Roja Parfums Manhattan by Olya Bar©
Manhattan, a city like no other, with an energy as boundless as its skyline. They say if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere – a sentiment etched into every skyscraper, every bustling corner. It’s a city that pulses with a certain grit and grandeur, a mix of towering ambition and raw elegance. Amidst the dizzying highs of wealth and the everyday resilience of its people, Manhattan is a place of contradictions: fiercely proud yet mercilessly tough, opulent yet hardened. Its character seeps into your bones, and once you’ve walked its streets, the city never quite leaves you.
One drink that truly embodies the essence of Manhattan is its namesake cocktail, a drink as mysterious in origin as the city itself. Some say it was crafted at the legendary Manhattan Club, others whisper it was born in the old Hoffman House bar. Wherever it first came to be, the Manhattan cocktail has long been the drink of choice for those with a taste for something bold yet refined. Traditionally made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, and finished with a maraschino cherry, it’s a classic American creation that has endured the test of time. Each sip evokes visions of the Gilded Age, when New York was the center of the world, and nights out meant cocktail dresses, sharp suits, and an air of sophistication that feels like a glimpse into a lost era.
Old New York City generated via AI by Olya Bar
Capturing this spirit, Roja Parfums Manhattan celebrates New York’s eternal magnetism with a bold and dense fragrance. Smoky tobacco and dry cedarwood evoke the grit of the city’s streets and the old-fashioned bars, while vanilla, heliotrope and coconut add a soft yet audacious depth, capturing both the glitz of uptown and the edge of downtown. There’s a spiciness that pulses through the fragrance, a heady blend of cinnamon, ginger, and clove that nods to the meticulous spice palette of a master mixologist. The rose and jasmine unfurl in delicate contrast, balancing the woodsy, spicy notes with a touch of feminine intrigue. It’s the scent of a city alive with contrasts, a maximalist blend that channels the dynamism of Manhattan itself – a place that will forever remain an intoxicating mix of elegance and edge.
Roja Parfums Manhattan by Olya Bar
In the crisp embrace of fall and the chill of winter, Roja Parfums Manhattan finds its true stage. One spritz, and you’re whisked back a century to an era where the city glowed with old-world sophistication. As if you were a silent witness to the patrons stepping into shadowy bars, wrapped in soft leather gloves and tilted hats, their scent a blend of patchouli, warm woods, and the slight smokiness of nights spent lingering over whiskey. The air crackles with an orchestra’s subtle hum, a prelude to an evening of elegance and clandestine encounters. This fragrance captures that essence—where every ingredient, from the amber warmth to the bitters’ sharp bite, speaks of the city’s layered charm. It’s a scent for those who revel in authentic, unpolished luxury, a nod to an era where glamour was deep-rooted and couldn’t be replicated. Every accord, every detail, from top note to dry down, resonates with the history and relentless spirit of Manhattan, an olfactory tribute to a city that will forever be an intoxicating mix of power, poise, and unmatched charisma.
Notes: Bergamot, Lavender, Basil, Rose de Mai, Jasmine de Grasse, Heliotrope, Violet, Coconut, Ginger, Pink Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Tobacco, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Pine, Benzoin, Vanilla, Musk.
Disclosure: Roja Parfums Manhattan was gifted to me from Twisted Lily, where you can sample or buy for the purpose of this review. Opinions are always my own.
Olya Bar, Editor.
Manhattan was composed in 2022
You can read Michelyn’s interview with Roja Dove and the history of British Perfumery here
Read Olya’s review of Elysium Pour Femme here. Watch Steven’s review of Isola Blu here.
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