Calvin

I feel the sheer warmth, brilliance and genuine taste in Calvin. 1981 - over 30 years ago, before the mass-marketed stuff came. Some of those became what I "grew-up" with and this brilliant bottle was unknown to me for many years. What a beautiful revelation!!! I concur with the wonderful reviews here - ObsessionForMen, Krmarich, Monsieur Aramis and avonman. I adore the composition. Although, I get a chypre-vibe as well, this is a brilliant, masculine and warm Woody Floral Musk/Chypre composition that incorporates gorgeous florals (including the key note of chamomile) and herbs combined with brilliant use of green, slightly dark but damp patchouli and a woody vetiver (just slightly rooty/earthy). There is no composition like it. It uses musk (mostly clean) to radiate the aroma. What is amazing is just how long (and strong) the integrated florals and herbs emanate from this scent! It has a slightly soapy vibe - not a bar of French-milled soap, but the actual lather it creates. A gorgeous, "sudsy" feel that makes one wonder just how this was done. The sandalwood is creamy giving a base with the vetiver and musk that oozes class and a very suave, retro feel (in the best way possible). I also find what I believe is a note of light moss that lingers with a waft of "smoke tea", as Monsieur Aramis so elegantly stated. Not heavy as the musk really radiates the aromas with a wonderful and natural ambiance, along with the nice, lush green base accord that offers excellent longevity. As comforting as it is, Calvin is also a very serious scent that could be worn by a CEO. I don't know where the world of fragrance would be without the house of Calvin Klein and what followed...but, I do know (after getting this 100ml Original Vintage bottle) just HOW good Calvin was in its earliest days. If you like classic chypres, fougeres and masculine florals with an aire of sophistication, you must try this magnificent juice. I will not give a numerical score to something of such brilliance and historical value. But, I will leave it with this - I adore it. Classic and the epitome of beauty in male fragrance. Put this on at a dinner party and have every guest try to figure out the "house" this came from...no one would ever guess Calvin Klein, unless they were lucky enough to have experienced it.

so I finally scored a vintage bottle of Calvin. I was quite fortunate to even get the original box ($25.00)and the accompanying felt drawstring bag that I remembered from days gone by (seems a lot of fragrances from the late 70's early 80's came in a drawstring bag of some sort)! I was quite surprised with the first two sprays that the bitter note hit me and I feared perhaps my bottle was bad. I'm guessing it was chamomile and some of the orange coming through on the top.? Anyway after it was on my skin for about 20 to 30 minutes that lovely low bass turned in and the musky vetiver stronghold that lies at the bottom slowly bubbled up but in a very subdued masculine way. It is definitely a fragrance I remembered with very very fond memories. All I can say is as one of my earliest real designer fragrances it's stuck with me until today and I am now in my early 50s. I couldn't be happier and all I can say is if you have to shell out a little more $$$ it's worth it. You don't find these kind of powerhouse fragrances even though I hesitate to use that term since this cologne mellows into such a none abrasive scent that I feel really most anyone would enjoy. It's well worth the try and I'm in love all over again. Truly where Calvin started and I fear maybe where he should have stopped.

Calvin Calvin Klein and Borsalino were my first two most favorite colognes when I first started collecting colognes in the 80s. I was fortunate enough to find another Borsalino (not Panda), I kept Calvin Calvin Klein for special occasions. This juice has a mysterious but soft enough vib that you could wear mostly during the fall day or night. Camomile and Neroli is what gives that herbal/sweet note. The green notes Tarragon and oakmoss certainly awakens your nose. It brings the herbal base together Both musk and patchouli helps to balance the sweet and herbal notes. Longevity and Sillage is excellent..a good 6 hours and no more than arms length away. I agree with those who are commenting about the current mainstream colognes/purfumes. They stand up to the 70's-80's power house which are far more superior than most of the colognes out in the market these days. All aside this juice is a keeper for me...8.5/10

This is a wonderful 80's powerhouse fragrance for men, with a touch of sweetness seemingly ahead of its time.. I really like this. Recently, I have grown to re-appreciate the 80's scents like Drakkar Noir, Kouros, Azzaro PH, etc. It's been a journey within a journey, and now I've found this beauty. I love these masculine, clean scents that exude confidence. After trying and enjoying this, I wonder what my favorite scent is from this vintage? There seems to be several from this time period (including the late 70's through early 90's) which are seen as essential classics. Some have become all but extinct. I saw Calvin mentioned in a Youtuber's video for his favorite 80's scents. Magically, it appeared the next day on a flea market app and I jumped on it. $14 for a full 100ml bottle; sometimes the heavens shine down on a poor soul like me and grant the gift of nostalgia in a bottle.

