Le Mâle Le Parfum Jean Paul Gaultier 2020

In the morning, my first task at work is to brew some tea. For years, it has been the Earl Grey black tea from Rossmann. The mug is always within reach on my desk next to the computer mouse, and everyone knows it by now.

As always in the morning, the door opens, colleagues come in, and we have a brief morning meeting in my office. Today, a colleague looks at my cup and says, "That tea smells good, what kind is it?" I show her the package and explain that the Rossmann Earl Grey, compared to the Lipton from before, which unfortunately is no longer available, practically has no bergamot aroma at all. It’s more of an almost normal black tea to my taste. Worlds away from the green Lipton, which I miss dearly and last had many years ago in Norway. She says she doesn’t like Earl Grey at all, but this one smells good! I notice she is surprised by what she just said. She leaves.
Since she was wearing one of those dreadful FFP2 scent-killing masks, I wonder silently how my esteemed colleague could possibly have smelled black tea. It’s very Jean-Baptiste Grenouille-like. Then it clicks: She must have meant the "Le Mâle Le Parfum | Jean Paul Gaultier," which I had applied in the morning with 6 sprays...

And yes, this fragrance can handle those 6 sprays. The black Le Mâle is by no means a light scent. No, no, it has substance - but it wraps around you. You know that feeling from high-quality skincare creams. It envelops its wearer in a balsamic embrace. Perfectly tailored. Like a bespoke suit. And yet it radiates outward, making it particularly appealing to women, who then think you’ve brewed a wonder tea ;-)). How that works is a mystery to me. Here, at least, it has happened in a magical way. That’s the charm of this perfume.

In terms of pure progression, there isn’t much to report. The start is cardamom (scent impression: delicious caramelized fairground sugar) against a background that remains the same as it was upon first spraying. You experience a darker vanilla that begins to push forward just a tiny bit after 2.5 hours. But only minimally. Along with it, there’s a soft, spicy wood that isn’t resinous but has a very subtle smoky quality. Iris adds a powdery quality in the heart. Lavender gives a kick, a certain twist in the story; without the lavender, the scent would be boring. And that’s about it. It doesn’t sound impressive - but it is, see above!!

The longevity is excellent, 6 sprays and the workday is saved. Even in the evening, you can enjoy the beautifully fading vanilla.