Zara
Zara
92 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The calamondin punches through with bright, almost fizzy citrus character, immediately backed by herbal tagetes. Within seconds, you're catching whiffs of those warmer pralin and cinnamon elements beginning their emergence, creating an almost amber-lit quality even at this earliest stage. The composition refuses to be merely fresh—it's already hinting at the gourmand sweetness to come.
As the citrus gradually retreats, the black cardamom and cinnamon move decisively forward, creating a genuinely spiced, slightly peppery profile that's neither overly foodie nor particularly masculine in conventional terms. The tolu balm adds caramel-like sweetness, and the patchouli becomes discernible beneath, earthing everything with subtle, almost whiskey-like warmth. This is where the fragrance feels most complete and most unusual.
The woody base emerges as the spice gradually softens, with rosewood and ebony creating a sophisticated, slightly austere finish that maintains traces of the earlier sweetness without relying on it. Patchouli dominates now—earthy, faintly resinous, with mere suggestions of the cinnamon and caramel lingering as aromatic shadows rather than distinct notes.
Zara Man Gold announces itself as something altogether more textured than your typical mass-market fragrance. There's a deliberate clash here—the bright, almost tart calamondin and Calabrian lemon arrive with genuine citrus bite, but they're immediately tempered by tagetes, which pushes matters towards something slightly herbaceous and almost laundry-like before the composition's true character emerges.
What distinguishes this scent is its refusal to remain purely fresh. Within moments, the heart notes take command with an insistent sweetness—pralin and tolu balm create a caramelised, almost confectionery foundation that transforms the opening's lemony sharpness into something considerably warmer. Black cardamom and cinnamon provide genuine spice rather than mere suggestion; these aren't background players but active contributors that create a faintly peppery, almost savoury counterpoint to the gourmand sweetness.
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4.1/5 (380)