Pure Malt by Thierry Mugler

The hype machine is an interesting thing. It can do for mediocrity what nothing else can. Case in point is the ex-NFL player Brian Bosworth who singlehandedly disrupted the Seattle Seahawks agenda for years. His agent pulled a PR coup and the hype machine grew over his abilities so much so that Seattle dug deep into their pockets and went out on a long limb. The limb, however, quickly snapped and his career was over in the proverbial blink of an eye....but the repercussions for the organization were long lasting. Fortunately, fragrance houses don't normally suffer these type consequences for average performance.

Bosworth was good. He stood out amongst his college peers and was a big fish in a smallish pond. Once thrown in with the best of the best, it was apparent that his athletic abilities could not compensate for his undersized physical stature. The big fish systematically wore him down in no time.....and the rest is salary cap history for Seattle.

This is what Pure Malt reminds me of. In a pond of nothing but current designer releases, it's a Bosworth flexing its muscles. However, when in the mix with the upper echelon of designers, it's an undersized competitor that tries hard but falls somewhat short.

In truth, I actually like Pure Malt. I am simply trying to cut down the hype on this one trick pony. This is the offspring of A*&B* Men. I have B*Men and it's definitely a brother to Pure Malt. Overall, Pure Malt smells better than B*Men, but with less accord movement. The "booziness" is a modern interpretation of booze accords and this is what Pure Malt extolls. There's a gourmand quality to it with patchouli in its foundation. The booze is non-alcholic with what I perceive as a vanilla-chocolate mocha and possibly a dash of musk. I get all of this from the opening and it stays exactly that way for the life of the scent on my skin.

Due to the resounding accolades I've read on the boards for Pure Malt, I no doubt compare it with the classic gems I own or have at least sampled. It has been weighed, measured....and found wanting. As contradictory as this may sound, I would have no problem adding this scent to my wardrobe since I do like the way it wears and smells. It's simply a matter of "It's not ALL THAT and a bag of chips". It's simply decent. "Nuff said.......

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