Mandarina Duck
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The initial strike is deliberately cheerful—bright tangerine and bergamot spark immediately, with Indian pepper adding a subtle burn that keeps the citrus from feeling merely zesty. Within moments, this peppery warmth becomes the dominant character, preventing the opening from ever feeling summery or disposable.
As the citrus fades, tonka bean and orange blossom emerge to reveal the true architecture of the fragrance—a creamy, almost floral-gourmand sweetness that plays against the lingering pepper. The sandalwood rises here, providing a woody anchor that prevents the sweetness from collapsing into sickly territory, creating a genuine tension between honeyed comfort and sophisticated restraint.
What remains is primarily the base—Bourbon vanilla and Mysore sandalwood in a subdued embrace, with just enough synthetic musking to create a slightly pillowy, skin-scent quality. The projection drops considerably, transforming this into a close, intimate fragrance that feels more like a personal indulgence than a broadcast message.
Mandarina Duck's Black Pure Black is a peculiar beast: a fragrance that announces itself with citrus brightness before pivoting sharply into creamy, almost gourmand territory. The opening tangerine-bergamot duo is crisp and insouciant, but Indian pepper introduces a peppery snap that prevents this from becoming a simple fruity affair. What makes this scent compelling is how Nathalie Lorson orchestrates the transition—that tonka-orange blossom heart doesn't soften the composition so much as redirect it, layering honeyed sweetness over the spice rather than smothering it.
The woody-amber foundation (Atlas cedar and Mysore sandalwood propping up a conspicuous Bourbon vanilla) reveals something unexpectedly sophisticated hiding beneath the confectionery veneer. This isn't a clean, straight-lined woody; the sandalwood feels creamy and slightly synthetic (the 64% synthetic accord isn't incidental here), creating an almost musky backdrop that prevents the vanilla from ever becoming saccharine. There's an androgynous quality to the composition—the spice keeps it from feeling feminine, whilst the sweet vanilla base stops it from leaning aggressively masculine.
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3.9/5 (282)