Saintly A

Saintly A opens with the unmistakable A*Men signature: cool lavender and peppermint over bergamot, a metallic mint-and-herb shimmer that quickly gives way to the sweet stuff. The heart is pure gourmand decadence - rich coffee and a touch of smoky tar wrapped around musty patchouli - before melting into a base of tonka, vanilla, caramel and dark chocolate softened by musk. That golden-syrup-and-coffee character is exactly what made the Mugler original a cult classic. Where A*Men projects so strongly it fills a room and lasts essentially forever on skin and clothes, this dupe renders the same idea more two-dimensionally: the patchouli is tamer, the smoky styrax edge softened, and projection and longevity sit closer to the skin. It is a cosy cold-weather pleasure - autumn and winter evenings, date nights, lazy weekends - when its sweet, comforting coffee-chocolate warmth is most at home. A fun, affordable way into one of the great masculine gourmands.