Iconic scents are ones that stand the test of time, and bring new and unusual combinations to the table. Alien, Angel and A*Men are most definitely in this category. These most recent creations celebrate a fusion of haute perfumery and prestigious spirits. Yes, it is true that this company released liqueurs de parfum for both perfumes and A*Men Pure Malt in 2009. I have Pure Malt 2009 and Angel Liqueur de Parfum from the same year. Both were and are beautiful-these are, in my opinion, much better fragrances. One I may already love more than the original.

From having and wearing these original scents or just sniffing them on others, we know these scents. They are like old friends we have known forever. Some friends we see and enjoy their company on a regular basis. Others, sadly, either do not work well with us or on us so we do not see them as much anymore. Finding these lovely perfumes at my door was the highlight of a rather crazy and insane day for me. Opening them and seeing them all done up in their best and smelling incredible, I felt as if three very old dear friends had stopped in for a drink or two to take the autumn chill out of the air and warm one a bit inside as well.

Angel Liqueur de Parfum Creation 2013 have taken the elegantly bombastic original and aged it in cherry wood cognac barrels for at least 8 weeks and bottled it in an asymmetric silvered star flacon. This opens with a bit more of a dry candied fruit opening with softer gourmand tones underneath. After about five minutes of sweets, fruits and caramel spinning around my head, a deep and dark fruity woodiness appears adding a superbly sensual strength to the more oriental vanilla base. The floral notes of orchid and jasmine are detectable but I get no rose. The warmth and glow of the cognac has spread and the chocolate has melted into the caramel a bit. Hints of ambery sweetness and honey linger closer to the skin.

The final dry down is simply gorgeous as precious aged patchouli is surrounded by the dark golden gossamer haze of vanilla and silky chocolate with hints of boozy vaporous cognac and cherry wood. It seems our girl Angel is all grown up, and is having herself a few drinks and a little harmless fun and I like her better like this, I think. Her candy sweet floral fruity girly side has matured somewhat and now she resonates with a deeper richness and seems more like a world wise lady. Much like taking the finest ingredients and distilling them down to the purest form, Thierry Mugler has rendered a smaller (1.1 oz./.35 ml) bottle with a more potent and intoxicating juice that contains deeper richer aspects of the darker beauty of Angel. Sillage: Good. Longevity: Very good.

Alien Liqueur de Parfum Creation 2013 takes the surreal and over-the-top original blend of amber, wood and jasmine and ages it in American oak wood barrels for 8 weeks, like one would fine rum and has changed its flacon to a golden translucent slightly smaller version of the original. This bottle change echoes the warm and more golden tones the perfume has picked up from the oak wood. The woody and ambery side of the original shines here and the jasmine that was once so loud and full has been softened smoothed and ever so slightly sweetened. The final addition of almond notes adds a warm and yummy deliciousness to the dry down that was not here before. The original Alien is one of my favorite perfumes because it was so well-done, so “in your face” and just plain weird. This captures that uniqueness and warms it perfectly and manages make it smell and behave even better for me than its violet predecessor ever did.

Where Alien was a surreal and bizarre otherworldly floral scent from a distant planet orbiting a dying violet sun, this is more akin to a superb oil painting rich in gold and brown tones framed with a light wood that captures the landscape of the far off world. In front of this painting on the wall is a long wooden table filled with sweets and meats and bottles and glasses of warm amber-colored liquids as a fire roars in the hearth. This version gives one more of its rich woody sweetness than its cacophony of jasmines screaming over one another; yet there exists all around while one wears this a subtle and sheer mist of warm almost creamy jasmine. Every once in a while I get a whiff of butterscotch or something similar giving this an almost nostalgic roundness. The wild child of the bunch has taken it down a notch and dressed in oriental silk and gold tones and after a few hot butter rum drinks she is feeling pretty groovy and having a blast! Sillage: very good. Longevity: Excellent

A*Men Pure Malt 2013 (Eau de Toilette Sublimee en Fut de Chene) revisits a mossy peaty Scotch-kissed interpretation as it was aged in toasted oak whiskey barrels introduced in 2009 and re-issued this year. The unusual mix of lavender, vanilla, coffee with milk and tar the original had is augmented by a cold green accord before descending ever so gracefully into a soft mishmash of peaty scotch and heavy patchouli. It would seem the addition of the smoky scotch takes the sweeter more gourmand edge off allowing the delicately layered herbal accord and subtler floral notes to come through.

What the aging process in the wood brings out in the patchouli supporting this fragrance is magical. With the cool accompaniment of mint, coriander and leafy greens the creamier and more dulcet tones of the food notes like caramel, vanilla and honey blend seamlessly into the rich earthy scotch whiskey aroma. Here, we have good old A*Men out of his superhero costume in a comfortable suit with collar undone and tie missing. Sporting five o’clock shadow and warm with whiskey, he is aglow and laughing. He is just one of us and after a double scotch he relaxes and allows himself to have a really good time. Sillage: very good. Longevity: Excellent.

Disclosure: Reviews based on bottles sent to me by Thierry Mugler Parfums via ClarinsUSA.

Thanks to Thierry Mugler and Clarins USA  three readers will have an opportunity to win Angel Liqueur de Parfum 2013, Alien Liqueur de Parfum 2013, or  A*Men Pure Malt 2013. There will be one winner for each of the three new fragrances reviewed. This is a US only draw. To be eligible leave a comment on which one (or more)  you would like to win and whether you are in the US. The draw will end November 9, 2013.

We announce the winners only onsite and on our Facebook page, so Like CaFleureBon and use our RSS option…..or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

-John Reasinger, Senior Editor