This is by far the best fragrance put out by CK ! In the 80s this scent was totally Gq! it ruled, everyone had to have. It got discontinued around the late 90s for a few years and for some reason they brought it back and then decided to discontinue it again! I was lucky to buy one before it was discontinued the second time. the longevity is massive! seriously I can spray this on my jacket and still smell it 2days later! I cant understand why this magnificent gem was discontinued a second time around. Had I known I would of stocked up! This is one of the hardest colognes to find now! and if you do find it the prices are insane! once my runs out I probably wont be able to resist the temptation and shell out $$ for another bottle. The way I see it you live once!

This, to me, epitomizes 80s masculine scents. It's extremely sophisticated, but beneath that sophistication is pure machismo. It's bright(particularly in the opening), yet very warm. It smells like Burt Reynolds in his prime wearing a tuxedo. It's very difficult to find this, and if you do you will pay for dearly for it. To my knowledge, there is not another fragrance on the market that smells more than 50% close to this. They could bring it back very easily as it does not contain Oak moss. In my opinion, the best fragrance Calvin Klein ever released. If the Middle Eastern fragrance houses are reading this, a clone of Calvin would be greatly appreciated.

Gosh, how I loved this fragrance when I was a young man. I basically rotated between Calvin, Armani pour homme, Versace l'homme and YSL for men in those days. All fabulous and different from each other. Calvin was very unique. It had this ink quality to it along with its blend of other spices that just smelled good and made you feel good. It was a big compliment getter. I would like to know who was the "Nose" that created this juice? Does anyone know? I've researched it and can't come up with the name.

A number of years back I happened to be in the right place at the right time and was fortunate enough to stumble across 2 x 100ml of the original version for a reasonable price. I grabbed them blind, never having smelled the fragrance before. What amazing juice. I'll nurse that 200ml to my grave. It would be awesome if this made a comeback, just as long as it's not a sad, dumbed-down post-IFRA version with the original beauty stripped away. One can hope.

I have worn this fragrance since it was first launched in 1981,I was 13 then and it was my very first designer cologne,Calvin is Clean,Gentlemanly,Sexy and Exudes Confidence,I Loved it Then and I Love it Now,and as a fragrance lover I have many scents but this remains My All Time Classic Favorite!,whenever I wear this it brings back memories and puts me in such a great mood!Such a shame that it's discontinued and hard to find.I higly recommend it!!

A few years ago, a discount drugstore had six bottles on a glass shelf. I bought all six with the thought of hoarding it all for myself (I'm a gal). Unfortunately, I had to move far away and ended up giving the whole lot to my brother. I would gladly follow any man who is wearing this cologne as far as I am permitted to go without causing offense. Calvin makes me swoon! Please bring it back!

The two versions of this smell very different. The original cologne smells very soapy, while the 99 rerelease edt smells very anise forward and close to Tuscany. I prefer the soapy version. It’s somehow a cologne and pushes for 10 plus hours.

The original "Calvin" was probably one of the best colognes ever made for it's time. very unique! Warm, but fresh, clean, but.., different. Many, many compliments! It was made very well. shame it's so hard to find it any longer.

Recently found a bottle on eBay. This was my favorite cologne from long ago and though it was pricey to get it due to it being discontinued I was very happy to purchase and have in my collection again.

I finally used the last of this cologne, it's one of Calvin Klein's best men's fragrance IMO. I reached out to the company expressing my desire for a 'comeback'; no response to-date...

