Matin a Mogador

Matin a Mogador by the Spanish house Botanicae, released in 2019, is a citrus floral with an animalic, spiced underside. Floral is the word everyone uses; three quarters also find it citrusy, about half spicy and woody, and a quarter resinous or ambery.

Bergamot, verbena and lemon verbena open it with a sharp, green, lemony freshness. Cumin and nutmeg follow quickly with a warm, slightly sweaty spice that gives the scent a human, skin-like character from early on. The heart is rose, geranium and violet, with iris adding powder, so the floral reads rosy and soft rather than heady. The base is where it gets interesting: civet and leather bring a warm, musky, animalic depth, benzoin and amber a resinous sweetness, vanilla a touch of comfort and vetiver and patchouli a dry, earthy finish.

It is a shared fragrance, worn by anyone. The animalic base suggests it is a scent for people who like a little dirt behind their flowers; the citrus opening makes it wearable in warm weather, while the base carries it into evenings.

Matin a Mogador — unisex fragrance by Botanicae (released 2019). Notes: Amber, Benzoin, Bergamot, Civet, Clary Sage, Cumin, Geranium, Iris, Leather, Lemon Verbena, Nutmeg, Patchouli, Rose, Vanilla, Verbena, Vetiver, Violet. — Parfica open fragrance database