The best Thierry Mugler cologne for men is out there — but do you know how to find it? We’ve done the research on the entire Thierry Mugler catalog, and are happy to share the results with you in this article.
A French fashion designer and photographer that is widely credited with creating a new category of fragrances in the 90s, Thierry Mugler is a genuine visionary. His development of the gourmand style of cologne, with its candied and savory notes, will go down in history as a unique addition to fragrance making.
In this guide, we’ll be covering the most memorable colognes from Mugler’s collection, complete with notes on their aromatic profiles and suggestions on where and when to wear each scent. Let’s get started.
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5 Best Thierry Mugler Cologne For Men In 2022
Of the many awesome Mugler colognes available today, we especially like the following five bottlings. Each of them is a standout for its style and cultural longevity.
Angel Men by Thierry Mugler (Our Top Pick)
The original cologne in Thierry Mugler’s lineup, Angel Men is an oriental woody style fragrance that debuted in 1996. Also known as A*Men, it’s still the most popular Mugler cologne available on the market today, and an all-time best seller for the company (we even picked it as the best chocolate cologne for men in the market today).
Exploring the scent of Angel Men is a long journey that will require multiple trips to fully understand. Top notes of juicy fruits and spicy coriander are offset by intensely green spearmint and herbal lavender, and topped off with zesty bergamot peel. In the heart of A*Men is Mugler’s signature gourmand touch: Caramel, milk, and honey form the center, while jasmine, patchouli, and cedar round out the edges. Further exemplifying the style, the base notes include a trio of coffee, vanilla, and tonka bean juxtaposed with amber, sandalwood, and musk.
Nearly eternal in its longevity, A*Men develops slowly and steadily over the course of an entire day or more. It’s an incredibly intense fragrance, so apply with restraint and give it plenty of room to disperse. If you’re looking for a masculine fragrance that is unique and versatile, A*Men is the cologne for you.
Notes:
- Top notes of lavender, mint, fruit, spice, coriander, green leaves, and bergamot
- Middle notes of caramel, patchouli, honey, milk, cedar, jasmine, and lily of the valley
- Base notes of coffee, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, amber, sandalwood, and musk
Best For:
- Making a strong, lasting impression
- Projecting a sexy, masculine aura
- Becoming your new signature scent
Thierry Mugler Pure Malt
Inspired by Scotch whisky’s spicy, woody, and smoky aromas, Thierry Mugler Pure Malt is an oriental woody style cologne that debuted in 2009. Its deep aromatics take time and effort to coax out, making it an ideal scent to wear under your coat on cold winter days. If you’ve ever wanted to capture the feeling of sitting by a wood fire, Pure Malt might become your new favorite cologne.
Peach, pear, and apricot are hinted at lightly in Pure Malt’s top notes, and balanced by orange and bergamot peels for a fresh kick. The heart of this fragrance is its most notable component, full of Scotch whisky, malt, roasted coffee, and cedar resins that intermingle beautifully. Anchored by smoky and earthy peat in its base notes, as well as vanilla and musk, Thierry Mugler Pure Malt is a perfect cold weather cologne.
Long lasting, with a building intensity, Pure Malt is a fragrance that you’ll need to be patient with to find its most appealing qualities. It’s a dense and particular cologne that deserves a place in any man’s cologne collection, where you can rotate it in during the depths of winter.
Notes:
- Top notes of stone fruits, orange, and bergamot
- Middle notes of malt, Scotch whisky, patchouli, coffee, and cedar
- Base notes of peat, vanilla, amber, and musk
Best For:
- Fall and winter wear
- Nighttime wear
Thierry Mugler Pure Havane
A special take on the original A*Men, Thierry Mugler Pure Havane is made in the uncommon oriental vanilla fragrance style. Released in 2011 alongside two other takes on the original, Pure Havane channels the complexity and earthiness of fine Cuban cigars throughout its entire composition.
Tobacco immediately presents itself in Pure Havane’s top notes, complemented by sweet white honey. Moving to the heart notes, you’ll find the classic confectioner’s combination of vanilla and cacao balanced by patchouli. Dry and resinous, the base of Pure Havane uses amber and labdanum with styrax to give greater longevity to the top and heart notes.
Long lasting and quite intense, Thierry Mugler Pure Havane is a fascinating and exotic take on a traditionally masculine fragrance. If you want a strongly masculine cologne that doesn’t rely on woody or leathery scents, Pure Havane is an excellent choice.
