REVIEW: The Taste of Fragrance - Thierry Mugler 2011

I think Thierry Mugler's fragrances are sensational! I wear Womanity, Alien and Angel all the time, and they will always remain classic scents that I will forever enjoy wearing. Even as I continue to evolve over the years, they will be ageless timeless fragrances that will always bring me such pleasure. So it is with such excitement that I share Thierry Mugler's latest creations with you. He continues to overstep the boundaries of traditional perfume-making with his exceptional and legendary perfumes, to launch more of his extraordinary creations. By venturing into unexplored territory, and he appears where he is least expected! Simply put, Thierry Mugler has taken his four most coveted fragrances and without changing their original scent, he has rediscovered them by enhancing the fragrance to what one may fantasize if they were to combine food with the scents. It is really hard to put into words what the outcome of this twisting of fragrances has rendered. All I can say is they are all even more heavenly and intoxicating than they were originally, and they already were divine! I am speechless with how sensual and delicious each fragrance in this limited edition version is, and everyone should experience the delight they each will bring you. They will make perfect Holiday Gifts for the person who thinks they have it all, men and women, because believe me these are so unique and so glorious, they are sure to please anyone! Or better yet, treat yourself to a new fragrance experience, you will come to adore them as I have. Let me give you more background information about THE TASTE OF FRAGRANCE:

{Adapted from the Thierry Mugler Press Kit}

THE IDEA: EXPERIMENTING BEYOND THE INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION PROCESSES TO CREATE BREATHTAKING PERFUMES.

THE CHALLENGE: ALTER THE STRUCTURE WITHOUT DISTORTING THE NATURE OF FOUR ICONIC FRAGRANCES by THIERRY MUGLER



THE RESULT........

THE TASTE OF FRAGRANCE

With the 2009 introduction of ‘Liqueurs de Parfum’, he drew on the ancestral know-how of winemakers to age his fragrances in wooden casks.

This year, Thierry Mugler Parfums continues to experiment, focusing its research on one of the senses showcased with its very first creation: taste.

With the 1992 release of Angel, Thierry Mugler invented a new olfactory family of "Oriental –
Gourmand" fragrances, based on a "delicious" facet featuring red berries and praline notes.

In 2010, he repeated the experience with Womanity, creating the very first "Sweet – Savory"
fragrance, which utilizes an exclusive molecular extraction process to achieve the fig and caviar
accords.

An unforgettable experience... Today, Thierry Mugler invites perfume lovers on a journey of fragrances and flavors with his new collection: the Taste of Fragrance.

With the ‘Taste of Fragrance’, the precursor of Haute Gourmand Perfumery is guilty of twisting
fragrances, offering the rediscovery of Angel, Alien, Womanity and A*Men through their fantasized flavors.

Thierry Mugler allowed the perfumers full freedom, challenging them to broaden their palettes of ingredients and introducing into each composition a "taste enhancer".

An explosive collection of four gourmand fragrances, with superbly concocted notes that will nearly make your mouth water…

Taking this exercise in style a step further and establishing a genuine parallel between Haute
Cuisine and Haute Perfumery, Thierry Mugler Parfums called on Hélène Darroze, one of the leading Michelin-starred French Chefs, to invent four recipes inspired by the new interpretations of these four fragrances.

Hélène Darroze has created an entirely muglerian meal, with both her talent and her imagination shining through.

Four sensory dishes for a ‘Taste of Fragrance’ dinner.

NEXT STEP WAS:

THE ENCOUNTER

Hélène Darroze and Pierre Aulas, Olfactory Artistic Director for Thierry Mugler Parfums

Hélène Darroze:

I am delighted that Thierry Mugler thought of me for this project. I love the world of perfumes and have had a few opportunities to learn a little more about this universe. Obviously, I know Thierry Mugler's reputation and I believe in these great initiatives that combine different types of expertise to create unique products.

I agree with Mr. Mugler that the nose and mouth are inseparable and can be compatible in both
cooking and perfumery.

Similar to a favorite dish, you know instantly when you smell a fragrance whether or not you like it. I sincerely believe that a fragrance is love at first "smell". One day you smell one, by chance, and it is clear. It is rather magical...

As for our recipes, I understand that the key words are "exceptional", "inventive" and "bold”. The taste buds will need to be astounded to match the olfactory surprise.

