Mahora Guerlain for women

I love this fragrance. I'm a Guerlain fan since the 1970s and this was a sweet, instant like for me. I'm not sure why it didn't catch on immediately. It's so easy to like. I would say it's more of an evening or special occasion fragrance than an everyday scent though. Guerlain had a winner here.

Adding my voice to the chorus that wishes (hopes) Guerlain will re-release this amazing fragrance! To a nose of today, I think Mahora would come across as unisex - it's exotic, but reserved; spicy, but not sweet. There's the big white floral opening so typical of bold 80s and 90s perfumes...but within a few seconds, the lush, mouthwatering combination of gently powdery almond blossom and tangy orange quickly emerge and take center stage. Subtle green notes under the surface bring out a regal freshness and elevation. Just as you're tilting your head back and closing your eyes in ecstasy, the vanilla and warm, fluffy sandalwood base reach out to cradle you in an intimate, salty sweet afterglow. C'mon, Guerlain. You know you want it. Bring it back.

GUERLAIN can you please remake/ re release this perfume!!!!! Now is the era of tropical scents please please please!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 my favourite ever ❤️

Wow, wow, wow. My friend Sarah--most precious perfume pen pal!--sent me a vial of this vintage baby, and it blew my mind. At first application, I smelled a kind of complex mossy chypre scent that reminded me of Mitsouko--and then came a teensy touch of a minty, mentholated smell (not entirely unlike the anise in Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, and other early Guerlains), only that peculiar accord quickly revealed itself to be a very loud, very hyperrealistic tuberose. I happen to love tuberose, and it doesn't smell meaty or rancid or indolic to me, thank goodness--it's just a very assertive tuberose, a bit like if that peach in Mitsouko turned into a tuberose and then took over Tokyo. I do smell some almond blossom and jasmine, at which point Mahora reminds me the tiniest bit of YSL Cinéma, but that one is much sweeter and richer. This is more like a tuberose chypre, in the way that Diva and Knowing are rose chypres, except rose and tuberose are about as different as two flowers can be. I imagine that fans of Tubereuse criminelle and Fracas and other "in your face" tuberose frags would enjoy this, but this tuberose is, while clearly dominant, not the most interesting thing to me about Mahora.

I don't even know how to describe Mahora, other than beautiful, potent, and weird. When I first put it on, I could smell the ylang-ylang and vetiver in the forefront, which reminded me of Ysatis and White Diamonds (pure parfum form, which seems to contain more ylang-ylang), but those are sweeter and less distinctive. I put on Mahora after my shower last night, and I got into bed, and then I didn't want to fall asleep because the fragrance kept changing. The drydown is the most beautiful part of all if you are fond of sandalwood. The drydown gives me a bit of the Samsara feeling, which is the most wonderful feeling of all: a clean, powdery, woody, balsamic scent bubble. It's a shame Guerlain discontinued Mahora, but maybe it was just too difficult to recreate now in accordance with IFRA regulations. If you are a fan of tuberose and chypres, track down a vintage bottle while they're still relatively affordable. And yes, I know that this is not classified as a chypre--it's a floral amber--but the bitter almond, the "green notes," and most of all the vetiver come through so strongly on my skin that I consider it chypresque at least.

Thank you so much, Sarah, if you are reading this. You are my fragrance sherpa! I'm going to be huffing my inner elbows all day long.

In 2001 I was teaching a semester abroad class in Paris from March to June. This perfume was everywhere, hard marketing on billboards, etc. I bought it, and liked it. But I was too young to appreciate it. It is actually quite wintery, not tropical, although it is mostly white flowers. The medicinal opening of tuberose is fantastic and the fragrance is not cloying or tropical but dry and woody. Strangely, for Guerlain, this perfume did not age well. I still have my 3/4 full bottle as a memento, but the juice turned to alcohol about 15 years ago. A pretty bottle, but it has been relegated to a drawer. Next spring cleaning it will likely be donated.

I was lucky enough to snag a gorgeous splash bottle on Depop. Milky almond blossom, buttery tuberose, creamy sandalwood -- this is a floral-woody-lactonic dream. And good god is this stuff addictive! I can't stop smelling my wrist.

The prices for Mahora on eBay are just evil, and I detest the people selling this discontinued gem at such gouging prices!!!
Ok, tantrum over.

I adore reading all of these reviews, haven't finished them all, but I'll add my two (s)cents: I wear Mahora when it is cold outside, and that's when I love it best. I'm not drawn at all to it in the summer, or the heat. When I want a blast of something that smells as orange as the perfume inside of its golden bottle, Mahora it is. For me, Mahora is a retreat into a roasting sauna, a scorching bath, a dripping summer night with the heat pulsing out of the pavement and the buildings, in the midst of a cold winter. It is, in other words, a portal into a fantasy realm while you are stuck in a gray or cold reality.

It starts out intensely camphoric and mentholic. I think this is very off-putting to many people, and they don't give it a second chance or even a first one. You have to like this aspect, which is admittedly a bit weird and not very pretty, or embrace it. I don't smell aldehydes at all or the constituents of sand, which to me would be the iodine smell of the ocean, the scent of the sun on dry sand, maybe seaweed and brine. Certainly I personally smell no neroli or even jasmine. There might be a thin thread of ylang ylang, but mostly upon opening, I get the camphorous notes of the tuberose. Depending on the day, I might interpret some oiliness. After this camphor and menthol dissipate, I am surrounded in a lush jungle of hothouse flowers. And golly, how has it taken me 7 or 8 years to notice the drydown? I am reminded of Bijan Woman, the original and vintage, but a little less sterotypical-80s. I just noticed an ambery smell, and was thinking "amber? vanilla? sandalwood?" Seems like a yes to all three.

As to longevity, my sprays have been lasting me all day and into the next, I can smell this drydown on my skin in the morning if I haven't taken a shower at night, and I am loathe to take a shower to prepare for the day. I am LIVING for the base notes.

It is not a LOVE for me, because it is too weird and I can't wear it all of the time. And yet, it has a very, very solid place in my collection, and I love it enough for it to be there. I appreciate it for what it is.

And yes, my sense of olfaction might be off, or differently able than that of other people. C'est la vie.

If anyone hates it and wants to offload their bottle, I'm your gal!

Happy to say, I received my full 2.5 oz bottle of Mahora today that I got for a steal. Initial first spray mostly filled the room. Not loud or overbearing imo, but you know she’s made her appearance.
The dry-down is simply divine. A luscious, softly sweet and comforting floral, golden-honey delight.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but wow - this is better than I imagined. Pretty bottle, too.
I have a large collection of fragrances and at almost 56 y/o, this is only my second Guerlain fragrance. My first was Jardins de Bagatelle in 1985 when I was 17.
Glad to add Mahora to my collection. Lovely ✨🧡

As I write this, it's a foggy day in New England, and for all the talk that Mahora is a tropical, beachy fragrance sending wearers to distant, exotic locales, for me, it matches the mood of the brume outside. The tuberose actually suggests an unsettling chill, mentholated and beautifully wan, ghostly like the white flowers themselves, but immediately after it announces itself, there is a bitter green almond, spine-shivering, eyes peering. There is no Tiki bar, there are no paper mache umbrellas. Perhaps something under the surface rises that reminds one for a moment of banana daiquiri in the form of over-ripened ylang ylang. But this grows more than intoxicating, it is buttery blossoms bursting, soon decaying and rotting, enfolding and collapsing as mushrooms do when they are past maturity.

This is a moodier creation than what Guerlain even anticipated, it's as if Mahora is a Frankenstein that refused to be caged in its assigned raison d'etre. It's dark and brooding, wearing a cloak in the thick fog, stealing spirits like a thief in the night. It has that same mysterious poignancy I get from Magie Noire; it's the same feeling I get when I listen to Terry Riley, a continuous dissonance resolving into the consonance and then the cycle repeats. Sweet facades concealing decaying interiors, cauldrons with who knows what floating in the bubbling brew, questions that probably shouldn't deserve answers, this is what I feel when wearing Mahora. Does this mean I enjoy wearing it? Absolutely. It's much like watching a film on the human condition: you squirm and perspire just a bit, but you feel satisfied, even liberated somewhat, by letting the truth unfold as the fog settles—like the vibrant white and yellow flowers destined for browning, decomposition, and departure. Exit scene.

Keeping this short - not my favourite family era Guerlain, too much synthetic sandalwood for me (not a favourite note). It kind of drowns everything else that is supposed to be going on here with the white flowers. Will reinvestigate this in warmer weather to see if other facets would come out more. The very long dry down (after the harsh sandal is gone) is nice, creamy and nutty. The bottle is much nicer in real life than in pictures - its odd late 70s vibe looks better when you realise the gold bit is convex metal with a hammered effect and the top twists and is decorated with stars.

Does anyone know if there was Mahora in EDT? I have seen one on Ebay but wonder if it is legit. EDT is not listed here above.

Edit:
I bought an almost full 75 ml EDT (from 2001, according to the batch code) for a really low price, and what a pleasure this is! Complex, elegant and timeless in its very dated approach to waxy white orange blossoms and almost bitter coconut/almond. Not too sweet at all, but still juicy, soft, warm and sparkling, rather than heavy and heady (maybe because it is an EDT?). In the beginning it kind of reminds me of Sacred Scarab by Zoologist and Ruffles by Oscar de la renta, as well as Idylle by Guerlain, but Mahora is prettier, airier and classier. After it dries down, it moves on to an expensive old school powder/soap scent, somewhere between Estee by Estee Lauder and No 19 Poudre by Chanel. How can this not have been a hit?! As a kindred spirit to Shalimar, it is like a hundred perfumes orchestrated to one scent. Seamlessly blended. Wow.

@Ladylva
Your words are so true! Today's sweet, synthetic bombs are unwearable to me. I am rocking Mahora today in the 108° Texas heat ( thank goodness it's cooling off tomorrow) and the yummy floral sweetness is making the temperature bearable and makes me smile!

EDIT: 01/02/2023
I am happy to report that Mahora is just as sublime in the winter 60°s as it was in 108° summer heat. It's one of my favorites out of the 200(!) or so fragrances that I have tried last year!

We're experiencing yet another heatwave and, in the midst of it, I'm rocking Mahora with abandon - not because I'm an unapologetic alpha disinterested in other people's well-being, but because Mahora deserves to be worn in the summertime! As we all know, Mahora has received lots of bad press since its launch, hence people expect it to be an overwhelmingly strong and long-lasting fragrance, but that's not the case. I'm not saying that Mahora is weak, but it's nothing like those unrepentant Mancera-Montale synthetic bombs. Mahora is sweet, creamy, buttery, balsamic and tropical, yet it is incredibly well structured and absolutely not overwhelming or, heaven forbid, unpleasant. The sweet notes of tuberose, ylang, frangipani, orange and vanilla are perfectly balanced by sandalwood, bitter almond and vetiver. I'm always happy to put it on and I end up receiving tons of compliments. What makes Mahora smell somewhat 'dated' today is that it's a sweet scent without any fruitiness (bar the orange, which is quite subdued). Nowadays young girls are conditioned to enjoy fruity scents from the get-go, and thus they probably get quite surprised when confronted with floral sweetness. But, honestly, nobody should fear Mahora - it's a very nice scent that deserves to be loved, especially when the heat is on.

The bottle design is positively phallic. I remember smelling this inside fashion magazines when I was a young lady with no money for buying Guerlain. Decades later I came into possession of a mini bottle of Mahora. What a buttery, intensely tropical tuberose! Quite voluptuous. This is for tanned women at resorts who have the money for treatments that keep them looking much younger than their age. This smells thick... I don't know that I'd actually want to wear it on the hottest days of summer. But in winter, it would uplift one's spirits. Luxury scent here and a little goes a long way. That mini lasted me for years.

Oh, wow. I adore this. It’s unfortunate they discontinued this within a few years of its creation because it’s wonderful. This is the love child of Givenchy Organza Indécence and Guerlain Terracotta and something else… It’s more tropical. Indécence was released in 1999 and Mahora was released in 1999/2000.

I’m rather sad about where Guerlain has headed under Thierry Wasser.

Mahora is a notoriously "bad" fragrance that was considered a rare failure for the house of Guerlain, only to be rereleased with some small tweaks as Mayotte (which I have yet to smell). I have a miniature of the charming round bottle, and while the fragrance inside is certainly divisive, deviating hugely from Guerlain's typical style, it is interesting and fairly original. Mahora is tropical, very fruity with white florals, resulting in a suntan lotion-esque scent.

Mahora opens with boozy, sweetly balsamic fruity notes, bolstered by coconut-like almond. There is not much orange, but green notes add an aromatic quality without resorting to camphor. The overall effect is jungly - rich, pleasant and intriguing. Creamy white florals emerge as it develops, with heady tuberose and sweet ylang ylang most evident to my nose. I get some sweetly tropical frangipani despite it not being listed in the notes. Neroli and orange form a rich citrus accord, slightly balsamic, which complements the white florals beautifully.

As it approaches the drydown stage, smooth vanilla adds sweetness while soft sandalwood adds rich, sunny warmth. It fades to a vanilla skin scent with a hint of balsamic fruit and woody notes after several hours. Sillage is pretty strong and longevity is day-long, as is often the nature of suncream-like scents.

Mahora is a summery feminine scent, yet without mass appeal - the balsamic notes won't be to everyone's taste, being very sweet without being sugary. It is a strong, sweet floriental, yet beachy and exotic. Ironically, it is perhaps too strong for summertime use, but it would feel out of place at any other time of year. An oddity, but utterly interesting. 3/5.

Mature.
Floriental.

Yasssss, I found a knockoff oil of this that makes me feel like, “I’m back, baby!”.

I’ll be fine without that adorable bottle.

Really, nothing actually amazes me, but I still smack my head as to how this wasn’t wildly popular and got d/c.
Honestly, people around here either wear almost nothing or it gets diffused and eaten up on the street, (most likely), or smells like a random shelf at Sephora, so I would love to smell this everywhere on other people.

I actually find this refined and modern, really the best of “old” and “new”. Clearly, I have a more macro than micro view.

I don’t even know why this works, looking at the notes shown, vetiver usually goes sharp pepper on me, and I usually interpret vanilla as bad candle (I don’t even use vanilla candles….. I guess I like my vanilla edible or not at all) or some sort of cake/bun, which I’m happy to create in an oven but don’t want to wear. Sandalwood can be overly sweet for me.
Looking at the bar graph, the vanilla and powdery bars would normally make me skeptical.

I enjoy, yay, love, my Samsara and LHB, but I’m also a tuberose-lover. This might actually be my fav Guerlain?!? Even in a knockoff. Maybe my nose was just thirsty, but - Whoooo-hoooo!! Glorious!

This is a darker, heavy sexy white floral. White floral-based fragrances are my favorite overall but I find many of them to be summery and light enough for daytime, but this seems more like an evening fragrance to me and can easily be worn in colder months. There is a subtle sweetness from the ylang ylang, and warm creaminess from the vanilla and sandalwood. The fragrance and bottle are reminiscent of late '80s/early '90s so I was shocked to learn this was released in 2000 (or 1999 according to some websites). I discovered Mahora after smelling Mayotte in a Guerlain store and fell in love but didn't buy it because it was quite expensive, being part of the Le Parisiennes line. My husband surprised me with it, and when I found out it was being discontinued, upon further research I learned that this was basically a dupe of Mahora, its predecessor. I ended up finding Mahora online for a good price so I purchased it. Side by side, they are very similar, with Mahora being a fraction of the price. Unfortunately, my Mayotte turned rancid but I still have my Mahora. It's a shame that this was a "bomb" for Guerlain. If it had been released 10 years earlier, or maybe even 10 years later with a different bottle design, I think this could have been much more successful.

Definitely spicy, aromatic and extremely evocative of the 1980's Cinnabar and Opium. Starts extremely sweet; nearly overpowering but the fade begins quickly to more of a powdery sweetness instead of pure glucose. It is simply far too sweet, honey, syrupy to me.

Oh me I'm so afraid to comment about it because I have some crazy friends around here, who already hunt me... on hell I was joking I don't give a damn 😂.
It's the only Guerlain perfume I LOVE, it is not necessarily a feminist perfume because it lacks a single note to be, verticality, even if it starts promisingly, the vanilla at the end hmm cuts it a bit, but I don't give a damn on that too. It's my guilty pleasure, I never understood why it wasn't appreciated to the true extent....actually, I know why, you need ability to understand this scent...ops I D I A😏... Returning to the perfume, indolic, nonindolic, it's a gem, it's a white perfume by definition, that tuberose smells DIVINE, is a combination of green with white and some orange, it's like making a bouquet of tuberose, with jasmine over which you throw a liter of orange juice, and finally grind ylang ylang over together with roasted walnuts in essence of vanilla. BEAUTIFUL!
I can't say it's a gourmand because it doesn't arouse such a thing as lust, it is the kind of perfume that puts you in the a fragrance blanket and you feel the need to constantly smell your skin. It's hot too. It's the scent I wear on walks, usually in Prague because it seems to fit the atmosphere, but not only. Unfortunately, I only have two bottles of this vintage scent left, the perfume reintroduced in the exclusive collection although it is clearly the same, it seems to me that it does not have this orange so well defined and it is a pity. And yes, it gets you off your feet, if you spray a lot, it hit both you and those who pass by, so...drip it lightly.

I have a small splash bottle of this from a sample gift set. Mahora is a warm, creamy and beautiful tuberose fragrance. Mahora’s tuberose is quite buttery and gourmand rather than shrieking and sharp. Just like with Samsara, this one makes people want to pull you in closer. Longevity is average but I’m beginning to think this has more to do with my weird skin than anything else. Overall, a beauty,

Why, oh why, did Guerlain stop producing Mahora? It was their best perfume after Shalimar. This was a perfume for a strong woman, who knows what she want and doesn`t care about anyone`s opinion. Vanilla, almond and sandal wood mainly in a perfect blend ( though I swear I could smell coconut!). I adored this perfume. Although it was very strong, I wore it in summer months ( to the protest of some people around me, but who cared?:-)). I really hope that Guerlain will start producing it again instead of launching dozens of super boring flankers of LPRN and Aqua Allegoria.

A legend. A milky fountain of youth, a nectar straight from Earth’s bosom, a vintage honey of golden flowers. And nuts. That nutty aftertaste is sublime, i can feel it on my tongue while my honeyed nose and brain dance in euphoria among ecstatic maenads and lyre sounds.
Mahora is an experience, one of Guerlain’s best.
*****

Holy smokes! Does this fill a room!
I'm taking advantage of the house confinement to try some minis. Today, I decided to give Mahora a third chance, as I already tried it two times last summer, but it was too heady.
My test went like this: I put a drop of Mahora in my hand, waited for it to dry down, and went to my office to work and sniff my hand every now and then to see its evolution. Mind you, this is a 38 m2 room, and I always keep the windows open during the daytime. 5 mins after I walk in the room, my partner (who's sitting 4 m away from me) says: "You smell fantastic, what is that?". I give him my hand, and he goes: "Yeah. It's this, but up close, it's way too syrupy. It gives me a headache."
I have to say, I agree. Mahora is an exuberant tuberose bomb that has a tropical feel thanks to the ylang, and a bit of sweet powderiness thanks to the almonds. It's great for the beginning of spring, and maybe the colder seasons too, but I'd be afraid to kill someone during the hot mediterranean summer or if I'm in closed quarters. It does mellow a bit with time, though, allowing me to appreciate the sandalwood and vanilla.

So, summarizing: it's a gorgeous, flowery scent, but wear with caution. I'd recommend it for white flower and oriental lovers alike.

PS: I'm actually wearing Extravagance d'Amarige in my neck as my day perfume. The layering of these two is lovely. Try it if you can.

6/10

When I first received my used bottle of Mahora, I was disappointed. I thought it had turned, because even though I gave it a few spritzes to get rid of any old stuff in the atomizer, it smelled quite literally like tuberose and Scotch whiskey! Quite off putting as you can imagine. I set it aside and tried it today, and whatever was causing that odd smell went away. What I am left with is a beautiful, creamy, white and yellow floral! The almond adds a slight boozy effect, but nothing akin to Scotch! The Guerlain vanilla doesn't disappoint either, and the sandalwood is likewise smooth and creamy. I am also getting decent longevity and projection. There is nothing screechy here, and it becomes even more beautiful as it dries down. It's growing on me with each passing moment, and I think I've found yet another Guerlain to love and cherish! This is a good beach scent that doesn't hit you over the head with coconut or sunscreen vibes. It is elegant, and soft, and very feminine.

