Aoud Lemon Mint by Mancera

Those who say it’s for summer must be referring to Antarctic summer. This fragrance has an extraordinary potency and becomes oppressive in hot summers. For everything else, 10/10.

I adore it when I wear it, but if I don’t give it a break of a few days or weeks, it starts to become tiring. It has a very heady scent that I enjoy immensely, though only occasionally. The opening is literally a bomb: sweet citrus, mint, and a very prominent oud. Over time, the citrus and mint relax (they don’t disappear) and the scent transforms into a sweet yet fresh oud with an effervescent feel, like a cola drink – a real treat. It’s very particular, unique, and fun, without falling into unusable niche traps like ‘dinosaur graveyard’ or ‘far west stable’. Mancera has created a fragrance with this Aoud Lemon Mint that sets you apart with class and elegance. Performance worthy of the brand: on my skin it lasts over 12 hours with strong projection for the first 4 or 5 hours. Don’t be afraid to wear it in enclosed offices; moderating sprays (2 or 3 at most) makes it perfect. It’s versatile: less in summer, more in winter. Although it seems more suited for men, I encourage women who like fresh, mentholated, and oud-based perfumes, as this features oud as the star note. In short, it’s one of Mancera’s best creations I’ve tried in terms of scent, performance, and originality, plus it comes in a very cool iridescent bottle.

Its trail is exquisite and smells different from when you sniff it close up on skin. Great value for a fragrance that works equally well in cold and heat, lasting 8 hours or more.

This perfume carries the DNA of Guerlain’s L’Homme Idéal line. It’s almost a flanker; it could have been named ‘L’Homme Idéal Oud’. Good longevity, though the projection isn’t as strong.

I started hearing about ‘niche’ and ‘Mancera’ a couple of years ago and had no idea where to start (plus, you rarely find Mancera testers in my country). My big gamble was Red Tobacco and I loved it. Then came Silver Blue, followed by Tonka Cola, but I’d always heard about Oud Lemon Mint. It wasn’t until a few days ago that I dared to buy it blindly and, thank goodness, what a wonderful perfume. I’d been buying fragrances for months (mostly blind) without being surprised as I was when I started collecting, but I admit the Lemon Mint scent is on another level; it could easily be my signature fragrance. Although it’s marketed as unisex masculine (or at least that’s how I see it), it’s something hardly anyone would resist smelling or praising. Not far from me, at work, four colleagues liked it (curiously, only men; no woman commented), making it certainly an excellent option for the office.

A real trigger for hot weather, but after two sprays in the evening, I get a bit dizzy. Once I wore it to a barbecue; apart from the smoke, my family could smell it from miles away.

I’ve just bought a decant of this perfume and nine others from the house. Perhaps the notes caught my attention, but I think it’s the one I’ve liked the least. The opening is unbearable; I don’t know if it’s the coriander or what, but it smells a lot like the opening of Kouros, and I can’t stand it. It mitigates slightly when dried down but remains there, faintly. The dry-down is a synthetic blend, too flat and piercing; I have the sensation of wearing a strange room freshener, not a 150 euro perfume. No blind buys; it’s a scent for a few. Most won’t like it. It’s not a Cedrat Boise, which smells more generic and easy… this is one of those that makes 90% of people nauseous, and some will go crazy for its peculiarity, but for me, there’s no olfactory magic here, just something odd. I expected magic from the bergamot and mint explosion, but I don’t feel that freshness; it’s more of a cloying scent.

The opening is strong and can be unpleasant because it smells like turpentine. It’s a perfume with great trail and longevity. I recommend not buying blind and spraying only 2-3 times (no more), because once dried down, it’s a proper perfume.

With Mancera, there are perfumes that are true jewels and others that pass without praise or blame. This is one of the house’s multiple ouds that serve to fill the catalogue but add little. The scent is a softened synthetic oud that smells of an elderly lady in the opening, then evolves to give way to a potpourri of patchouli and slightly chlorophyllic notes. There’s no bright, acidic, juicy, or effervescent lemon to give vitality, but rather a slight flat lemon-cardboard accord that gets overshadowed by the oud-patchouli-vetiver.

@Kikafica, your comment about the ‘feminine notes’ in your review is just chasing the monopoly on the female use of this fragrance. HAHHAHAHAHA.

Versatile and brilliant: the citrus, fresh, slightly sweet opening is ideal for heat, while the creamy almond and vanilla dry-down makes it perfect for autumn. If I had to choose just one daytime perfume for all year round, it would be this one.

I didn’t detect the oud, but I did notice that blend of lemon and mint which, though it might seem obvious, has turned out exquisite to me. The patchouli isn’t intrusive, adding an herbal touch, while the almond provides sweetness. It’s 100% unisex. It felt very vintage due to the complexity of its notes.

Smells great, perfect for the heat. It starts citrusy then becomes creamy, with an almond scent, though to me it smells a bit like coconut cream, haha. It’s an easy-to-wear scent that brings freshness. It looks like it would suit daily wear unless the venue is very formal. Longevity is good, projection isn’t huge but it’s fine. I’d give it 9.5/10. It’s a fantastic perfume.

Lemon, mint, wood. That’s all, but it’s very well combined. Just don’t expect a natural scent; it feels synthetic but nothing harsh. The oud is easy-going and helps the composition last a long time. It’s the longest-lasting citrus I’ve tried.

An opening where I detect lemon, oud, and almond creating a very pleasant, clean, elegant aroma. I loved it from the first spray, and there are days when even if I haven’t worn it, I enjoy smelling the bottle cap. In the heart, the lemon continues but evolves into a stronger almond and a subtle vanilla. By the base, the lemon, vanilla, and jasmine are a delight; I can’t stop smelling my arm. An elegant and masculine scent; I’d wear it in almost any season and consider it a signature fragrance. Highly recommended.