Reviews of Mandragore by Annick Goutal
I get mostly bergamot, ginger and black pepper. It's a bit green, like summer, sort of a sunny plant smell. I had a full bottle but wasn't getting through it, so I swapped that and keep my decant. I seldom use it even though I like it's pleasant light zing, because it hardly lasts at all. Very light, sheer, no longevity and I'm not one who needs my scent to be strong or loud, quite the opposite. But Mandragore, while fabulous, is so darn fleeting. Unisex.
Oh so fleeting! It's such a shame because this lovely, sparkling scent has no longevity. Here and gone in about an hour, I doused myself in the juice. It is energetically uplifting and refreshingly brilliant with fresh bergamot and pepperiness. Not too sweet, it's an herbal tisane fragrance with vegetal notes and a touch of spicy herb. It is cooling and makes a great spray on a hot and humid day. It sits on the skin, giving only wisps of enjoyment. It just needs to last longer for the price tag.
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Yes, the opening blast is a fresh bergamot, whiffs of lemon and a good load of mint - brightness galore? Yes initially, but soon a gentle black pepper and a woodsy note add a touch of spice.
The drydown adds an iris as the floral contribution, but a ginger tone together with touches of a cistus impression continues the line of brightness. There are a lot of green moments, mainly sage and a touch of a grassy undertone.
A darker and again spicier base combines labdanum - quite weak though - with a sweetish anise background.
I get moderate sillage, good projection and five hours of longevity on my skin.
This agreeable scent for cooler summer days stars in a nice and fresh manner, but the later stages are characterised by a lack of vividness and a certain generic nature of some of the ingredients. Pleasant it is but not much more, with a somewhat disappointing performance. Overall 2.75/5.
The drydown adds an iris as the floral contribution, but a ginger tone together with touches of a cistus impression continues the line of brightness. There are a lot of green moments, mainly sage and a touch of a grassy undertone.
A darker and again spicier base combines labdanum - quite weak though - with a sweetish anise background.
I get moderate sillage, good projection and five hours of longevity on my skin.
This agreeable scent for cooler summer days stars in a nice and fresh manner, but the later stages are characterised by a lack of vividness and a certain generic nature of some of the ingredients. Pleasant it is but not much more, with a somewhat disappointing performance. Overall 2.75/5.
This review is based on Eau de Toilette concentration.
The initial blast of Mandragore contains a lot of bergamot, very refreshing and energetic. The citrus soon hides away as a supporting role and reveals a combination of anise, mint and ginger. It's green, fresh, reviving, zesty and sparkling. I was overwhelmed by this phase as this combination of spices which is usually thick, actually delivers such an unusually translucent scent.
However, this phase doesn't hold up very long and it soon was taken over by a spicy and earthy scent. The spices are still the same as above, but no longer freshly picked. They're dried and their ultimate spiciness are sublimed. Interestingly the fragrance remains ethereal even at this stage.
Unfortunately, Mandragore turns bland and watery afterwards, and loses its vivacity and strength. It was soft at the beginning and now it stays extremely close to skin. It dies after about 4 or 5 hours on me, which is weak among those I tried from Annick Goutal.
Mandragore, in contrary to the prune bottle and the mysterious name, is actually green to my nose. I appreciate the aromatic and spicy stages towards the beginning very much. However, these interesting stages doesn't last long (about 1 hour) and the fragrance itself either, which implies frequent reapplication to me. I'm curious if EDP would suit me better.
Nontheless, this should not hold you back from trying it. This green aromatic fragrance, lasting or not, has a very interesting twist that can hardly be described, but to be experienced by oneself.
The initial blast of Mandragore contains a lot of bergamot, very refreshing and energetic. The citrus soon hides away as a supporting role and reveals a combination of anise, mint and ginger. It's green, fresh, reviving, zesty and sparkling. I was overwhelmed by this phase as this combination of spices which is usually thick, actually delivers such an unusually translucent scent.
However, this phase doesn't hold up very long and it soon was taken over by a spicy and earthy scent. The spices are still the same as above, but no longer freshly picked. They're dried and their ultimate spiciness are sublimed. Interestingly the fragrance remains ethereal even at this stage.
Unfortunately, Mandragore turns bland and watery afterwards, and loses its vivacity and strength. It was soft at the beginning and now it stays extremely close to skin. It dies after about 4 or 5 hours on me, which is weak among those I tried from Annick Goutal.
