Taurus

I don't usually go into the subject of compliments too much in my reviews. Everyone can think what they like about it - for some it is the real reason to buy and wear fragrances, others don't give a damn about the opinion of their fellow human beings and for others I have the feeling that it is pure wishful thinking, which you can't find out exactly anyway.

I wouldn't necessarily classify Black Collection III or Arabia III as a compliment monster, but it is significant what positive reactions it evokes. The fragrance does not have an oriental, sensual aura, but behaves like a relaxed Bedouin tea ceremony with its gentle mint.

The guests sit on old, wooden furniture with stretched leather seats. In the dimmed tent, narrow beams of light break through the slightly dusty air with small particles of sandalwood and patchouli, which emanate from incense and mix with green notes and a hint of vanilla. This is roughly how this creation appears to me, but in an unobtrusive way.

Black Collection III is neither a brute firecracker nor a classic tea fragrance, but it is a smart statement with an excellently balanced Arabian character. In my opinion, not everyone needs to wear it, but it's still a shame that it's so under the radar.

As the name suggests, musk is the main theme here. Those who don't like it should steer clear of it, but those who appreciate it will be well served by Musc Ravageur.

The special feature: in addition to the generously used creamy-soft musk, which has a fine, slightly dirty, animalic nuance, the fragrance convinces with a warm cinnamon note and very subtle citrus splashes at the beginning. You could possibly also think of the powdery iris, but the smooth, sweetish approach is probably due to the musk, although something like a bubblegum note is noticeable deep in the background,

It is already clear here that Musc Ravageur exudes warm, high-quality and, above all, sensual vibes. But that's not all. As the fragrance progresses, cozy amber and vanilla are added. It's hard to imagine anything other than feeling good with it.

And just before the drydown, which lasts a long time, a little patchouli and sandalwood round off the creation. This leaves behind. Musc Ravageur leaves an extremely smooth and cultivated impression overall.
But what the fragrance definitely needs is skin or a warm base to fully unfold. Just spraying it on paper takes away a lot of its charm.
The only confusion: even though it is declared unisex, I see it more on men - rather, mind you.

Red Tobacco should primarily be of interest to anyone who loves cherry fragrances, even though this does not appear in the pyramid. Only Mancera's marketing department will be able to answer why this is not mentioned. They probably weren't confident enough in 2017, because cherry is now totally hip as an ingredient, as in "Lost Cherry (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford".

Here in Red Tobacco, it blends with all kinds of spicy, woody and resinous components, especially with a little oud and above all with tobacco. At the beginning, there are still synthetic nuances in the fragrance, but this disappears after a short time.

In the later phase, the cherry is also much more subtle, but still present enough in the fragrance. It is then flanked by dark, warm accords. Here, the oud also comes through somewhat more intensively, which makes Red Tobacco appear more valuable - even if this is probably of unnatural origin.

This is exactly how the eau de parfum is properly balanced - before, it was a little squeaky and too strongly focused on the cherry note. In the finish, the dimmed, slightly red sparkling sweetness remains. Again and again, various accents stand out from the creation. Sometimes it is the incense, sometimes the cinnamon and towards the end you notice the vanilla as well as the musk. Perfect on cool days!

And all of this with a high intensity in terms of projection and longevity. Personally, I prefer cherries fresh from the tree or as Mon Chéri, possibly in rice pudding but not necessarily olfactorily. It's not Red Tobacco's fault, and I still find it appealing, but it's by no means a candidate for purchase.

Ambre Nuit is probably the best-known and most popular fragrance in Dior's Collection Privée - if you look at the ratings and number of users on Parfumo.

Although I like the fragrance, I still have to ask myself what is the main reason for its fascination. I can't make out a slow start, Ambre Nuit starts too directly for that. Without further ado, it immediately reveals a sweet Damask rose with a good dose of amber.

There is a whole lot more going on in between, which is not so easy to pinpoint and promises more than just the fragrance notes listed. (Dior's website also only mentions rose and amber).

I think I can still smell at least a little honey and a minimal hint of cinnamon. Possibly a woody base and some more spicy nuances in the restrained oriental vibe. The sweetness reminds me of a mixture of orange blossom and chewing gum, which is not meant to be derogatory.

Interestingly, I can imagine that Ambre Nuit can be worn at any time of the year, although not necessarily on a midsummer day with over 30° C. Perhaps this is also the reason for its popularity, because the fragrance is pleasant, not commonplace and can be worn without hesitation by any gender and in any age group. What's more, Ambre Nuit is not restricted to night-time use.

The fragrance label Essential Parfums has attracted extremely positive attention, at least with the release of Bois Imperial. If you compare it with the label's other creations, it is likely to have generated the most sales by a huge margin. Unfortunately, the other fragrances fall far behind, even if they at least don't receive bad reviews on average.

The situation is similar with Nice Bergamote, which stands in the shadow of Bois Imperial. After all, Antoine Maisondieu has also created some highly successful fragrances for other brands, but this "nice bergamot" is perhaps simply too well-behaved, too arbitrary, too unexciting and not innovative enough.

However, what you get here is what you get or could expect: a citrusy bergamot refresher with a clear impact with floral notes of jasmine and ylang-ylang. There is also a small hint of cedarwood and barely any tonka bean. That's about it.
You shouldn't expect an outstanding performance, as Nice Bergamote is too close to the body and too short-breathed for that.

In principle, one could assume that the entire creation is unisex, but I personally find the floral notes quite feminine and the core theme not fully served. I would definitely recommend a test before placing a blind order.

If you wear it, you have a spring-like, summery companion - but you have to ask yourself whether this is exactly what you want because there are so many alternatives. It's nicely made, but as we all know, that's unfortunately not always enough and the better is simply the enemy of the good.