Clive Christian
Clive Christian
118 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Black pepper crackles across the opening like struck flint, immediately joined by bergamot's bitter-bright citrus. Neroli softens the spice momentarily, but this is aggressively fresh—a green, slightly peppery freshness that suggests crisp linen rather than coastal breeze.
The herbal character emerges fully as clary sage and cistus take prominence, creating an almost savoury greenness that sits somewhere between lavender and tea leaves. Violet arrives with subtle powdery grace, and the composition becomes markedly more sophisticated, the spice now woven through rather than dominant, creating a warm-but-green floral that feels distinctly European.
The base reveals itself as thoughtfully restrained amber and vetiver, with cocoa providing earthy-bitter depth rather than sweetness. Patchouli sits quietly in the foundation, adding mineral texture. What remains is a sophisticated woody-herbal skin scent—warm, slightly spiced, predominantly green, with an almost leathery quality that suggests quality suede rather than animalic musk.
Clive Christian's VII: Queen Anne – Rock Rose is a fragrance that refuses easy categorisation, instead presenting itself as a composed argument between opposing forces. The composition pivots on rock rose—cistus—a note that smells simultaneously dusty and honeyed, herbaceous yet almost animalic. This is paired with clary sage, which brings a slightly medicinal green quality that prevents the floral accord from ever becoming soft or romantic.
The opening salvo of black pepper and bergamot establishes immediate vivacity, but what's remarkable is how these bright elements don't dominate the narrative. Instead, they serve as counterpoint to a distinctly herbal, almost fougère-adjacent character that develops through the heart. Neroli adds a subtle creamy brightness, whilst violet introduces a subtle powdery undertone that feels classical rather than contemporary.
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3.8/5 (287)