Mechant Loup

Gray timber wolf, that got drunk, wondering among woods on its hind legs. The opening is very boozy and woody, but I also straight away detect nice hints of balmy-animalic fur scent, that truly makes me think of big animal, native to wilderness, walking on soft paws on mossy, herbal and moist soil. And I am not self-hypnotised here. Before deciding to go ahead and buy a FB I read reviews many times and what made me confident to go for it is that there is a certain group of ppl, who constantly complain on very bad silage and longevity of L'artisans and their "annoying concept, that don't worth the money", and myself, after being familiar with at least 12 other L'Artisan fragrances and never experiencing any problem with longevity (or better say ability to smell it) or - concept - I just realized that L'Artisan is simply MY house, I love all they do and how they do it, so it was the matter of trust really. Been never disappointed and I love Mechant Loup, just like I love forests and wolves, even though I remember plenty of times , when they have destroyed the roof or make a hole under my Grandad's hog pen at the farm, killing few sheep in winter. I was secretly wishing those bad wolves "bon appetit", while Grandad was cursing them, naturally. I was a bit worried about licorice, I didn't want it take central stage and to ruin sweet woodiness and it didn't happen, - it just adds tiny bitterness, like wormwood would, boozy and sweet from honey and praline, woody from hazel shrubs (rather than from hazelnuts), a bit of cedar and resinous myrrh and overall, good-mood attractive fragrance with pleasant balmy vibe.

For a time, this was my absolute favourite scent. It's what got me following the career of Bertrand Duchaufour, collecting his fragrances, and ultimately turned me into the frag-head I am today. The first thing I'd like to say about this scent is that I think Anglicising this as "Bad Wolf" is a huge mistake, as that makes it sound dark and threatening - the feel is much more "Naughty Wolf", a confident young wolf behaving badly, carrying the smell of woods and booze. "Bad", yes, but not "Big Bad Wolf" bad, more "cheeky/sassy" bad. I find myself returning to this scent all these years after my initial purchase, as I realised I never reviewed it, and I wanted to clarify the feeling I get from the name. Also, I should probably mention that it bears a striking resemblance to La Nuit de l'Homme by YSL, to the point where it could almost be a flanker - if you appreciate that scent, but feel like it needs a niche twist to set it apart, you will find this a pleasant and worthwhile buy. For me, my taste has gone much more aromatic/woodsy/green, warm leather, or slap-your-face citrus in the last few years, but on a cool-ish (ca.55-65° F) evening in the late spring, and all throughout summer and autumn, it's a catch.

The world is dark and, contrary to popular superstition, there is no moonlight to speak of. I hide amongst the wet, dead leaves of the forest floor, my hands grip the wet moss and there is fresh soil lodged in my fingernails. I am surrounded by groundfall apples...perhaps some strange hybrid of Cortland and something sweeter. I can smell the humidity in the air and my own cold-damp, frightened sweat. I pull deeper into the brambleberry brush, the last of the wild raspberries cling to thorny shoots. They nick my skin and I know that something is out there that can taste the drops of my blood in the breeze floating throughout the depths of this night. I can hear the chill. My leather gloves are no protection tonight. Something is hunting me; I grasp the musky fur as its largess pummels into me. There is hot breath, the sharp tang of teeth, and scratches so deep into my chest and arms that I cannot breathe. Mechant Loup has me is its grips. My red, woolen hood is shredded and will soon be wet with dew and blood. But is it the wolf's or mine?

Forêt de conte de fées. Senteur 9/10 Usage par journée d'automne pluvieuse pour cette merveille qui pourrait cependant lasser à force d'être portée. C'est un noisetier olfactif merveilleux : au lieu de vous promener avec l'arbre en entier - ce qui certes n'est pas pratique -, vous avez le concentré. Usage urbain, dominical de préférence : accompagnera fort bien une promenade en ville. Longévité 2/2. Sillage 2/2. Totalement en adéquation avec son usage. Vous diffusez sans agressivité. Masculinité 1.5/2 Ce parfum accompagne parfaitement ces journées d'automne à la lumière déclinante. C'est peut-être aussi un parfum un petit peu déprimant pour cette raison, comme une mélodie belle, mais un peu triste. Il est masculin, mais pas totalement sexué : plutôt dans sa version rassurante. Conviendrait plutôt à un homme déjà en couple. Evolution 2/4 Evolution qui semble s'appauvrir petit à petit passée les notes de coeur et semble de moins en moins original voire un peu lassant à force. C'est le défaut de ce parfum. TOTAL 16.5/20

I bought this fragrance blind, just for the name, when it came out in the late 90’s. As if judging (even worse, buying!) a book by its cover - don’t get it why so many people say it is something unwise to do? It can go awfully wrong, it can go very right, it is a 50/50 chance, which isn’t that bad? The most beautiful hazelnut note is the backbone of this, after all, somewhat honied wolf. There is no sharpness, no menace, there are no teeth. I read it as being the representation of the seductive, dandyish, enchanting nuances of Perrault’s take. The wolf you meet stray from path tends to have it all easy, no need to use strength, we are already taken by the distraction anyway? If I could make only one wish, I would have asked the liquorice note to play just a little something more subdued... all the rest I find magistral. Honey is right (not an easy note ever?), all the trees in these woods are right. L’Artisan Parfumeur is right, I am right. Long life to red ridding hood.

