Maison Mona di Orio
Maison Mona di Orio
129 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Bright mandarin and petigrain burst forth with almost aggressive freshness, but the elemi immediately weighs them down with resinous amber-tinged density. Within minutes, you're aware this isn't a conventional citrus fragrance—something deeper is already claiming territory.
The osmanthus emerges with apricot-tinged warmth, only to be immediately complicated by the oud's woody, slightly mineral presence. The two notes refuse to blend into harmony; instead they establish a productive tension, with spice notes threading between them like smoke.
The composition becomes increasingly austere and earthy as nagarmotha and patchouli dominate, anchored by cedar's cool dryness. The musk and ambergris fade to whispers, leaving a skin scent that hovers somewhere between incense-blessed fabric and aged leather—present, but demanding attention rather than projecting it.
Les Nombres d'Or presents itself as a study in controlled opacity—a fragrance that refuses easy categorisation. The Calabrian mandarin and petigrain open with citric brightness, but they're immediately shadowed by Philippine elemi's resinous weight, creating that peculiar sensation of light filtered through amber glass. This is not a cheerful citrus; it's citrus with existential doubt.
The true character emerges in the heart, where Chinese osmanthus absolute collides with Laotian oud in an oddly compelling embrace. Osmanthus typically reads apricot-like, almost creamy, yet here it becomes something more austere—the oud strips away any softness, rendering the floral simultaneously intimate and austere, like discovering something precious in an austere monastery. The spice accord (76%) adds subtle friction, preventing this from becoming merely pleasant.
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4.6/5 (86)