to you, then this should be sampled. Mancera seems to have a good grasp on blending and volume. The ones I own smell full bodied without inconveniencing those around me with projection. Sillage is good with longevity approximately 5 hours on me before morphing into a skin scent. Thumbs up from Aromi for Mancera's Aoud Cafe and a strong recommendation to sample first.

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