086 Maniac

086 works from a note set that maps closely onto Giorgio Armani's Mania - blackcurrant, orange, green mandarin, bay leaf and pink pepper give a sparkling, slightly tart opening that echoes the original's playful fruit-forward start. The floral heart of peony, magnolia, iris and lily-of-the-valley is where the family resemblance holds up best, delivering a soft, powdery bouquet in the same general territory as Mania's own floral core, though the iris - which gives the original much of its cool, slightly unusual edge - reads thinner and less prominent here. The base settles into amber, musk, Virginia cedar, vanilla and white sandalwood for a comforting, powdery-woody finish that's pleasant but generic, lacking the small idiosyncrasies that made the original memorable rather than just another soft floral. Works well as an easy daytime floral, just don't expect it to feel distinctive the way Mania does.