Mandragore, in contrary to the prune bottle and the mysterious name, is actually green to my nose. I appreciate the aromatic and spicy stages towards the beginning very much. However, these interesting stages doesn't last long (about 1 hour) and the fragrance itself either, which implies frequent reapplication to me. I'm curious if EDP would suit me better.
Nontheless, this should not hold you back from trying it. This green aromatic fragrance, lasting or not, has a very interesting twist that can hardly be described, but to be experienced by oneself.
Mandragore is a disappointingly thin citrus-woods concoction with a touch of herbal elements. There is a nice initial accord of bergamot with ginger, which is quickly joined by some green, woody aspects, and the show is over within an hour.
2/5
2/5
All I get is a generic oceanic woody, like thousands of other drug store scents over the past twenty years. I feel like the boy who pointed out the emperor was wearing no clothes.
Turin called it a "bergamot violet," although there seems to be no violet in it. I do get the lemony bergamot, but none of the spices, no anise, no ginger. The iris, mint and pepper are simply not there.
Overall effect is that of a poor and dismal, vastly unattractive concoction. I am amazed that so many reviewers sense so many things in it that I do not, especially those who give it a positive review.
Definitely a sniff first, don't blind buy scent.
Turin called it a "bergamot violet," although there seems to be no violet in it. I do get the lemony bergamot, but none of the spices, no anise, no ginger. The iris, mint and pepper are simply not there.
Overall effect is that of a poor and dismal, vastly unattractive concoction. I am amazed that so many reviewers sense so many things in it that I do not, especially those who give it a positive review.
Definitely a sniff first, don't blind buy scent.
I'm really not sure what to make of Mandragore: it is a green ambrette fragrance, which, on my skin, is almost identical to Chanel No 18. It's difficult to say how these two fragrances differ; however, I love No 18, but I'm not overly fond of Mandragore. Not a perfume I would buy again
A good spiced herbal citrus cologne with decent longevity. Nothing earth-shattering, and could live without it in the collection, but very enjoyable.
With a name like "Mandragore" (mandrake root) I expected something more magical, mysterious and intriguing.
This is a competent citrus-herbal scent. In addition to the notes, I detected something like verbena and possibly orange blossom. The anise is more noticeable on a paper strip than on my skin. Moderately dry, smooth, nothing to offend here.
This is a competent citrus-herbal scent. In addition to the notes, I detected something like verbena and possibly orange blossom. The anise is more noticeable on a paper strip than on my skin. Moderately dry, smooth, nothing to offend here.
Mandragore by Annick Goutal is what I imagine India smells like. It is spicy and the anise, pepper and ginger make this fragrance very exotic. On my way to work all I could say to myself was, "I smell sooooo good. This is going to be on top of my list for sure. The Miami heat gives it more projection and makes it even MORE exotic.
Genre: Citrus
Bland and ephemeral citrus on a base of woods. Gone before it had a chance to impress me.
Bland and ephemeral citrus on a base of woods. Gone before it had a chance to impress me.
Juicy orange and lemon verbena with black pepper for spice and a bit of lavender for grit, drying down to a lemony incense smell with just a pinch of fennel. Once the top fades into the lemony incense, it doesn't do much, but it's pleasant and smells good, even if it doesn't keep my nose glued to my arm.
I went through a phase a few years ago where I was obsessed with clever spicy citrus perfumes, and I would likely have gone bonkers for Mandragore if I had known about it then. Alas, my tastes have turned towards more complex or "difficult" smells over time, and while I can still enjoy Mandragore, I don't find it deeply compelling enough to want a whole bottle.
I went through a phase a few years ago where I was obsessed with clever spicy citrus perfumes, and I would likely have gone bonkers for Mandragore if I had known about it then. Alas, my tastes have turned towards more complex or "difficult" smells over time, and while I can still enjoy Mandragore, I don't find it deeply compelling enough to want a whole bottle.
Fresh and Spicy! I must admit that whilst this perfume may be well made and such, I personally found it quite linear. The pepper, ginger and bergamot give it the zingy opening, and the anise comes through to back them up. But that's about it. It stays like that throughout. A fresh, zesty, spicy scent like citrus (lime) rind and pepper (someone below I think mentioned a type of salad dressing), and I will admit that unless people buy or try this fragrance with a specific intention to have that fresh citrus, peppery/gingery feel and nothing else, they will be disappointed as it goes no further. If that's what you're looking for, you'll love it. Otherwise it's not worth the price.
