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.......

Comments

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog