No. 1

An authorized CC store decided to quit carrying the brand, and they cut prices in half. Combining with some coupon codes and rewards points, I purchased 4 from the brand (1872, No. 1, Rock Rose, and X) for much more relatively reasonable prices because I doubted I'd ever get an opportunity to get shady eBay-like deals from a real boutique--no worry of authenticity or spoilage. Got this 50 mL for $382.50, normally $850-$865. I feel like that's worth mentioning. The box is identical to the others in the original collection, just a gold outer-box. Disappointing for a fragrance that's over double the cost. The bottle is a lovely gold glass. Only a slight imperfection at the bottom corner of my bottle--like a dent, which is ridiculous to have at this price. You can only tell if you're holding the bottle and looking at the bottom or looking from the right angle when it's sat down. This aside, picking up the bottle feels special; I'm lucky to have this! I heavily debated on buying this, even at the "good deal" that I was getting. The first time I tried it, I thought it was straight old lady Chanel No. 5. As it settled in, I was on the fence. Then I tried it again, and this time got a heavily sprayed tester card to put in my car. That sold me. It was just so wonderful that I had that "Okay, I get it" moment. NO regrets buying this! Haters of this often likely can't afford it, want to talk it down, and probably go into smelling it without an objective nose. If you appreciate nicer things, you're going to appreciate this; it smells expensive without a doubt, even if the scent isn't quite your cup of tea. This is a scent for a dapper gentleman, which I like to pretend to be. This pairs perfectly with my finest suit, and it adds that perfect next level to stand out. It's the perfect amount of floral that ties in so nicely with the woody notes. Then there's just a hint of powder that tickles the nose to make this smooth--almost as if it's a bridge in the middle to join the floral and woody notes. It just keeps getting better all day. This is my confidence fragrance, which every man needs. Putting this on makes me feel like I need to be stepping into a Ferrari driving into London to broker a large contract, not a Jeep Cherokee heading into Jackson, Mississippi. You come to like the opening, which is granted a tiny bit old lady, but that phase only lasts about 10-40 minutes or so. Then it's just the most heavenly cloud of luxurious woody notes with a masculine floral. It's not sharp; it's suave. I don't think anyone could say it stinks. There may be a few people who don't like it, but you won't get anyone who just plain turns his or her nose up at you--or covers it. You only need a VERY small amount. I spray around a half spray on the wrist and behind the ear, and I'm good for the day. This is very potent and intoxicating stuff. It's good year round I think, but it's going to shine best in any season but Summer. Don't get me wrong, I still have worn it a lot this Summer without regret and have loved it, but it's probably going to be even better when the temperature drops. Longevity is incredible, usually 10-12 hours or longer--often longer. It gets closer to the skin after about 6 hours, and really becomes closer to a skin scent after about 8 or so. I've only had this for the hot and humid MS summer, so I can't comment fully on performance yet since my skin eats perfume when it's hot. However, it's performed very well for the conditions. Is this full bottle worthy? I think so. At $850? If you have the money and appreciate finer things enough and have run out of other fragrances that don't have you bored, then yes. Would I buy it at $850? No, I honestly wouldn't. Clive Christian directly sells a 10 mL for $95; I'll get that if I ever run out. I think that's not an awful price for this fragrance--especially since you must use it sparingly. I never want to be without this one again! 10/10 scent--very unique, 10/10 longevity, 10/10 sillage--very engulfing.

