Clutch

After smelling an earlier iteration of the then-unnamed fragrance to ultimately be named Clutch, Perfumology's third release, again a collaboration project between owner/creative director Nir Guy and perfumer Justin Fredercio, turned out in its final form to be something very special and improved. It's interesting seeing the creative process but the result is even better. I'm often not a fan of ginger, stated to the central note of the fragrance, since it sours a couple tobacco fragrances that I believe I would otherwise love (Phaedon Tabac Rouge, Roja Enigma/Creation-E), yet it does sometimes work wonderfully, as in Bleu de Chanel EDT. In being mixed with vanilla and elemi, though, in a balanced way, its spiciness is not overwhelming. The mix of these accords seems rather balanced and with cedar and oak, two components also used in Grange, the blend is sort of year-round-friendly, warm, cozy creation, despite the imagery of driving out on the open road and smelling nature and smoke. Those elements for me are rather comforting, and I get some deja vu from Clutch without being able to put my finger on what exactly it reminds me of. Performance-wise, it’s strong on longevity but moderate on project, on par with Grange but a little bit denser, presumably do the use of heavier ingredients like vanilla. The pricing remains very reasonable , with Clutch, like its predecessors, offered in a 50ml size at extrait concentration for $95, on par with Imaginary Authors’ pricing, for example. Overall, I laud Justin and NIr for this latest entry, perhaps edging out Grange as my favorite offering, and know I’ll picking up a bottle of Clutch when it’s restocked. Bravo! 8 out of 10

I have gone bonkers for this, love at first sniff! The ginger in this makes the fragrance for me. Clutch leans masculine yet I feel perfectly comfortable wearing it. It has classic masculine notes, cedar, oak, leather, smoke, and comes across as boozy, with lots of vanilla, but unlike most fragrances with those notes which are usually too much for me, it’s not too heavy or overwhelming because of the fresh ginger. It also isn’t too thick, it’s exhilarating with a balance of warmth and coolness and any heaviness is countered and uplifted by the truly excellent ginger used in this. This is one of my favorite qualities in a fragrance, a balance of heavy and light, so maybe that is why these fragrances appeal so much to me. I will go as far as saying Clutch is one of my favorite fragrances of 2018. I love a fragrance that comes with a story attached to it, it gives it more meaning, gives you something to ponder as you smell it, and makes it feel more personal. I feel more connected to a scent with a story to tell. Wearing Clutch today, I opened my sunroof, something I would not normally do in winter lol. But I wanted to experience it the way it was intended, with the feel of an open road and fresh cool air. Even if in a midsize fully automatic SUV without a clutch lol. Wonderful fragrance, highly recommended.

I got a sample of Clutch with another purchase and upon reading the notes I wasn't hopeful at all. Not only am I not a fan of smoky, leathery fragrances, but it seemed like it's going to be too masculine for me. And, boy, was I surprised when I gave it a shot. It's such a good quality scent, so smooth and well-blended that none of the notes really stands out. Maybe only the ginger tingles a bit, but I'm a fan of that note, so it's a win for me. It's not too leathery or smoky, it's cozy and creamy even in the dry-down, when the vanilla kicks in. Truly an autumnal, atmospheric, unisex scent. It does resemble Tabacco Vanille, but I feel that Clutch has better composition for a fraction of the price of TV. Longevity and performance are top notch. The only downside for me is the delivery - I've tried buying it twice, but something happens at customs and both times they had it returned to sender. Which is heartbreaking, because this is a gem!

Clutch was a slow surprise and somewhat familiar. Upon first sniff, I thought this was some type of slightly fruity ginger refleshing tea scent. But as it dries down, it becomes slightly smokey. It took me a few times to sniff again to make out the notes clearly. Now reading everyone's else's reviews, I can definitely agree, Clutch is like your unisex summer tobacco scent, which I wasn't expecting looking at the notes. Actually I remember now, this scent brought back memories of me going to our local Buddhist temple when I was a child. Aunties cooking in the background with ginger, people drinking tea, and incense. It took me awhile to come back to my 2ml sample (unsure as to why), but this really is lovely. I have been searching for a tobacco scent for summer, but most are quite masculine, but this is balanced in every way.

The ginger in this is woody and almost powdery, not quite the acidic bite of fresh ginger, more the calming warmth of the dried form. It almost starts to lean cola-like up close, but thankfully never goes fully in that direction. Combined with the leather and wood, this is a really nice, truly unisex scent. I'm shocked that tobacco isn't a note! Seems surprisingly versatile as well– the notes are all autumnal, but the ginger retains just enough brightness, and the sillage is soft enough, that I could see it working in warmer weather. This grew on me more the more I wore it, and now I reach for it fairly often. It makes me feel like the kind of person who exudes effortless cool... even if most days I'm just wearing it while working from home in my pajamas.