Clubman

To compare Clubman with the likes of Paco XS from the 1990's and insult to the long standing tradition behind this scent by implying it could be a copy is ludicrous. I find it hard that anyone with good taste should not like this, as it's one of the most simplest, clean and true scents that I have in my ever increasing collection of both high street and niche scents. Granted it is sprightly at first and there after it soon settles down, but then the majority of scents with citruses in the top notes I find exhibit this behaviour, especially ones that start off as punchy as this. Lets try to describe just what is going on here with Clubman. Two squirts applied and yes! It's punchy and bustling with that sharp citrus, there is a floral mix with a small hint of mint, and a distinct smell of cleanness like freshly laundered clothing. Five to ten minutes in and it's still there though the citrus just starting to slide and allowing the floral blend to shine through, coming in behind are the slightest tones of a warm woodsy musk, oh yes! It's at this point that this scent really begins to shine, we are going into a very slow dry down that lasts for a long time. Thirty minutes or so in and projection is also becoming tamed as the woodsy musk comes on into the floral blend, a reminisces of the citrus is still evident. Time moves on and Clubman has finally levelled out to what one would class as a personal but moderate silage. I know from experience that the longevity is rather good or is with my own chemistry. I can apply this in the morning at 8am and can still smell that warm musk at 5pm when I jump into my car to leave work for home. While this is not what one would call a masterpiece scent, it is however so much more than a Department store scent. It's just as Daniel below quite rightly pointed out, Clubman represents the essence of the best long established British Barbershops. It's a Gentleman's cologne in it's truest form that is timeless.

I have been told that this scent is like walking down a Mall / Target / Walmart cologne aisle in the 1990's. I have to say that this is ABSOLUTELY correct. But not in a bad way. If you were a teen in the 90's, you get that smell. You loved it. And you went decades without it. You couldn't repeat it. And yet, you WANTED it bad. It's like your first kiss, first car, and Prom all at once. THIS IS IT.

This is the first T&H scent I've sampled that smells like something designer you'd find at Macy's, etc. I'm certainly not saying that's a good/bad thing but it is a departure from their typical barber-shop formula. I think the florals tone down the signature citrus and minty/aromatic notes to create something that is much more my style. I would say this most reminds me of the floral scents from Prada, although with T&H signature simplicity and spicy freshness. This is a great scent for me and the first T&H I can really see myself wearing, and even owning if I didn't already have something similar. I'm going to give it a 7.5/10. It's nice but at the same time just not appealing as other soapy scents at this pricepoint. If it gets better during the dry-down I'll update.

Soapy! Reminds me of Versace Pour Homme, but this one is mintier, drier and even fresher. Also reminds me of a lighter AdP Colonia Club. Clubman is a very pleasant and likable soapy frag that has nothing to do with the 1880's, and much more with the 1990's as others have noted. The real notes on my sample sleeve from T&H: "A fresh aromatic fragrance characterized by top notes of marzipan, bergamot, lemon, lavender, mandarine and mint, enhanced by a crisp ozonic floral heart, resting on a base of moss, leather, amber, vanilla and musk." I get no marzipan, and to my nose, mint and musk are the stand-outs.

Starts out super soapy, and as others have said, transitions to smell like something you'd easily smell in the mall in the late 90's to early 00's; it has a popular, mass-appealing DNA to it. It does remind me a bit of Ralph's Club early on, after the soapy opening. As it dries down I get a lot of violet leaf and it reminds me of Green Irish Tweed. I like the early stages but I'm not a fan of GIT (or violet leaf) so I don't like the way this dried down. Ultra masculine IMO.