Light, pleasing, with a wee bit of greenI really like this one; it is one that just smells pleasing on me. It is like without being inconsequential, it is refreshing without being dull. The citrus notes and the anise (star supposedly) mix together nicely. It is the only the first anise heavy fragrance that really enjoy. I can actually see this as the ideal summer scent for someone who is not oriented toward aquatics or vetiver. In fact, (note to self) I would very much like this as a late spring buy. ______ My one hesitancy, is that the performance is just average. Still, lovely scent.
Very earthy scent, but is not an innovator and certainly no alchemy here as the name suggest, the potential though was there for the makers, but i guess they slacked!
However, it is very well blended and i see it more for the men than for the ladies,
exudes class.
However, it is very well blended and i see it more for the men than for the ladies,
exudes class.
Sharp citrus stabbed with ginger hardly up there among my favourite combos. But there was something about the piercing clarity of its intention which made me buy an entire bottle. I use it rarely, but when I do, one spray lasts the entire day. Any more and I am overwhelmed by this fragrance, so it's puzzling to read so many complaints of poor longevity. Skin chemistry and olfactory perception, stand up and be counted.
This review is for the edt from a vial on card.
Mandragore possesses so few ingredients that it almost presents as a linear perfume. Fresh Bergamot dominates the entrance, if only for a short while. Within a minute, the fragrance settles into what it remains for about 4 hours; a sharp, simple, spicy melange of Bergamot, Black Pepper, Mint, Ginger, and (barely noticeable) Star Anise. The Bergamot and Mint are lovely, and manage to stand up well to the potentially overpowering Pepper. This is one of the more exemplary uses of Bergamot I have encountered. It is used throughout the composition to create balance, rather than existing solely in the top notes. The Star Anise is lost in the mix; I can't discern it. However, with so few ingredients, it must have some subtle effect. The Ginger is almost edible, and supports the Pepper in its role. The drydown is woodsy, similar to Sandal or Cedar, but more subtle, as it cannot compete with the Spice and ubiquitous Bergamot. I have never had the opportunity to smell the Mandrake Root, or Mandragore, so cannot comment on its presence or lack thereof. Due to its potent hallucinogenic effects, I can only imagine that it is used in minute amounts as a marketing tool...like cocktails containing Absinthe.
This is almost a gourmand, like gingerbread without the sugar. Mandragore gives the impression of being created predominantly of natural materials, but very carefully, and with some synthetic boosters. I see this on both men and women, but would prefer it on a man. This fragrance lacks roundness- without the addition of a voluptuous base like Tonka, Vanilla, or Amber, it requires the oilier skin of a man to have depth. I find it sits atop my skin, but never melds into it, even on a warm day.
Compare to current Idole by Lubin, which is both creamier and boozier, and has more character.
Mandragore possesses so few ingredients that it almost presents as a linear perfume. Fresh Bergamot dominates the entrance, if only for a short while. Within a minute, the fragrance settles into what it remains for about 4 hours; a sharp, simple, spicy melange of Bergamot, Black Pepper, Mint, Ginger, and (barely noticeable) Star Anise. The Bergamot and Mint are lovely, and manage to stand up well to the potentially overpowering Pepper. This is one of the more exemplary uses of Bergamot I have encountered. It is used throughout the composition to create balance, rather than existing solely in the top notes. The Star Anise is lost in the mix; I can't discern it. However, with so few ingredients, it must have some subtle effect. The Ginger is almost edible, and supports the Pepper in its role. The drydown is woodsy, similar to Sandal or Cedar, but more subtle, as it cannot compete with the Spice and ubiquitous Bergamot. I have never had the opportunity to smell the Mandrake Root, or Mandragore, so cannot comment on its presence or lack thereof. Due to its potent hallucinogenic effects, I can only imagine that it is used in minute amounts as a marketing tool...like cocktails containing Absinthe.
This is almost a gourmand, like gingerbread without the sugar. Mandragore gives the impression of being created predominantly of natural materials, but very carefully, and with some synthetic boosters. I see this on both men and women, but would prefer it on a man. This fragrance lacks roundness- without the addition of a voluptuous base like Tonka, Vanilla, or Amber, it requires the oilier skin of a man to have depth. I find it sits atop my skin, but never melds into it, even on a warm day.
