Upon first spray of RDHP15, straight away you’re greeted by the dominant note of the fragrance - peach; It’s creamy and sweet, and smells very realistic. This is backed up by a cocktail of soft citrus and clean aldehydes, before a heart of airy florals develops; namely a powdery violet and labdanum, lily of the valley and iris. As the scent dries down, you’re left with something reminiscent of a classic chypre - leathery labdanum, creamy oakmoss and earthy patchouli create this iconic scent profile, alongside supporting notes of vanilla, sandalwood and a touch of civet. All while the peach stays front and centre to elevate this chypre into something more fruity and playful. RDHP15 does lean feminine however I think it can be worn by both genders if you enjoy fruity florals. The peach can be a bit off putting upon first smelling it, but I’ve grown to love this fragrance and will definitely be buying it at some point. It smells like true delicate and sophisticated luxury, combining both classic and contemporary perfumery perfectly.

PM opens initially with a heady burst of punchy tuberose, backed up by a fruity sharpness from lemon and juniper. An intoxicating array of secret florals including a leathery labdanum and creamy orris add a pungent sensuality that will not go unnoticed. As it settles on the skin, the tuberose powers through a base of leather, labdanum, patchouli and woods - giving the perfume an opulent and regal dry down. This is a powerhouse scent and an absolute beast when it comes to performance, it lasts all day with massive projection and will definitely get you noticed. Combine that with the mouth watering quality of Fragrance du Bois and you’re left with an absolute masterpiece here. I don’t understand those who say this is unwearable, yes it’s very strong but this has to be the best floral leather fragrance I’ve ever smelled. I knew PM would be my signature scent since I first smelled it upon release, and to finally own a bottle now is incredibly special and it leaves me breathless every time I wear it.

Citrus Riviera is perfect for the high heat in the summer and definitely an underrated release from BDK. It opens primarily with a sharp lemon and soft neroli, with touches of sweet mandarin and a slightly earthy fig. It then develops into a soft composition of green, aquatic notes and florals - with a whisper of sweet strawberry. This fragrance is very soft and delicate, which is partly what makes is so pleasant to wear. It’s very smooth and well blended, and the materials smell high quality - however it does not last long on the skin at all unfortunately. Overall, it’s a very enjoyable scent to wear but I wouldn’t recommend paying retail for it simply due to the lack of longevity. However don’t let that take away from the fact that it’s a very good fragrance.

Viking is a beautiful aromatic fougere with clean and traditional masculine qualities. It opens with a bright citrus top of bergamot, lemon and orange, alongside a sharp mint and aromatic lavender. In the heart there’s a touch of warm spices coming from the clove and allspice, while soft florals balance things out. The pink pepper is very prominent too, however not in your face. It blends very well with the mint and lavender to leave you with a very clean and elegant barbershop style fragrance. It leans quite mature in my opinion, for older men who dress smart, and is definitely one of my favourites from Creed. Overall, Viking is a gorgeous perfume which is perfect for spring and formal wear - the materials smell very high quality and are fantastically blended too. Unfortunately the performance isn’t great however that’s expected with all Creed releases these days.

Un Été is an incredibly unique fragrance with immense amounts of character. It opens straight away with a rindy clementine and mandarin, alongside a heavy dose of ginger and matcha tea. Mate, vanilla and tonka bean are then quickly introduced to create a deliciously sweet and tart concoction which is definitely unique. While not listed, I get a strong almond accord with this scent - one of the most realistic almonds I’ve ever come across in fact. To me this fragrance smells like a hyperrealistic almond and vanilla cake, and it’s absolutely delicious. This is definitely a fragrance I recommend checking out, but not one to blind buy. I can imagine it being very polarising but the quality is amazing and the scent is lovely, overall very impressive.

