FRAGRANCE | A*men Ultra Zest EDT by Thierry Mugler is not so zesty after all

halfwhiteboy - Mugler A*men Ultra Zest EDT 01

A few months ago I copped a bottle of Mugler's limited edition A*men Ultra Zest. Without doubt, the ultra bright orange bottle is an eye-catcher, maybe even an eyesore for some. But for me it promises bright things ahead with lots of oranges, a curious proposition as to how it would fit in A*men's rather heavy, tonka-patchouli-coffee signature.

After working my way with its characteristically annoying sprayer, I'm greeted with a blast of sour citruses, with that familar, sweet tonka-patch DNA right behind. From the start, Ultra Zest already asserts itself as a bona fide member of the A*men family. Its relatively cool and fresh top is in a similar vein as Kryptomint's, only this one employs citruses instead of the herb.

halfwhiteboy - Mugler A*men Ultra Zest EDT 02

The citrus itself isn't sweet, as the sweetness is easily distinguishable as emanating from the tonka. There's some ginger coming through after several minutes, providing a bit of a spicy zing to the mix. It's not as strong as the ginger in the OG Dior Homme Sport, though, and it's far from the prominence showcased in Guerlain's Acqua Allegoria Ginger Piccante. So if you're afraid of ginger, don't fret.

Alas, the promise of bright, orangey things doesn't hold up because the citruses and ginger are all gone in under an hour. Although I'm predictably left with that tonka, patchouli, and coffee combo in the base, I find that it's a little thinner in consistency and is less sweet. This makes Ultra Zest very wearable in warm weather. The scent lasts for several hours although it starts losing its power after the 2nd or 3rd hour. Overall, it's not bad but I don't think anyone is missing much from this one, especially if you already have a couple from this line. Unless you're collecting, there's no need to stress about hunting a bottle down.

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