Ultra Male by Jean Paul Gaultier

In today’s post, I am going to be taking a closer look at a cologne by Jean Paul Gaultier called, Ultra Male. This is a flanker fragrance to the now classic, Le Male. Ultra Male was released in 2015 and occupies a similar bottle to the original JPG scent.

What does it smell like? How does it perform? When should it be worn? Is it better than Le Male? Please continue reading below for my impressions after a few wears.

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Quick Overview

My Verdict

Ultra Male opens with pear, vanilla, cinnamon, mint, and citrus. The pear is the main attraction early on, creating a candy-like sweetness that can come across almost bubblegum-like.

As it dries down, lavender and vanilla become more important, while amber and woods add warmth. It has some overlap with Le Male, but the pear note and lack of powder make Ultra Male feel more like its own scent.

This is best as a cold-weather nightlife fragrance. It is sweet, youthful, strong, and attention-grabbing, but it can become too much in the heat or in professional settings.

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Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

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What does Ultra Male by JPG Smell Like?

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Ultra Male is a meeting of the pear, vanilla, cinnamon, mint, and citrus notes that produces a candy-like sweetness that is akin to bubble gum. Now, this may not sound appealing for some folks but it quickly settles on my skin into something that is warm and smooth, and a scent that I find very appealing.

The pear note is the main attraction early on. Mint and cinnamon surround it and provide the composition with a definite spiciness. Ultra Male is intense straight out of the bottle, with a very captivating aroma.

Next up, the lavender and vanilla begin to move in. Lavender and pear share the spotlight, with an increasingly strong vanilla coming in more later.

The most noticeable difference between this and the famous, Le Male, is the complete lack of that powdery aroma that was so prevalent in that JPG cologne.

While there is a lot of overlap between these two scents, the strength of each note is different, and the inclusion of the pear makes Ultra Male a standalone scent from its progenitor.

I’m just going to say it right now, I am enjoying Ultra Male more than Le Male, which I also liked a lot.

During the dry down, it turns into a vanilla, lavender, and amber laden fragrance on my skin. It at times, reminds me of a more youthful and sweeter Luna Rossa Sport.

Not saying its the same, but the lavender and vanilla combo, are obviously going to deliver at least somewhat similar results.

Ultra Male is a super fresh and sweet kind of scent that is going to be a nice addition to any night life fragrance collection.

There is a slight spiciness provided by the cinnamon note which prevents the cologne from become a complete mess and that is further bolstered by the mint note, which seems to be more in the background than it was in Le Male.

Ultra Male sort of falls into the same category as a fragrance like, 1 Million, does. Smooth, candy-like sweetness, with enough staying power to be a night club favorite.

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Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, I would rate it as a very strong starter that fades into something much more moderate. While it is in the same ‘family’, so to speak as 1 Million, it doesn’t have the same loud and bold projection.

It certainly isn’t weak and with enough sprays it is capable of overpowering, but with my 1-3 spray tests, Ultra Male was perfectly tolerable.

Update: with further wear, once I got a full bottle, this does project itself a lot more than you can tell. People will notice, so, go light when inside enclosed areas. It’s actually kind of massive with how it projects. I do have a bottle of the initial release, so, I don’t know if Ultra got weakened over the years.

It does have great longevity on my skin, 9-ish hours, maybe a little longer on some wears (depending on the weather or other environmental circumstances). It’s pretty excellent in that regard.

Update: I do get double digit hours of wear, fairly regularly with Ultra Male. It does depend greatly on the climate, see below.

Cold weather scent. Like Le Male, Ultra Male would turn to crap in the heat, so if your climate is warm year round, this probably isn’t the best bet.

On the other hand, if you plan on wearing it at night, I have done so effectively when the temperature was in the mid-70s Fahrenheit but it thrives in the cold.

Really, I would not wear this at all when it is hot out. It becomes a pretty big mess, so if you’re going to have this, also have a spring/summer scent to wear. In the cold, it is at its peak and can be a great wear.

You could wear this as a daytime scent, as it isn’t too loud (with light sprays), but I love it for nights out and party-type atmospheres. It’s an attractive, almost unisex kind of fragrance, with a sweet sexiness that women seem to enjoy.

I’ve mostly been wearing this on winter evenings out, just casually from time to time, and around the house. I’m not sure that I’d try to make this a daily wear. Especially for guys, who work in a professional setting. That’s not what this cologne does.

Ultra Male can come across as very sweet and has a youthful party vibe. I am older than the target demo of this cologne and like it a lot. Yet, I find myself not always wanting to indulge in it, with its candy-like aroma.

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Overall Impressions of Ultra Male

Overall, would I recommend Ultra Male as a buy? Yes, provided you like this kind of scent. Some guys don’t like the sweets and if that’s you, pass on this cologne.

Otherwise, I find this to be a fun wear, and prefer it to the original Le Male…it just strikes me as better on the whole.  This is another great entry from Jean Paul Gaultier.

The performance is great and the smell is really nice. It can come across as unisex, at times, but for the nightlife it’s a great pick up. The uses for this can be limited, outside of that. So, one will need to assess exactly what you’re wanting it for.

Update: The longer that I’ve had this, the less I wear it. The pear note doesn’t really do it for me anymore and it’s super sweet/spicy mix, isn’t something that I always want to wear. It’s still something for younger guys to wear and not a fragrance that’s going to be a daily wear for most people.

I definitely don’t dislike it, but it’s more something that I wear on occasion. Ultra Male is still one of the better releases in the series, which has produced a lot of just ‘okay’ colognes over the years.

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FAQ: Ultra Male by Jean Paul Gaultier

What does Ultra Male smell like?

Ultra Male smells sweet, spicy, fresh, and warm. It opens with pear, vanilla, cinnamon, mint, and citrus, then dries down into lavender, vanilla, amber, and woods.

Is Ultra Male better than Le Male?

Ultra Male is better if you want something sweeter, stronger, more youthful, and more nightlife-focused. Le Male is better if you prefer the classic powdery lavender-vanilla style.

How long does Ultra Male last?

Ultra Male lasts around 9 hours or more, and double-digit wear is possible depending on weather, skin, and spray amount.

Does Ultra Male project well?

Yes. Ultra Male projects very strongly, especially from a full bottle or with heavier sprays. It can become overpowering indoors, so lighter spraying is better.

Is Ultra Male good for winter?

Yes. Ultra Male is best in cold weather. The pear, vanilla, amber, cinnamon, and lavender perform especially well in fall and winter.

Is Ultra Male good for summer?

No, Ultra Male is not a great summer fragrance. It can become too sweet, heavy, and messy in hot weather.

Is Ultra Male good for clubbing?

Yes. Ultra Male is one of its best uses. The sweet pear, vanilla, spice, strong projection, and long wear make it a strong nightlife fragrance.

Is Ultra Male a good everyday fragrance?

Not for most people. It can be worn casually with light sprays, but it is usually better as a night-out, party, date, or cold-weather fragrance.

Is Ultra Male too sweet?

Ultra Male can be too sweet for some people. The pear, vanilla, and candy-like opening give it a very sweet profile.

Is Ultra Male worth buying?

Ultra Male is worth buying if you want a strong, sweet, youthful nightlife fragrance. Skip it if you dislike sweet fragrances or need something more versatile for work and daily wear.