I have a brand new bottle of the cologne and I have the original vintage set in the Velvet bags both cologne and aftershave. 😊

my daddy has this one my mommy loves it my daddy loves it i love it so my family LOVES IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dark fragrance vintage Santos de Cartier without the dirtyness rudeness , & similar to tuscany per uomo

I have full 50 ml bottle to sell in EU. Please send me a message if you are interested.

Um dos meus melhores perfumes. Infelizmente está descontinuado.

Killa! Scent true Classic! So stand alone and exquisite!

Calvin reminds me Calvin. There's no one like it.

this is a scent!!!!!!!!!!!!!10/10 for all.

It must bring into production.

I have a 50 ml bottle that is 90% full. It was a gift from my mother, so I'm not going to sell it. It reminds me of her and it tells me what she liked and what she wanted me to wear. Next to Anthaeus. Every time I smell it, it's like I have a connection to her - believe it or not. The scale of the main accords is misleading. There's not a lot of citrus in it. There is some, but not as much as stated. As someone here said, it's a bit soapy, but it smells great. Tarragon, chamomile and neroli are clearly noticeable and part of the total. It smells like an 80s fragrance. Typical 80s. Whatever that is, but it is what it is. I like it.

Another great fragrance that’s been discontinued. A great woody scent. Probably be considered quite boring by todays standards but I have really fond memories of this. My Nana would bring me many miniature bottles back from Florida and I thought I was the coolest kid in school because nobody else had a clue about it. Quite typical of an 80s scent really but then again that what was so good about it. I do hope they bring this back. I regret not buying it more when it was available.

I still have a small amount left. I sprayed some on my skin yesterday and WOW.... This is the ultimate masculine fragrance for men. A true classic and easily the best from CK. A huge shame it's no longer available. Can CK some how bring it back even if it is reformulated.

Yum - very nice indeed, it's a lot like Tuscany. Woody floral musk is a perfect description and lasts a while too! - Its a bit retro - but it's excellent - one of the very best CK's ever produced.

Very nice scent. Old school from the 80s, and smell like something a power stock broker or executive would wear. Has a a very mature strong scent!! Not really for young people under 40.

My first ever designer purchase in mid eighties,I loved it,I want it back on the shelves,instead of CK releasing these useless & crap flankers all the time!

I will not say this is essential to add in one's collection—I for one happened upon it and spent merely a pittance for it, but I am pleased with the results. It's an 80s aromatic with a somewhat sunnier disposition than its contemporaries, and I say this as I listen to the Cure, it seems rather apt. This is the Cure to Jacomo de Jacomo's Bauhaus. There is melancholy and some gloom but its opening chords are winsome, citrus, neroli, and herbs, and a curious chamomile and if my senses serves me well, it's an almost apple-skin like roman chamomile. Then again, my mind could be playing tricks on me. The transition to its heart reveals similarities to Tuscany Per Uomo, perhaps with the high estragole content on its tarragon accord. Estragole is sweet, a bit sharp, phenolic and anisic, and happens to make up nearly 75% of tarragon oil, giving it its characteristic scent. Tarragon just so happens to have a dazzling synergy with oakmoss, capable of lifting its qualities, and that is evidenced here: the oakmoss seems to come through quite early on. The dry down is the greatest gift from Calvin, as it has sheer, almost smoky musk in its base, very little in the way of any growl that may be expected from a men's release from 1981, but compelling nonetheless. I wouldn't say this is a "must have," then again, I never want to say any fragrance is a "must have" and thereby fuel the FOMO engine. However, if found at a price which you find affordable, one might find this a delightful wear as I do.

From the reviews, I thought this would be very powerful. For example, yesterday I tried Paul Sebastian's V.S.O.P., which is incredibly powerful. Calvin is the other side of the 80s, I guess. This one is a nicely blended and balanced fougere (why lavender or fern isn't listed among the notes is an interesting question and suggests different formulations), in a "soapy" sense. Clearly, there is a strong orange element to it. It also must have amber because the sweetness and soft/syrupy qualities are obvious. It's very nice, but rather mild and understated, especially for the times. My bottle says Cologne Spray, which seems to mean it is the original formulation (that's what the person I got it from said too). The one pictured at the top of this page has a box with the estimate symbol ("e"), which means it is from the early to mid 1990s (or later), from what I understand, so keep that in mind. This is more for the aficionado these days, as most young guys would probably say they have something similar but stronger. You need to understand the subtleties involved to appreciate this one. That said, it doesn't have enough of a "wow factor" for me, relative to some other scents that are at least somewhat similar (such as Henry Cotton's In Green), and the base notes are light. Don't expect strong sandalwood, vetiver, or patchouli. Go for Vetiver de Puig if you want a scent with a strong sandalwood/vetiver base, though the lavender there is not accompanied by coumarin.

