Reviews of Mat; Very Male (2005)
by Masakï Matsushïma

Fan of anise notes? This one's far more subtle in its use of anise than are Rive Gauche (star anise) and Lolita Lempicka for Men (traditional anise times ten).

Still, I would think twice about buying this one for a romantic frag or a "party" frag as it's got longevity, yes, but very little sillage. Nice office choice for colder climes.

Mat; very male is a stronger fragrance than mat; male, and I think that’s a good thing mat; male disappeared on me. The anise note that takes over the opening accord is fresher than many anise notes I’ve experienced in different fragrances: The first several times I tested the fragrance, I thought it was quite interesting and well done – I really enjoyed it. But now with repeated testing, the anise opening seems to be getting sweeter and sweeter. The fragrance no longer impresses me, because the sweetness is beginning to wear on me. The middle accord of lotus, bamboo, and woods still carry with it vestiges of the anise note – it’s quite nice, but I would prefer more lotus, bamboo, and woods. The base is my favorite part – mainly patchouli supported by cedar. Mat; very male is a very competent fragrance. I like it but it ends up being a little too sweet for me.

Anise, vetiver and musk. The sweetness comes from the musk I smell and the herbal and licorice note comes from a combination of vetiver and anise. Didn't seem to last long on me but it was wonderful.

One of the best uses of Anise I have come across. Recommended.

Very Male has little in common with the original except for a few floral notes. Very is a more acquired scent, very sweet and gourmand sambuca to begin with but then the florals start to soften that. There is a great sense of wood and patchouli in the base which is where the scent really does its best work. It lasts well but is not too overpwoering after the initial hit. One to gain compliments with.

This is one that I purchased immediately after smelling, and I never regretted my decision. A fresh anise opening soon settles into very comforting warm notes and a serene floral-fruit vibe that is somewhat sweet. The composition stays close to the skin, but it is a complex and addictive smell. By blending warm gourmand notes with fresh sweetness, Very Male is both versatile and unique. I highly recommend this!

A blind buy, this one was a very pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure whether I should not expect another hypertrendy synth bomb confusing a good composition with a list of fancy pseudo-ingredients, but no: While I'll settle for anise or licorice rather than Sambucca accord, it is quite nice. Fresh yet elegant, staying closer to the skin rather than projecting widely, and drying down into a nice, relaxing cedary base, which has some synthy notes but really works quite well. I do like Douce Amère better overall, which is a different, very rich and heady take on the anise, but mat would be the perfect choice with a cool, modern black designer outfit. Will be fun to wear in fall and winter.

I don't know about "very male" since it's basically a sweet licorice scent. In the drydown it's more classically boozy/woody and masculine though. Very warm and comforting scent.

I like this one much more than Mat; Male. on me the Very Male version is heavier and darker than the Male version, with more patchouli and an overall muskier scent. The sweet and floral notes of watermelon, rose, lotus flower, and currant are all knocked down a notch. They're still there, adding that distinctive note, but the resulting concoction to my nose smells "dark purple," as opposed to Male's "pastel purple." The result is a fragrance that I find to be both more masculine and more wearable. I like to wear this on colder wintery days, though it also seems light enough to be worn in the summer. My only concern is that the sweeter top notes will wear on me after a while.