The composition opens with a hesperidic burst utilizing bergamot, lime, and Sicilian mandarin, which are gently mixed with spices of cardamom, nutmeg, caraway, and artemisia. The opening is certainly robust, and dare I say cloying and somewhat off putting initially. Heady florals dominate the second phase of Clive Christian's 'No. 1'. Muguet, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, iris and heliotrope create a floral bouquet which initially rings very feminine for a male branded fragrance. Within this floral accord it is the exotic and indolent ylang-ylang which pierces through most prominently. Its searing yellow-floral scent is tamed by the powdery heliotrope and iris. In the base cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, amber, tonka bean and vanilla create a warm, sensuality. One is still able to notice the proceeding sweet florals, yet their femininity has been subdued by the musky, woody basenotes. It is here that the fragrance is at its most captivating. For me, Clive Christian's 'No. 1' is all about contradictions. Here is a masculine fragrance utilizing an abundance of feminine florals. It is at once fresh and hesperidic, and then rich and oriental. Initially clean, powdery and later somewhat dirty and indolic. Unabashedly luxurious and original, I am hard pressed to compare 'No. 1' to any previously experienced fragrance of recent memory. Both elegant and refined, this composition seems perfect to be worn for a special and/or formal occasion. Its sillage, projection, and longevity are superb upon initial application, becoming average after one hour into the dry down. Due to its over reliance of floral heart notes, this can easily be considered unisex and worn by women. Many men may find it too feminine to personally own. I must admit my first reaction to smelling 'No. 1' was not a pleasant one. I found the overly harsh and cloying citrus, floral opening to be garish and obtrusive. With patience, the fragrance magically transformed itself into something quite beautiful after 30-60 minutes. I've learned to never again judge another scent based upon the initial few seconds after it being sprayed. Certainly it must live and breathe upon the skin first, allowing its full splendor to unfurl itself for our senses to adequately behold in its finest. Read my complete in depth review at my personal fragrance blog

“Clive Christian No.1 For Men” Since 1965 Sene... evet, tam anlamıyla 1970’ler. 40 yaş üstü bir beyefendisiniz. Nasıl ifade edeceğimi düşünürken aklıma şu geliyor: 1970 yılında, 40 yaşında, aşırı zengin bir iş insanısınız. Ancak bu adam yalnızca işkolik değil; aynı zamanda farklı, neredeyse hayali bir “okula” gidiyor. Evet, bir okula... Ama bildiğimiz türden değil. Bu, bir centilmenler okulu. Size “nasıl daha iyi bir beyefendi olunur?” sorusunun cevabı öğretiliyor. Hem teorik hem de fiziksel, adeta teatral bir anlatımla... Bir duruş, bir bakış, bir hareket nasıl olmalı; hepsi ince ince işleniyor. Bu adam artık bir aile babası olmuş. Ama spor salonuna gitmek yerine bu okula gitmiş biri. Ne demek istediğimi çok net anladınız. İşte bu parfüm tam olarak böyle bir karakteri yansıtıyor. Oldukça yumuşak ama aynı zamanda güçlü bir yayılıma sahip. Baştan sona kadar hissedilen o pudramsı dokunuş hiç kaybolmuyor. Açılışta ferah narenciyelerle başlıyor; zamanla yumuşak sandal ağacı ve miskle derinleşerek kapanıyor. Zarif, kontrollü ve olgun bir erkek parfümü. Ama kesin çizgilerle sınırlı değil; kadınlar da rahatlıkla kullanabilir. . . . The year... yes, exactly the 1970s. You are a gentleman over 40. Let me put it this way: in 1970, you are a 40-year-old, extremely wealthy businessman. But this man is not only a workaholic; he also attends a different kind of “school.” Yes, a school... but not an ordinary one. This is a school for gentlemen. It teaches you how to become a true gentleman—through both theory and almost theatrical, physical demonstrations. Every detail is refined: posture, взгляд, movement... everything is carefully crafted. This man has become a family father. But instead of going to the gym, he chose to attend this school. You understand exactly what I mean. This fragrance reflects precisely that character. It is very smooth, yet it has a strong projection. That powdery texture is present from beginning to end. It opens with fresh citrus notes, then gradually softens into sandalwood and musk. Elegant, controlled, and mature—a true masculine fragrance. But not strictly limited to men; women can absolutely wear it as well. 10/7.4

Absolute love at first sniff. Damn it, why do I always really like the expensive ones? No. 1 has a combination of some of my favorite notes in perfumery resulting in a unique, powdery, creamy, woody, floral, clean soapy musk. It is a wonderful example of a powdery accord done well, a slight nod to perfumes from the past, buttery iris, heliotrope for an almost almondy/nutty effect, and creamy, soapy sandalwood. Can’t stop sniffing myself. Just like Roja Dove’s Roja Haute Luxe, this literally made my eyes physically roll into the back of my head the moment I first sprayed it onto my skin. Hedonistic, kaleidoscopic. Much more complex than it appears upon first encounter, incredibly well blended. I opened a door to go outside about an hour after that first spray and the air rushing out and around me brought the fragrance up to my nose in whiffs of pure anosmic ecstasy, slightly different than what i experience when i put my nose straight up to my skin, so I know this must smell lovely to others in the air. And if not, that’s okay, because I absolutely am infatuated with this stuff, and I wouldn’t care if it makes others happy or not, because it makes me happy. 50ml for $700 is quite expensive, but you can grab 10ml in the $300 traveler set, which comes out to $100 for 10ml. That’s a little better value per ml if you want a small bottle, which is funny because usually with most houses and designers you usually pay more per ml for their smaller bottles. If you think this smells feminine due to the florals, or “grandmotherly” due to the powder, I don’t know what else to tell you. To me, it’s incredibly smooth, modern, clean, fresh, airy, creamy, rich, and woody, and sweet but not that typical cotton candy sweetness. It doesn’t even slightly resemble the type of perfumes (chypres, animalics, rose heavy florals) that usually get that association from younger or naive noses. God tier superb... 10/10.

I can truly understand the hate/love relationship that people seem to have for Clive Christian No.1 for men. I used to be one of those haters but now I'm lover. I don't know whether it's because my senses have changed or maybe it's that I never gave this scent a chance. Personally, I think this scent is misunderstood and it needs to be worn in a certain way. If your reviews/opinions on this scent are based on the first 10 minutes of its development, then you're not going to be satisfied. If you wear this on a cold, winter day, or evening, then you're probably not going to experience the pinnacle of its peak. It is true, that the opening of this scent does resemble an "old grandma perfume". This scent is expensive "ridiculously overpriced". I think because these tend to be two of the most common reviews about No.1, it turns people off. With preconceived perceptions such as those, you're almost guaranteed to dislike it before you've even given it a chance. I'm not going to give you a breakdown of how this smells to me. A scent like this needs to be experienced. The best information I can provide you with is to buy a 1ml sample and try it on during the warm summer months or in warmer hemispheres/climates. I've had women who have smelled this on a test strip and found it to be absolutely repulsing and I've also had the very same women smell it on me and have commented "OMG what are you wearing, you smell amazing". Like I said get a sample... Pick a hot day or a tropical environment and wear it. I suggest applying it sparingly because too much will be a little over powering to the wearer. I would say this scent is more fitting for men ages 30-50. Give it a chance. Don't be distracted by its price or the first 10 mins of applying.

To start I'll state the obvious: this is not worth the asking price. But that doesn't mean it's a bad perfume. It's quite a stunning and beautiful fragrance. Clive Christian No. 1 is a lot more than simply a powdery floral; there's a lot more going on here. I get touches of citrus which give it a balanced, airy tartness. I get ambery, musky warmth that gently radiates off the skin. I get very subtle spice and herbal notes in the blend. And the coup de gras - the 50 year old aged sandalwood is simply to die for. It is cozy, warm, radiant and rich. If all you're used to is department store men's cologne, or you are relatively new to the fragrance world, No. 1 may be perceived as feminine leaning. But to my nose this really does smell like a rich men's perfume. I picture getting dressed up to go to the symphony or wearing this to a wedding. High class juice. No. 1 uses very high-quality natural ingredients. It smells regal, dense and expensive. It is almost unbelievably well blended. On my wearings, No. 1 sits very close to the skin giving you a golden aura to those standing near you, and it is strong enough to leave a nice scent trail. That being said, the projection is very minimal, and longevity leaves a bit to be desired. (You can detect it on your skin almost all day, but it becomes a skin scent within 3-4 hours on me.) In summary, No.1 has some very strong positives and some minor negatives. Obviously do not pay retail for this ($790 for 50ml as of the time of this review). I was able to find a 50ml bottle for about $200, and to me, this is worth every penny of that.

