Noble VII Rock Rose
Clive Christian (2016)

There's an awful lot happening here: metallic ozone, pleasant sweet citrus, artificial green elements, buzzing lavender, something vaguely fruity in a red "froot" way, and a general floral undertone.

All together, it melds into a designer vibe, in that the thing holding everything together is a general sense of "fresh" artificiality. As such, this smells like something I'd expect from the "designer-but-better" level of perfume houses, like Bond or Marley, though this lacks the increased concentration and richness I'd expect from a perfume of that tier, so I'm just going to vote neutral and move on.

If I had to only keep one fragrance this would be it. Staggeringly good. The title is exactly what you get. A masculine dusty slightly dark rose with a hint of spiciness keeping it in the safe side if that dreadful word unisex. The only other rose fragrance I like is Czech and Speake No 88 but for me it's not wearable. It's too loud. Gets in there before you do. Go for edp if you must. Rock Rose in the other hand stays close to the skin and uses your body heat to send whisps of deliciousness rising up around you.
It lasts for hours.
But
The price.
I gently asked customer service if they had any seasonal offers similar to Roja who won't advertise it unless you ring and speak with Vanessa--20% last Christmas site wide...thankyou..- at which point he clearly became affronted and dismissive like one of those silly Harrods assistants who could not afford even the lapel if what they are selling. No matter I bought a full gift set elsewhere. Gorgeous.

Any fragrance this expensive is hard to promote as bottle worthy for peasants such as myself. However as a Rose fragrance for 'nobility' it is amazing. I had a vague notion of finding the perfect masculine rose fragrance and this certainly fits the bill, even though there are a gazillion others I have not tried. For me I don't pick up much of an opening it seems to just have this perfect not to sweet, not to dry rose all the way through drydown. Even as a 'masculine' rose it is so beautifully done I imagine this working as a unisex fragrance although I would want to keep it for myself rather than smell it on partner. Unless I find another opportunity to buy this for muuuchhh less than it's typical asking price I'll enjoy it while I have it and explore other options or decant/splits. Rich, elegant rose. Thumbs Up.

An exotic, clean, fresh, floral and fruity experience from the bespoke house of Clive Christian.

Here is some of what is printed on my box of Noble VII Rock Rose: "Noble VII - A perfume of noble birth - inspired by the Queen Anne Gardens of Clive Christian - The intense richness of Rock Rose."

Black pepper is present in a moderate, tasteful manner in the initial spray-on. Bergamot peel and neroli join hands gently as the heart notes make their entrance within a minute or so in an understated, mature way. Lavender and rock rose (labdanum) enter in amidst the fading specter of the black pepper, with the violet blooming and gathering the smooth crowd gathered on stage in its arms. Sage (the unlisted herb) has injected its spicy goodness, dancing skilfully in the melange as the final actors in the troup enter in: Patchouli and amber act as the "rug" upon which everyone else stands. Vetiver pops in here and there, adding a very subtle green herbal presence. Cocoa? I can't really tell what to look for: Am I seeking powder, or the pods, or the finished food product?

The result is a smooth, sophisticated sweet fragrance that I just can't stop sniffing. :-) Ambery, moderately powdery, and blended so nicely that no one note tends to stick out (a typical quality of Clive Christian fragrances). I can see this sitting invitingly at a well-stocked fragrance tester counter at the local Neiman Marcus, inviting me to give it a try without needless fear nor shame...then pleasing me with its perceptually accessible concoction (not so the price, though: USD$400 and up for a 1.6oz bottle is NO JOKE!).

I can't help but close my eyes and allow Noble VII Rock Rose to transport me to some well-clipped foliage and shrubbery somewhere in vintage England, right by some centuries old mansion. It's a friendly person of royalty, willing to have casual talks with you without immediate pretense.

Final words: It isn't 100% unique, and Noble VII Rock Rose does remind me of nameless scents that I'd sampled in the past but forgot. Maybe those names will come to me. Anyhow, Clive Christian's Noble VII Rock Rose is a pleasing, inviting experience that I as non-royalty can work with.

A lovely, well-refined fragrance that oozes quality. The only problem is that it only lasted 5 hours maximum on my skin and at a price of £7 for every 1ml, it just does not justify the price tag. Sillage starts off well and is pleasant, but after an hour or two, it sits very near to the skin.

This stuff's dumber than hair but easy to like. What's hilarious about it is that it smells like a merger of several bro-cheapies – a mashup of the original Varvatos, CK Shock / Euphoria, and at least one of the Zara scents too (the one that knocked of 1 Million) that morph into the same sickly-sweet base used in Armani's diabetes-inducing Myrrhe Impériale. Although I haven't smelled the Varvatos or the CK scents in some time, they represent a fragrance “type” – which is exactly the mode this is working in, for a laughable $550. The scent: slightly fruity, tobacco-infused, bro-amber cut with a manly-man floral bouquet (GIT's violet leaf, basically). Given the perfume's name, there's not much in the way of labdanum. Sugary, plump, blurred – pleasant enough but low-IQ. If it were priced around $70, I'd consider it an appealing albeit redundant contribution to saccharine masculines. At this price point, it's a joke but one that's consistent with the brand's usual vulgarity. Cheap yet expensive.