Manos Gerakinis Parfums Amandus Review

Manos Gerakinis Parfums Amandus, official image via the brand

“Marvelous things happen to one in Greece – marvelous good things which can happen to one nowhere else on earth. Somehow, almost as if He were nodding, Greece still remains under the protection of the Creator. Men may go about their puny, ineffectual bedevilment, even in Greece, but God’s magic is still at work, and…no matter what the race of man may do or try to do, Greece is still a sacred precinct – and my belief is it will remain so until the end of time.” The Colossus of Maroussi – Henry Miller

Oh, beautiful Greece: the cradle of civilization, birthplace of epic myths, and home to the philosophy that shaped the world. A place that, as Henry Miller wrote, still breathes under a kind of divine protection. And also the country I keep returning to, only to leave with the claw of nostalgia gripping round my heart, tighter and tighter, as years go by. Infinite skies, infinite seas, that impossible shade of blue that is just impossibly hard to describe.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding, movie poster, 2002 IMDb

My love for Greece, I must admit, comes with an intrusive thought, or better said, a little game I’ve been playing for more years than I care to admit, ever since watching one of my favorite romantic comedies: My Big Fat Greek Wedding. One of the characters I adored in that movie was the father of the bride, dear Mr. Gus Portokalos. He looked at any word or invention and declared his point with absolute pride, even performing Olympian-level (pun intended !)  mental gymnastics, using absolutely delicious logical twists just to prove he was right and make his point: ‘Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is Greek!’ So, to the desperation of my loved ones, every time a conversation circles back to the etymology of a word, I channel my inner Gus and say, in his exact tone of voice: ‘Well, it’s obviously GREEK.’ And so very few nations can claim such a profound and personal bond with their history as the Greeks. And that deep-seated, intense, passionate connection to their roots, I believe,  is the very thing that makes everything they create feel so incredibly alive and vibrant.

Manos Gerakinis Portrait via the official website

And when it comes to the world of scent, no one carries that torch with more elegance than the first Greek niche brand, founded in 2014: Manos Gerakinis. Manos is a man of eclectic & impeccable taste, who left his beautiful Kavala only to spend a decade in London’s luxury sector before returning home, to his roots in Greece. His journey started with a single bespoke fragrance created for his own pleasure, which ignited a passion that now we are all fortunate enough to have. It’s no secret that I love this brand, and the beautiful sense of equilibrium and the sophistication, and Manos Gerakinis is one of the few people who can materialize this and make it look so effortless.

Manos Gerakinis Parfums Amandus courtesy of the brand

“I want the wearer to feel remembered. This fragrance is about creating a lasting, beautiful memory for everyone around you. It’s the scent of connection that makes people want to come closer and remember how you made them feel.” – Manos Gerakinis, Creative Director & Owner.

Let’s take a first look at the root: Amandus. Okay, okay… this form is clearly Latin, and it means ‘worthy of love”, and then is also the almond itself  – a loanword from Old French almande or alemande, descended from the Latin amandula, amindula, modified from amygdala, which is in turn borrowed from Ancient Greek amygdálē. (My inner Gus Portokalos, whom I just invoked, drops the mic and shouts Hoper edei deixai – ΟΕΔ!).

AI image of koufeta candy, Nicoleta

But it’s not just the detective game of going back to the roots, but also the soul and the inspiration of this fragrance is purely Hellenic, drawing its inspiration from the ancient myth of Phyllis and Demophon. As the story goes, a heartbroken princess died, waiting for her lover, and the gods turned her into an almond tree. When he finally returned and embraced the bark, the leafless tree burst into bloom, and the almond tree flowers still are a symbol of hope and eternal, time-transcending love. Even to this day, koufeta (sugar-coated almonds) are given at Greek weddings to symbolize the bittersweet nature of life and the hope for a sweet future. If you have ever been fortunate to attend a Greek wedding, you surely remember them, aligned on a silver platter and traditionally served in odd numbers, for they represent a union that, like a prime number, cannot be divided. There’s even a bit of magic regarding almonds: it’s said that if a woman sleeps with these almonds beneath her pillow, the gods might just whisper the name of her future husband in her dreams.

AI image of ingredients, Nicoleta

Amandus is a masterclass in balance: it’s slightly bitter, salted just enough to make your mouth water, and dusted off with an elegant powderiness. Yet beneath this apparent restraint pulses a larger-than-life, Zorba-dancing celebration of beauty, something that can only come from a Greek sense of exuberance – so passionate and unapologetically expressive.

And all this passionate whirlwind has been served to us, with elegant gestures, on a silver platter: with sparkly sugar fairy dust, salted caramel, toasted hazelnuts, crunchy toffee, and sweet dates.  All these delights float on a cloud of pastel florals that keep it imponderable and delightfully lighthearted. This combination immediately called to mind Soumada, a Greek drink also called the “drink of happiness” that is usually served at weddings or used as a refresher in summer, a non alcoholic potion made out of bitter almonds, sugar, and orange blossom or rose water. And trust me, if you have it once, you never forget it, or its uplifting effect.

All this cornucopia of deliciousness, floating on a flurry of milky petals, reaches its peak and turns deeper and creamier, toasting an Amaretto, caressing the smooth texture of sandalwood, and touched by a dash of vanilla, just to make everything dance in sync. Above it all – incense, adding a whisper of the eternal, because yes, it is fairytale-ish, but we must never forget that we are in the land of myths and gods!

Perfumer Sofia Bardelli, image via the brand

Created by perfumer Sofia Bardelli, Amandus is a sophisticated, rich, and elegant interpretation of the gourmand trend. If you usually find gourmands “too much,” too sweet, too heavy, or too linear,  Amandus will surely change your mind. This is a fantastic example of the ‘upgraded gourmand’ trend, one that Ida actually saw coming over five years ago- and if you haven’t yet, you really should read her article here.

Manos Gerakinis Parfums Amandus 10ml collage by Nicoleta

In the spirit of that old Greek belief, that sleeping with sugar-coated almonds beneath your pillow might reveal what’s written in your future, I’ve been wearing my Amandus to bed almost every night this cold, cold January, layered with L’Occitane’s Amande shower gel and body cream (this combo is absolutely divine!!!).  I don’t know what the gods have planned, or what tomorrow looks like, but one thing has already been decided, and for sure I will obey: buying a full bottle is inevitable in my very near future.

Top Notes: Almond, Sugar Dust, Salted Caramel, Dates; Heart Notes: Hazelnut, Toffee, Transparent Flowers, Incense; Base Notes: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Amber, Musk

Disclosure: A travel size of Manos Gerakinis Parfums Amandus was offered by the brand; opinions are always my own.

Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor

Amandus is one of Nicoleta’s top 10 perfumes of 2025 and Manos Gerakinis Wild Tuberose was a top ten perfume of 2025 for J Wearescentient

Available at Fine Stockists (including in the USA: Perfumology and Indigo Perfumery)

Thanks to the generosity of Manos Gerakinis Parfums, we have a 10 ml of Amandus for one registered reader from the EU. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review and where you live. Draw closes February 2, 2026

Michelyn’s Note: Please join us in wishing Nicoleta Happy Birthday, January 29!

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