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| Asian Green Tea, ala Calvin Klein |
This fragrance has flown under the radar since its release last year, and I’m not sure why. It’s excellent. I found a 6.7 oz bottle for $30, which is an absolute steal. My guess is its sharp, synthetic opening turned some people off, but if you give it a few minutes and let it get to the point, it really rewards you. According to Calvin Klein’s press release, Essence is the original ck One “intensified,” made with organic natural materials sourced from Italy and the Far East. Think of it as a millésime version of the original. The box mentions “upcycled” alcohol infused with natural essences of bergamot and blood orange from a family-owned farm in Calabria, which sounds a bit over the top in a good way.
The opening is harsh, but it fades fast, and Essence settles into a much more dynamic blend. Hedione and amberwood play off each other, layered with rich green tea and bright, naturalistic citrus. The overall effect is modern, clean, and truly unisex. Imagine ck One with more depth and muscle.What sets Essence apart is its richness and complexity. The original is strong and diffusive, but it can feel somewhat monotone, very white-musk and white-floral in that distinctly 90s way. Essence leans greener, with a cool, almost silvery mineral edge running through the tea and citrus. I’d say it’s about 90 percent the original and 10 percent something fresher and more tea-forward. It feels like the same idea, just executed with higher-quality materials and a more nuanced blend. Alberto Morillas returned to compose this version, and whatever he was paid, it was worth it.
I don’t usually get sentimental about fragrances. I’ve smelled hundreds, and very few truly move me. But Essence does. Maybe it’s the idea of a perfumer revisiting his own creation three decades later and refining it into something more polished and luxurious. Or maybe it’s simply that ck One Essence smells beautiful and expensive. Either way, I want more of it. Of all the ck One flankers released over the years, this is the only one I think is truly worth owning, and if they dc'd the original and kept Essence, I'd be fine with that.