Clive Christian No 1 is truly a magnificent work of art. Like any masterpiece let it speak to you first. I don't get the negative reviews posted here. This is British perfumery at its best and reminds me somehow of the luxurious life of the rich people of the Victorian London. I tried this fragrance first about ten years back at the Clive Christian Dubai Mall boutique and have never been without it since then. My experience at the friendly Clive Christian boutique was amazing. I also saw a rich Shaikh buying Clive Christian No 1 and leave in a hurry. This was then (just as it is now) a hugely popular fragrance. I have been to a number of nutmeg warehouses where I have crushed and smelled the nutmeg. The spicy smell is very good. The moment I open the box (without even opening the lid of the bottle) I get wafts of intoxicating nutmeg, cardamom and florals. This opens with a heavenly, refined blast of finest cardamom, nutmeg and florals. Nutmeg & florals here remain prominent throughout. Aged Mysore sandalwood adds a great deal of depth to the perfume. Age has brought so many mellowed, aromatic changes in sandalwood as is evident here. This perfume will certainly get compliments for you. One spritz from the bottle on the sleeve and even after a wash it smells like some heavenly powder. Just make sure you buy from a very trusted source Expensive? Yep. Sadly the finest things in life are expensive.

EDIT: How wrong was I when I thought CC1 for Men was not my cup of tea back in March 2013. After getting the travel set consisting 10ml of it and wearing it for a few times, I would say CC1 for Men is perfectly the kind of fragrances I enjoy and love. I want more and seriously thinking of getting a 50ml bottle as soon as I finish my 10ml bottle. (March 21, 2014) *********************************************** I smell high quality ingredients in this fragrance and understand why it is so expensive, which can be of many reasons; however, it is just not what I want. On the other hand, CC1 for Women is everything and it is so good that I bought it at the spot. I didn't get the full size bottle then as US$850/50ml was really too much to spend on one fragrance but did get the travel set of 10ml each of 1872 and X and No 1 for women for US$250, which is more affordable. As a lover of CC fragrances and happy owner of C for men, X for men, No 1 for women, 1872 for women and X for women, IMO I think No 1 for men is just too 'manly' to my taste. I'm by no mean saying No 1 for men is not a good fragrance as it is just not me. However, I must point out that CC fragrances are made with mostly high quality natural ingredients and they need time to develop on your skin. You would be amazed how some of CC fragrances developed or I should say opened after you had them on for a few hours.

Sooooo being a complete fragrance junkie, I ordered the 3 sample sizes just to try this. Well, it is lovely, and while I'm not as adept as explaining all different notes I will try to explain my experience on day 1. Boy, I was excited to get this box! I couldn't rip the cellophane off quick enough. I grabbed that gold bottle! SPRAY!! Yes, yes, yes....it's very good, very lovely, very rich.....but....and I hate to have to add the but, because we all don't want a big but :D Anyways, I've had it on about 6 hours now, and I can't smell it on me, but perhaps others can. I will test it one day when I am out and about and see if I get compliments. To me, for 800 bucks for a FB, there is NO WAY I am ever going to pay that. It's just not that unique. To my nose and experience and reaction to the juice, I found that Gold by Amouage is much better. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I suppose if you are married to a rock star, or a socialite then you can wear this. Even if I were in that status, there's many more gems out there that smell rich and lovely i.e. Amouage line. Give them a try. I would say Gold comes close to this, even better. I see the first review says it smells like Bvlgari pour Femme, and it does sort of to my nose. Gold and this smell similar with Gold being in my opinion being in the No. 1 spot.

