I'm not a big patchouli guy or at least I never used to be and especially when it's delivered in such a linear way. However, over the past few years I've started to really dig a soily patch and found the opening of this scent to be incredibly bracing. It's a mixture of a big, boozy, smoky incense and I even get a sort of bitter orange in the very beginning then the patchouli starts growing and growing to an earthy crescendo. There's a sharp, burning, herbal, minty, menthol quality to it as well. I can't help thinking about the name of this one and patchouli wasn't always something I necessarily associated with masculine perfumery but I suppose it really is... that dirty kind of oily quality reminds me of working on cars or something? (PC Police: I'm not saying women don't work on cars.) Anyway the huge let down with this fragrance is that it goes on MASSIVE and then is very poor on longevity thereafter...I got a few hours out of it. I'm intrigued by the geranium version though. UPDATE: Let me just readdress this and add a caveat to my review because upon wearing it for a second time today, I'm pretty taken with this fragrance. The base is actually much more sensual and deep than I expected, and rooted in a dry, sandpaper rough, amber accord but with facets of labdanum and moments of sharpness & brightness in there. I really like it and it appears to be lasting much better on me this time as I went in a bit hard on it for having poor longevity, I just think it dies to a skin scent quicker than expected but remains for hours....and what a skin scent....the drydown is lovely. I judged it a little quickly but I'm still hoping the geranium one will deliver more. UPDATE 2: 27/04/21 I'm on a big Malle kick at the minute, revisiting and renewing my opinions on this brilliant line. Monsieur is a big part of that because I know it's great, I know it is, and looking back on my review here I've little to add. It's a case of, do I find it's presence (or lack thereof) worth the money?, and I'm no Longevity queen, I'll wear a fleeting eau de cologne, I will but there's probably other Malle's I need first. Just to reiterate this is an amazing take on a modern, masculine patchouli, the intensity and darkness yet clarity of the opening is really something to behold, but while French Lover and Geranium pour monsieur hold your attention and evolve all the while from exciting opening to glorious base, this one kinda fizzles out a bit, which is a shame.
Comparing with Kilian's Straight to Heaven Since this is quite masculine scent I don't have so many scents to compare with and that's why Straight to Heaven comes into my mind even if they have many differences despite of many common accords. Both are woody, spicy, smokey with a hint of rum. If I have to choose my choice is definitely Kilian Straight To Heaven. You may prefer this one: it’s more potent, more leathery without any sweetness in it. Saffron which is not in STH at all brings spicy earthy feeling especially in the opening. There is a certain kind of earthy feeling in Straight to Heaven but it's only from Patchouli. I love Rum a lot as a note but in this one it’s just a quick hint in the opening and in Straight to Heaven it stays until the dry down. Vanilla in STH sweetens the scent in the dry down whereas Monsieur. stays very dry without a sweetness. I would say that this one is more masculine and STH is more unisex. Those are definitely not the same but I recommend to try both if considering buying another one! From "Smells similar" list I have Pardon but it has nothing to do with Monsieur imo. Thank you for reading and I would appreciate if you follow me IG @ninamariah_perfumes This review is based on a sample and three full wearings. The quality of the scent is great like is the longevity and sillage.