Creed
Creed
333 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The mandarin and bergamot detonate immediately, creating an almost aggressive citrus shield that feels more Acqua di Giò flanker than Norse conquest. Pink pepper stutters through with polite prickle whilst lemon sherbet notes dominate, creating a fresh accord so pronounced it borders on one-dimensional. The initial fifteen minutes are unrelentingly bright, almost photophobic in their determination to establish squeaky-clean credentials.
Geranium emerges with its characteristic rosy-metallic mintiness, forming an unlikely but functional partnership with lavender's herbaceous-floral sweetness that finally gives the composition some structural interest. Sage and rosemary create an aromatic Mediterranean backbone whilst nutmeg adds warmth without weight, though the whole affair still reads as fresh rather than truly spicy. The fougère architecture becomes apparent here, modern and scrubbed rather than classically mossy or animalic.
Sandalwood's creamy sweetness finally anchors proceedings, supported by vetiver's earthy dryness and frankincense's subtle resinous whisper. The woods and patchouli blend into a soft, inoffensive skin-scent that's pleasant but utterly lacking in the tenacity suggested by the Viking name. What remains is a polite, woody-fresh murmur that feels more appropriate to a finance meeting than any form of conquest, metaphorical or otherwise.
Viking Cologne reads like Creed's attempt to bottle the original's swagger whilst leaving the doors flung open to let in the sea breeze. Where its predecessor broods with dense spice and resin, this lighter iteration pivots sharply towards citrus-driven freshness, opening with a torrential burst of mandarin and Calabrian bergamot that feels almost too enthusiastic, too eager to please. The pink pepper adds a crackle of gentle heat rather than true bite, whilst the Sicilian lemon contributes a sherbet-bright sharpness that dominates the composition's first act.
As the citrus carnival subsides, the heart reveals a surprisingly well-constructed aromatic lattice where Egyptian geranium's minty-rosy facets interweave with French lavender and sage, creating a fougère skeleton that's been thoroughly modernised—less barbershop, more Riviera yacht club. The nutmeg and rosemary provide textural interest without overwhelming, though you can sense the formula straining to maintain its fresh credentials whilst nodding to the woody-spicy territory that made Viking compelling.
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3.2/5 (119)