Legally Blonde

Clive Christian's Blonde Amber is built as a rich, art-deco amber - dried fruit and tobacco laid over a warm base, with enough polish to justify its ultra-premium price. Legally Blonde borrows the same silhouette on a fraction of the budget. Bitter orange and dried fruits open things with a boozy, marmalade-like sweetness, before tuberose and jasmine drift in over blond tobacco for a heart that is floral but smoky. Amber, tonka bean and vanilla close it out with a warm, glowing finish. The overall mood is recognisably in the same family as the original, but the layering is flatter - Clive Christian's version develops slowly through several distinct phases, while this reproduction settles into its amber base more quickly and with less complexity. For anyone drawn to opulent amber fragrances but unwilling to spend Clive Christian money, it's a reasonable way to sample the style.