Perfumology – Clutch Parfum

Clutch is the newest fragrance (2018) from the collaboration of Justin Frederico and Nir Guy, the owner of Perfumology.  It is an oriental spicy fragrance said to be inspired by “the gratifying sensation of a perfect drive on a cool day.”

I was initially put off by the name of this fragrance.  For me, the name conjures up images of a man, admittedly well-groomed, behind the leather clad wheel of his sports car lapping a track, changing gears, for kicks.  I imagined dense smoke wafting into the air from the unmufflered racing car.  It was not an image that made me want to try the fragrance.  I am very glad my curiosity got the better of me.

Clutch opens with a delightfully peppered ginger embraced with the most delicate of white smoke.  It is a rendition of ginger that, while smoky, retains its delicious bite and freshness due to the addition of elemi.  I get the bright crispness in the air that the perfumer is trying to convey. 

As Clutch wears, I get a warm and woody note with cedar overtones accompanied by a hint of leather.  The leather adds a depth and richness and leans more as a luxurious suede on me.  A light musk blends seamlessly with the woody suede and makes the ginger seem ever-so-cozy.  There is a comfort to the fragrance that I rarely see in ginger-based scents.  The addition of vanilla in the base of the composition adds a clever subtle sweetness to round out Clutch. 

Over the course of wear, Clutch did not create the image I had in my mind’s eye when I read its name.  Instead, I was taken on a comfortable back-roads leisurely drive in the Fall.  I could feel the breeze dance through my hair as the changing leaves mirrored the gorgeous ginger of this olfactory delight.

Clutch wears on me with soft projection for roughly 10 hours.

Notes: smoke, black pepper, elemi, ginger, oak, red cedar, leather, musk (synthetic), vanilla

Perfumer: Justin Frederico

Photo Credit: Perfumology