FREDERIC MALLE
UNCUT GEM
2022
PERFUMER
Maurice Roucel
Ginger
Bergamot
Mandarin
Angelica
Nutmeg
Vetiver
frankincense
Leather
Amber
Musk
‘Uncompromising, bold, filled with enigmatic charm. Based on master perfumer Maurice Roucel’s personal cologne, Uncut Gem is an unapologetically manly scent, diamond-hard and absolutely fresh. Clear, spicy top notes of ginger, bergamot, mandarin, angelica root and nutmeg lead you to the sensual fire within: a leathery accord, vetiver, frankincense, generous amounts of amber, and a musk that vibrates with the skin. This is a scent that plays with the tired codes of masculinity while extracting their telluric force to create something beautiful and irresistible.’ – Frederic Malle
Uncut Gem is such a divisive release that it warranted a thorough examination. I had many thoughts, so please bear with me until the end. Overall, it’s hard not to view this as the worst fragrance released by what’s arguably my favorite brand though.
Straight away, it’s about ginger, which I love and I wouldn’t mind paying for a simple, lasting ginger. However, here it’s a sharp, spicy, rough on the nose take on it. With a mandarin sweetness, but not as citrussy as I expected; it comes across as a harsh, metallic and slightly green spicy scent.
Within the hour, this goes aquatic on me. It has a tinge that smells an awful lot like Nautica Voyage, which, shocker, is also made by Maurice Roucel. It smells unnatural and plastic, with hints of wet dog and I never appreciated it in the €12 Nautica Voyage. At €305 (in the US even $420 at launch), I can see why some long-term Frederic Malle fans seem to take this release as a personal offense. This only lasts for a relatively short while though.
As it dries the aquatic tinge dissipates. For many hours I get a superlineair drydown. It remains rather fresh, which is impressive. I get the strong, headache-inducing amberwood vibe mostly after 8-10+ hours into the drydown; with more of a greenish, very spicy, rooty experience (vetiver) for the first hours.
Here’s the kicker: It’s not for me, but I don’t fully dislike it. I’m not ready to call this bad, nor do I think this smells like your average popular designers at all.
In an oxymoronic way, it’s less polished, less mass appealing, but that’s clearly intentional. This doesn’t follow trends as closely, as some have suggested. If anything, I’d pick Uncut Gem for an (actual) extreme flanker to Hermes’ H24, which had a rather odd style that’s not been copied and popularized much yet. It’s not a take on the popular blue genre.
I’d say Uncut Gem is exactly as advertised. Rough,masculine and long-lasting.
It does feel overpriced and it feels very odd in the Malle line. Yet, when I look at completely uninteresting releases from the same period, like Kilian Kologne or Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724, I’m more forgiving of Uncut Gem. It’s hypermodern, but it actually isn’t all that safe and mass appealing, which its divisive reception has shown.
