WAM

I am going to slightly disagree with Rajesh on my reaction to this fragrance. I rarely every disagree but let me try to explain why. I have been wearing this fragrance for the last 3 days both in my home and when I have been outside or in a confined space. At no point did I feel this was something that would set people to reach for their handkerchiefs or politely or not so politely leaving the room.Is it powerful. You best, but in the best way birch tar, castoreum and leather can mis in a triumphant way. I too detect some light floral notes that whisper through this scent designed to appeal to the dungeon S&M crowd. Frankly, I think people should try this one but I do not think samples are available and the bottle price is steep because it is a limited edition. All of Antonio Lasheras' first set of fragrances have sold out and I imagine this will be the case the for this one and the other new release, BD. Maybe the current heat wave has dulled my senses, but I feel that this one is well worth the investment, even though I am very far from its target audience:)

People no longer sits next to me on the bus 10/10

A bold smoky no holds barred musky leather scent, this is an unabashed unapologetic animalic. The central note is an accord made of real castoreum and birch tar. There are slight hints of florals lurking in the background including some rose and tuberose and a slight bit of vanilla. The unisex scent has moderate to strong sillage and good longevity. This is a very difficult perfume to wear, I must confess and is only for the most unafraid perfume enthusiasts. It’s name is also an acronym for kinks that appropriately go with the scent. BDSM enthusiasts your olfactory dream come true, others can run away in fear. Enjoy! (Review of Complimentary Bottle)

The opening is all hot leather and castoreum, pungent to the point that my immediate, visceral reaction was one of utter disbelief. I’ve smelled animalic and fecal perfumes aplenty, but this was something beyond—we’re talking hyperreal levels of shit here. After 15 minutes everything rounds out into something softer, more palatable—the leather sits smoky but smooth, far from any sort of campfire situation. After a few hours it dries down into a creamy, amber-like vanilla. It’s a disappointing base that makes for an ultimately one-dimensional wear. I’d be remiss to not comment on the S&M marketing behind this, which is dumb as hell. It’s at complete odds with how cozy and (literally) vanilla this ends up being. Perhaps there’s something to that evolution—of the carnal transforming into pure, familiar comfort—but it’d be far more compelling if this remained more animalic after its opening, which is breathtaking in a literal, value-neutral manner (it’s certainly not *sexy*). Mallo’s been on a hot streak but this is easily the least compelling of his four fragrances this year.

When I first tried WAM I sprayed it to paper before skin. The smell that came off of it made me beam with glee, but it also quickly put me in an ornery mood too. I slinked over to my partner who was getting dressed, bottle in hand, and let loose some surprise spritzes where the initial notes were far from welcomed: “Oh God! Nathan! What the hell is that?! I have to go to work you dickhead!” “Hold on, give it a little bit of time.” Once a physically safe distance had been put between us and some minutes had passed, my partner’s next reaction was along the lines of: “Oh...!” A few minutes later, “OH! That is stunning! What is that?” “The new Mallo.” “Ah, of course it is. That one is going to become mine.” My orneriness was very forgiven, but converted to a different risk. Mallo has become a household name for us over the last year and a bit, the bottles coveted and protected to similar degrees as our collector wine vintages, Cuban cigars, and independently grown and picked saffrons, spices, and teas. WAM is going to join that group, but I might have to hide it if I have a hope of ever wearing it again. The opening is going to scare people away. Good. Maybe that means more bottles will be available for me. It is a bracing and unsettling accord that smells of charcoal, lighter fluid, and heavily smoked ham. It is not easy, nor does it have any intention of going easy on you. The birch tar and the high-notes of castoreum have a fervent and determined power, releasing billows of smoke, meaty animalics, caremely vanillics, and something fruity that I was certain would reveal itself later. This is why there was very nearly an instance of domestic assault in my household. It did reveal itself, and rather quickly, by the arrival of a gorgeous resinous and fruity rose. My partner said stunning, and that is correct: pink, luscious, powdery, fleshy, fruity, rich, earthy, heady, and so much more. There is significant overlap with a strong cistus labdanum note pushing cinnamon and nutmeg earthy-woody spices that makes the mouth water. I’ve never wanted to eat a rose until now. A very gently vanillic and resinous benzoin seals the deal. At the end of the day, many hours later, it is clearer that WAM is Mallo’s take-attempt on a rose leather as the woody, spiced, and resinous rock rose note starts to tango with a reawakened castoreum that is very animalic and veering on leathery - but why! - why does it smell delicious?! A significant reason my palate seems to pick this up is that the castoreum material comes across as more deeply meaty and unctuous than chemically tanned hides. Add that meaty aroma to spices, the vanillic benzoin, and the underlying sweetness, and, well, I guess that is why my stomach is growling. Difficult? Only for the brave? Kinky? Hardly. Once past the opening none of that is true, not unless you psychologically struggle with food fetishes, or such repetitive behaviors that have resulted in diabetes and/or high cholesterol via a desensitization to sweets and meats - knowingly or unknowingly. Maybe that’s part of it; maybe that’s why I became ornery the first time I smelled it - something triggered feelings of gluttony, shamelessness, and guilt. Scrumptious, decadent, and excellent work.

#sotd WAM by MALLO Parfums First of all, a fair warning, it's NOT for faint hearts. It's an art in a bottle and a top tier 100% unique fragrance which plays around smokey castoreum, burnt leather and crushed rose petals. It's highly animalic, with 42% of perfume concentration hence be very gentle on the sprayer. The perfumer didn't even try to keep it tamed, he literally Unleashed the power of leather and castoreum that it's polarizing in a sense that if you are not used to such beastly fragrances, you might get overwhelmed. After 2 wearings, it's in one of my top beastly fragrance and one to must have if you love Oud, leather, castoreum, rose. This fragrance would make you so noticeable that people would ask you what you wearing. With a strong performance of 10 plus hours, I couldn't be happier. If you love Oud, go for it. If you love leather, don't even think twice. If you love castoreum, don't look further. Animalic and challenging 💯