L for Men

A PRIVATE AND RESPECTFULL CLUB FRAGRANCE This fragrance evokes a traditional, phlegmatic aura that transports me to London in the sixties and seventies. The setting is a private club frequented by wealthy men who read newspapers, drink malt whisky, smoke cigars, talk about politics with fellow members, and find excuses to go home late. The perfume opens with an intense burst of spicy pink pepper and zesty citrus, along with a mysterious yet familiar accord that immediately reminds me of Amouage Myths Man. This phase is uplifting, but the freshness doesn't last long. Soon, the heavier notes, such as the warm, woody base and the rich, floral heart, take centre stage. And so, we sense the middle phase beginning. The only fresh note left from the initial opening is the orangy petitgrain, while the other notes have already faded away. The soapy rose emerges and takes over the citrus notes, accompanied by subtle touches of tamed oud and that fantastic buttery iris, which is in a class of its own. The remarkable orris butter note is only paired at this high level with Amouage Imitation Man. The dry down is as impressive as the rest of L's development. The most intense notes I can now sense are undoubtedly balsam fir, cedar, musk, patchouli and hints of leather. Balsam fir adds a resinous, slightly sweet touch that provides warmth and depth, while musk brings a sensual, long-lasting finish. MY OPINION: Clive Christian L for Men sets the bar high, but comes at a price. I love this fragrance, but I cannot recommend it blindly. If you want to experience the spicy "men-only club" vibe of the sixties, try this perfume in a Clive Christian boutique. MUSIC: "Those were the days" by Mary Hopkins

This was a masterpiece and what I consider my signature scent, especially now that it’s off the market. Sadly, CC discontinued this in 2017 when they launched a new line, so the only “L” you can buy now is the “L Woody Oriental with Deep Amber.” It’s really a shame because this was such a unique scent—nothing else out there like it— and utterly masculine. Just to clarify, the “L” that you can buy in stores these days is Not a crappy reformulation of the original L that smells similar to it, or a flanker that has some of the original DNA but with an added twist; it is an entirely different fragrance that just uses the same “L” name. The two have nothing in common with each other. I was so sad when I wandered into a Neiman Marcus in 2017 and on a whim sampled the L on display and thought “WTF is this shit?!” only to be informed that they got rid of the old line entirely. I had bought a bottle a year and a half before and was halfway through it at that point, so I asked in a panic if they happened to have any stock of the old line. The saleswoman went looking in the back and found one last 50ml bottle which I snatched up right away. I’m down to a quarter of the original bottle now and I treat this like liquid gold, only rolling it out on special occasions in the Fall and Winter because I want to make my remaining ~60ml last for as many as years as I can.

Super nice and full of class. One of the best Clive Christian fragrances I have smelt. Despite its hefty price tag, it actually smells pretty beautiful. Starts off woody, citrusy, fresh with a hint of oud in the back. Drys down to a more citrusy, fresh, oud fragrance. The only downside is that it seems a bit basic for its price, but I can't deny it smells great. This is a very nice fragrance if your getting dressed up conducting business. And for a fresh fragrance it lasts quite a while from the oud that is in here. It lasts around 6-7 hours with a medium projection leaning masculine. I recommend this for the spring, summer and maybe the fall. This can be worn in the day or night. Lastly, is it a safe blind buy? To be honest, yes. If you love fresh oud scents but have quite the money to spend on a fresh fragrance, then I recommend this for you. In conclusion: Scent: 8.5/10 Longevity: 7.5/10 Projection: 7/10 Clive Christian L for Men: 8/10

I have to say I'm surprised by the mediocre reviews by this scent. It is a tremendously well done woody/spicy fragrance, with citrus that somehow lasts throughout most of the dry down. This is an all-year fragrance perfect for office wear, but still cozy and interesting enough to wear just for yourself. Performance is solid overall. When I spray this on my neck and it hits my sweater collar, I can literally smell it four to five days later. When I wear it I definitely try to do neck sprays that hit half skin/half clothes. Overall, I love it. I'd consider it a warm weather signature. There's nothing "cologne guy" about this fragrance... the ingredients are pure quality and absent of any standard fair Macy's vibe. It is pretty traditional and doesn't break any new ground, but it does so in a superbly high quality manner and leaves enough interesting nuances to separate it from your average wood/citrus/spicy offerings.

A well done woody fragrance! It starts with fresh, light and fruity citrus scent that blends in very soon harmoniously with oud and rose. Oud has a pleasant clean character, remains all the time in the background; on the other hand, rose is good perceivable. While grapefruit weakens (not complete though), rose is joined by balsamic fir and cedar. The fragrance develops fully in about half an hour and wraps itself in a spicy “coat”. The scent is unique in its spicy-balsamic-fir-like woodinees and gives a very harmonic impression. Strong recommended for fans of balsamic scents!