Yes, we’re all sick of the endless parade of flankers, but sometimes a flanker is a welcome thing. Annick Goutal launched the original Mandragore Eau de Toilette in 2005, and I was among many who complained about its lasting power. Despite that, I eventually bought a bottle and I do wear it quite happily in summer. Later, Annick Goutal released an Eau de Parfum version. As expected, it had better longevity, but it also retained the woody-herbal crispness — perfect for hot weather — of the original.
The new Mandragore Pourpre is a very different fragrance — different enough that you should probably try it whether you liked the original Mandragore or not, although the focus (the mandrake plant) and the perfumer (Isabelle Doyen) are the same. But Mandragore Pourpre is probably closer to what I had imagined the original would be, given that Camille Goutal reportedly found the inspiration for Mandragore in fairy tales, folklore and Harry Potter…