Compare to current Idole by Lubin, which is both creamier and boozier, and has more character.
This is my first review, and I am reviewing the EDP format.
In the past, I have not loved AG scents-- to me they seem like riffs on the classic cologne formulation-- and I have tried a great many. But Mandragore is different than it's brothers. I ordered a sample, not expecting to like it, and ended up ordering the biggest bottle available (the one with the butterfly) the very day I tried it.
It starts out in the usual AG way wth citrus topnotes, but it quickly morphs into a wonderful spicy, sophisticated scent that does not overwhelm. For me it has only these two phases. This is the scent to wear to the office-- it is subtle and beautiful, yet it will pull people nearby closer to you as they fall under its spell. It is a scent to fall in love with. It is unique-- you cannot pin it down the way you can with, say, fracas or joy or any guerlain. It is a quiet mystery for a secure and confident person. It does not shout, "Oh look-- here I am!" But it does whisper this.
True, it does not have the staying power it might (maybe spray some on hair and clothing, or layer with the soap,) and maybe its sillage is gentle-- but I bought it along with 30 or more samples, trying about 3 or 4 per day. I put it on it the am, and at the end of the day, wearing l'heure bleu for the first time (sample #3) and driving to the market, I caught a whiff of this on my shirt and knew that I would be buying it and ditching that particular guerlain.
In the past, I have not loved AG scents-- to me they seem like riffs on the classic cologne formulation-- and I have tried a great many. But Mandragore is different than it's brothers. I ordered a sample, not expecting to like it, and ended up ordering the biggest bottle available (the one with the butterfly) the very day I tried it.
It starts out in the usual AG way wth citrus topnotes, but it quickly morphs into a wonderful spicy, sophisticated scent that does not overwhelm. For me it has only these two phases. This is the scent to wear to the office-- it is subtle and beautiful, yet it will pull people nearby closer to you as they fall under its spell. It is a scent to fall in love with. It is unique-- you cannot pin it down the way you can with, say, fracas or joy or any guerlain. It is a quiet mystery for a secure and confident person. It does not shout, "Oh look-- here I am!" But it does whisper this.
True, it does not have the staying power it might (maybe spray some on hair and clothing, or layer with the soap,) and maybe its sillage is gentle-- but I bought it along with 30 or more samples, trying about 3 or 4 per day. I put it on it the am, and at the end of the day, wearing l'heure bleu for the first time (sample #3) and driving to the market, I caught a whiff of this on my shirt and knew that I would be buying it and ditching that particular guerlain.
The first advice I can give in regards to this scent, you must try it on your skin first. When I smelt Mandragore from the bottle a look of horror, disgust and nausea must have crossed my face. Since I had only recently been quite ill with the flu, Mandragore instantly reminded me of a decongestant I took on a daily basis which was in the form of a lemon flavoured powder which when added to hot water, created the foulest smelling and tasting concoction on the planet.
I didn't think I would be touching a bottle of Mandragore ever again, until now. I was brave and applied a few small sprays to my wrist and waited.
I'm not a fan of the citrusy bergamot note, I never will be, however the pepper, mint and ginger notes balance the scent out nicely. After ten minutes the fragrance is quite pleasant and soft, certainly not nauseating like it was from the bottle.
I think to fall head over heels in love with this scent requires an acquired taste. It is certainly very different from my other Annick Goutal love, Passion.
I don't get a lot of woods in this fragrance, I think of it as more of a citrus aromatic rather than a woodsy perfume. It's unfortunate that this fragrance has poor lasting power, because it's perfumes like these that make people give up on Annick Goutal fragrances, which is a shame because she makes such lovely scents.
I have concluded that I do like Mandragore, but only in small doses. It's certainly not something that I can picture myself wearing every day. I might wait until the warmer months to try this again, because I am eager to see how well this is worn during the hot Summer days.
I probably wouldn't purchase this fragrance in a full bottle, however I'm content with my 15ml sample.
I didn't think I would be touching a bottle of Mandragore ever again, until now. I was brave and applied a few small sprays to my wrist and waited.