Notes:
- Top notes of tobacco and white honey
- Middle notes of vanilla, cacao, and patchouli
- Base notes of amber, labdanum, and styrax
Best For:
- Fall and winter wear
- Men looking for a warm, rounded, sophisticated scent
Thierry Mugler Kryptomint
Based around peppermint, an uncommon choice for a main aromatic, Kryptomint is an oriental fougere style fragrance that was released in 2017. It’s a premier choice fragrance for men who want an atypically masculine scent as their go-to.
Unsurprisingly, spearmint dominates Kryptomint’s top notes — though the judicious addition of sage gives it an herbal depth that keeps it away from smelling like chewing gum. Geranium is the sole heart note in Kryptomint, a sound decision that keeps the focus of the entire composition on its mint top notes. In the surprisingly complex base, you’ll find chocolate, vanilla, and coffee offset by patchouli and given a spicy finish by tonka bean.
Long lasting with pronounced top notes that dry down to more mellow base notes, Kryptomint defies expectations of what a minty and confectionary cologne might smell like. It’s every bit as well-made as more traditional styles, and a fantastic option for any man that’s looking for a signature cologne for everyday wear.
Notes:
- Top notes of mint and sage
- Middle notes of geranium
- Base notes of patchouli, chocolate, tonka bean, vanilla, and coffee
Best For:
- Year-round wear
- Men who want a unique fragrance
Thierry Mugler Pure Leather
The most powerfully leathery fragrance in the entire Mugler catalog, Pure Leather builds on the enormously popular A*Men with further emphasis on masculinity and depth. Released in 2012 as a leather style fragrance, it’s become a favorite cologne for first dates and long nights.
Leather permeates the entire Pure Leather aromatic experience, showing up in the top notes alongside mint, lavender, apricot, coriander, and bergamot peel. Continually developing leather leads the way into this fragrance’s heart, where the caramel, milk, and honey of the original A*Men are offset by cedar, jasmine, and patchouli. Transitioning to the deepest leather in the base, you’ll also find coffee and vanilla with amber, musk, and sandalwood.
Incredibly long-lasting with an exaggerated intensity, Thierry Mugler Pure Leather is an unabashedly masculine cologne that’s not for the faint of heart. If you like the original A*Men, Pure Leather will be a natural next choice for your collection.
Notes:
- Top notes of leather, mint, stone fruits, lavender, coriander, bergamot, and crushed greens
- Middle notes of leather, caramel, patchouli, honey, milk, cedar, jasmine, and lily of the valley
- Base notes of leather, patchouli, coffee, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, amber, musk, and sandalwood
Best For:
- Fall and winter wear
- Date nights
- Projecting masculinity
What Does Mugler Cologne Smell Like?
Thierry Mugler’s claim to fame is something that you’ll find hints of in almost every one of his colognes: The addition of culinary ingredients to their aromatic compositions. Credited as the progenitor of the gourmand style fragrance, Mugler has added everything from milk and honey to caramel and coffee in his colognes and perfumes.
Aside from that culinary tone, however, Mugler colognes rely heavily on traditional fragrance making styles and ingredients. They’re strongly masculine, with noticeable tones of wood resin, leather, tobacco, and musk appearing in many of his compositions.
What Cologne Is Similar To Thierry Mugler?
As the first perfumer to successfully experiment with culinary ingredients in his compositions, Thierry Mugler set the stage for many other fragrance makers to riff on the style. Here are some of our favorites that have been inspired by Mugler’s pioneering work in the field:
Manhattan is not just one of our favorite Bond No. 9 colognes for men, but a great example of Mugler’s influence on other colognes. It’s an oriental gourmand style fragrance with strong heart notes of gingerbread and honey, as well as a characteristic labdanum and musk base.
Tahitian Waters is a fascinating example of how far the gourmand style has come, and one of the best English Laundry colognes for men. It emphasizes tropical aromatics through the entire composition, with a strong presence of molasses and brown sugar in the base.
A rather different take on the inclusion of culinary notes can be found in Kenneth Cole Vintage Black’s latest reformulation. It’s one of the best Kenneth Cole colognes for men thanks to an unforgettable combination of lime, tequila, and sandalwood.
Brian Adee
Brian has been fascinated with fragrances since his 8th birthday, when his Dad gifted him a bottle of Acqua di Gio. Since then, he has become a men's grooming & style aficionado who teaches men how to look sharp. Backed by personal experience, Brian's articles are known for his no-holds-barred style where he holds nothing back. You will get his real opinions on the latest men's grooming products and best practices where he reveals the best (and worst) style advice every man should know.
