FRAGRANCE | A*men Pure Tonka EDT by Thierry Mugler: No, it's not purely tonka but it sure is pure gourmand bliss

This must have been with me for some four years already, box totally unopened until now. Apparently, A*men Pure Tonka by Mugler has become highly sought after among fragheads, not just because it's been discontinued but because it's a really good fragrance. Although I don't know if this was also later released with only Mugler instead of Thierry Mugler on the box but mine has the latter embossed on the shiny black carton. Again, the latter is more desirable for fragrance aficionados because it's indicative of older batches.

After struggling with the sprayer (as is common with all A*men bottles), I finally got a decent mist and was able to breathe in all of Pure Tonka's goodness. The opening is marked by a fresh, slightly creamy lavender set against a warm and sweet backdrop. After several minutes, tonka starts coming through, along with tiny flecks of spicy sharpness. I don't get the patchouli just yet since understandably, it's the tonka they're playing up here. Nonetheless, I'm expecting it, being a key component of the A*men DNA.

Not long after, come vanilla, coffee, and chocolate, their combined aroma swirling around like some sugar-loaded barista creation. The spiciness puts up a fight but the lavender is struggling to slice through the thick caffeinated concoction. It's trying, though, and I can still pick it up at this point. Later, I also get licorice joining in the fray. You'd think this would be a cloying mess with all the sweetness but the perfumer deftly maneuvers the scent away from that trap. Although this would still be best worn during colder days or in temperature-controlled environments, I find the scent perfectly balanced.

Between one to two hours later, this balance is further cemented when the patchouli finally makes its dry, woody presence felt. Somehow, despite the fragrance being a sweet gourmand, the dry woodiness stands apart, like I'm able to isolate it from everything else. At this point, that familiar Mugler A*men DNA is now complete, validating Pure Tonka's position as a flanker instead of a completely different scent that just happens to share the A*men name. Both lavender and spiciness are now gone, and the vanilla, coffee, chocolate, and licorice have homogenized into one delectable aroma.

Although marketed as a men's frag, I believe a woman can easily wear this given its gourmand profile. It's a beautiful scent; warm, cozy, and yummy. I don't know if it's just because of the sprayer unable to produce a proper mist but I don't find A*men Pure Tonka to be a roaring room-filler. Nevertheless, it's a long-lasting scent. All said, I'm very happy to have it in my collection.