Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Moscow Mule from Juliet Has A Gun





A Moscow Mule is the uber-trendy drink made so popular in recent years that it is now a ubiquitous summer selection at most bars. It has also spawned an industry selling the copper mugs in which the drink must be served or it's not a Moscow Mule. It is the alchemy of the vodka hitting the copper, the ice chilling the copper walls of the mug, the ginger beer spritzed with a squeeze of lime, that make this perfect marriage of a summer drink. Now Perfumer Romano Ricci has used this as inspiration to launch a perfumed version of the iconic drink, Juliette Has A Gun Moscow MuleIt is a light easy-to-wear take on the popular drink traditionally served in a hammered copper mug. 


A Moscow Mule consists of vodka, lime, and ginger beer, and the perfume follows this directive. At first application there is the tartness of bergamot, followed by the spiciness of ginger. Ginger can take over a perfume if used too generously, but here it just adds subtle spice to the brew. JHAG Moscow Mule contains Iso E Super, which lends a woody but transparent aspect to the scent. 


In the heart notes you  find apple essence, sandalwood, and a touch of extreme amber. For me these notes blend with the base notes of Norlimbanol, a molecule from Firmenich, the Swiss flavor and fragrance company. Norlimbanol gives a dry woodiness to perfumes and on my skin Moscow Mule settled into a woody, slightly musky scent after the initial zest and spice. If you've drank a Moscow Mule on a warm day, you know that the vodka washes down deceptively easy when mixed with the ginger beer. The ice cold feel of the drink is exaggerated by the copper mug which holds and amplifies the chill factor, and sometimes you can almost taste the metallic copper. There were a couple of times during the life of the perfume I could sense that sensation of metallic tang.


Romano Ricci, pictured above, is the founder and perfumer of the Juliette Has A Gun line of perfumes. He has fashion and perfume in the bloodline: he is the great grandson of French couturier Nina Ricci, and grandson of Robert Ricci who founded the family perfume empire. Romano could have joined the family business but instead he forged his own path, starting his company in 2005. Francis Kurkdjian was a co-collaborator on early perfumes in the line but Romano is now the sole perfumer. He has brought a certain irreverence and playfulness to the line. The newest introduction, Moscow Mule, is a good example of this relaxed attitude. I found Moscow Mule to be a light, fresh and effortless scent to wear, very casual and relaxed. I didn't smell it strongly on myself but got a compliment the first time I wore it so I guess it has more projection that I realized. If you are looking for a new scent to welcome summer or if you're a fan of the copper-clad cocktail, Moscow Mule should be on your radar to try.

Top photo from www.lilyandval.com. All other photos from Juliette has a gun. Perfume provided by Juliette has a gun.

1 comment :

Undina said...

I will give it a try if I come across it - just because I feel favorable towards the brand and try all their perfumes when I get a chance, but I feel less inclined to do it because... if the drink. Even more than popular now “culture appropriation” I dislike culture falsification: out of three main ingredients of the cocktail only one has anything to do with Moscow/Russia. Ginger beer... well, maybe, decades before the drink was created (if ever). And definitely no limes. But since the drink exists, I do not blame perfume for following the recipe :)