8/14/2020 - Wearing this today, I am getting a slight spiciness that I didn't notice before. For the life of me I can't figure out what is causing that, but I'm enjoying it anyway!

Just gorgeous - nutty, sweet, warm and floral.

Such a shame this was discontinued - it was love at first sniff for me.

I love this perfume! It puts me in a good mood when I wear it. I always get compliments! It is a beautiful, elegant scent💕

I'm so glad I tested Mahora during the heat wave we experienced here a few weeks ago, because unlike then, it's doing absolutely nothing for me now that I'm retesting it on this rather cold August day that has more than just a hint of fall to it already. I'm surprised it's voted as a cold season scent on this page! It must be because it's the very opposite of a light scent, but I have to say, in the heat it was truly spectacular - tropical, creamy, sweet, rich; a real powerhouse of vintage heady white florals. Extravagant, to go with the weather. Without that heat to bloom in, it falls rather flat to my nose - instead of exuberant it's just too much today, overwhelming and synthetic, uncomfortable. I seem to be in the minority here, but I get why it was discontinued if it was marketed as a winter scent. I wouldn't say no to a little decant for those real summer days, though, which is saying a lot seeing how far removed this is from my usual thing. Worth a test!

A beautiful masterpiece, and it’s beyond me how on earth it got discontinued!

Tried once and had to have my own bottle. Lovely and exotic tropical perfume that can be worn anytime of the year for any occasion.

Absolutely beautiful.

What a glorious perfume! Not your typical one from Guerlain, quite heavy on me eventhough my skin eats perfume easily, the one i got is from 2001 and i would say is more for women of an age 30+ that knows what she wants and has some experience of life! Highly recommended if you can get your hands on it do not doubt!

I wore Mahora several years ago during the summer in Florida and now as I'm revisiting this opulent, heady, thick tropical floral queen on a brisk and cool spring evening, I'm certain that Mahora is at her best in heat and humidity. Beautiful all year but dizzyingly so on a hot summer night. For the edp version, a single spray is enough. When I'm alone I use four. Mahora is still the most gorgeous tropical perfume I own. Lots of white and yellow florals. Warm. Spicy. Animalic. Sweet with slight decay. Mahora is a very special perfume for a night out or equally special on a quiet evening at home while dreaming of far away exotic places.

Ooooh Mahora, beautiful Mahora... they don't make 'em like this anymore... This is a very tropical scent. The princess Tuberose is paired with ylang ylang essential oil, to give it an unmistakable tropical feel. As several reviewers have mentioned, although coconut is not listed among the notes, this combination of ylang and tuberose definitely smells like a suntan lotion. The drydown is all vanilla on me. I'd say that Mahora is what one would get if they layered Fracas or Madonna's Truth or Dare with TF Orchid Soleil or Guerlain Terracotta. It's very strong, so probably hard to wear in summer heat; instead, this should be worn in winter time, to counteract the gloomy weather with this evocation of a sun-drenched tropical paradise.

It is a cold, dreary day here, so I chose this today. It really is tropical, juicy, warm sunshine in a bottle. Makes me happy every time it floats by my nose. Lasts forever also. No negatives with this one!

Tuberose, ylang, green notes, almond blossom, vetiver and sandalwood. A bit odd at first. It grew on me. In the drydown, it sort of reminds me of fermented rose petals.

A big and bold bouquet of tuberose and ylang-ylang is blooming. Vanilla and an exotic coconut aroma complete this intoxicating blend which is creamy and refined. Mahora is rich and vintage feeling, a tropical-floral seductive and haunting.
8/10

could it be... i've met my Guerlain?

I was sent a sample by a fellow Fragrantican and was smitten from the moment I dabbed it on the back of my hand. Heady, rich, tuberose-y, almondy.

I bought a vintage bottle on eBay almost immediately... the price was right. The sample I have & the spray bottle I have are different but both lovely. At first sniff the tuberose is sharp and mentholated, but it dries down to a tropical-feeling, rich, sensual floral. I reaaaaaally love it. So glad I sprang for a bottle. Some of the other classic Guerlains don't do it for me (I'm looking at you, L'Heure Bleue) but this one I find truly gorgeous. Honestly so pretty I could cry.

I cannot fathom as to why this was discontinued. Seriously, Guerlain!?

Mahora smells of postcoital human flesh thanks to the abundance of overripe, almost rotting tropical flowers soaking in almond liqueur and an exquisitely opulent sandalwood— an intoxicating elixir of unabashed sex appeal and debauchery that is so very unlike anything Guerlain has released before.

I am not sure what I can say about this masterpiece that has not already been said....long discontinued, way ahead of it's time....the big, bold Mahora.
In addition to the buttery, creamy GIANT tuberose note and the rich banana-like tropical ylang, the jasmine pulls strongly on my skin and gives it a bit of an indolic, vintage feel. Like naked sweaty skin on a tropical island. This is not a 'nice' fragrance by any means, but she is definitely beautiful. This review is for the EDP alone--I find that the parfum performs slightly differently and will post a separate review there.
My only complaint is the bottle is awkward as hell to hold and spray, but I do love the odd, alien shape of the bottle and the bright green box.

It's been more than a year that I have a 1oz bottle of mahora in my collection.we had a lot of ups and downs and my feelings toward it has changed several times.couple of months ago I reached to the point of hating it.it smelled like rotten flowers,like a bouquet of tuberose left in a glass of water for a very long time,and rotten,sourish fruits and with zero sillage.I even wanted to give it away but finally decided to keep it for the sake of it's lovely bottle(however it's automizer stopped working properly after a fews sprays)..but things started to change when giving it another chance in warmer weather
I have a spray of it on back of my hand right now that I'm writing and I have to confess that I love it! It acts so wierd on my skin on the dead of winter but in a sunny spring day like today,it's amazing.I'm so glad that I kept it.
Now I can smell buttery tuberose and some ylangylang,lots of almond,sandalwood,a little vanilla and a hint of coconut.
It's so creamy and lush.delicious in a refined way.it's happy and a little tropical and smells so good that I wish I had a bigger bottle.there's absolutely nothing sour in it anymore.it's sweet,but not sickly and yummy and has good sillage unlike my previous tests but not too strong to the point of getting cloying.I highly believe that if it was produced nowadays,it wouod sell like hot cakes and they'd never discontinue it
I highly recommend you to not give up on it easily.the amazing gourgeous powdery,creamy heaven that I'm smelling right now worthes all those struggles

I've been on a hunt for a full unopened bottle of this fabulous creature for a long time after owning and using up several minis along the summer nights.

This perfume is a must try for any ylang ylang tuberose combo fan, those who enjoy beachy perfumes should also give it an opportunity while bearing in mind it was released 18 years ago. It is bloomy, creamy, slightly powdery, luminous, dense and still an extremely radiant happy blend that never falls into the annoying sort of heaviness you can detect in some big floral oriental perfumes, especially when they are too sweet and loud. Mahora is sweet but not tooth-aching, a bit spicy and the fact that a beautiful sandalwood in the long lasting drydown predominates over the vanilla note, makes me enjoy it even more.

I tried Mayotte due to the members indications about its close character to Mahora. I find Mayotte less radiant and special, it is sweeter, heavier in vanilla and with a neroli note that gives it a neater effect. I clearly prefer Mahora though I can see how maybe most of younger people will prefer Mayotte to it. Mayotte is also short-lived by comparison with Mahora.

I was really surprise to like Mahora because I read so many bab comments about it. Mahora is a real underrated beauty. An ode to ylang ylang (one of Jean-Paul Guerlain's favorite flower) and tubereuse. Compare to others Guerlain, Mahora can be consider loud by Guerlain's lovers. But compare to other tubereuse scent, Mahora is a very refined one. I love it.

This has very strange combination that I have never smelled before: tuberose and almond blossom. Initially sprayed and close smelling from skin it is very strong and almost irritating, but I like it when it settles down and waft beautifully from the back of my hand. It's interesting, very creamy like others have mention, heavy and rich composition.
I have read that this has frangipani, albeit(?) there isn't mentioned it anywhere.Frangipani said to be smelling among other things like coconut, and it makes sense, because there is that coconut note.
I'm glad I have this in my Guerlain collection.

I only love the gourmand dry down with that almond,vanilla, neroli & orange combination.

It's hard for me to get passed that loud tuberose opening. This is the type of loud tuberose that hits my nose the wrong way causing me to be nauseated each time I'm surrounded by it. Others describe it to be buttery while I find it to be green, meaty and indolic. If you have a hard time with tuberose like I do, I would strongly suggest against a blind buy.

For the true tuberose lover, this is a good choice.

I wish I could get past that tuberose opening that makes me sick to my stomach.

A tropical creamy white floral scent layered with almonds. I feel lucky to have accidentally discovered this Guerlain gem. I imagine a beautiful woman wearing this in Polynesia or Southeast Asia.

Myself, I look forward to wearing Mahora in warmer weather. The bottle is unique and fun to have in a collection. Longevity is very good, projects for the first couple of hours and then turns to a skin scent around the 4/5 hr. mark.

I love the bottle!

I really love Mahora is has replaced Boucheron as my favorite vintage white floral. The almond-tuberose is a really unique combo, at times I get a cotton candy vibe. It's really sweet so if you don't like sweet tuberose this probably won't be your thing. It is very creamy and warm and lovely. Also has some pretty massive silage. Another beautiful Guerlain classic, I don't know how this was discontinued.

I found a vintage bottle of Mahora. Beautiful, warm, creamy, heavy whitefloral but not in your face. Longlived and with a nice projection. Ultra feminine - for a shedevil on a hunt =).

Jag hittade en vintage flaska av Mahora. Underbar, varm, krämig, tung vitblommig men ändå inte en rumsdödare. Hållbar och med skön utstrålning. Otroligt feminin. För en liten hondjävul på jakt =).