Pierre Aulas:

For the ‘Taste of Fragrance’, it is not simply the fragrance compositions that are revolutionary, it is also the secret in their production.

Traditionally, the perfume concentrate contains all the fragrance components and is aged in steel vats for a given time to ensure that it is thoroughly blended. For our project, the concentrate and "taste enhancer" were placed in separate vats to age for a few weeks. That way, each concentrate was preserved and assembled only at the solution phase, when alcohol is added to dilute the concentrate in the desired proportion. The complete solution, combining both fragrance and enhancer, then macerates to obtain the final juice.

It took over six months to perfect these recipes.

Hélène Darroze:

This process is actually similar to the process used in gastronomy. We prepare the ingredients of a dish separately and only combine them at the end of the recipe to create not just a mixture, but a harmony of flavors.

To match the four original fragrances, we imagined four so-called "classic" recipes. We then adapted them to the taste enhancer, creating four new recipes that are almost identical, yet with a touch of brazenness, reflecting the image of the ‘Taste of Fragrance’ versions.

ANGEL



More gourmand than gourmand

Released in 1992, Angel was Thierry Mugler's first fragrance; a multi-faceted myth transcending all trends.

Inspired by the creator's childhood memories, he launched a new olfactory fashion, the "Oriental-Gourmand".

A blend of deliciously sweet notes and an overdose of patchouli, the first "blue" fragrance in the history of perfumery captivates and sweeps us into a whirlwind of delectable delight.

For the ‘Taste of Fragrance’ the red berries, jam and caramelized almonds in the praline are combined with pure cocoa powder preserving its natural bitterness, making Angel infinitely succulent.

The nose is literally "fooled", the taste buds are awakened. How can a fragrance so strongly represent the delicious powder? With the magic of haute perfumery and the talent of Thierry Mugler…

Blended into the original formula, bitter cocoa powder was chosen as the taste enhancer. It exalts Angel's gourmand notes, making them intensely voluptuous.

The ingredients include all the strong sweet notes, praline, vanilla, and red berries, as well as sensory spices and the famous patchouli, which will undoubtedly be more challenging to convey... perhaps with a dark taste, close to nature.

My first idea would be a sweet-savory main dish for Angel. Why not pigeon or duck, a darker poultry that goes very well with chocolate... To bring out this main ingredient, I think a Mexican "mole" would be perfect. The key ingredient of this dough-like specialty is bitter chocolate.

I will stay with something very "gourmand" to reflect its formula, something that releases many different flavors in the mouth.


ALIEN



Carnal sensuality

The second major women's fragrance to join the Thierry Mugler galaxy in 2005, Alien emerged as a talisman fragrance and a revelation.

Heralding a future full of hope and light, the fragrance is an "Amber - Woody - Floral" creation born of the bold excess of powerful accords.

Heightened by the solar, floral notes of jasmine sambac mixing with the cashmeran wood and the depth of white amber, this peaceful, serene fragrance is given a savory-sweet reflection in its ‘Taste of Fragrance’ version.

To embellish the wealth of the amber tones, the perfumer imagined a salted butter caramel, like the juice that forms when a dish is caramelized with sugar or honey at the end of the cooking process.

Shock to the Senses:

The impression of living for the moment, when sugar and salt crystallize with the heat of the fire. With the power of these images, the nose and mouth anticipate a sophisticated harmony of flavors, far off the beaten track of daily cooking...

Salted butter caramel was chosen as the taste enhancer. Added to the original formula, it turns Alien's amber tones into deliciously velvety notes.

In addition to Alien's prime components of jasmine sambac and amber, the fragrance features citrus fruits and spices. As for Angel’s signature patchouli, the cashmeran wood is somewhat set apart as it is challenging to reflect in taste.

Listening to your description, I immediately think of a dessert...

I want creaminess and delicacy, a perfect harmony between citrus, flowers and this dark note,
which awaken the salted butter caramel. A bean could be at the heart of the recipe to translate the cashmeran wood. It will be a surprise!

WOMANITY



Sweet femininity with a savory kick

Created in 2010 in the purest muglerian tradition, Womanity is the result of a challenge, the
introduction of a salty note to obtain the first ever "Woody – Sweet – Savory" fragrance, and a
technological innovation: the use of molecular extraction* to reproduce the olfactory subtleties of the ingredients.

