Best Manhattan by City Rhythm Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Manhattan by City Rhythm is an aromatic spicy fragrance blending fresh and warm accords. It opens with the green freshness of violet leaf and bergamot, combined with the mild spice of cinnamon and pimento leaf. The heart centres on black tea, myrrh, frankincense and tobacco, giving it a resinous, smoky depth. The drydown features labdanum, vetiver, vanilla and cedarwood, adding earthiness and subtle sweetness. Those drawn to a complex, layered spicy aromatic profile will find interest in its balance of vibrant freshness and smoky warmth.
- Key notes:
- cinnamon
- frankincense
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- incense
- myrrh
- Aromagroups:
- woody
An intense incense that shapeshifts between cold/smoky and warm/creamy. This dream belongs to the mythological Irish warrior poet Ossian, who inspired the Romantic literary movement across 18th century Europe. Rêve d'Ossian conjures misty midnight forests with smouldering notes of pine, frankincense and myrrh, before calling forth the benevolence of Celtic fairies with mellow tonka bean and vanillic benzoin.
Perfumer: Hugo Lambert
Absent Presence by Beaufort £125.00
- Key notes:
- bergamot
- galbanum
- leather
- vetiver
- violet leaf
- Aromagroups:
- citrusy
- leather
‘O absent presence, Stella is not here’
The fifth and final instalment of the Revenants collection draws inspiration from the Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney. In his Sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’ Sidney develops and captures the essence of a haunting… the presence of one that is always felt but never seen.
‘Now I, wit-beaten long by hardest fate,
So dull am, that I cannot look into
The ground of this fierce love and lovely hate,
Then some good body tell me how I do,
Whose presence absence, absent presence is;
Blesst in my curse, and cursed in my bliss.’
Sweet Lure by Sly John's Lab £85.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- bergamot
- caramel
- cinnamon
- powdery notes
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- fruity
- woody
Perfumer: Dominique Moellhausen
The spirited country girl arrives in the bustle of the city, determined to change her status to “anything but innocent”. That’s Sweet Lure, bubbling with naughty possibilities. Cinnamon and lily-of-the-valley swirl in a bamboozling haze of neroli and vanilla, keeping things alluring but fun.
Myrrhiad by Pierre Guillaume Black Collection £140.00
- Key notes:
- black tea
- myrrh
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- leather
- woody
The story of myrrh is as old as that of perfume. Four thousand years ago the Egyptians were using it as one of the components of Kyphi, the sacred incense of their Kings.
Warm and sensual, balmy and ambery Myrrhiad is an oriental perfume revealing all the facets of the ancient resin, enhanced by the leathery, animalic nuance of black tea absolute and interlaced with a cocktail of vanilla and licorice.
Osang by Mendittorosa £315.00
- Key notes:
- fenugreek
- frankincense
- heliotropine
- honey
- incense
- labdanum
- myrrh
- oud
- pepper
- peru balm
- sandalwood
- szechuan pepper
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- spicy
- unconventional
- woody
‘All the soarings of my mind begin in my blood’
Rainer Maria Rilke
***
A perfumed celebration of saints and superstitions, centred around a fierce fenugreek absolute note lavished with singed pyrazines, sacrificial myrrh and mournful molten honey poured over everything like amber rain. Meadow blooms, sticky dark resins, pungent balms and ashen clouds of iris swirl like dramatic weather.
Dead Air by Oddity £170.00
- Key notes:
- cedarwood
- davana
- mineral accord
- narcissus
- oak
- sea salt
- vetiver
- violet leaf
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- leather
- woody
Macabre fantasy of decadent shadows and drama, unfolding from a fresh salty breeze to the deep dark underwater with blurry black tones, exuberant flora and a binding touch of wood.
Lids for Dead Air are made by hand from imperfectly beautiful charcoal encapsulated in epoxy resin resulting in unique shapes and shades, each is one of a kind — a true masterpiece.
Master perfumer
Mark Buxton
Lost In Translation by Maison Matine £60.00
- Key notes:
- black pepper
- leather
- rosewood
- tobacco
- violet leaf
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
A bait-and-switch perfume that starts sharp and clean with juniper and crisp, metallic violet leaves. Then comes the gentle abyss: a faded haze of tobacco, patchouli and leather swirled with white tea and musk. The message might be lost in translation, but all meaning will be found in the fragrance.
MYRRHE by Headspace £175.00
- Key notes:
- cinnamon
- incense
- myrrh
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
Perfumer: Julien Rasquinet
Capturing the essence of desert myrrh warmed by the beach. With spicy cinnamon, rich cedar and sweet tangy ambroxan all clarifying and defining the sensational incense. It is a scent of contradiction with amber tones and mineral references that serve a blend that can be peaceful or invigorating. You choose.
Ladano by D:SOL MMXVI £140.00
- Key notes:
- cinnamon
- civet
- ginger lily
- immortelle
- labdanum
- licorice
- vanilla
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
From the heart of the Mediterranean scrub, where the air hums with resin and sun-drenched leaves, Ladano rises — a fragrance shaped by the slow pulse of Cistus ladanifer. For centuries, this golden resin has been gathered from the wool of animals, breathing its scent into fabric and skin. Here, labdanum glows rather than burns — thick, balsamic, embracing. It’s animated by tickly aromatics: licorice, celery seed, cinnamon leaf and immortelle.
Incensi by Lorenzo Villoresi £135.00
- Key notes:
- frankincense
- incense
- myrrh
- styrax
- tolu balm
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- vintage/old school
- woody
An ancient ritual. The wonder of green, perfumed resin flowing from the tree. It is reminiscent of journeys along the perfume routes, of the magic of nocturnal ceremonies. Fresh, intense notes of Incense, Opoponax, Storax and Tolu.
About Manhattan by City Rhythm
- How does Manhattan differ from these similar fragrances?
- Manhattan combines aromatic spices, resinous incense and smoky tobacco with a fresh violet leaf opening, creating a complex layered scent. The fragrances listed share some notes but often emphasise either freshness, sweetness, smokiness or animalic elements differently, resulting in distinct overall characters.
- Are these fragrances suitable for everyday wear like Manhattan?
- Many of the fragrances offer varied intensities and characters, from fresh and normcore to smoky and animalic. Depending on personal preference, some may be more versatile for daily wear while others suit particular moods or occasions.
- What notes in Manhattan create its spicy aromatic profile?
- Key notes contributing to Manhattan’s spicy aromatic profile include cinnamon, pimento leaf, black tea and violet leaf, balanced by smoky tobacco, frankincense and labdanum, with vanilla and cedarwood providing warmth and depth.