Woohoo! I got this as a treat in a trade from this community and I'm so happy!

I love powerhouse frags, and I love a good potent summer scent. I totally get the coconut/suntan/summer comments about this scent. I don't find it 1-2 spray HEAVY, but it was pretty heavy after 4-5 sprays. ;)
I think it would have been more potent/better sillage if I actually did something... like moved around, went places, let my body heat affect it... but to be honest I put this on after a day at work and was lazy around the house. Haha.
I did find the scent a little "too much" tuberose after awhile. That plastic, buttery tuberose. But overall, this is really nice, and I'm stoked to have it! It IS sweet and heavy. I'll have to pay attention with my wearings because I don't remember almond blossom-- which is a fave note. It also reminded me of Samsara-- just much sweeter and more tuberose. I've only smelled the EDT of Samsara- and it really didn't impress me (it's all sandalwood and jasmine- no depth/incense/spice sadly). I'm tempted to get the EDP of Samsara tho.... haha...

Thanks to a generous Fragrantica member I have been able to sample this amazing perfume. Upon first sniff it transported me back to the heady unapologetically feminine perfumes of my childhood in the early 1970's. This is a floral powerhouse with some quirkiness, especially in the opening where I'm smelling something fruity, something slightly green and even a hint of coconut. Yet I wouldn't consider it to be a tropical scent, at least not by current definitions. As Mahora dries down it becomes smoother and more of the Guerlain vanilla becomes apparent.

Mahora is heavy, dense and powerful, yet incredibly beautiful perfume that I think suffered an early demise because it was out of sync with the times in which it was released. Had it been released 15 years earlier or later I think it would have been much more successful. Regardless, this is still a beauty that transports me to a more innocent time and place every time I wear it.

I feel like a tropical flower in full bloom near a hot, humid beach when I wear this. It is one of those "summer in a bottle" fragrances for me.

I got this as a present from a unique lady who is gone now. The fragrance per se is wonderful, bold and strong and still, gets too heavy on one's skin, on mine at least. It is as if otherwise nice ingredients were mixed in too much amount so as to, on purpose or accidentaly, spoil any delicacy. I am sure there are ladies who would and do like or even love it. I passed it to my mum who avoids it I'm sure...

Something about this 80s style white floral reminds me too closely of gas station bathroom smell: the pink, industrial soap+ urinal cake+ air freshener(and I can definitely see the connection to Cacharel LouLou which I have and probably like more). It doesn't smell bad to me, necessarily, but the association keeps me from being able to fully enjoy it. The softer vanillic/almondish drydown is more enjoyable to me.

Oh Mahora. I wanted to love you so much. But you are *so weird* on my skin, just like your older distant cousin Shalimar.

So on my skin Mahora is not sweet *at all.* It opens very strongly sour, yes there is some creamy florals, but they're drowning in sour so they aren't really pretty just sort of... odd.

After a while it calms down and the baby powder shows up. Yup, baby powder. This is actually an improvement over Shalimar that is straight up stale face powder on my skin. At least here it's perfectly clean baby powder. Almond usually behaves well on my skin but here, not so much.

Finally, at the VERY END, as in by the end of the day it begins to sweeten slightly and leaves behind on my skin a warm, soft, vanilla and floral hint that is really pleasant. But that's 8 to 10 hours in and you have to actually sniff the skin to smell it.

I've worn her three times now and same exact development each time, so I'd say this is one that does not work for my poor skin, I've got a brand new 1.0oz bottle to find a new home for.

I know I recently just wrote a review about mahora but I have to just talk about it again!! This quickly became my top 5. I don't understand how it could be considered a failure it's so much better than a lot of perfumes that are made now. It definitely has the Guerlain- aid smell. It's classy smells a little vintage. I do not find it overly loud obtrusive or fleshy. I love the minty tuberose with the Yang Yang and the bitter almond, it's so unique it's a compliment getter with me. When I wear it people always ask what that beautiful smell is, what are you wearing it smells so good. Mahora is so long lasting has great sillage and it also smells amazing layered with Michael Kors. I wish I could have a thousand bottles of this stuff. It seems like everything I love is discontinued. Don't be afraid to try this if you love white Florals tuberose or a vintage feel, you won't regret it;)

I cannot even describe how much I love this scent. I usually do not like heady white florals, or so I thought, but this one is absolutely beautiful. I find it almost narcotic, or addictive. Most of the time, white florals smell like hairspray on my skin, but not this one. It is a heady, creamy, sweet and intoxicating scent which make me feel like the most elegant woman known to man. My only sorrow is that I only own a 5ml decant, not a full bottle.

Parfum review. Mahora was launched in 2000 but was so poorly received that it was discontinued two years later. Their loss is my gain as I got 2 bottles deeply discounted.
It is as “indolic” as you can get with over the top tuberose, ylang ylang, frangipani and jasmine. Then it is REALLY sweetened (at least to me) by vanilla, coconut and almond notes. There is a hint of peach that is not mentioned in the note pyramid. A perfect tropical scent that is meant to be worn in hot humid weather.

Oh my goodness! Why did i just now discover this perfume!! Im a tuberose addict and i was gifted a vintage bottle of Mahora. Im in love. This opens with that distinct minty, camphorous smell that i find so mesmerizing and unique. It's similar to the menthol opening in Tubereuse Criminelle (not as intense or mothball though). The same menthol as in Tom Ford Orchid Soleil. After the minty opening the ylang ylang and tuberose mingle together making a very heady banana type floral! It has a slight vintage vibe and is very rich and classy smelling. Sandlewood comes out in the end and gives mahora a slight powdery feel, it's warm and inviting. It's long lasting with moderate sillage. One of my favorite tuberose!

Guerlain mahora was a blindbuy for me,I doubted I would like it,cause classic white florals often tend to be cloying and boring for me,but I assumed this classic guerlain as a work of art,I love to buy classics,whether they are wearable or not,I appreciate their history,their art,their complexity,just as we enjoy an artistic painting
Initial spray seemed like a great failure..I could smell a mishmash of white florals with a watery,green undertone which turned sourish on my skin,ughhh,maybe it was a blend of tuberose with citrus notes..I moved on and let it to settle down on my skin,as it's heart started to open,I started to love it,it wasn't sour anymore,I could smell a heady white floral bouquet,creamy indolic tuberose,some jasmine and neroli,some oily ylang-ylang with lots of almond blossom...almond,gave a lovely powdery edge to buttery florals,it's delicious bitterness doesn't let tuberose to become sweet in a flat boring way
Unfortunately middle notes which I really love,don't last long and mahora dries down to a creamy tuberose,vanilla,sandalwood,soft and gorgeous,but not unique
My overall feelings towards mahora is that I really like it,but I don't love it,if middle notes lasted longer it may become a love for me,it's a bright and very well balanced tuberose scent,there is a freshness in it that prevents it from becoming cloying.. So it's not cloying,too sweet or too oily as most tuberose scents,I don't find it a fragrance for older ages,indeed it's wearable for all age groups in the case that you like a tropical summery tuberose scent
I expected mahora to be much more heady and strong,a sillage monster,but it's not..on my skin it's a soft,fresh tuberose scent that lingers for couple of hours as a skinscent,albeit sillage is really strong in first hour,when it's almondy and powdery but then sillage lowers
I don't know of there was a reformulation to change a he sillage monster classic mahora to this soft,modern lotion like one
I should mention that I love it's bottle,it's very vintage like and interesting,I expected to see such bottle in museum!
❤❤❤❤

It's a full thunder moon tonight. And this fragrance is the perfect compliment to its glow. Mahora is full, complex, warm, a bit strange and very beautiful.

My first and only Guerlain. All of these years, and I had no idea. If I had only known. Oh well, water under the bridge - Mahora reveals a new path for me and I look forward to my travels along it.

Neroli is the first to present himself to me. It's hollow, green and short lived. It acts as herald to announce the entrance of a young but voluptuous and intense tuberose. She is demanding, as is her nature. But she's also endearing. She wears her celadon spear shaped leaves for the sake of modesty. The gesture adds to her allure. There's almost an olfactory opiate effect here.

Jasmine and ylang-ylang step in but do not vie for attention. They know this is the Tuberose show and support her with warmth and practical sense. The show would be a mess without them. I'm grateful they are here. They bring temperance. Without them, tuberose would implode.

The dry down is my absolute everything! I always new Sandalwood was regal, but I didn't know His Majesty was also so serenely gentle and . . . fun. Paternal, too. For the finale, he calls for what must be his grand-niece, plops her on his knee and presents her with a vanilla ice cream cone! From there it's all giggles, comfort and delight. Who would have thought?

I think Mahora is something that every fragrance enthusiast should experience in its entirety at least once. I have it and adore it, but won't wear it often. It's an epic and circuitous tale that I will reserve for very special evening occasions.

I'm glad I recently had the chance to buy a sealed 30ml bottle for a reasonable price. This is a very nice fragrance.

It's a strong and delicious tropical creamy yellow floral/ woody scent. I can hardly smell any white flowers. Sometimes I get a whiff of Tubereuse but on me it's mainly the Ylang-Ylang I smell. The Ylang-Ylang combined with the almond blossom almost give a coconutty smell to the perfume. I definitely understand why some people smell coconut. It's very sweet and strong so one spray will do the trick just fine. It's not something I want to wear every day because I really have to be in the mood for this beauty. But it's a nice addition to my collection.

What a big creamy buttery yellow floral explosion! There's a hint of spice here too, and I get whiffs of a heavy face-powder/lipstick and ocassionally the coconutty tuberose. I'll enjoy my mini on rare occasions but won't go seeking a FB.

There is so much sweet almond and spice in this. I feel like I am eating spice cake in a field of overripe tuberose. I enjoy wearing my mini occasionally because it is unlike anything I have but Mahora will never be a special favorite of mine.

