Jo Loves A Shot of Oud Over Mango Review

Part of the popular Mango Collection by Jo Loves, A Shot of Oud Over Mango is probably the most unique of the bunch and possibly the most ambitious scent pairing yet in a Jo Loves fragrance!

Combining the sweet lushness of the Mango fruit with a deep nutty earthiness of Oud (Agarwood) is quite provocative to say the least. The two definitely wouldn’t appear to marry well, and although strange at first, I can see how the pair compliment each other in the end. To be honest, combining Mango and Oud is near genius!

In this fragrance the lushness of the Mango seems more subdued and serious when paired with the Oud wood. It takes on a whole other life of it’s own, well beyond the other more fun and adventurous scents in the Mango Collection. Where as the other scents are on the tropical side, A Shot of Oud Over Mango is a more mature and highbrow scent.

Yes, you still get the sweetness of the Mango, but it is only an entrance along with prickly Black Pepper. The heart of the fragrance is actually a spicy Freesia that combines with the mossy rich Oud woodiness to create a masculine and powerful scent like nothing I’ve ever smelled.

I have to admit, this pairing is hard to embrace, and my nose has to work hard to understand it’s beauty. First off, Oud is a very hard note to like. It’s a bit like Marmite where you either like it (no one actually loves it) or hate it! It is quite a powerful smell, centering around mossy, damp, musty, earthy, and woody notes that give it a uniquely sharp scent. I would even go so far as to say that it is quite animalic almost, primal in a way with it’s overt salt-of-the-Earth smell.

At times, the sharpness of the Oud in this fragrance is toned down by the lush smooth Mango, which lends itself to a very deep and guteral scent. When this occurs, it can make you weak in the knees, it’s so good! But for the most part, you are struck by a double-edged sword of spicy peppery Freesia and sharp musty Oud which I must admit doesn’t quite sit well on most people and gives off a faint hint of bug spray.

If A Shot of Oud Over Mango was pure Mango and Oud, perhaps with some creamy warm Amber or Musk thrown in to smooth it out instead of the Freesia, I believe this fragrance would be a near masterpiece! Mango is a rare note used in perfumery and combining it with Oud is one-of-a-kind; but the peppery Freesia seems to detract from the warmth of the scent and in my opinion, when this happens, the magic seems to disappear.

As a huge fan of Jo Loves, I find it hard to review this scent as it is such near perfection but I regret not understanding it’s current beauty. Though I am aware, that perfume certainly smells different on everyone, so I am hoping that this is just an isolated case where the Freesia/Oud combo just doesn’t work for me personally.

But for the first time in my career I am leaving somewhat of an open-ended review; hoping to revisit this scent in the future to try it again.

If you want to explore the other fragrances in the Jo Loves Mango Collection read the Jo Loves Mango Nectar Review or the Jo Loves A Shot of Thai Lime over Mango Review

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Summary: This scent has the potential to be genius, combining sweet lush Mango with deep mossy Oud wood. The problem arises when sharp, peppery Freesia takes the spotlight. This spicy floral note doesn't seem to sit right with the earthy musty woodiness. A Shot of Oud Over Mango would be utterly intoxicating if it left out the peppery notes and stuck with the rich, lush, smooth, and smoky Mango/Oud combo!

2.5

Sharp Masculine Woodiness

Tags: Cologne, Jo Loves, Mango Collection, Masculine, Oriental, Unisex

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