Wow, what a hidden gem. Found a sample of this on eBay and promptly ordered it. This stuff is amazing. Very masculine, but elegant and smooth. This is not bitter, this is not harsh, it is just right for a young man or man of any age, as long as he wants to smell like a man. At first spray, it smells reminiscent of Aramis, but it quickly fades into a more youthful and fresh version. Combine that with a touch of the original Kouros, but less “piss” smell. I’ve been looking for a new 80’s scent and this is my new favorite. A lot of the new men’s fragrances smell very feminine, wear this if you want to smell like a man.

This was the very first aftershave I bought. Then I bought the EDP, but I still preferred the aftershave (a lot more subtle and better mixed in my opinion). The smell was GREAT!!! One of the best aftershave I have ever owned, this juice was able to turn a dorky college freshman into a alpha male party beast! I miss it so much! I really wish next year Calvin Klein could bring this back this a collectors' edition / 40th anniversary instead of churning more dissatisfying colognes. PS. If you have not had the pleasure to smell this, Burberry London slightly bears a slight resemblance to Calvin by CK

Oh Dear...how far do we go? Now looks like every you tube fragrance reviewers and their moms is launching a perfume brand now ( with ridiculous prices) and everyone and everything want to be niche nowadays, the best thing is comeback to the basics ...when Perfumerie was Perfumerie!! And not all this snobism , show off, no honesty and you tubers licking each other Gl(asses)...🙄. Calvin Klein is not a friend of mine but will prefer this one at least to reminds me the time when all this great world of fragrances used to make sense.

I finally got this vintage amazing powerhouse. OMG. Indeed, the best men's release from Calvin - by far...and the first one. Impossible not to like this timeless juice. Sorta reminds me of Drakkar in that it really is timeless and so easy to like.. This is a macho powerhouse from the 1980s, when the colognes were made for real men. Ultimately, this to me is an amazing combination of Drakkar and Azzaro combined. Must buy

Ummm...manly and sexy. I've worn this since it's inception and was bummed when it was discontinued. It had a second incarnation for a brief time and I bought up all I could find. Very '80's but still wearable today. Of course, it's best after it has worn for an hour or so. Do not pass this one up if you see it. It is like no other. Calvin did it right back then.

Pretty sure this was made when Calvin was still a legitimate designer house. Speculating, this could have been the study for the legendary JPG Le Fluer de Male - A Chamomile/Neroli masterpiece. CK started their incredible, influential legacy strong with this one.

This is classic Calvin Klein at the height of his olfactory powers. Too bad the house is now a joke in terms of fragrance. This scent reminds me of another classic by Cartier. Now if I could only remember the fragrance...

agree with asfa, nothing special, probably the worst CK out there, or at least one of the worst. I bought a mini, and it's still just sitting there, collecting dust.

The glorious 80s !!! the best decade for American designers about them fragances! and 90s of course. Inventive, quaint and fabulous icons.

I wore this today, WOW!! The drydown was amazing. Longevity was easily 10hrs+..a Masterpiece for sure

Great fragrance!a classic from this house for sure.. Im putting 1 on ebay soon, 95% 100ml

you can tell this is a old school very aromatic well made good dry down

Was this replaced with CK One, and are they similar scents? Thank you.

Where can u find it? Been dating again and all the women love it!

It is my first love of ck. I wonder if this still on production.

And if u cant find it whats the best substitute?

Oh, yes! This reminds me of Santos de Cartier.

Smells like the 80s in the best way possible.

can i have this one, where i have to buy it