Fragrance Review For Mahora Guerlain

Top Notes Orange Green Notes Almond Blossom

Middle Notes Neroli Ylang Ylang Tuberose Jasmine

Base Notes Sandalwood Vanilla Vetiver

Mahora is a polarizing perfume. Some hate it some love it. I love it. It's very fragrant and by that I mean super sweet and strong. I love it! It's a throwback to perfumes that threw out that sillage and left a trail from here to Indonesia. It's really not bad. The trick is to dab on not spray too much just a dab in the pulse points. I scent my collarbone with this and spritz some on my wrists. This starts off with green notes and citrus something out of Houbigant's Quelques Fleurs. Fresh citrus and green leaves as it begins it's performance. Then it turns floral with a creamy rich decadent tuberose and jasmine. This is a big white floral fragrance. Smells opulent, brassy and spicy. The base consists of vetiver and sandalwood. These two notes are often very strong on their own so pairing them together is aromatic and powerful. This is really a beautiful Oriental fragrance but I was hoping to get those other more standard Oriental notes of patchouli incense musk and oak moss or more woods. It's really more subdued and simple than you think. Nevertheless it's exotic. It's a heavy perfume because of that big tuberose and sandalwood but those are notes I'm mad about. At least it's long lasting. It lasts all of 2 days. This perfume should come with a warning: handle with care. And spritz lightly. But I do love it. I presented this gift to my mother on Mother's Day. This also smells very expensive luxurious and vintage. They don't make them like this anymore. I love Mahora.

I haven't tried this - just read some reviews. Everyone seems to smell coconut, but that's not listed on the ingredients. Could it be the almond?

Just got my mini order in the mail. First of all..the mini looks gorgeous, it has this gold metal decoration, oh Guerlain, la classe, even in the humble mini. Its tropical, coconutty, milky, a tiny bit of something menthol (my nose still not very well educated but usually tuberose i can detect correctly). That sounds absurd now that i read it but i assure you, this isnt something to be scared of. Its just original, that's all. Im gonna wear it a lot and i'm going to enjoy when people ask oh dear what is that?Cause they will, i can tell ˆˆ.

This is the grand dame of tropical perfumes. A big, buttery tuberose opening, and a decidedly delicious drydown. Slightly reminiscent of Lys Soleia. Overall, besides the tuberose, I smell frangipani and sandalwood, with a hint of vanilla. Yum!

Buttery tuberose, banana-like ylang-ylang (which adds a tropical feel), and creamy sandalwood come together to create a fun, sweet fragrance that I think would work nicely in the summer. I definitely like it more than Terracotta Voile d’Ete and Wasser’s Terracotta (gasp!) Underrated, unusual, and unique.

I remember smelling this when it was first released, back when I would never have splurged on a scent from Guerlain. I remember it being a beautiful, creamy coconut scent. Recently I acquired a miniature bottle. I don't know if the juice has changed over time, but I get a real pungent spiciness from this that I just don't enjoy. I can still pick up on some of the coconutty, tropical goodness from far away, but up close this is just too spicy for me.

Very beautiful and classy Guerlain. I was putt off at first smell, but settled down within 30 minutes. I don't really smell any coconut like others have mentioned. This is a sweeter Guerlain and I would have to say that it has c a note that reminds me of Mitsouko. Maybe peach? Maybe just the way it interacts with my body chemistry, or perhaps just the Guerlinade? I love it and don't understand the negative reviews. Glad I took a chance and blind bought this gem.

I would love to be able to test it one more time, as I only tested it once, 10 years ago and back then it killed me. Probably because of the aldehydes and ylang-ylang. Recently I got a knock-off of Mahora and it raised my curiosity, as after 30minutes of ylang and aldehydes, some beautiful vanilla and woods came out! I can only imagine how amazing this effect in the authentic Mahora must be... or must have been:'(

I really want to love this. The bottle is so beautiful, the name so evocative, it's unusual and classical in style (which I love), I actually love both tuberose and ylang ylang in most compositions, though they are challenging to many people.

This is mostly what I was expecting, a well-balanced, somewhat earthy (from vetiver and green notes) tropical floral. Perfect for summer dreaming for those of us who frequent northern rocky beaches, not white sandy ones where the more straight-forward sweet, floaty coconutty fragrances would make sense.

What I didn't expect was the intensity and style of the almond. So so much almond, and it's bitter like cyanide.

I'm going to keep trying, but it feels a little poisonous to my nose.

Thanks @nero77 for your informative review, I somehow agree with a lot of what you said here. I can add a little. All this mixture of notes you was talking about is translated to my nose as a coconut note, you know the one in sun tan lotions. My version is pure Parfam from the first year of launching 1999,the date is written on the luxurious gift box that I have,comes with a big jar of body cream, and the date was printed by Guirlain so that makes me sure about that. But are you sure it's the last one created by Jean Paul Guirlain? here on our website some perfumes created afterwards carry his name as the nose behind them! Anyway, after you reminded me about how a real masterpiece Mahora is,I would not pass it to someone els, and I also will try the body cream too(Lool) . I don't find it loud, I don't know maybe because it is in Parfam so it is less evaporated and more settled to the skin as most of this concentration are! The obvious aspect is that it is definitely gourmandy/sweet/and sugary like a dessert dish. I'm not crazy about it nor am I hating it, but it is some how classy and well orchestrated.

Sweet forest nectar...

This is a fragrance with a controversial past (and really... aren't all good fragrances controversial in some way? Fracas, Poison etc?). This was Jean-Paul Guerlain's last major fragrance release before he retired, and it's one he didn't make for the market at the time. It's loud, it's full, it's heavy and sensual... and for these reasons it was a flop, people at the millennium did not want so loud and sensual a fragrance, a "throwback" to other heavy florals of the 40's, 50's, 60's etc. Mahora suffered a terrible fate of having a large portion of the stock destroyed once it was pulled off the market. However, with time, people can see this fragrance in a kinder, more loving light.

Part of it's notoriety is that Mahora seems to be a fragrance that elicits strong reactions. It's one of those "love/hate" fragrances that people either swoon over or can't stand. I think I'm in the "love" crowd here and find it quite intoxicating, in a tropical, floral kind of way...

And Mahora is a tropical floral, without a doubt. It's named after the island in the indian ocean where Guerlain keep plantations of ylang-ylang and jasmine (called "Mayotte" in French but "Mahora" in the local language). I don't find this one as loud as people say (I have the Eau de Parfum), to me it's a sweet, honeyed floral, with a host of white flowers. You name it this fragrance has it, Jasmine, Tuberose, Frangipani, Gardenia, Magnolia (or at least that's what it feels like to me) there's also orange and almond blossom in there, which I enjoy smelling. Still, I don't find this fragrance particularly cloying, although I'm sampling it in cool weather and I think this would be too much if over-sprayed. There's a ylang-ylang and sandalwood combination (much like Samsara) but there's also a wonderful, green-on-the-verge-of-ripe tuberose, and although I haven't smelled Fracas, I actually enjoy the use of tuberose in fragrances.

Mahora can be a very evocative fragrance, like a "vacation in a bottle" type thing. With me the scent of this transports me to places I haven't been... like an island in the indian ocean, or south pacific. I get a real connection with somewhere in south america, maybe Brazil, I think of exotic events, like the Rio de Janiero carnival (of course in my mind's imagination!). I see women with dark skin, and garlands of white flowers around their neck, or a flower in her hair (like a woman from Tahiti... another place I've never been to).

I think this is one worth testing out if only for these kinds of experiences. It's very sensual in a tropical, voluptuous kind of way. I think that loving or hating this comes down to whether you are intimidated by white florals. Fortunately, I love the slightly green, yet borderline ripe & creamy tuberose, which is rich and buttery, especially when joined by jasmine, ylang-ylang and gorgeous sandalwood.

One to try, just because of the wide range of reactions it provokes in people. For me it's one I love, and again, as with all "heavy" or borderline cloying fragrances, less sprays, and cooler weather, but on the right person it could be worn any time of year. Again, for me... this is an example of pure escapism in a bottle! R.I.P. Mahora...

This was introduced 1999 not 2000.

Tuberose has been the heart and soul of a lot of perfumes, by a lot of perfumers, for a long time. There's Fracas (Piguet, 1948), Giorgio (Giorgio Beverly Hills, 1981), Amarige (Givenchy, 1991), Poison (Dior, 1985), Dune (Dior, 1991), and a number of more recent offerings by such diverse houses as Frederic Malle, Serge Lutens, Killian...It's a tricky ingredient. To a lot of people it smells like liquid hell, with aspects of rubber, menthol, and even rotting meat; to others, it is a paradise of smooth, creamy, deep sweetness. What makes it so hard to handle is that it can go from one to the other, for even the most forgiving of noses, in a heartbeat. Thus the Tuberose Question: how do you make a good perfume out of an ingredient that is so willing to bite the hand that feeds it?

Guerlain answers by tempering the highly malleable gorgeousness of tuberose with the creamy woodiness of sandalwood, and with the cool and lily-like sweetness of ylang-ylang, and with the mellowness of vanilla (vanilla and the Guerlain aesthetic going together like a hand in a glove).

I’ve found that the tuberose in Mahora behaves differently on my skin on different days. Usually I just get the creamy deeps that make me love tuberose so dearly, but sometimes I get intimations of camphor and other scents yet more disquieting. In the end, in the dry down, I’m always rewarded for my patience with something lovely.

Mahora was a good answer. I wish it had gotten more
love. A six year run wasn’t enough.

What a wonderful opening, delicious and honeyed with notes of tuberose, ylang ylang and citrus. I wish it stayed like this forever, but gradually sandalwood and cardamon enters the scene and Mahora becomes dryer and spicier. It's indeed a fragrance for special occasions. I'm unsure if it is a bit too woody and spicy for my taste, I need some more time to evaluate it before I know if it's going to enter my wardrobe.

Complex floral fragrance based on tuberose. And it smells wonderful. I like note of tuberose and this fragrance did not disappoint. :)

I'm trying so hard to like this one but failing....maybe its my chemistry or that tuberose. Its very heavy, intoxicating and the summer sun makes it a bit cloying.......so sad. I really wanted to make you my summer frag Mahora!.....I don't see that happening.

Guerlain Mahora
I heard the phrase “lightening never strikes the same place twice” when I was little. At the time, it was extremely comforting to me to think that because every day, I walked by a tree that had been scarred by lightening on my way to school. Later in life, I learned that this phrase had a double meaning; it can also mean that the best things in life are sometimes once in a lifetime experiences too, but now I know that is not true.