Obtained a 2ml vial of this perfume just to test what's the hype is all about. First impression of the smell: Luxurious. You know it's not one of those cheap perfumes; this belongs to the high society, easily upper class stuff. The potency & richness of the juice can be felt immediately. They don't skimp on the ingredients. Nothing synthetic or 'pharmacy perfume' vibe at all. Chanel-like quality. Secondly, although it's written on the bottle as 'oriental woody', it has a very floral scent. A good mixture of different type of flowers, but I can't pinpoint to any dominating note. I can imagine an elegant elderly woman, either an aristocrat or CEO wearing this on a formal ocassion. Young girls won't wear this; it's too 'mature', 'serious' and 'heavy' for them to carry it. No way this is a nightclub material, especially with that mild powdery drydown. Thirdly, yes you read it right, I mentioned about females. I find it amusing that this is categorised as a perfume for men. Put it on a blind test, I bet 90% of men would think this is a legit feminine profile. Wearing this would not accentuate your masculinity in any way. Overall, great perfume, but only for a specific group of people: rich, elderly women.

A scent full of contrasts. For men yet feminine leaning and defined by its wonderful floral heart. Fresh yet indolic with prominent ylang, powdery iris and heliotrope. Gentle musky woods lead the floral bouquet into soft oriental territory. Very much like Roja's Britannia, No1 is a scent for a self-assured and relaxed gentleman who enjoys the more delicate, sweeter, floriental side of perfume art. There is a fine air of Chanel as well and an overall vintage touch telling stories of better times: a bygone age where gentle mannerism was the expression of masculinity and kindness, restrained temperament and generosity of a man were valued as his greatest assets. No1 is not a perfume to show off with; haters would never understand that No1 is not worn to brag but out of respect toward one's company - be it for afternoon tea, or being Best Man. The strength of No1 is just perfect; everpresent like an aura and as reliable a company as one's own shadow. Very much the perfect scent because it gives back so much.

No.1 by Clive Christian was the most expensive perfume in the world upon its initial release in 2001, and while it’s no longer the most expensive out there, it’s still hideously overpriced despite being a lovely scent. Initially it opens quite aromatic with a green artemisia combined with warm spices of nutmeg, cardamom and pimento. This is paired with a strikingly contrasting lime and mandarin which are juicy and tangy. A soft floral heart joins this odd medley of notes - namely orris, ylang and lily-of-the-valley. As the citrus begins to dissipate, the warm spices linger and begin to blend very well with the powdery florals - before a soft, creamy base of sandalwood and sweet tonka bean begins to emerge. This is a beautifully masculine and gentlemanly fragrance which does indeed exude wealth and power, however it’s a fairly strange blend of notes which won’t be for everyone and I really can’t see why this is priced so highly apart from being a publicity stunt.

I just purchased an old school bottle of this precious juice from a reputable eBayer - got the men's 50ml for a decent price. This is one of the most amazing scents I've ever smelled. Ever. I'm a new user here, but I've been a fragrance guy for about a decade now. This is, by far, the most incredibly smooth dry down. The middle notes are pretty dang apparent at first spray and the first 20ish minutes; however, the base and top notes start showing up after that half hour mark on my skin, and boy is it amazing. I love the complexity of the notes - somehow, they all work just so beautifully well. I implore everyone to at least try a sample spray or two of this. Really, you only need one or two sprays. Seriously, it wears well, and does a fine job projecting. Moms like it, dads like it, grammies like it, grampies like it, dudes like it, gals like it, your dog likes it. Just get it!

Okay so it's ridiculously priced but lets just get past that gimmick and judge it on it's merits. It has real merits! Boy does this thing smell good and unique the note progression changes by the second right under your nose, a true sign of quality and complexity. No.1 is so complex in fact it's hard to pick out the notes Ylang ylang is distinctive in the top notes and sandalwood is obvious but the rest is a curious floral, amber and strong musk mixture. The drydown is nice and soft but deep and long lasting as you'd expect. I for one like No.1 because it's very interesting but I'm not crazy about it either. The unfortunate thing about the price it is another factor that it rules me out of ever buying it. It's above the threshold of what I deem to be exceptable for 50mls of fragrance but it's all relative if you love it and can afford it.