Alseif is an interesting fragrance that combines an array of fruity notes with a dry oud. The oud is present straight away in the opening, and is initially quite harsh, animalic and almost fecal. Once it’s had the chance to settle however, the sweet fruitiness emerges with raspberry and plum at the forefront, and soft florals of rose, geranium and tuberose. The sweetness is continued and intensified in the dry down as saffron presents itself, in combination with an ambery base and a heavy dose of oakmoss. The oud is still front and centre throughout the life of the scent and remains very slightly fecal. Overall it’s a pleasant scent with high quality materials, and definitely one to try if you like fruity ouds. However, it’s personally not for me and there are far better options from Boadicea in my opinion.

Black Beetle opens straight away with an overdose of sweet raspberry with dark, smoky woods. It’s quite a sharp and tart raspberry, which combines quite harshly with a strong note of incense and earthy patchouli. There’s then nutmeg in the background giving the scent a warm spicy accord throughout the base. It’s a very earthy fragrance overall with dark, smoky undertones - very mature and almost ‘church-like’ with the incense. It feels like to make up for the limited number of notes, each one has been made incredibly intense in an attempt to make it seem deeper. Personally I’m not a fan of this fragrance. I think the materials used smell high quality and expensive, but for the the raspberry doesn’t compliment the other notes listed and instead makes the development of the notes feel conflicting and messy.

Floral Chypre oozes sophistication and class, and definitely lives up to its name. It opens very sweet and powdery from the array of floral notes and fruity accords of peach and rhubarb, with a touch of pink pepper on the background. After a few minutes the florals start to truly develop, with rose, orris and jasmine being the main stars. On the side, beeswax and frankincense give the scent a soft thickness that softens the edges and takes away any sharpness. As it settles, these florals are greeted by patchouli and oakmoss in traditional chypre fashion, alongside a soft and smooth leather. A musky papyrus and vanilla are also present to present a dry sweetness which combines beautifully with everything else. It’s such a delicate perfume with a lot of character and elegance. While this fragrance does lean feminine, I find it can be worn by a man if you enjoy sweet and powdery florals. The price point is off putting, however this perfume is absolutely mind-blowingly good. The quality is astounding and everything is blended to perfection, it definitely doesn’t lack the luxury and class you’d expect from Clive Christian.

Floral Chypre is a fragrance I have yearned for, for the past 2 years since I first discovered it. To me, this is easily the best fragrance from Clive Christian’s Private Collection, and yet people rarely talk about it. It’s got that fairly straightforward, characteristic Clive Christian DNA coursing through its veins, and yet manages to breathe life into my day each time I wear it. It goes without saying the notes on fragrantica only pain a portion of the full picture, as is often the case on this website. It’s a beautifully bright, elegant and indolic Jasmine with subtle hints of rose and sweet pink pepper, grounded by a deliciously honeyed leather and patchouli base - it makes my mouth water. The softness of these notes is dampened almost, by the inclusion of orris and vanilla, and yet is balanced to perfection. Nothing screams out at you, everything whispers in perfect harmony. I really enjoy this perfume, it just makes me happy every time I smell it. Any time I’m craving a sweet floral scent I will reach for this on most occasions, it’s such a fantastic mood lifter. I’m thrilled to finally own a bottle after treasuring my sample for so long.

Golden Chypre is a beautifully modern interpretation of a chypre, while still staying true to the traditional character of the classic scent profile. It opens sharp and zesty with a tart bergamot and orange, with a touch of spicy nutmeg. A refreshing heart of floral accords begin to shine soon after, including rose, geranium and heliotrope. Alongside this, a slight green earthiness of patchouli and vetiver make their appearance. The fragrance then dries down to a musky, woody base of labdanum and amber which smells truly classic and regal. While some could argue it’s not a true Chypre due to the lack of oakmoss, it follows the traditional Chypre structure of citrus, floral, earthy and definitely lives up to the name. Grossmith is a renowned example of spectacular British perfumery and this scent is no different - it brings to life the beautiful flowers and regal power of Great Britain while staying true to the traditional French Chypre family. This is a true masterpiece and a stunning creation.