Mancera, Pierre Montale's second house
Pierre Montale opened the house bearing his name in Paris in 2003, and a few years after Mancera was founded, his daughter Amélie joined the business too. Mancera eaux de parfum come in heavy glass bottles, and vanilla returns in many of the compositions.
The Mancera fragrance families
Red Tobacco and the spicy ambers
The house places Intense Red Tobacco in the woody spicy family and offers it for both men and women. In the same territory is Instant Crush, which opens on citrus and spice over a base of musk, vanilla and sandalwood, while Intense Instant Crush is darker and opens with saffron. Then there is Cosmic Pepper, which pairs sharp spices with amber and a touch of citrus. If you are after amber, Amberful is an amber with a marine accent and an opening of pink pepper and yuzu, and Amber Fever pairs it with rose, woods and jasmine. Finally, Hindu Kush is a resinous scent with hot, woody and incense accents.
Black Vanilla and the vanillas
Black Vanilla uses Madagascar vanilla in a floral, gourmand accord, unlike the classic sweet vanilla. In Coco Vanille, vanilla is paired with coconut and recalls sunscreen. Roses Vanille has rose loukoum, Vanille Exclusive osmanthus and white peach, Velvet Vanilla jasmine and clove, and Royal Vanilla brings together rose, orange blossom and violet. On the gourmand side there are Amore Caffè, inspired by an affogato of coffee and vanilla, Ombre Tonka, with tonka, pistachio and patchouli, or Cherry Cherry, which smells of black cherry.
Ouds and leathers
Among the ouds is Aoud Vanille, which pairs Nepalese oud with saffron and cardamom over a base of vanilla and sandalwood. Crazy for Oud matches oud with a powdery floral accord, leather and vanilla. Aoud Exclusif brings oud and rose together in a woody, spicy, leathery accord, and Jasmin Exclusif combines oud and jasmine. In Eternal Wood, oud is joined by davana, saffron, palo santo and copal resin. For leather without oud there is Black Noir, which pairs black leather with pink pepper, and Gold Prestigium is a spicy, floral leather for men and women.
Citrus, sea and flowers
Cedrat Boise has a top of citrus and yellow fruits and a cedar base, and its Intense version adds blackcurrant, jasmine and patchouli. The Mediterranean inspires Cinque Terre, which combines citrus, aromatic herbs and a salty breeze, and French Riviera, which has an iodine note. The same coast is behind Intense French Riviera, where the salty air of the Esterel meets mountain air. Sicily and Soleil d'Italie are citrus scents, Fabulous Yuzu is built on yuzu, and Wave Musk is a marine. Among the florals are Wild Python, with osmanthus and tuberose, and Fig Extasy, built around fig, while Vetiver Sensuel pairs vetiver with citrus, floral and amber notes.
How to choose a Mancera fragrance
If you love tobacco and spice, start with Red Tobacco, Cosmic Pepper or Intense Instant Crush. For vanilla there is Black Vanilla, or Coco Vanille if you want it exotic, and Amore Caffè or Ombre Tonka if you prefer it gourmand. For freshness, look to Cedrat Boise, Cinque Terre, French Riviera and Wave Musk. Among the ouds, finally, Aoud Vanille has vanilla and spice, Crazy for Oud powdery notes and Aoud Exclusif rose.
Gift sets
For a gift there are two sets. The Gift Box Red Tobacco holds Red Tobacco in 120 ml plus two 8 ml minis of Red Tobacco and Intense Red Tobacco, and in the Cinque Terre Gift Set the 120 ml bottle comes with two 8 ml minis of Cinque Terre and French Riviera.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Mancera?
Mancera was founded in Paris in 2008 by Pierre Montale, a perfumer already known for the house of Montale, which he had opened in 2003. A few years after Mancera was born, his daughter Amélie Montale also joined the company and became involved in running the house.
What is the difference between Mancera and Montale?
Mancera and Montale share the same founder, Pierre Montale, but have two different identities. Mancera seeks a balance between Eastern raw materials such as oud, amber and vanilla and the taste of Western perfumery. Vanilla returns in many of its compositions, and the heavy glass bottles differ from Montale's.
What does Mancera Red Tobacco smell like?
Mancera Red Tobacco is a spicy, ambery eau de parfum built on spices, Cuban tobacco and amber, with a heart of patchouli and jasmine that melts into vanilla and warm woods. The house presents it as a fragrance for men, designed for cold winter days.
What is the difference between Red Tobacco and Intense Red Tobacco?
Red Tobacco is the original composition, presented as a men's fragrance and built on Cuban tobacco, spices, amber and vanilla. Intense Red Tobacco is the 2023 variation, which the house places in the woody spicy family and offers for both men and women. The Gift Box Red Tobacco includes 8 ml minis of both.
Is Mancera Black Vanilla for men or women?
Mancera Black Vanilla can be worn by women and men alike: the house describes it as suitable for men too. It uses black Madagascar vanilla in a floral, gourmand blend, enveloping and sunny, unlike the classic sweet, sugary vanilla.
Which Mancera vanilla fragrance should I choose?
It depends on the pairing you want. Coco Vanille combines vanilla with coconut, Roses Vanille with rose loukoum, Vanille Exclusive with osmanthus and white peach, and Velvet Vanilla with jasmine and clove. Amore Caffè pairs it with coffee, and Aoud Vanille takes it toward Nepalese oud, saffron and cardamom.
What does Mancera Instant Crush smell like?
Instant Crush is a warm, seductive eau de parfum that opens on citrus and spice over a base of musk, vanilla and sandalwood. The house suggests it for a romantic date. The darker version is Intense Instant Crush, with saffron, black leather, rose and salted caramel.
What is the best Mancera fragrance for summer?
For summer, the house points to Aoud Lemon Mint, woody and aromatic, described as fizzy like a summer cocktail, and Soleil d'Italie, which blends citrus, rose, vetiver and amber in an aquatic harmony. Then there is Lemon Line, very citrusy, which the house calls the summer version of Black Line. Finally, Cedrat Boise combines citrus, yellow fruits and cedar.
Which Mancera fragrances have sea notes?
Marine notes appear in Wave Musk, a complex marine, and in the Mediterranean-inspired scents. Cinque Terre combines citrus, rosemary and aromatic herbs with a salty breeze, and French Riviera carries the iodine scent of the Esterel slopes. Amberful, too, is an amber of marine origin, with pink pepper, yuzu and bergamot.
What is in the Mancera gift sets?
Mancera gift sets contain a 120 ml bottle and two 8 ml minis. The Gift Box Red Tobacco has Red Tobacco in 120 ml plus minis of Red Tobacco and Intense Red Tobacco; the limited-edition Cinque Terre Gift Set has Cinque Terre in 120 ml plus minis of Cinque Terre and French Riviera.
