Mandragore Pourpre by Goutal

What an interesting perfume!! When I first received it, I was thrown… I wondered if I’d made the right choice in buying it, if I’d ever really wear it… In fact, I had wanted to buy Ce Soir ou Jamais but it wasn’t in stock; this other one was on a great price and I took the plunge… They told me it was odd, that the anise note was very prominent… I had to smell and try it several times to get used to it, and then I realised that, while the scent wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to me, indeed I had never smelled a perfume like this before. And now I’m thrilled to have it; I’ll be treasuring it carefully! Right after application is when I perceive the anise most. I sense it’s most similar to the smell of an anise sachet (to me, it reminds me more of green anise than star anise), but it’s just for a moment, a minute or two. Afterwards, an earthy, white, clear and vibrant accord begins to emerge—not white floral, no, nothing like that. White wet clay; it’s very similar to that particular little scent that comes from a packet of clay… It’s impressive how pleasant such a strange association turns out to be! I also perceive some rather herbal citrus sparkles, and some sparkles like dried herbs (more woody than pulpy). Over the hours, it develops and changes a little but not too much; generally, I think it stays on the same line. What I distinguish most is that it becomes slightly sweeter, like a resin, soft and with a very natural sweetness, losing a bit of that earthy effect to become rounder. Whereas at first it’s fresh like a gust of wind blowing through the window, its dry-down makes it, though still cool, a little warmer, more cosy, like a winter day with plenty of sun. The longevity is incredible (and I have the EDT!), something like 10 hours on me, though not always noticeable with the same intensity… It appears and disappears at its whim… It conveys a sense of contemplative stillness, not entirely relaxing, nor energising… For me, it’s the feeling of the philosopher or poet or painter who opens their senses with acuity to perceive with greater intensity everything around them. Calm yes, but very, very attentive… Still yes, but ready to initiate movement at an instant… I tried my friend’s Mandragore and it seemed less particular than Pourpre to me; it seemed a bit more citrus-iris, with some things in common with Pourpre but a bit more “easy to smell”, a bit more “conventional” in that sense. How I shall treasure this little bottle…

From the start, it feels something similar to what Mandragore alone is, but with a strong touch of anise; I could say this is the “masculine” version of what Mandragore alone is, and that the latter is unisex. It stayed like this on me for approximately 4 hours; after that (as someone commented about Wonderwood by Comme des Garçons) I began to perceive it a bit as if it were a fragrance for an older lady, and it stayed like this for approximately 5 hours as well. Finally, after that phase which I think was the least pleasant, it passed to having a trail that was too low, almost imperceptible, but it also changed scent; in these last hours, I felt it as if it were a kind of quorum, but much softer and more refined; I could say a kind of more acceptable quorum than the current version sold. I must also say that when smelling it directly from the bottle, it has an aroma very similar to Route du Vetiver, only much less strong, let’s say wearable, since Route du Vetiver, at least I couldn’t use it; you can read my review of that fragrance. There will be people for whom it seems a great fragrance, but personally I can say it didn’t please me; it was another blind purchase with which I didn’t get it right either; I recommend trying it before buying it. Unlike what Mandragore alone is, I didn’t feel much naturalness in the notes or in the ingredients that compose it. On me, it had a duration of approximately 12 hours, with the last 3 or 4 very close to the skin, almost imperceptible, for intermediate or temperate climates, and intermediate ages. Please forgive the fans of this brand, but I don’t recommend it and I don’t think I’ll use it again!!!!

My partner says this eau and Mandragore smell like a day in the countryside under the rain, hehe. In the top notes, there’s plenty of anise and bergamot, both very subtle; perhaps Pourpre is a touch stronger due to the anise, but they aren’t heavy at all. I first tested this perfume at a counter, and the tester had been out for a while; its scent wasn’t rancorous in the slightest—it had a pure licorice aroma that I actually liked.

To be honest, I was surprised: the quality is excellent and the opening is very peppery. Then it yields to anise and rosemary. It’s not a sensual perfume nor very different from others, but it’s worth a try. Watch out: I bought it blind, so I recommend smelling it very well before purchasing.

Have you smelled the white clay mask or red mud? It smells to me between an ashy and refreshing compound at the same time, a particular sensation, all the power of Niche.