Les Exceptions : Hot Cologne (2016)
by Thierry Mugler

The second of the Les Exceptions EdP's that I have sampled: Mugler's Les Exceptions: Hot Cologne has such a curious name that drew me in immediately, esp. after having tried out Mugler Cologne many years ago.

Like its sibling Chyprissime, bergamot is the vehicle that gets this scent moving, paired tastefully with splashes of mandarin and lemon. It has the characteristic Eau de Cologne splash quality (cf. 4711, Imperiale de Guerlain). Green coffee is the surprise guest in this, adding slight whiffs of typical coffee earthiness that rounds the citrus elements out. It seems to last a bit longer than typical citrus-spice cologne splashes; I wish it had a bit more depth in the citrus notes, given the boutique quality and price of this EdP. I do like the presence of petitgrains, giving it a slightly gin-like finish.

This one ends up being a moderately bright, fresh warm-weather citrus scent that softens its edges in not too long a time after initial application. The final version on my skin is a nice, clean vetiver with a slight reprise of the odd green coffee note continually "browning" the experience.

I really like the composition of this one on balance, and I'm glad that this didn't end up as a "Mugler Cologne II"! Overall, I don't think I'd spend money for a full bottle; other citrus-y scents are out there doing basically the same job for far less cost.

Hot Cologne is Mugler's new take on cologne with two novel aspects: a wonderful 'green' note of coffee assimilated within a cologne structure, and a peculiar temperament - something that imparts a 'hot' contrast to the traditionally refreshing notes of citrus at the beginning. This 'hot' aspect is akin to the heat after a steam bath; I find the citrus to be a blend of bergamot, lemon and orange - juicy but not overripe, and no sharp or screechy edges. The bergamot is somewhat dialed back in the blend, and doesn't have any bitter or metallic demeanour as it often does. The 'hot' aspect soon paves way to the coffee note that is 'fresh', 'green' and aromatic, and very similar to the one experienced in Dior's Vetiver. This accord of coffee and lingering citrus concludes the development of the composition.

Hot Cologne presents an innovative and interesting prospect in a niche overcrowded with redundant offerings. My personal reservations with Hot Cologne are threefold. I feel that the integration of coffee within the cologne structure would have benefitted from a bolder exploration. Though, would it still have been a 'cologne' then? Is it, now? Secondly, Hot Cologne is rather muted on my skin and has fleeting longevity, which is uncharacteristic of any edp, and also of the Mugler Les Exceptions line. That leads it to the third point - I'm skeptical of Hot Cologne being of good value given the alternatives. Here I should add a caveat: I have only tried Hot Cologne in cooler weather. Perhaps Hot Cologne truly comes to life in hot weather?

3/5