Denoting the radiant sweetness of the fig and the marine-scented boldness of the caviar, this complex creation reflects the countless faces of femininity.

In the ‘Taste of Fragrance’ version, the mystery of Womanity is untouched. The sweet-savory accord becomes even more exceptional and more disconcerting with the intermingling of chutney made of figs that are subtly spiced and candied in sweet vinegar.

Shock to the Senses:

The fusion is stunning. Each note keeps its personality while playing its role in the complex harmony of the composition. The impression of a crossroads of fragrances, flavors and textures: the caviar grains are mixed with the fig seeds in the creaminess of the chutney.

Fig chutney was chosen as the taste enhancer. Incorporated into the original formula, it gives the fig a candied tone and heightens the savory note of the caviar with a bouquet of spices, bringing a disconcerting aspect to the accord.

Fig and caviar will be your ideal ingredients, but you may want to use the chutney as an ally through its numerous spices. As with the other fragrances, this note of fig tree wood will be complicated to use.

It immediately brings to mind an hors d'oeuvre. We will have to focus on a very sweet, very feminine dish: a "bite-sized" morsel which can subtly combine the fig and especially the chutney.

Obviously, at the end of the preparation, to reflect Womanity's iodine facet, we will add a few grains of caviar with the tip of the knife, like a signature, an apotheosis.

A*MEN



Spicy instinct

Thierry Mugler’s first men’s fragrance, A*Men features an elegant, timeless and still sophisticated wake. In 1996, the fragrance opened new doors in the universe of perfumery.

Like diving into the intimate heart of men, this “Oriental – Woody – Vigorous” composition tells the story of a man who feels living within him is the victorious hero that he has always imagined himself to be.

Intense and vibrant, the fragrance oscillates between two contrasting dimensions: the “Oriental –Woody” notes, with the patchouli and vanilla exuding strength and charisma, and the “Vigorous” facet, with pure coffee for all the originality and character.

For the ‘Taste of Fragrance’ version, these masculinely warm scents are brought out in a concentrate of red pepper for amazing power.

Shock to the Senses:

The burning breath of the spices pushes all boundaries.

The inner heat is ardent and sensual like desire.

The concentrate of red pepper is chosen as the taste enhancer. Incorporated into its original formula, it awakens the power of the roasted coffee and brings out the spicy notes to inflame the wood.

Mainly denoting the coffee, vanilla and patchouli, A*Men also features spices that are also found in Angel. The hot pepper sets fire to and highlights the recipe bringing color to it.

Maybe a starter... It’s a complicated task. We need a dish that is strong in taste but with a certain roundness. I would really like to bring out the coffee and spices to represent the warm aspect of A*Men. The other facet to highlight is the presentation. I would like to reflect the contrasts of the bottle through the brown of the coffee and the red of the pepper.


MY REVIEW

The wonderful folks over at Clarins sent me samples of each of the four fragrances. Three of them were sample size and I did receive a full size of ALIEN Taste of Fragrance ~ which is phenomenal! I have had a chance to wear and experience THE TASTE OF FRAGRANCE for all four of the fragrances, and each one is so magnificent and dynamic, that it is hard to pick a favorite when each one in and of itself is a brilliant masterpiece. I even enjoyed wearing A*MEN and it may be made for a man, but I like it too!! Each scent is very sexy and alluring, and although words has been used to describe them, to understand the words, you must inhale them to understand all the complex elements that are within each scent, perfectionism at its finest! A level of excellence in perfumery that is by far beyond anything my imagination could have fantasized about, brilliant on so many levels!

You can learn more about THE TASTE OF FRAGRANCE by visiting the Thierry Mugler Website by CLICKING HERE. You can also purchase ANGEL, ALIEN, WOMANITY or A*MEN TASTE OF FRAGRANCE from the Thierry Mugler Website or visit your fine department stores and they will have them available as well.

This concludes my review.

A very special THANK YOU to the most gracious folks at Clarins for providing me with the Thierry Mugler products for this review.

Disclosure: I received the items outlined in my review from the folks at Clarins for the purposes of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with this product are my own and yours may differ. I am not employed nor affiliated with Clarins in any manner.