d'Annam Mango Sticky Rice Eau de Parfum

What it smells like

Mango Sticky Rice opens with the bright, almost honeyed sweetness of ripe mango—that particular golden ripeness that arrives at the peak of the season, when the fruit yields to the gentlest pressure. It's a clean, fruited opening, generous and immediately recognisable, without the floral or herbal complications that sometimes accompany mango in fragrance. This is the real thing: the smell of biting into the fruit itself.

As the composition settles, rice emerges at its heart. This is where Anh Ngo's precision becomes apparent. Rather than a starchy, grain-like dryness, the rice here carries warmth and a subtle earthiness—the scent of rice that has been gently cooked, steamed, made tender. There's an almost creamy quality to it, a softness that sits between the brightness of the mango and what follows. It's grounding, intimate, and distinctly reminiscent of the dish itself.

The base arrives with coconut milk, which deepens and rounds the composition into something altogether more sensual. The coconut here is not the shredded, toasted coconut of confectionery, but rather the creamy, slightly sweet essence of coconut milk—the ingredient that makes mango sticky rice what it is. It wraps around the mango and rice notes, creating a soft, enveloping finish that lingers on the skin with a gentle sweetness. The overall effect is gourmand without being cloying: it smells like a beloved dessert, but one you'd actually want to wear.

Who made it

Anh Ngo is an IFF perfumer and the principal nose behind d'Annam's Vietnam-inspired collection. Her work is distinguished by an unusual gift: the ability to translate specific Asian foods, drinks and cultural memories into precise, evocative, true-to-life compositions. Where many perfumers approach gourmand scents with a degree of abstraction or exaggeration, Ngo works from lived experience and genuine affection for her subject matter. The result is fragrance that feels honest—scents that capture not just the smell of a dish, but the memory and emotion attached to it.

Mango Sticky Rice is a demonstration of this approach. Rather than building a fantasy around the dessert, Ngo has composed something that honours the real, familiar experience of eating it: the initial brightness of the fruit, the tender warmth of the rice, the creamy richness of the coconut milk that brings it all together. It's a fragrance that respects its inspiration.

Who it's for

Mango Sticky Rice is for anyone who finds joy in gourmand fragrances but wants something that feels grounded and genuine rather than artificially sweet. It appeals to those with an affinity for Asian cuisine and culture, or simply to people who appreciate fragrance that tells a specific story rather than chasing a generic idea of sweetness.

It suits those who wear scent as a form of personal expression—who might choose a fragrance because it resonates with a memory, a place, or a feeling rather than because it fits a particular occasion or dress code. It's for the person who enjoys a touch of humour and warmth in their fragrance wardrobe, who doesn't mind their scent being conversational or distinctive.

Because it's a true eau de parfum in a 50ml bottle, it's also for the collector who values quality concentration and longevity, and who appreciates niche fragrance houses that approach composition with intention and specificity.

When to wear it

Mango Sticky Rice is most at home in warmer months, when the brightness of the mango feels particularly welcome and the creamy base doesn't feel heavy on the skin. It's an excellent choice for daytime wear, especially in summer—the kind of fragrance that lifts the mood without demanding attention.

It also works beautifully in the early evening, particularly if you're heading somewhere relaxed and social. There's something about its gourmand warmth that feels celebratory without being formal. It would be equally at home at a casual dinner with friends or a weekend afternoon spent outdoors.

Because it's a true eau de parfum, it has the staying power to carry you through the day, though its character softens pleasantly as it settles into the skin—the mango fades gracefully, leaving the rice and coconut milk to develop a quieter, more intimate presence.

About the house

d'Annam is a niche perfume house founded by Nick Hoang, whose name means 'from Annam'—the historical name for Vietnam. The house composes fragrances as olfactory love letters to East and Southeast Asian food, culture and memory. Rather than drawing on abstract or invented inspiration, d'Annam's fragrances are built around specific dishes, drinks and rituals: white rice, mango sticky rice, matcha soft serve, mooncake, bubble tea. Each is rendered as wearable scent, composed with the precision and care that such subjects deserve.

The Vietnam-inspired collection is composed chiefly by IFF perfumer Anh Ngo, with additional work by perfumer Luis Hou. Each fragrance is an eau de parfum—a concentration that speaks to the house's commitment to quality—housed in minimalist rounded clear-glass bottles paired with illustrated art boxes. The design is as considered as the fragrance itself: clean, warm, and distinctly d'Annam.