Mugler's A*Men, or Angel Men, was very well received by the fragrance community back in 1996. It grew to be quite popular, and it was mostly due to starting the gourmand trend that later exploded in the late '90s and 2000s.
Thierry Mugler has spawned numerous Angel Men flankers over the years. While there are quite a few that are noteworthy, none of them have garnered the attention that Pure Malt has. Pure Malt is absolutely stunning and is proof that a gourmand when done right, can be sexy and yes, mass appealing.
For those not familiar, a gourmand is a fragrance that takes on elements and invokes the scent of food, specifically sweet dessert and confectionery foods. Notes like vanilla, honey, tonka bean, chocolate, and others work together to create a sugary sweet accord. Sometimes fruit notes are used as well. These notes are usually paired with base notes that aren't food-like in quality like patchouli, musk, amber, leather, tobacco, and so forth to balance out the fragrance.
So without further ado, let's get onto the review, shall we?
NOTES
Top Notes
Bergamot,
Helonial,
Lavender,
Peppermint
Heart Notes
Coffee Bean,
Tar,
Patchouli
Base Notes
Tonka Bean,
Vanilla,
Caramel,
Chocolate,
Musk
Added Notes
Woody malt,
Peat
The notes listed are actually from the original Angel Men. That is because no official note break-down has been released for Pure Malt. Mugler claims that Pure Malt uses the same notes, except the juice has been left to ruminate in oak scotch whiskey casks which add the wood and peat notes (see Added Notes).
With that said, notice all the foodie notes. We have Tonka Bean, which has a very vanilla and almond-like scent profile and acts as a mixative that extends the longevity of fragrances. Vanilla, caramel, chocolate, coffee bean, peppermint, so many edible notes here.
One note that stands out is that Helonial note, which a few reviewers will point out in the videos. Helonial is a synthetic interpretation that has an ozonic, fresh-cut hay-like quality. Some describe it as a "fresh watery floral" note. I believe it is what gives Angel Men and its flankers their signature juicy oomph.
You might be thinking, "tar, really?" Well, I haven't laid my nose on the original Angel Men (waiting on my bottle), but it has been said that it adds an "asphalt" or "rubbery" accord. Some find it slightly harsh, but it doesn't last long, as it is only present for the first 15 or so minutes. What I can tell you is that accord is barely noticeable in Pure Malt (if at all).
INFORMATION/BACKGROUND
As of this writing, Pure Malt is kind of difficult to find online. You can find it on Mugler's website, but only in a 3.4oz (100ml) Limited Edition bottle for $89USD. www.fragrancenet.com also has it for $85USD. I am unsure if this is being discontinued, but if it is, I would highly suggest checking it out before it is too late!
The scent was launched in 2009 and the fragrance was created by perfumer Jacques Huclier. Huclier created the original Angel Men along with all of the subsequent flankers. This fragrance only comes in Eau De Toilet concentration.
Pure Malt is on the very bottom left corner...
The presentation is the same as the original Angel Men and all flankers that came after it. All of them come in a rubbery plastic container that looks like a flask, with a window on the front in the shape of a star. The container and star are different colors depending on the flanker. For example, the original Angel Men came in a silver container with a blue star. Pure Malt comes in a matte black container with an amber colored star.
The sprayer is terrible. There is a trick to spraying it. You have to place your finger all the way forward on the button and press down hard. There is no controlling how much you spray. If you don't press hard, the juice will squirt out rather than spray. My suggestion is to decant the bottle into a pocket atomizer.
SCENT/SITUATION
The opening is full of malt booziness and mint. That Helional note is spot on as I described previously; fresh-cut hay, grainy like whole bread. The rubbery tar note is floating waaaaaay off in the distance, but it isn't unpleasant at all.
After about 20 minutes or so, the fragrance starts to sweeten considerably. You get all of the base notes in equal measures, such as the tonka bean, vanilla, chocolate, and the musk, but then it gives off an ambery incense vibe from the patchouli and the lavender. The malt and the peat give this a spicy woodsy edge -- a whiskey note that has me craving a dram of Redbreast 12 year. Even though it takes on a caramel sweetness as it goes along, it is still unquestionably manly.
Like Nick Offerman sitting by a fireplace drinking Scotch...
After about an hour, the fragrance takes on a fairly linear sticky sweet amber accord -- vanilla, and caramel, with only slight traces of woods and spice that lasts until it completely fades away, several hours later. It is so delicious. It reminds me more of smooth bourbon at this point. The closer you get to the skin with your nose, the easier it is to detect traces of dark chocolate and roasted coffee bean.
Such a sexy scent for the colder months, but you can wear it year round, especially in the evening. 21 years or older could wear this comfortably. I would regulate this to casual, dates, and even work, but formal events might be a stretch.
PERFORMANCE
This projects well, four or five feet. This will last you to 18+ hours, but it gets closer to your skin after several hours. It is strong, but it isn't too cloying, unless you wear it in the high heat. From what some reviewers have said, it doesn't perform as well as the original, but it is still well above average from what you will get from other designers, especially EDTs. In fact, Pure Malt can easily outperform most EDPs, but it isn't a nightclub monster 1 Million or Le Male.
RESOURCES
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Mugler/A-Men-Pure-Malt-6103.html
http://www.basenotes.net/ID26130614.html
VIDEOS
Dracdoc Review
Redolessence Review
THOUGHTS/REVIEW
What a gorgeous scent. This is the scent that had me change my mind about gourmands and their ability to be seductive. It has so many aspects that I love. Whiskey, caramel, dark chocolate, and vanilla spice. Awesome!
I give this a 10/10. It is a huge compliment getter and is frequently in many reviewers top 10 compliment getting lists and top 10 fall and winter lists. The hype is real! Now if I only stop sniffing my hand. haha!
Whooooah oh...
UPDATE: I forgot to mention, there are two other highly appealing flankers of Angel Men. The first one is Pure Havane, which adds in notes of honey and tobacco. It is like a honey bomb. The second is Pure Tonka, which smells like waffles with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. It has that fresh baked goodness kind of nuance. Both are compliment getters, both work really well in the colder weather just like Pure Malt. For the fragrance collector, they are must-haves in my humble opinion.
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Thanks for sharing!