Uncut Gem Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2022

Normally, fragrances with animalistic additions polarize - just think of 'Kouros'.
But even fragrances without significant animal components, like this one, seem to divide opinions irreconcilably. What separates both camps is primarily the question of how receptive one is to the stimuli of modern 'Woody Ambers', or whether one reacts more allergically to them. Lukewarm, indecisive attitudes are hardly found; instead, there is either recognition, even admiration, or head-shaking, up to outright rejection. 'Woody Ambers' are certainly not new, but they have gained dominance in the fragrance world wherever young men gather. All their grooming products smell of it: shower gels and deodorants, and of course their perfumes. In this respect, some form of stimulus adaptation should have long since withdrawn this sweetly woody synthetic from our attention, just like a hat one wears but no longer notices, as our perception begins to suppress the constant stimulus after a while to be open to new experiences.
Here, however, the aroma chemical 'Ambrocenide' from the company Symrise hits us with an intensity that allows no stimulus adaptation. Maurice Roucel has showcased it in 'Uncut Gem' in a larger-than-life way - it forms the pivot of the fragrance. The Holzminden company Symrise characterizes the scent of its product as an 'extremely powerful woody-ambery note', whose massive use would be akin to 'nuclear armament', according to Frédéric Malle.
That certainly raises eyebrows, especially in these times.

And indeed, a synthetic bomb detonates here like no other. Everything else the fragrance might hold, such as wonderful notes like magnolia, incense, angelica, labdanum: buried under nuclear Ambrocenide fallout.
At least that's my perception.
Others apparently detect a pronounced sharp-spicy ginger opening, a leathery-smoky finish, underpinned by a good amount of musk - and if anyone knows musk, it's Roucel: just think of 'Musc Ravageur', 'Dans tes Bras', and the two 'Helmut Lang' fragrances, the Cologne and the EdP!
Alas, I smell (almost) none of that.

What I smell is a brittle, sharp-woody aroma with plastic-like undertones and synthetic amber sweetness, a bitter-green, equally unnatural vegetal note that vaguely resembles galbanum, and after a long sniffing, indeed a hint of 'French Lover' - a faint touch of bitter-spicy angelica, some cool, smoky streaks, as well as a sterile artificial leather facet.
That’s it.
Admittedly, I belong to those who react allergically to 'Woody Amber' aromas beyond a certain intensity. Perhaps this is due to my age. I simply grew up in a completely different olfactory environment, and my olfactory socialization was shaped by leather chypres like 'Antaeus', aromatic fougères like 'Azzaro pour Homme', and even the later released dihydromyrcenol-saturated 'Cool Water'. Speaking of dihydromyrcenol: back then, my older colleagues found the Davidoff scent terribly synthetic, which I couldn't understand at all. However, since they had also experienced a different olfactory socialization, they were no longer receptive to the stimuli of the new fragrance molecule. I, on the other hand, could have bathed in it at times.
Over the years, the fronts have likely reversed, and today I belong to those who feel alienated by the currently popular aroma chemicals. This started years ago with 'Bleu de Chanel', ultimately culminating in the unbearably overwhelming 'Sauvage', which, due to its success, spawned countless hardly distinguishable offspring (just like 'Cool Water' back in the day).
And now: 'Uncut Gem'.
If the fragrance had been released by any random designer house, I wouldn't have been surprised; the need for ever-new 'Woody Amber' creations seems evidently too great, and their success still appears significant.
That a house like Frédéric Malle is now also riding this mass-appeal horse is, on one hand, understandable, as they simply want a piece of the pie, especially with an Estée Lauder corporation behind them, which likely insisted on opening up to the mainstream. On the other hand, the Editions de Parfums has always found its self-understanding in a distinction from the mass market, placing value on creating independent, wearable fragrance characters that are more rooted in the tradition of French 'Haute Parfumerie' than in the actual niche market, which pushes the fragrance palette much further, even to the point of unwearability.
In this tension between mainstream here and concept fragrance blessed niche market there, the Frédéric Malle house positioned itself with considerable success for many years and earned a very solid reputation, especially among fragrance aficionados.
This reputation has now begun to show cracks. When the well-groomed Monsieur Malle himself raves in the advertisement for 'Uncut Gem' about Marlon Brando and Elia Kazan's world that supposedly escapes this fragrance, this invocation of the gods becomes an attempt at damage control. Aside from the fact that I have always been suspicious of these 'celebrity washings', especially since the involved parties can no longer defend themselves against it. At the same time, another direction becomes apparent: against the zeitgeist of gender ambiguity, which seems to overwhelm older gentlemen! 'Uncut Gem' as a manifesto of clarity, celebrating masculinity unabashedly, letting its Uncut Gem hang out despite all 'Me Too'.

That name!

Of course, one wants to provoke a little, but this little provocation reminds me more of schoolboy jokes from lecherous retirees than of Brando's virile erotic force. Furthermore, the naming lacks any wink of flirtiness à la 'French Lover', even if one may hypocritically claim that it refers to the opposition of elegant and sophisticated versus raw and unrefined. However, when a bulging pants front is constantly shown, over which a hand casually dangles, one quickly suspects what it will soon encompass - 'Sticky Fingers' by the Stones sends its regards! With its charming frivolity, Andy Warhol's cover is, however, closer to 'French Lover' than to the comparatively sterile photographic quote (which, in terms of sterility, corresponds well with 'Uncut Gem').

Conclusion: an unnecessary attempt, in my view, to cater to the mass market, which Malle and Roucel - caution, stair joke! - seemingly have no desire for themselves, as which hordes of wealthy young men do they expect to find who are willing to shell out 300 euros for a single bottle when they could have three bottles of 'Sauvage' instead?

Apparently, Tom Ford is already working on a new fragrance: working title 'Cut Gem'.
A joke.