Just as I thought I would never hear a voice as smooth as honey with as much depth as Billie Holiday until I heard Madeline Pyreaux, I thought I would never find a creamy tuberose again like the one in my beloved Fracas until I met Mahora. I have never been so happy to be so wrong. It turns out that sometimes, lightening does strike twice! Fracas is a sexy “red carpet” tuberose, and this one is a warm, cozy candlelight tuberose.

The tuberose is creamy and luxurious, deep and just slightly indolic, but not overly so. I get a wave of sultry ylang-ylang in a milky bath of warm almond citrus in the opening. The drydown is a revamped version of the traditional Guerlainade. This one features a creamy almond sandalwood with just a hint of vanilla and jasmine, but the entire time, the creamy tuberose is the star. What Samsara does for creamy jasmine, this one does for creamy tuberose. It’s warm, soft, and vibrant like candlelight in the evening on a tropical beach resort.

Cant believe it is made by Guerlain, such difference in quality as compared to classic titles, watery light average floral liquid that doesn't last.

Mahora to me is the softest and most feminine tuberose, without being too loud or too sexy. It's the ultimate lady full of beauty and grace. Milky, woody, and charismatic. Wearing it I feel like I am THE woman. It makes me feel pretty, better that any dress I own. It does project much better in hot humid air.

Now, if I had a spare $120 or so just lying around I know what I'd spend it on. Don't ask me why but I ordered a bunch of samples from the perfumed court (mostly discontinued perfumes that I was curious about) and of course I've fallen for a few of them - this being one of them. There is something very Guerlain about this. The middle notes have that kind of lolly smell (similar to the dry down of Shalimar Parfum Initial but without the musky/powdery undertone). It's still a very heady typical Guerlain scent but somehow fresher (not exactly fresh just freshER). Some people might be scared off by this one but I love tuberose so this is right up my alley! On my want list - I can dream...

I'm more of a Mitsouko/Samsara person, not a Shalimar/Apres l'Ondee person. No Guerlinade, please. Therefore Mahora is my kind of Guerlain.
I can see why this one was not so successful on the mass market. It doesn't really smell like something that came out in 2000.
The opening is very heavy on the ylang-ylang, sort of a spicy/sweet floral smell. Definitely leans toward the indolic side (recalling Samsara). I also detect some green notes and a sharp, bright orange here.
Drydown is sweeter. Much more powdery and there is a strong presence of vanilla and sandalwood. The orange remains, but in a more subtle way.

Reminds me of other Guerlains--a house from which I struggle to find perfumes I really like. This is like the child of Samsara and Mitsouko, two perfumes that are wonderful, just not with my chemistry. It has the gorgeous sandalwood base of Samsara and the (unfortunate) sour top notes of Mitsouko.

I've noticed that almond and/or almond blossom either works with me or it does not. It's great in Cinéma but not in Mon Jasmine Noir, where it seems green, tart, and synthetic. I get the same green, tart, synthetic effect here.

As I walked about, I could smell Mahora drifting through the air and up to my nose. I thought how much I would enjoy smelling this on someone else. The white flowers and woodiness were really nice. This is a very grown-up, complex and elegant scent. I kept imaging it on a 45 year old woman with darker red hair, a lady with elegant taste, either for work or casual, like it could be her signature. I try not to categorize looks, age etc, because of course one can wear anything they like, but this is the image that comes to mind.

Mahora is one of my favorites! It's sweet and syrupy, but with enough vetiver to remain balanced. It's very thick (comparable to Organza Indecense in this way), and goes on a bit harsh. But, it's beautiful. I think it's blended well enough that even those who aren't white floral fans might be able to dabble. I feel like it's an orange blossom filled cozy blanket. Fracas is my sunny day orange blossom and Mahora is my cooler weather choice.

Just got my bottle from an auction site. Oh is this beautiful. Makes me think of Mitsouku a little bit. Spicy, delicious and calming. Just a bit smokey and magical. Will get more when this runs out!!

Tuberose, Jasmin and orange blossom--say no more! I love all those florals and will always fall for anything jasmin-Tuberose! It is very dressy, rich and screams evening wear to me, which may be why I love it but wear it infrequently.....

Mahora is deliciously divine. If you're a fan of tuberose chances are you will flip for this tropical beauty. It's pretty and feminine. This is a closet classic and I wear it when I want to make an unforgettable impression, or when I simply want to immerse myself in a cloud of breathtaking fragrance. As girly and soft as it is, Mahora is for women, not little girls. It has an air of sophistication and depth to it. Simply put: it's luscious!

It opens with a loud burst of tuberose and almond blossom. Soon after ylang-ylang, vetiver, orange blossom and vanilla unveil themselves and create a glorious floral. Woody, sweet and hypnotizing. Love, love, love!

This baby Mahora is just real-deal Guerlain to me. Well crafted, strong, lots of changes in character, richly textured, there you have it.

At first wearing I was a little scared because the top notes are STRONG. Orange blossom/plumeria under a huge white tuberose/gardenia, complete with that buttery caress that only GOOD tuberose perfumes have. There is vetiver/greenry underlying the top notes that gives it a dark edge, instead of being just a suffusing white floral. This is the strong stage, it lasts a good hour. Step back.

I'll just plagiarize everyone else's reviews and agree that the subsequent drydown smells like pressed white flowers, sand, humid tropical air, and a bit of unsweetened vanilla. It wears a lot quieter, and the stage lasts forever.

The far drydown is a nice sandalwood musk, a beautiful skinscent.

OK this perfume is just perfect for those who enjoy big loud perfumes, especially white/tropical florals--precisely because it does quiet down a bit. So you can enjoy your big perfume at home while getting ready, and by the time you need to go out you won't be projecting across the street. Still past the drydown this has good silage and excellent lasting power (8+ hours) with only 2-4 sprays needed.

I imagined that this would be only in my imagination, it was discontinued ... But I was lucky enough to experience this in a physical store ... Mahora has a unique energy, delightful sweetness, dusty arid almonds with tuberous intoxicating and woody nuances, leaving Mahora very, very sexy ...
Only recommend for those who like sweet scents ...
The bottle, as well as the name and commercial has a delicacy and exotic charm, like a spell!

Oh Mahora my sweet sunny diva. I wouldn`t say it was love at first spray as the opening is too harsh. It takes about 30 to 45 min on my skin to settle and turn into something really beautiful. I smells like hot sun, desert, dried wood and dried flowers, finally turning into creamy vanilla and almond blossom. After about 4 to 5 hours vetiver and ylang-ylang prevail which makes it more masculine. I love to smell how it changes over time. This might be my new favorite for summer as it smells the best with hot sun on my skin.

It was love at first sniff. I dropped everything and bought two bottles. It has a spicy incense creamy background with white flowers to freshen it up and make it young. I love Paco Rabanne for her. The white flowers are cool and elegant and classy, I wanted to continue with white flowers while avoiding the casket piece bouquet strong cool flower feel. I also love incense and wanted something spicy to warm things up. This seemed like just the ticket. It has great longevity and doesn't give me a headache like many perfumes. What's not to like?

Well, the bloom fell from the rose, so to speak. I am not classy or elegant or old or materialistic enough for this perfume. The aldehydes did it in. Aldehydes really get on my nerves. I can't smell that note and think of anything but gross fluorescently lit department store perfume counters. I abhor Chanel #5 and thought that I hated all perfumes because of the recurrent aldehyde notes common in many perfumes.

Additionally it is very sweet. Maybe the vanilla comes through too strong. That is what killed Dior's Addict for me as well. Something sweet and creamy really blooms after the more crisp opening.

I might keep it for a now an then thing, I I don't really look forward to putting it on.

My wrists are being saved for Dune, when I want something in this vane. Azemour will be my daily go to for incense like bases sweetened up by crisp florals.

A fresh tuberose whiff is paired with a typical Jean Paul Guerlain's green and bitter accord, followed closely by a raw coconut impression and powdery, almost dusty, sweet almonds.
Hypnotic Poison on the beach? Not so much, I agree with MissK, in its evolution Mahora shares some feeling with another Dior, Dune: the dry-sweet sensation of woods and vanilla, here accentuated by coconut and almonds and with a basket of white flowers thrown on the hot sands, and the loud character of the composition which manages to be evocative, rather than oppressive.
Mahora is definitely sweeter than Dune, and has a suntan lotion feeling to it, thanks to the ylang-ylang, the vanilla and almond/coconut milk.
But there is also something burning, if I inhale deeply, that scratches my throath, like swallowing hot sand.
All in all a difficult perfume for me to wear, too beachy for winter, too sweet and strong for summer, just like Dune. But so nice, sweet, simple and nostalgic like the "warm and sugared aroma of Ambre Solaire" (Philippe Claudel).

PS The commercial by Bruno Aveillan is a thing of beauty as well, unusual and enigmatic, a lonely vestal on a lonely island and her rites and prayers for rain. It suits the fragrance well.

Mahora is the perfume that helped me to appreciate tuberose. I decided that in order fully understand scent in general, I had to be open to trying ALL of the scent categories, florals included, even though I'm not a big fan of them. One of the floral notes that I'd dismissed early on was tuberose. Having first experienced the note in vintage White Shoulders and then in Michael Kors (both are screechy), I came to dislike it tremendously, especially after the legendary Fracas was such a disappointment for me (in all fairness, I've never smelled a vintage formulation). Then came Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower, which I found to be hearty and "interesting", but too abstract in the beginning and hardly any sillage once it dried down. My 1 ml sample made me, at least, re-open the investigation of the note of tuberose. That investigation eventually lead me to Guerlain's Mahora. Now, after all of that, I'm still not a huge fan of tuberose, but I am a huge fan of Mahora. This is tuberose done just right. In comparison, Fracas seems candy-like and thin. Dior's Poison, while more substantial, is honeyed and even sweeter, which leaves it a little too cloying for me. Mahora, which falls into the "tropical" floral category, is just right. To my nose, this dries down to warm and mellow, tuberose, soft woods and vanilla and its beautiful, and hauntingly seductive sillage, is amazing on a hot humid day...if it's dabbed lightly. Some say it was the name that prevented Mahora from catching on, which lead to its eventual discontinuation and if that was the case, it's unfortunate, because in my opinion, Mahora is the best tuberose perfume out there. Highly underrated and easily found on ebay for very reasonable prices. Mahora was reincarnated into Guerlain's very expensive, Mayotte, which I experienced at Saks Fifth Avenue recently. It was nice, but I suggest you save your money and purchase Mahora instead as the "adjustments" were minor.

After I applied Mahora from my mini bottle, I was striken by its similarity to another scent I have and love. Here's my comparison. Mahora is much drier than Creation, as if you breath dry and hot sand in, which is unusual experience, almost physical. As I compared both of them simultaneously on two wrists, I find Creation richer, softer and more wearable on my skin today. Mahora is more animalistic and sweet, while Creation is more floral and fruity-woody. I absolutely love blackcurrant note in Creation, and Mahora too soon starts showing too sweet vanilla base. The similarities end in the drydown stage, where Mahora's a bit too simple though lovely sweet vanilla, while Creation is mostly bitter animalistic scent, which is totally not sweet but rather dusty, in this last stage resembling Rumba, another love of mine. And for me bitterness in Creation makes it an absolute winner in this duel.

I adored the impressive opening but then it just died on
me leaving behind a vetiver down that I did not adore ..
I am glad to have this for the occasional use when I am alone.

I agree that the opening is a little startling from the spicy animalic but Mahora rapidly settles into a balanced composition, through the creamy floral heart, the heady whites floral are tempered by the earthy, slightly dirty base. The sandalwood and vanilla evokes that sweet, slightly musky, salty smell of hot sand, is as rich as they come, using principles from classical perfumery. My only complaint is with my only body chemistry as it doesn’t smell that strong or last that long on my skin.

This is my third review of Mahora. I tried so hard to appreciate this, but I cannot. Toxic is the best adjective to describe Mahora. If you hate someone, spray Mahora on her hair! :-)

Mahora can also serve as a torture perfume!

Sorry Mahora Lovers but this is not a good perfume at all.

I am selling mine at a local online bargain site. I hope someone in my country loves this unconditionally.

I have a large EDP spray and a mini. This is an intoxicating fragrance that starts off with an almost unpleasant smokiness that turns into a buttery white floral over a base of woody vanilla. It is powerful. Too much can make it smell almost overripe so use carefully.

Interestingly enough, the mini I have bypasses that smoky stage and goes straight to the yummy goodness.

This is such a beautiful warm floriental. At first I thought I smelled patchouli but I see the list says green notes generally (I still think there's patch in there- I'm a patchouli lover) and it blends beautifully with the white florals. I am so happy that the jasmine does not dominate- all the white flowers blend so stunningly and it all warms up with the woods. This is amazing. Don't know how I missed it when it came out but I'm loving my bottle which I think now counts as vintage since it is from 2000. Thank you to the wonderful Ebay seller who found this in her mom's cabinet and sold it to me.

I almost forgot, the almond blossom note gives it that little bit extra something that takes it over the top and makes Mahora a little different.
And I had to add that I do not find Mahora to be a sillage monster. People will know you are wearing it but this is definitely not a scent with anything like the power of Obsession or Original Poison.

Despite the current and seemingly endless 1980s revival of cheap fashion for tweens to twenty-somethings, the 80s are gone. Thank god! Don’t let that horrid decade haunt you! Still, if there were one thing that I could tease out of the 80s and bring to the present it would be polarizing perfumes. To the propagators of 1990s-styled apologetic perfumes, to the radiant Iso-E Super wearers, to the nanny perfume mob who would rid the world of fragrance (Watch out! Color is next, then oppressive fabric.) I say wear Poison! Wear Giorgio and Opium. Blast yourself with Lou Lou and walk in public in the light of day!

Better still, try Mahora. 1980s in scale, 1970s in indulgent style, 1920s in complexity and sophistication, Mahora (2000) paid tribute to the decades that preceded it as it dived headfirst into the new millennium.

From the spicy animalic start, through the creamy floral heart, to the woody-vanillic drydown, Mahora is as rich as they come. Using principles from classical perfumery, but seemingly new compositional tricks, Guerlain laid claim to the fairly unpopulated genre, the spicy-animalic resinous tropical woody floral. This perfume does draw attention to itself. So what? If you don’t like it, don’t wear it. Polarizing is great! Part of the aesthetics of perfumery, as in any art form, is that in addition to critical consideration, we should identify what we like and what we don’t. How else can we proceed in what is both an artistic discussion and an exercise in pleasure?

That said, I disagree with those who do not like Mahora and therefore say that it is a bad perfume. In addition to its volume and attention-seeking, it is calibrated, dissonant enough to hold one’s interest and shows textbook classical evolution. Mahora shouldn’t have been discontinued, it should have been studied.

Finally, a bottle of Mahora arrived in the mail late this afternoon! As I had to go out soon, I sprayed it on my apron to test it out..... then there appeared this beautiful six ton dragon in the corner of the room. Heavily lidded emerald eyes gazed at me. With every scale on her body dripping with floral nectar, she starts to gently sing a piece of Wagnerian opera. The volume increases, but her voice is so gorgeous!!
I had to leave her there, but her singing trailed out the open window to bid me farewell.
I can tell I'm going to enjoy this one... immensely

I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful Mahora is! Such wonderful tuberose and jasmin. What's not to like? Glad I bought it. Yum!

I bought Mahora from a local perfume store which sells surplus perfumes. I gave it to my mother but hated it. IMO Mahora is a very good perfume. Warm, heavy, humid... like aromatics elixir but more on the oriental side.

Mahora is a Buttery, spicey, white floral. I was shopping in Trader Joe's one day and a lady kept passing me by and finally asked about my perfume. She loved it and had to find it she said. I own and wear SO MANY perfumes - rarely receive comments that I smell good. (which drives me on....) in the past 30 years I have had comments on Halston, Rive Gauche; Bois des Iles; Coco Made.; Chanel 19; LouLou; Knowing; Elixir des Merveilles; Cardinal; Cabaret Gres & Mahora.

For anyone who's wondering, many consider Guerlain Mayotte to be a re-issue of Mahora. Both might be discontinued now. On ebay, Mahora is plentiful and more affordable than mayotte, at least as I write this (;

Mahora by Guerlain is tuberose done a little differently. I should have realised just by looking at the advert, (with Australia's landmark Uluru as a background feature in the Mahora photoshoot), that this was not going to be a straight-up, luscious tuberose scent.

This tuberose is dry, a little bitter and green, mixed in with some wet sand. When I first spritzed on Mahora, I thought that perhaps my skin was turning the scent bitter and dry, so I dabbed it on paper to see whether the tuberose was fresher there. I then discovered, much to my surprise, that Mahora is composed to smell like this. It is the quintessential desert scent, alongside Dior's Dune for Women.

Once I got over Mahora's puzzling nature, I began to enjoy the scent for what it's worth. I welcome its different approach, and applaud Guerlain for having changed my opinions regarding tuberose and other white florals. Who knew that white florals could be dry rather than moist and green?

I'm hesitant to suggest Mahora for cold weather, as on my skin it strikes me as best suited to humid or intense heat. The heart makes me think of a red, hot sun and a wilting bouquet of naturally sweet ylang ylang and orange blossom. Aldehydes and sandalwood create an interesting dusty feel.

The drydown introduces a buttery quality, which is perhaps the only traditional aspect of the tuberose that has been kept. In addition to the buttery florals, the sand accord is quite prominent, as is the slightly sugary whisper of vanilla. At this point, Mahora sits very lightly on the skin, almost as if transforming into a skin-scent.

The lasting power is good, but not great. However this fragrance's complexity makes up for most of it. Actually Mahora could possibly be one of Guerlain's most overlooked fragrances. It's a pity to realise that many consumerss are unaware of this fragrance's existence.

After reading Turin's review on this fragrance, you would not even try it. But I'm stubborn, thank god, so I bought this one online and love it. It's sweet, has a tropical feel to it and lingers on my skin for hours. The bottle is also quite beautiful, it matches really nice with what I find exotic about this perfume.

Sweet, long lasting, warm floral. Very nice. Just spray it once, that will be enough for the 8+ hours.

Mahora,2 my nose, smells like scented insecticides! No offence, but this is what I smell from a formula which's comprised of "more is more" vs "less is more!" No wonder Mahora was short-lived & and had to face its destiny.Any suggestions 4 my idle bottle?

I had this many years ago and have only just finished it.... wanted of make it last. Such a shame it is discontinued as this scent is DIVINE. To me its a spicier version of Shalimar....without the over powering powdery smell.

In 2000, Mahora debuted in a radically changing world. Its was next in line in the Sanscrit inspired tradition started with Shalimar. It was a big, juicy oriental. Remember Nahema and Samsara? This was right up there in size and drama!

I have the mini EDP that is so luscious and destined for glory. Neroli, jasmine, tuberose, ylang and lots of sandalwood and vanilla grabs your attention! There is a creamy coconut spice melange hiding in the wings. This was what Guerlain was all about-delicious seduction from a bottle!

Guerlain was ground zero in the great "perfumaggedon"! The battle between the corporate titans(LVMH) and the real perfumers was waged tragically on an unsuspecting audience. One reformulation came after another. The real menace was the IFRA. They claimed many ingredients were dangerous and too provacative.

The history of Mahora is strangely short. It could have been an international best seller. Instead it is now forgotten with plenty of bottles on E-bay!

I have no idea why this was discontinued. It's a shame because Mahora is glorious! It isn't listed on the ingredients, but I'm sure I can smell coconut, mango and melons in there. I've kept a bottle of it for old time's sake and still smell it from time to time to remind myself of how lovely it was.

Now on hour six, and the drydown is a delicious, soft oriental floral. Really nice to stay with and worth the wait. Found the opening to be a bit dry and woody, just hiding the masterpiece underneath. I'd use it during winter/fall, and now it's off to purchase a full bottle!

Beautiful fragrance which was unfortunately discontinued. I found it very, very similar to Champ Elysees also by Guerlain which is my all time favorite, hence would recommend it to those who no longer can get Mahora.

This is a tuberose overload...but soooo beautiful and classy! This perfume took my breath away at first spray....definitely the kind to wear if you want to make statement. One of the strongest Guerlains I own....crazy sillage and great longevity.