I'm not a fan of the citrusy bergamot note, I never will be, however the pepper, mint and ginger notes balance the scent out nicely. After ten minutes the fragrance is quite pleasant and soft, certainly not nauseating like it was from the bottle.
I think to fall head over heels in love with this scent requires an acquired taste. It is certainly very different from my other Annick Goutal love, Passion.
I don't get a lot of woods in this fragrance, I think of it as more of a citrus aromatic rather than a woodsy perfume. It's unfortunate that this fragrance has poor lasting power, because it's perfumes like these that make people give up on Annick Goutal fragrances, which is a shame because she makes such lovely scents.
I have concluded that I do like Mandragore, but only in small doses. It's certainly not something that I can picture myself wearing every day. I might wait until the warmer months to try this again, because I am eager to see how well this is worn during the hot Summer days.
I probably wouldn't purchase this fragrance in a full bottle, however I'm content with my 15ml sample.
Predominantly a light citrus scent but so mysterious to me. Effervescent to start and an enigma with the 'mandrake powder' and anise. I didn't get much ginger but I guess it could be adding to the 'fizz' aspect of this scent. Totally in love with the top notes too. I'll be corny and camp - I'll say it's quite magical and 'shiny' in character. I tried the EDT which I found pleasantly lasting for approx. 2 hours to the final light dry down . The lasting power is marginally Ok for an EDT but I bet the EDP is marvellous. Despite the short longevity ,this is an unusual enough citrus based scent for me to love.
I'm in the thumbs up camp. I fell in love with this one. It opens with a round luscious citrus cloud which on my skin does last far longer than other citrus scents I've tried. Humming along under the bright citrus is a delightful musky sage (?) (a reviewer below guessed) note. (It could be anise...but in no way is it a licorice note). To my nose, it's an indescribable note. These two dance with one another for a time in a light fast stepping romance. It's very uplifting. No idea about the name. Maybe AG was trying to go for "magical"...there's no darkness earthiness or witchcraft here. A great Springtime daytime "lift".
MANDRAGORE was apparently inspired by folklore and the mandrake root - long thought to be a mystical ingredient in witches' brew. Well, I have never seen a mandrake root, much less smell one. But what I smell here is a rather bewitchingly fresh summery scent - a hint of pepper over a softly vegetal accord (sage leaf?), topped with a refreshing blend of bergamot, anise and ginger. And as it dries down it I get a feather-light trace of woods and musk. Overall this is a lovely and wearable scent let down singularly by its 'airy-fairy' ethereality, lasting no more than 2 hours on my skin.
It is all about the dry down. A gingerous concocction that turns you and your skin into glowing greeness, with gold flakes. Some conplain that it does not last, it does, it's just subtle, which is a bit different from the standard Annick Goutal in your faceness. Spray heavily if you want to smell it constantly. If not, then let others enjoy your air, even if you can't smell it. Good stuff.
Annick Goutal MandragoreWhen I think of Mandrake the first thing that comes to mind are the shreiking plants from Harry Potter which are used to reverse the petrifying spell. Then I think of witch's brew as mandrake root usually follows eye of newt into the witch's cauldron. For those of a later generation there was even a comic strip called Mandrake The Magician. All of these associations tend to conjure up the magical and the mysterious. I was expecting the 2005 creation by Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen for Annick Goutal, based on the mandrake root, Mandragore to do the same. Mandragore is surprisingly a much lighter scent than I expected although there is a deep green aspect to it that does evoke some of the mysteriousness that the mandrake root represents. The top starts off very light and spicy with a bright mix of bergamot, anise, ginger, and a pinch of pepper. This is a well-balanced beginning if not as dark as I might have expected. The heart is where the mandrake comes in . Mandrake has an earthy deeply herbal quality. It is closest in character to the more earthy herbal patchouli that I most recently encountered in Reminiscence's Eau de Patchouli. That being said mandrake is no patchouli. The mandrake coveys the dark green herbalness but somehow it seems flat. Instead of being the star it becomes the support for the continued presence of the anise and ginger by adding a contrast to those notes. In the base there is a woody note along with some amber and musk, with the anise and ginger which really seem to last throughout the development of Mandragore. Mandragore has average longevity and average sillage, on me. Mandragore really is a scent that is not at all about the mandrake and more about the anise and ginger and while it might be misnamed it is a very pleasant summer scent, if not the witch's brew I was hoping for based on the name.