Obsession for Men (1986)
by Calvin Klein

A sharp and spicy scent that is quite inviting.
It has quite a lot to disect from.
It is innovative.
It may not be a taste for all.

11th December, 2011.

Dont think I can add anything new to the reviews here. Like it very much, think it smells better on skin than on fabric. Couldnt wear it every day. best CK I have smelled. Thumbs up.

7th November, 2011.

I have tryed this a few times in town and each time i have came to the same conclusion. This is strong and smells a bit old for a person of my age and after 10 mins of application i'm sure it smells like a food i ate as a child.

The dry-down is quite nice, but this one is too strong and old-spelling for my liking, however this could be quite nice to wear going to an Indian restaurant or Chinese.

Will try this again in the winter too see if the change of climate, effects the fragrance in anyway.

22nd June, 2011.

I love spicy bold scents with elgant style. Obsession is the ultimate oriental fragrance. Many says it`s only for old people, but I think it`s perfect for all men above age 25 with a certain style and class. In my opinion, Obsession is one of the best spicy/oriental designer-releases, on the same footing as Boss no.1, Mikhael Kors for men, Aramis, Tuscany, and Hermes Bel Ami. If you like those classic masculine type fragrances, you can`t steer beyond Obsession. Sillage and longevity are perfect. It does smell a bit like the 80-ies, but so what!?

11th April, 2011.

This historical spicy-oriental which i appreciate deeply nowadays so far from the marketing persecution, is a giant that gained its fame while playing the game of contrasts. Its intriguing, schizophrenic smell waves up and down, left and right from citruses to vanilla, from lavender to amber, from conifers to benzoin. I agree with Foetidus who writes about dualism and coexistence of opposites. Its bitter-sweet, sharp-lascivious, chilly-warm fluctuation is may be the paradigm of passion, the obsession of contrasts, the sweetness of deodorants and balsams mixed with the acrid smell of sweat on sheeting after the consumption of sex, the pain of an uncertain, maniacal passion which you think of being scared to convert in love while you pretend to ignore that the monster is developing inside of you is harder and more dangerous than the love itself. The play of contrasts starts its work since the beginning (in the top notes and mainly in the heart)  while on a base of lavender the strong bitterness of lime and bergamot faces the milder or less sharp trait of mandarine and grapefruit, while the bitter-sweet play of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and coriander) plunges itself in the smoothness of the myrrh. In this middle part of the journey a bouquet of flowers (rose, jasmine, carnation) surrounds a mentholated pine note. The dry down introduces itself as a game of balancements between the earthness of patchouli and vetiver and the smoothness of vanilla, white musk and amber. Many hours later the outcome is a
powdery-citrusy-talky kind of smell of pine and rose. I have to stress that the role played by spices
(cinnamon in particular) is still eminent after many hours. I use to wear Obsession sparingly in some
particular occasions, mainly for romantic dinners in oriental restaurants with an uncertain beloved of
mine as ...., don't quote me for this, ....as a support for aphrodisiac foods.

23rd January, 2011. (Last Edited: 15th March, 2011.)

I tried this when it came as part of a CK sample set. Much to my astonishment the creators have somehow managed to capture the scent of a fusty old mad sitting in a sandalwood rocking-chair and sucking a clove drop, complete with skanky slippers and unwashed cardigan. Oh my, it’s unspeakably ghastly.

14th October, 2010.