What an incredible perfume! I heard about it in 2001. One of my friends said that it is disgusting tobacco scent, so i've never dared to try it. What a huge mistake. I saw it in our local perfume shop last month and decided to consult fragrantica as no sample was available. Then I bought it blindly relying on reviews. OMG! One of the best oriiental florals. I can find similarity with original Coco Chanel, same oily sweetness. The only problem is that I keep on spraying and spraying. Bottle will be empty very soon. To my luck, there are 2 more bottles available in the same shop, i am going to take it today. :)

TUBEROSE--this has such a huge cncentration of tuberose in it that it smells overly rich and viscous. It was headache inducing to me--enveloping you in such a cloud that nothing can penetrate it. I prefer my tuberose a la Carnal Flower with little greeny bits to lighten it up.

The opening was really strange - sharp, hard to pinpoint and on the verge of being sour.. but then it settles down into a creamy tuberosey (?) almost-sweet softness that very much reminds me of the heart/base of Versace's Jeans Couture, only Mahora is so much more classy..

Mahora surprised me with a bitter-sweet smoky opening and then developed into a very well-crafted spicy tuberose frag. It is sweet in a very pleasant and wearable way and I think I find it somehow similar to Dior's Poison and Cacharel's Lou Lou, but spicier. I am glad I had the chance to try it but I am not sure whether I would repurchase, at least not soon. The staying power is good - around 5-6 hours, at least on my skin.

This perfume caught me off guard at first: it started with a strong tobacco scent on me, smokey and somewhat skanky at the same time.
But I'm so grateful I didn't rub it of right away: the skankiness disappeared and it was a beautiful tuberose on the bed of vanilla and vetyver. This is not a "wrist sniffer", Mahora has to be admired from afar, when somebody wearing it passes by leaving a wonderful trail. Very feminine, but not bland or uninteresting, a must-try!

This perfume makes me sad because it is a forceful reminder of how great Guerlain perfumes could be before IFRA decided that sensual adoration of magnificent scents was bad for people's character or morals. This doesn't reach the heights of Mitsouko or L'Heure Bleue but it is soul satisfying and can honestly be called a masterpiece.
The EDP opens with a spicy alcoholic note that I finally recognized as the sweet sherry that's made with raisins. As it warms the orange and almond blossom appear and stick around until a dry almost leathery vanilla peeks in to greet the tuberose. Then the oohing and aahing begins...
Several hours later I'm marveling at tuberose,almond blossom and vanilla with an underlying spiciness (sandalwood presenting as mace or possibly cardamom).
Inadequate words? Rich, heady, grand, prodigal, extravagant, unforgettable, towering. Mahora is discontinued but can still be picked up on eBay and other corners of the internet. Buy a bottle and hide it so you can let your grandchildren experience what it was like when giants crafted perfume.
Sillage: medium to close
Durability: 5 hours and starting to fade
Fabulosity: the top of the scale
Price to value: seriously, who cares?
10/10

I love this scent; to me it was very different and I was surprised it never became popular. Very delicious-smelling. However, I read that it was the very first perfume to use the frangipani flower, and that is not listed in the ingredients ... odd. For those who want to buy it, it's readily and abundantly available all over e-Bay :)

I was taken aback by this one! Quite the blast you get when you first put it on!!

It's Fizzy, full of aldehydes, blasting with floral and citrus plus a touch of ash (not tobacco, ash!!).

Howver, it ends out being a VERY heady tropical floral.

I love this!
Mahora is a mix between Organza (the sexy side) and Champs Elysees (the summer touch). The sandalwood and vetiver in the base are prominents, but well balanced with the vanila notes and the ylang-ylang, this combination makes Mahora a strong and feminine fragrance.


Mahora's sillage is outstanding!

This is an intoxicating tropical heady fragrance with a dominant white flower heart yet sits without the cloying sweetness you might expect. Typical of the classic Guerlains it retains the signature 'dusty' base that shows off its bloodline due to the vetiver and sandalwood base. This is a magnificent perfume and once I've used my decant, will definitley purchase a FB as it will be a staple for me during the coming tropical summer.

really interesting
there is something i can't put my finger on in the guerlains
but which is present in avon's timeless, as i noted in another review

maybe they use a certain vanilla?

this is good when used sparingly
beautiful, even
the bottle alone makes it worth the price of admission

Its resembels to me slightly to Micheal Kors. Same tuberose.To heavy for my taste. But its a good perfume

Top Notes
Green and Fresh .

Middle Notes
Tuberose, Frangipani blossoms, Neroli, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine.

Base Notes
Vetiver, Vanilla, Sandalwood.

MAHORA, O MAHORA, how I find you intoxicatingly delicious! This fragrance fits into a special category, apparently used only by me: viscous lusciousness. It seems so thick and substantial, so syrupy but without being sickening. Another member of the viscous lusciousness category is IL BACIO, by Borghese, which apparently many people do not like--it's practically given away for free at TJMAXX!--but which I have consumed gallons of over the course of my adult perfume life.

I do, however, understand why some are put off by these heavy, thick, commanding fragrances. They are so very assertive and so unyielding. They blanket you in their lusciousness until you have no choice but to capitulate to their captivating charms.

MAHORA is a special fragrance for special occasions, not to be worn every day, for that would be too much (also not a good choice for gifts to the uninitiated, I learned by making that mistake!) Now and then, however, I crave the warmness of the sandalwood, vetiver, ylang-ylang and neroli, the sweetness of the vanilla and almond flowers, lightly tempered by orange and green, all folded together into a sumptuously smooth elixir. In a word: Yum!

Mahora is really a great creation. it's very warm and intense. It makes me dream about exotic islands.
It is available now as Mayotte, but it is not completely the same. It is more an interpretation. Mahora was withdrawn due to regulations. Very pity, because this jewel could still be standing as a great piece of olfactive art!

one of the most misuderstood fragrances in guerlain history... it is a masterpiece annd I can give a hoot with wwhat the bloggers say

I adored Mahora. I tried it several times years ago, when I worked in a cosmetics department. On me, it was intensely sandalwoody, and very real. It was perhaps a bit overmuch in the first few moments, but then the scent lingered and progressed. Please pardon me, I can't describe the dry down since it was tried so long ago, however I recall that it progressed beautifully and had just the right amount of staying power. I will be buying one of the few remaining bottles available online shortly.

I love Guerlain, but Mahora is too sweet, and really strong for me, the whole composition is not well balanced, it is too feisty and cocky, not at all woody. A long time ago I tried it on, and a lots of people commented on my poor taste.

I love Guerlain perfumes - they always have a complex story that unfurls as the fragrance opens up on your skin. Even if you wouldn't wear them, you can't help but admire their unique composition. Mahora will never be on my wish-list, because I would never be able to handle this kind of pushy, midnight lady.

Mahora hurts me - she forces her way deep into my lungs with her sahara sand, aldehydes & heavy, honeyed flowers. I can almost taste her! The sweetness is deep & low & excessive. There is a rich, heady spiciness & a strong tuberose accent. As her velvet grip hardens, a dark tropical night-forest begins to bloom: nectar drips, incense burns & there is the slightest touch of creamy vanilla-coconut.

Her thick, warm scent is excessive, opulent & almost too much to bear (she will try to drown you in only one drop!). Mahora is powerful & passionate & pungent - hers is a forceful & pervading sillage with substancial staying power.

This dark, sweet, spicy floral is not for the faint hearted, or headache-prone. Alas, this rules me out.

I had Mahora on my list of perfume to try. I was surprised to read that it had been discontinued. Fortunately when shopping for another perfume, i found a bottle of Eau de Parfum for a good price.

It's a bit more floral than i usually associate with Orientals. The first scents that hit me were not the top notes, but the white florals of the heart. They remind me of Fracas.

The underlying smokiness of the vetiver and the delicate woodiness of the sandalwood are there, adding a grounding note, but not overpowering the flowers.

The top notes are quite subtle, and i can't pick them out individually. But they add a bit of freshness to the richness of the ylang-ylang, tuberose, and jasmine.

As it dries down, the underlying woods continue to balance the florals, plus i get a hint of something herbal.

Fortunately, i smell no coconut, and the vanilla knows its place, and doesn't try to dominate - i am not fond of "gourmand" perfumes.

This is a strongly feminine scent, not for the office. I think it's a shame it has been discontinued.

Beautiful, words cannot describe the scent.
Heady, smoky and ethereal.
It's like being in the most rich, earthy, tropical flower garden.
I'm off to hunt it down in its new incarnation!

Today, I re-tested Mahora. In Hungary there is a honey named "mixed flower honey", which is a very sweet, creamy flavoured, rich-yellow delice. Mahora resembles this yellow-tinged richness, but there is tuberose to add sun, summer, suntan oil, coconut (hawaiian tropic suntan oil). And you get in your hand a bunch of jasmine too, as you walk at the beach at evening. And you eat those loukoumathes, those honey drizzled greek fried dough balls (there is somewhere a fried smell too, maybe the scent of honeyed, burnt oil, but positively, so crunchy, appetizing, you know). It is genial, a monstrous summer scent, evoking all those things and feelings. 10 stars out of 5.:)

Oriental florals are my favorite, but this one is very sweet, so much so that it takes away from any other nuances. I wouldn't want to be in a confined space with someone who had this on, think it would give me a headache. I'm forty-something and it feels too old on me.

Mahora is indeed reincarnated as Mayotte!
I prefer the original formule and gorgeous golden-disk flacon...too bad for Maison Guerlain, it is rich and lovely...

I pine for this scent of late , and yet upon first wearing I did not care for it , it seemed to be a straight up coconut. How it and tropical flowers in general grew on me, and now I regret not appreciating this one during its time in the mainstream. The notes probably do not even list coconut at all , must be the Ylang/Tuberose combo. I am given to understand that the original name did not fare well in the North American market and also it has been rereleased as Mayotte for a higher price tag, mores the pity, I shall treasure my mini of the original juice.

so unfortunate they discontinued a wonderful fragrance I loved this scent
was one of my favorites magickal perfume

I love it! It's a pity that it's been discontinued. The most beautiful tropical-tuberose scent ever!

Long lasting, spicy and mystic. I like it very much. Not for everyday use, special purpose only.