I've ordered all 3 Clive Christian perfumes directly from CC website. It was my more expensive order of perfumes (EUR 1,500). I did it after I've got the samples of them from Bologna antique niche perfumery after I've ordered there CC 1872 perfume 30ml in crystal bottle (another EUR 650). When you wear the perfume of CC for the first time, you don't really like it (it's very different from all other perfumes, where the head notes are very pleasant and you immediately buy them, but after an hour, or even worse: after you've purchased it, you understand that you don't really like the main notes). Like I told here, CC perfumes are really different: you start to love them after you are wearing them at least for 30 min. So, ask for samples and try to wear them for a whole day, then decide if you like them. I'm sure you will!

Update: I've neglected wear this one for a while because I thought it wasn't great for Summer, but I wanted to break it back out. Man, I've missed it! I fell in love all over! THE best longevity of all fragrances I own! Projects great for at least 7 hours in heat, and it's a skin scent (a strong one at that) until you wash it off. Had it on almost 12 hours yesterday, and it was gorgeous all day! Felt like I should've had a pinstripe suit on instead, though. So pretty when first sprayed, although a little mature, but that wood that rolls in after is just wonderful. I never want to be without at least a 10 mL of this in my collection! Luckily, I've got a full bottle. It's so strong that it will last a looooong time because you have to apply so sparingly so you don't knock everyone out. Still 10/10 on every front for me!

Wow! So many positive reviews and so many not so positive reviews too. Well, to each his own. I have reviewed this here sometime back. This is my second review. I tried No 1 again last month at Scentido, Mumbai airport (Clive Christian's authorised reseller in India) The first spritz of No 1 and very high quality nutmeg swirled up with cardamom and florals. That continued for a while and sandalwood kicked in. With four lavish spritz I became the best smelling man on the flight. There are so many limited twist versions of CC No 1 but I haven't tried any of those. I created my own twist version of Taif CC No 1 with liberal swipes of the finest, gourmandish, pure taif rose oil made by Al Shareef Oudh with a few spritz CC No 1 and it becomes a scent like none other. It turns into a beautiful powdery scent after 5/6 hours.

Oh my god... At first I didn't know what to do with it. It was like Dia Man by Amouage to me. I couldn't place it, but I found it very interesting and it didn't let me go. I ordered a sample of it twice because I couldn't decide if I wanted it in a bottle. After the second sample I knew I wanted it. Very complex, strong projection and very long-lasting. It's easy to overspray and it can be overwhelming, so be careful! Floral, spicy, slightly feminine opening. The drydown brings out the ingredients beautifully: lily of the valley, iris, rose, powder. The drydown is incredibly rich and elegant: sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, flowers, powder. Not a daily driver scent. A bit old school indeed, but made with extraordinary elegance.

In my opinion No. 1 from Clive Christian is the best perfume I have ever smelt. It's scent is unique and it's sillage is enormous it lasts 12 hours minimum in my skin. It's a fragrance that every time I wear it I feel happy (it makes me happy because it brings memories to me, although every time I wear it I am receiving a lot of compliments for my perfume so I can understand that the others love it as I do). As for the price I don't believe that we must measure everything with money, and art is one of those things (also perfumery). I don't regret for my choice at all, but this depends in everybody's will. (I put it an overall 11 / 10)

I like how it smells on me and on my man I agree it could be considered as unisex but it leans more towards masculinity as it dries down.I don't know many floral masculine fragrances so I'm excited to try one.it's strange to see so many negative reviews,it smells very pleasant and kind of safe to me.a nice blend of powdery flowers,woody notes and a hint of spicy citruses The question is:am I going to buy it? My answer is:yes,why not?I'd definitely buy it for my man if I was a billionaire!but while I really like it,I don't love it enough to save this much money for it P.s:it doesn't smell like van cleef first to my nose