cK one Shock for Him
Eau de Toilette, Calvin Klein (2011)

cK one Shock for Him is a fragrance that might suit those who are not too passionate about the world of perfumery. It is affordable and has a fairly neutral scent — neither exceptionally good nor bad. If you're not looking for something too bright or memorable in perfumery, this perfume could be a good choice for everyday use. However, if you need a more expressive scent for special occasions, you might want to consider other options

If ever there was a fume that didn’t smell the way the bottle looks it has to be CK One Shock for Him. The design basically screams “skater dude approved energy cocktail shot”.

It opens with an airy cucumber which transitions to a fruity and dusty chocolate over spiced pipe tobacco. Overall, the profile is just mildly sweet, not a full gourmand, and IMO targets a man over 30.

The blending is good and longevity is average.
Giving this one a neutral rating as it’s ultimately not my taste.

2.5 / 5 stars

It's an exact replica of Avon Mesmerize for Men (1992). Cheap spicy, but easy on the nose. The original CK One is much better.

CK One Shock is a very nice casual/office safe juice. Great price with nice quality. It is in no way something new of course. Think Burberry London or Rochas Man. It is masculine. This is a tobacco, fruity, musky and spicy juice. For the price this is an easy winner and safe blind buy. Enjoy!

If you like gourmands, this may be for you.

I should give a thumbs down, as this smells to me as if they've re-used Rochas Man's formula with a tweak here or there.

Not original, not different enough to stand out from the pack.

But for $20 off the TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshall's shelf it's a pretty good value for those who enjoy this genre. You could do much worse at those stores at the same price point.

Maybe I'm being to harsh, as the blending and material quality is pretty good, especially considering contemporary pack leaders. No screechy "modern blue" nose needles here, thank goodness!

But Rochas came first...

Fragrance In Three Words: Fruity Gourmand Tobacco.

This was a blind buy based on reviews by Greggieboy and Mr Smelly on YouTube.

The fragrance starts off with a tropical cucumber and Clementine/Tangerine. A really original opening compared to the bergamot and pink pepper a lot of fragrances use. This part lasted around 20 minutes.

Drys down to some green notes and a well done tobacco. The tobacco isn't quite on par with Pure Havane. Light amber and chocolate notes give a gourmand feel without being overly sweet, but it also lacks the punch of balsamic amber in more expensive fragrances.

This is becoming my signature fragrance for the time being. It's very affordable and has an originality often lacking in designer fragrances. On skin it lasts around 4 hours.

Rating: 7 out of 10