Clive Christian C for Men - Scented Review

Clive Christian C for Men is warm, smoky and brassy-sassy with a relaxed, comfortable elegance.

Name: C for Men

Brand: Clive Christian

Concentration: Eau de Parfum

Year of launching: 2010

Production: Uncertain

Parfumeur: Christian Provenzano

Persistence: Excellent

Sillage: Great

Notes:

Top notes: White thyme, Tea, Green leaves, Lemon, Mate, Elemi, Mandarin

Heart notes: Jasmine, Rose, Cardamon, Raspberry, Cinnamon, Clove, Cistus, Saffron, Orris
Base notes: Oud, Amber, Cedarwood, Tobacco absolute, Musk, Vanilla, Leather, Cypress, Treemoss, Styrax, Costus, Tonka bean, Olibanum, Guaiac Wood *The perfume notes have been written as described on Basenotes.

Clive Christian C for Men smells like the smooth Gentleman gone outdoors. I know the name of this fragrance is “C for Men” but Ladies don’t shy away from wearing it, you will be pleasantly surprised. A sweet but smoky Mandarin shines in the beginning, and it smells like it was a little glazed. This sweet Mandarin also provides the fragrances with its sexy but smooth note. Oud and Saffron come through as facets, the Saffron is toned down and playful and the Oud provides the ”brassy-sassy”. The Tobacco might be difficult to recognise at first because it smells like a smoky bonfire. The Tobacco note will establish itself and dominate the middle notes. Clive Christian C for Men has a slightly bitter smelling Tobacco with a lingering fruity sweetness and a smoky undertone. I usually expect a Tobacco note to be dry and the dusty but C for Men has none of that. Clive Christian C for Men is linear but pleasant and ends much in the same smoky note with some faint wood notes that cannot really be distinguished.

According to the Clive Christian Official Website the inspiration behind C for Men is Clive Christian's birthplace, Scotland.

Photo by Artist George Hiles on Unsplash

Before I knew the story behind the scent, Clive Christian C for Men painted for me an outdoor scenery, late November, beginning of December, the snow is not yet on the ground but it is cold. I have my comfy, warm UGGs on my feet, a winter coat, a warm cashmere scarf around my neck.

My iPod Shuffle playing "Invisible Empire" by the none other than Scottish native KT Tunstall (and one of my favourite artists) as I set on my conquest to admire the great outdoors or maybe a few of the breathtaking beauties of Scotland. Why not? I always wanted to visit Scotland, and I do understand why Clive Christian chose Scotland as an inspiration.

KT Tunstall - Invisible Empire

The day in the great outdoors ends with one huge warm and smoky bonfire.

Let’s talk about the packaging:

Without a shadow of a doubt, Clive Christian bottles do look royal, as they have kept the old The Crown Perfumery Co. bottle design and logo, made some tweaks and replaced the transparent cap with a metal cap. Personally, I am not head over heels, I prefer simpler, minimalistic bottles but I do understand the whole concept of luxury, royalty etc, etc, etc. that Clive Christian portrays.

In 2017, the Clive Christian C for Men bottle received some cosmetic improvements. From my past experience, almost every change (big or small) of a perfume's bottle means that also the formula inside the bottle has suffered some tweaks. I do not wish to speculate a reformulation although it is very possible. Fragrantica has the two bottles listed as two different fragrances Clive Christian C for Men 2010 and Clive Christian C for Men Woody Leather with Oudh Intense 2017, with let’s say similar notes.

The debate whether a very expensive perfume should rise to high expectation so it can equal its price is very much on point. One cannot be blamed for having high expectations from a Clive Christian scent as their brand has marketed itself as high luxury and the most expensive in the Guinness World Records. It is fair to say the price should reflect in a great perfume. Here is where it gets a bit complicated. While some will consider Clive Christian C for Men great because of the price as a result of the branded luxury, some will judge strictly the content of the bottle rather than its price. The later will be inclined to say that Clive Christian C for Men is not bringing something revolutionary to the table perfume-wise. It is a double-edged sword in the end, as judging a perfume stems from a very personal level. I am not picking sides, but I will say this: Clive Christian C for men is a Good fragrance but it should strive for Greatness.