This is still a Parisian exclusive as of the date of this posting. I recently did a YouTube video and blog post on how to get packages shipped from Paris to the USA. Mancera does not ship to the USA, which is a real shame because there are a lot of people here waiting for their perfumes to arrive stateside!
I knew when I looked at the notes on Mancera’s website that I had to get my hands on this gem. I had to place two orders because they sold out on my first order (when I purchased coco vanille). I tore into the package and sprayed it on immediately! Within seconds I was in heaven. There is something magical about a blind buy that goes 100% right.
Notes:
HEAD NOTES: Sparkling Bergamot, Orange & Hazelnut.
HEART NOTES: Sensual Violet, Dark Chocolate.
BASE NOTES: Vanilla Pods from Madagascar, White Musk.
I was met with a sweet blast of chocolate and as the name would suggest violet. There is a slight nuttiness to it. And even though it says dark chocolate it smells creamy/milky to me, thanks to the vanilla. A very light clean musk, not the typical Mancera fashion. Also, even though there is sparkling bergamot listed, I didn’t get any citrus in this.
This scent is very linear on me and I am totally happy about it because it is delicious straight out of the bottle! As you have come to expect with Mancera, the projection/sillage, and longevity are above average. I get a full days wear and beautiful scent trail/fragrance bubble without a base. I have tried this out in cold and warmer weather and it performs beautifully in both situations. This is a very versatile fragrance; it can be worn any time of year, to any occasion (of course depending on how you feel about gourmands). I had a gentleman ask me if I thought this was unisex (prior to him blind buying it), I have given a sample to a few men and they enjoyed it very much. It really comes down to how you feel about violet. Unfortunately, this is not easy to get a sample of prior to purchasing. The good news is, if you hate it, there are plenty of people dying to get their noses on it and would be willing to buy a decant so recouping your money shouldn’t be a problem!
I purchased the small bottle because I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this scent, having never owned a fragrance with violet in it before. Now I regret not purchasing the full size. I have my fingers crossed that one of the most reputable perfume shops within the fragrance community and the Mancera/Montale king (They carry a large variety of not only said houses but niche/designer brands)- Beverly Hills Perfumery, will carry this in the near future. If you are lucky enough to live on the West Coast of the US and can get to Beverly Hills, I highly recommend you go check the store out:
**This is not a sponsored post**
If you are like me and far away, have no fear… the owner and staff are very responsive through facebook and have completed thousands of seamless transactions online: check them out on FaceBook: @BHPerfumery
I have sent out a few samples to some of my friends in the fragrance community and the feedback has been similar to mine. Everyone that smells this, falls in love. If you can’t wait for this scent to come stateside and you want to see what all the hype is about, go watch my video on how to get Paris exclusives to the USA: HOW TO GET PARIS EXCLUSIVES TO THE USA
**Again, this was not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. There are no affiliate links used in this post.
Mancera Choco Violette
Pros
- Exclusive- it would be VERY unlikely to run into another person wearing this if you live stateside.
- Smells incredible- a delight for gourmand lovers.
- It performs above average with regard to projection and longevity.
- Unisex
- Versatile- can be used any time of year and for any occasion.
Cons
- Not available in the USA.
- Mancera does not ship to the USA.
- Is hard to get.