The Moon
Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle (2019)

I have to admit to something that might anger a few readers: I have yet to smell any of Julien Rasquinet’s work that I like, and I’ve smelled many of his compositions. I haven’t liked one, that is, until now. But with a big caveat… a massive one.

So what’s going on with The Moon? Honestly, I don’t understand it. Read the Malle website blurb and note that the standout stars are supposed to be the red fruits at the top… the part that fades quickly. You don’t making your starring actor only appear in a few minutes of an hours-long movie. Then there’s the rose, the timid and meek rose, driving the other half of the creative direction. I guess the oud, though it dominates the perfume’s very long life, is supposed to be a supporting role? While the red fruits and rose are to supposed to evoke sweetness and love that Arabic cultures find is represented by the moon, the fleetingness of them suggests a pessimistic view of love and devotion. Interestingly, outer space supposedly tastes like raspberries or tart red fruit (I’m serious, look it up) - why didn’t they just go with that and have some fun? Or give a swoon-worthy and massive slug of bright and indolic jasmine and aldehydes - let us see the crystalline whiteness of the moon against the black backdrop of night/oud. You can tell I’m confused by the way I’m ranting, can’t you reader? So, it isn’t the creative direction or the presentation and blending that makes me like this, clearly. Mr. Rasquinet can’t take credit for why I like The Moon, and Malle, though the creative miss, can take credit for allowing Mr. Rasquinet to use some of the most beautiful materials I’ve smelled in quite some time.

The oud in The Moon, though very likely the same oud in all of the Desert Gems, is somehow much better here. It is so rich, complex, elegant and smooth that it’s bowling me over. It is determined in a way the oud in the other Desert Gems are not, without being overbearing. The red fruits at the top, and the rose in the middle that was unfortunately forced into being very timid, are also achingly beautiful. This adds up to me wanting this perfume in my collection. But the caveat is that I cannot nor will I ever be able to justify paying what’s being charged for it - particularly since I’m not won over by two of the three pieces of criteria I consider. Perhaps if I win the lottery and money becomes no object? Perhaps a stupendously (and stupidly) generous benefactor will gift it to me, at which point I will declare my love and devotion to them just like The Moon is (supposed) to represent.

I have a love/hate relationship with this juice. Truth be told, this is my 4th bottle of The Moon.
100ml---sold. 5ml---sold. 50ml---sold.
I now have another 100ml full bottle.
Here's the problem. Until today, I could NOT figure out how to apply it. This juice is---BAR NONE, the strongest perfume I have EVER come across. Seriously, this sh*t is NO joke. If you apply one spray, you've applied TOO much.
It will choke out the room. The raspberry accord is HUMONGOUS. Forget about the Oud, it's a secondary player.
Reviewers, who complain about a fecal smell need their olfactory noses adjusted.
It's the FRUITY smell that will permeate and put people off.
NO MORE! I have figured out how to apply this juice and can even wear it to the office.
I take a Q-Tip and spray ONCE. Then I can DAB the juice on a few specific spots on my skin. NO CLOTHES!
You may ask, why bother? Well, because The Moon is THE most mesmerizing stank I have ever experienced.
If I never interacted with humanity, I would spray with abandon, but seeing is I don't. This technique allows me to enjoy this gorgeous creation.

Beautiful combination, albeit seen and revised, of rose-oud. It opens with these notes in the foreground, accompanied by a very slight hint of leather and a sugary note which, however, are not able to reconnect to a specific fruit; however very pleasant, soft. Then it settles on the basic combo, a dense pink with powdery shades and a compact, round and never pungent oud. Aromatic and earthy hints, very very beautiful, maybe they are due to patchouli? boh, I'm too "ignorant" olfactively to separate the various notes well or reconnect them.
Ambers not received. Basically, a very very beautiful rose-oud, which never smells of chemical (and I would like to see well ...), remains round and very aromatic. I feel it unisex tending towards the masculine, perhaps more suitable for cold / cool periods, that is, in warmer periods but in the evening, not every day perhaps also because of the challenging price for me mere mortal.

Red raspberry Oudy heaven. A very well composed addition of the Malle line and extremely long lasting. You can feel the the foundational cheesy Oud trying to raise it's head but is put in in it's place by the fruity and leather notes which in some way keeps it subdued. A stunning scent which gives a glimpse of a Western interpretation of Middle Eastern elegance. Perhaps my favorite of this series. Excellent!

A sweet/sour/smoky raspberry flavoured shisha with quality leather and a slightly burnt oud chips undertone.
Excellent performance (beastly). Fantastic.

Overall score: 9.2/10

A lunchtime trip to Selfridges to test out a couple of new scents.

The Moon made me wish I'd read the reviews above before even sampling. A single spray on the wrist and initial thoughts were of sickly sweet vomit. Letting it settle for a couple of minutes and it was still very pungent. I couldn't return to work with this so headed to the washroom to rinse it off.

Even after washing the remainder was still strong but the vomity sweetness had gone leaving a potent oud which was markedly better than the opening.

Not my bag at all but it may float someone's boat.