FRAGRANCE | Black to Black EDP by Mancera: A rose and oud nuclear bomb

Blind bought this one, my first from Mancera. Presentation is consistent with other fragrances from this house - same bottle that comes with a drawstring pouch. I've read about it before buying it but I still wasn't prepared for what Mancera Black to Black had in store.

I went with one spray to test it first and bam! This is a rose and oud bomb, the rose being the dominatrix that she is and the oud, her boy toy who's always by her side. It's deep, dark, and rich, projecting at nuclear levels. Because it's so strong, the rose actually scared me there for a moment. I was having second thoughts about whether I could pull this fragrance off. Was this a bad blind buy? I had a similar reaction to S.T. Dupont's Oud et Rose but this is something else entirely.

After about three hours, however, the louder than loud rose and oud accord mellows a bit. The rose takes a backseat - now tired, perhaps - and pushes the leather to the forefront to join the oud. She's still there, though, and her presence can still be felt. Projection is still fairly strong at this point but the fragrance has now settled into something smooth and well-rounded, a wonderful blend of wood, floral, and ambery sweetness.

I am now pacified. Turns out this was a good buy after all. Mancera Black to Black is beautiful and powerful. It just goes on and on and on, with more than enough power to get you through the day. And night. Though not really a cheapie, it's still pretty inexpensive. And with a blend and performance like this, it's maximum bang for your buck. A must-try!