Malt

I honestly don't understand why this gets such a low rating. In my opinion, Olivier Cresp has truly showcased his mastery with this scent. It holds a story within. The opening, with its salty wet yeast accord, might be challenging for some, but I personally love this part of the composition. It feels as if I am smelling freshly kneaded leavened dough in a wooden trough. As it starts to settle, the boozy vibe begins to reveal itself. It’s a combination of whiskey and rum scents resting on leather-upholstered chairs and polished wooden tables, accompanied by a sweet aroma that isn’t cloying. Interestingly, after the middle notes fade, a distinct smoky air emerges; I don't detect this smokiness in the opening at all, but it definitely makes its presence felt later on. And naturally, the setting is by the seaside. I can pick up that salty seaweed note, but it remains in the background. Everything feels true to life. The interior scents feel closer and more intimate, while the blend of sea and seaweed drifting in from the outside feels more distant... Even very amateur noses loved the base notes. Longevity is surprisingly good. As for projection (sillage), I would say it's at a mediocre level. I believe this fragrance is built on a very realistic composition and tells a genuine story. Everything is exactly where it needs to be. The sense of smell is tangible, but presenting this real-world tangibility inside a bottle requires true craftsmanship. It’s just like releasing a genie from a bottle... If that’s not magic, then what is?"

When I first tested this, I understood the negative comments. I do not get seaweed really at all, but it was heavy whiskey and yeasty - almost savory? - and there's a little funk. I didn't like it and was confused by the Olivier Cresp hype tbh (please forgive me). But I haven't worn it in a while, so I just tried again, on my skin this time, and WOW. It's dried down into this cozy, almost vanilla soap scent? If you've tried Aedes de Venustas Cierge de Lune, there is a similar coziness but no incense on this one. It definitely leans more masculine, but I don't mind that at all. It makes me want to smell my wrist over and over again. Not an enormous sillage, but up close it's so cozy. I will be wearing this all fall and I love that it's a light enough whisky for the daytime. It's hard to find a daytime boozy fragrance, and this one leans heavily into the whisky barrels rather than the alcohol itself.

The opening is a blast of roasted malt and caramelized sugar. It is a STRONG and realistic stout/porter beer. The accord is called whisky, it just lands more like a sweet stout to me. After the opening settles (30 minutes on skin), what remains is spiced carmelized sugar, an herbal rum. My nose is not good enough to pick those notes apart. I think the drydown shares DNA with Awake. Whatever pushes the coffee in Awake pushes the rum here. They layer together very nicely and smell like a proper hangover when combined. This is a full bottle for me, for use in cold weather chunky sweater hangouts. I wear this like someone else might wear By the Fireplace. Definitely sample first, this is for a particular taste and aesthetic and quite circumstantial in use cases for sure.

Damn, it really seems like everyone hates this one, but I can't relate. I love this fragrance. When it's first sprayed it can be a little intense, but after a fleeting moment, the scent settles and becomes downright intoxicating. Malt makes me smell like a sexy soft pretzel, which is not something I ever particularly aspired to smell like, but here we are. There is an easily detectable saltiness paired with something that I can only describe as yeast fermentation. A faint whisper of leather lies underneath. I know that description might sound unappealing, but for whatever reason, it works beautifully on my skin. Fuck the haters; two thumbs up. My partner says that Malt smells like non-flavored chapstick, so do with that what you will.

Guinness opening, maturing into a more balanced whiskey note. Kinda overwhelming at first in its acridity— photorealistic ‘five pints deep and some asshole spilled their entire drink on me’. Thankfully, Malt’s drydown is sweet and subtle, tempered by salty leather notes. Couldn’t pick up on the briney seaweed note I’ve seen detailed in other reviews, but here’s hoping it'll reveal itself to me over time! Malt is much too heady for daytime wear, but it’s a masculine, sultry, intoxicating nighttime pick.