1872 for Women (2001)
by Clive Christian

I was very interested to try the much vaunted and stratospherically expensive Clive Christian 1872 for Women, and eagerly dabbed it on from my precious vial sample. But like the song goes, my reaction was essentially "Is that all there is?

CC 1872 has a pleasant enough lemony/soapy scent which more or less smelled the same on my skin the whole time. After about 30 minutes, I noticed a slight bitter smell reminscent of "Off" bug spray. The sillage was fair at best. To be perfectly candid, CC 1872 is boring perfume with anemic notes that are unlikely to offend anyone. And perhaps that is its key selling point. There are plenty of other more interesting perfumes on the market that have a light citrusy smell. Unfortunately, I think CC 1872's chief attraction is the mystique of buying "the most expensive perfume in the world". To this point, the most noteworthy thing about CC 1872 is its price. From nosing around the internet, I've found that it is currently being sold for MANY hundreds of dollars and in return one will receive a 1oz of juice in a "handmade crystal bottle with 24-karat gold-plated sterling silver collar and engraved crown stopper". Hmmm.... What is that saying about there being a certain someone born every day....?

Per The Perfumed Court, here are CC 1872's notes: bergamot, tangerine, lemon, pineapple jasmine, lily of the valley, rose de mai, jasmine, orchid, cedarwood, sandalwood and patchouli.

Oh my gosh, I just love this fragrance. Complex and layered, and every new development is a delight. This is a beautifully balanced floral, with an amazing progression, great lasting power and excellent sillage. It smells expensive, elegant, refined and mysterious. Each note complements the other, with a perfect harmony among the components. I often find a perfume I love, but can still (in my mind) improve upon, such as "Oh I love this, but it would be even better with a touch more vanilla" or " Gee, this is terrific, too bad they didn't tone down the saffron." I can safely say that 1872 is a composition that I would not tinker with. Bravo!

1872 comes on rather loud – almost rude, but that is just for the first few minutes. Typical of many of the “best” fragrances, it blasts an opening and then gathers up the errant notes, organizes them, and then sends them out into a beautifully refined, balanced floral / green fragrance. The rose is the strongest note I get from the floral, but the word “strongest” is definitely out of place. Except for the near rudeness of the initial opening, there is nothing in this scent that is not sensitive, refined, and sophisticated. The quietly impeccable rose note stands out slightly from the recessive but complete jasmine. There is also the suggestion of bergamot in the accord, and the fact that individual notes can be identified in such a subtle and transparent accord speaks to the incredible quality of the fragrance. There is also a violet note definitely present. There is a very slight fruity – berry, I think – note in the accord, too. The total ambiance of the fragrance is light, transparent, and yet it is solid enough that I never lose track of the accords: This is another testimony to 1872’s quality. 1872 has a light sillage and excellent longevity. It’s a beautiful fragrance that I don’t necessarily see as feminine except for it delicacy. If it works with a person’s chemistry, it might actually be worth its price.