I really like Mechant Loup. Lightly sweet Honey-Hazelnut with sharp Licorice, on a Sandalwood-Cedar base. Unique. The licorice keeps it's sharp woody-root quality throughout. Refined, simple, and not too sweet. The Myrrh is so light that, to me, it smells a bit like light Amber more than it does of Myrrh, but occasionally it does give me a whiff of it's full Myrrh note. It's not Myrrh dominant, but the Myrrh contributes to the crisp Licorice note. The sharpness of the Myrrh-Licorice accord tames the sweetness down. There is a very light smokiness in the background, but it's not nearly as smoky as Tea for Two, it's just a background note. Excellent blending. Mechant Loup has really captured my interest, I keep going back to it over and over. I just had to buy this as my first L'Artisan fragrance. Another translation of Mechant Loup, in English, is 'naughty wolf'.

Méchant Loup is an olfactory tale in which the wolf does not seem so evil: it turns out to be rather charming, imbued with an elegant gourmandise and a woody depth which evoke comfort rather than fear. First it is the licorice, sweet, then the wood which adds a dry heat evoking the crunchy leaves of an undergrowth, and finally the honey which envelops everything with a gourmet and cocooning aura. However, everything remains perfectly balanced thanks to this woody base which prevents the perfume from sinking into excessive sweetness. This 'Bad Wolf' is a wolf disguised as a lamb: it is not threatening, rather welcoming and friendly to better achieve its ends. For my part, I really appreciated it.

This is one of those scents that keep surprising me, not because it changes much with time, but because I'm still amazed by how much I like it. Reading the reviews, it seems it has many variations according to specific skin chemistries. On me, the main actor in this scene is handsome licorice - deep, woody, semi-sweet and somewhat sensual. Accompanying him are some slight nutty notes, cedar and sandalwood, with just a touch of hunny. I can't smell any pralines and also can't say I'm sorry about that - this perfume is just perfect the way it is. Sillage starts a bit on the heavy side but quickly subsides. Longevity is mild to moderate on my skin.

This was a blind swap for me, and I knew that I'd love it because of the notes. I'm a gourmand fanatic, although my true loves are vintage orientals, and Mechant Loup completely satisfies both lemmings. It's a concept fragrance - gourmandish with a woody backbone and a creamy warm spiciness. I read a review that compares this to SL Jeux de Peau and I completely agree except this is a tad more masculine and a tad more spicy. I would say that if I wore Jeux de Peau and my boyfriend wore Mechant Loup, they would perfectly compliment each other. This is such a masterpiece and I can't stop sniffing my wrists!

On me this is a woody and smoky dream! I smell the licorice very easily early on, but not so much as it wears. I can't say that honey or hazelnut are prominent, but I believe they add to the overall woodiness and make the perfume sweet yet not gourmand whatsoever. I guess I can see how it relates to a forest with a big, bad wolf. It's green in a way, like a traditional fougere, but the smokiness gives it a dark, foreboding feeling. For me personally, it's more like a cozy, wintry, holiday perfume. Sillage is not very good, but the scent is so beautiful and unique that it is still worth it for me.

For the original bottle: Simply the most beautiful men's fragrance. Elegant, unique, it creates an atmosphere rather than a scent. It's like a sweet memory and a story about a tragic hero. A real treasure. The only problem is that it is incredibly weak and fleeting. I believe that the fragrance was reformulated and lost its delicate balance which was created with high quality natural ingredients. However this version does get better after a long time. I think my dark glass bottle smells better than when I got it.

this isn't an overly-sweet gourmand -- when applied wet, it reminds me of a spiced honey, drying down into a woody, slightly salty, dry and honeyed scent. it's delicious, but not quite sweet enough for me -- i gave my sample to my boyfriend, who is a much better fit for this scent! it smells delicious on him (his favorites are a*men and aerin amber musk), so it's still a winner -- just not for me, personally.

I can't agree with the 'Chinese Tortoise Jelly' smell more, I actually laughed. It also reminds me of the smell of Chinese medicine shop, and one kind of Chinese herbal drink, ' Licorice Tea'. If I wear this fragrance I think friends would ask me if I just went to the medicine shop or something, haha.. Anyway, I do love this fragrance. ;)

To me this is a more masculine Jeux de Peau. A woody gourmand that's completely wearable for any occasion. I was surprised by the reviews on here. I will say that the scent does not match the name or description for me, but I still enjoy this anyways! The opening is on the masculine side but the drydown is perfectly unisex.

Liciriced honey nut in wooden box. I take it as a gourmand scent. So lovely and unique. Performance is not so impressive, same as all other fragrances with prominant hazelnut note. I deeply fall in love with the warm and cozy feeling given by Mechant loup.I love Merchant loup and I love Bertrand too 😊

It wasn't love from first sniff for sure, but that is one of perfumes which you fell in love with time, wearing it day to day. It's very warm, comforting, yet cozy and sensual. It makes me think of man, mature and serious on first sight, yet with childish soul, sensitive and thin-skinned.

I expected a dark, animalic scent. Thanks God it is not. Mechant Loup is hazelnutty-sweet-woody perfume, not like a big bad wolf at all. I definitely want a full bottle from this.

one of the best fragrance I had. complex and very seductive, no end to it - it will seduce and mesmerize you at the same time. at the same time it is warm and comforting.

Adding to my previous review. Tried the reformulation end 2019. The thing is dead, Perrault's wolf is now a muffin bought at some tragic Starbucks' corner.

Had this lovely stuff. I tried it again yesterday and found it remarkable! Unfortunately for L'Artisan's perfumes; not enough longevity and sillage... 9/10