If Francesca Bianchi were tasked with remaking Le Male Le Parfum, this is exactly what it would smell like. It has the same notes in the same proportions, but way better quality ingredients providing a sprinkling of niche magic. Where the difference is most stark is with the iris. What seems designery and synthetic in LMLP is dusty, rooty and natural smelling here, and lends a leathery base to the drydown. I'm so familiar with Le Male that I can't get too excited about this, but that doesn't mean it's a bad perfume. But for the price, I want something that brings tears to my eyes.
This is the final one of the extraits I've tried and I kinda knew what to expect given how the other ones played out. I think Amaouge have been clever in the fact that they've basically given the people what they want, more of the same, but 'stronger' (whatever that means to you?) I was skeptical about these, I felt it represented something of a lack of ideas from Amouage, but I think Salmon has done this for the fans, (and the board ;) of which Reflection Man has many. This was one of the oldskool Amouages in those really middle eastern looking flacons, it's come a long way to this iteration and been wildly popular on the way. I always considered Reflection Man (the edp concentration) to be a beautiful and well executed fougere type fragrance, with smatterings of stuff which made it superior to things with which it was often compared, Le Male, Versace Dreamer, Sartorial etc....etc... Reflection Man was in more of an elite category with Invasion Barbare, Fougere Royale and later the Tom Ford Fougeres. However, I felt as though they all offered something of a standout quality aside from the basic fougere structure, be it the herbal aspects of Invasion barbare and the big patchouli element in both the TF and Houbigant. I think I know what the unique aspects of Reflection are now, especially in this version, this is more tonka/coumarin, vanillic warmth, some extra magic of resin white florals and iris, Iris features in this perfume more than I remember and it's a very modern, smooth iris in the vein of Prada/Andrier giving it a subtlety and chicness. This heavier concentration takes that to the pinnacle, making for a bolder, even warmer experience and probably magnifying the things which where a bit too subtle in the original. I'm wearing it today and I suspected all that coumarin warmth would start to drag and if I wear this on my arm and keep stiffing it's majestic opening soon retreats to something I find a bit cloying and then after a few hours go back to loving again. However, when I actually wear it on skin, during the day, it doesn't do that, it's just an inherently wearable and beautiful experience, to be honest it's been that long since I tried the original, I don't know whether the same could be said of that, for about half the money. That's the toss up though isn't it? I'd say from memory though this 45 version is almost certainly better and more appealing to me, as the other three I've tried have been I don't see why this one wouldn't be, so if you can splash the big bucks on this I can pretty much guarantee you won't be disappointed.
