Centaurus

SOTD This arrived yesterday to add to the Creed Collection. It was a blind purchase without trying a decant as the price was very good. I tested a spray on skin yesterday and did a full wear oversprayed. I'll just do my own thoughts on what I feel wearing Centaurus Centaurus smells like an Atas (High class & Posh), High Quality, classy CK One Shock, add a little spice in (cinnamon) and remove the freshness from CK one Shock. The sweetness from that airy yet elegant tobaaco is there but it's definitely not overbearing or overly pronounced... But it smells more quality and complex than a simple One Shock Dna... That's for the opening...and does smells good. To me Centaurus is a rather polarizing scent... Some 2-3 hours after, you'll get a different drydown, the scent development, it gets darker, kinda more Amouage like in that sense where you'll get the resinous incensey smokiness with the tobacco supporting now, not sweet though, more baslam and I don't get much vanilla, just nice smokey incensey. I really like this dry down but on skin it's a skin scent drydown, on t-shirt it performs slightly better giving some silage. Creed has gone more adventurous with these darker and slightly gourmand scents to cater to the growing market on such dna, not that bad. They named it after a constellation. Centaurus is a large, bright constellation located in the southern sky. It is named after a centaur, a mythical creature that is half human and half horse. The constellation honors the centaur Chiron, who was tutor to many of the earlier Greek heroes including Heracles (Hercules), Theseus, and Jason, the leader of the Argonauts. It is not to be confused with the more warlike centaur represented by the zodiacal constellation Sagittarius. The legend associated with Chiron says that he was accidentally poisoned with an arrow shot by Hercules, and was subsequently placed in the heavens. Such a mythical creature, given it's status and name, seemingly fits Creed's creation of this Scent, Centuarus and it's scent main accords and it's development, giving association to how the scent is like with the history. "Centaurus, a fragrance inspired by the Centaurus constellation, known for its vastness. It features a blend of smoky tobacco, spicy pink pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom, with a base of sandalwood, jasmine, heliotrope, patchouli, tonka bean, and Bourbon vanilla. The scent is described as fiery, wild, and luminous, capturing the magnitude of the constellation."

There are some unfair ratings and questionable comparisons floating around for this fragrance, which I think do it a disservice. This is Creed pushing beyond their comfort zone, delivering a spicy tobacco composition that will absolutely appeal to those who enjoy cardamom, tobacco, cinnamon, and warm spice accords. It’s a bold direction for the house and, in my opinion, a successful one. Performance-wise, this is no slouch. Projection and sillage are comfortably above average, and longevity is solid—areas where some previous Creed releases have (rightly) drawn criticism. That criticism doesn’t apply here. So... is it full bottle worthy? Yes—sort of. And here’s where my dilemma comes in. Before sampling Centaurus, I had already blind bought Taureau De Combat from Lattafa, without even knowing it was intended as an alternative to Centaurus. (At the time of writing—15/01/26—Taureau De Combat still isn’t listed on Fragrantica.) I loved Taureau De Combat immediately, and straight away I noticed similarities to Vintage Radio. Remove the plum from Vintage Radio, reduce the powderiness, then add tobacco, smooth cardamom, and a touch of cinnamon—and you’re very much in Taureau De Combat territory. What surprised me most was just how close it is to Centaurus. I’d honestly put it at around 90% accurate, which is impressive by any standard. That said, Centaurus is clearly the superior fragrance: higher-quality materials, more presence, greater spice intensity, more noticeable tobacco, and a more refined, masterful blend overall. But here’s the sticking point—it’s also almost ten times the price. So the real question becomes: Is that extra 10%—the refinement, depth, and quality—worth paying ten times more? That’s something only you can decide. Personally, I know I’ll eventually add a full bottle of Centaurus to my collection. It just isn’t an immediate necessity, because Taureau De Combat scratches much of the same itch. Still, I do believe that final 10%—the polish and sophistication—is ultimately worth owning. Just not in a rush. As always, sample if you can and decide for yourself. EDIT: 31/01/25 - Bought the full bottle in the end. Love it and those extra spicy nuances are definitely worth it, but I still stand by my comments re: Taureau De Combat. Hope it helps others 🙂

Creed’s Centaurus arrives with the quiet confidence of a fragrance that knows precisely what it wants to be. From the moment you hold the bottle, there’s an immediate impression of craftsmanship, a presentation as top class as the scent housed within. The opening is a refined interplay of cinnamon, tobacco, and cardamom, a trio that sets the tone with warmth and sophistication. For the first hour, these notes take center stage, weaving a tapestry of spice that feels both comforting and aristocratic. As the composition evolves, the cinnamon softens, becoming a subtle thread rather than the fabric itself. The scent lightens gracefully, maintaining its presence without ever imposing. Hours later, bourbon vanilla and tonka bean rise into focus, lending Centaurus an enveloping smoothness. The transition is seamless, an elegant shift from spirited spice to creamy, ambered warmth. The result is a fragrance that feels impeccably mature and unmistakably refined, ideal for those 35 and over who appreciate understated luxury. Centaurus belongs to the colder seasons: a Winter–Autumn companion with depth, polish, and an inviting aura that never leans into the heaviness of oud or leather. In fact, for those who prefer to avoid those richer accords, it stands out as an exceptional seasonal choice. Its cinnamon nuance may bring to mind Oajan by Parfums de Marly, yet the comparison only highlights Centaurus’s restraint where Oajan is bold and assertive, Centaurus is smoother, more measured, more elegant. In quality, it stands confidently beside Absolu Aventus, though the two travel different olfactory paths. And with its poised balance of spice and warmth, Centaurus feels destined to become a staple in any cold-weather rotation. Choosing the 100ml bottle was a wise decision. This is the kind of fragrance that invites return after return, a quiet luxury that lingers long after the day has ended. Centaurus is the Winter constellation of spice and elegance. 10/10

First proper sampling of Centaurus, one of Creed’s most recent releases, released seemingly as a pair with Delphinus. Whereas Delphinus is centered on orris, to my nose, Centaurus is centered on tobacco, anchored by similar supporting notes of pepper, vanilla, patchouli, and tonka, a sort of sweet, spicy, sharp tobacco that’s smoothly and sophisticatedly put together, with restraint shown in all three areas, making it somewhat year-round-friendly despite being clearly more apt (to me) for colder weather, with good performance. None of the supporting notes shine through as much as the vanilla, I’d argue, the tobacco first, vanilla second pairing being the most central, despite the fragrance as a whole not really resembling other tobacco/vanilla pairings. It definitely leans sharp and powdery and sweet vs. spicy, so it’s not, say, on the spiciness level of Atelier Cologne Tobacco Nuit or even the milder Aramis Tobacco Reserve. This rather has its own balance which even includes some earthiness via geranium and patchouli, albeit exceeded slightly by the powdery sweet vibe fostered by the vanilla/tonka/benzoin blend. As with Delphinus, the quality is very high, the performance is very good, but the retail pricing is astounding(ly bad), at $545/400 for 100/50ml, but discounters seem to have the fragrances in stock in the grey market, since they were originally released a few months ago. Overall, though, I think it’s outstanding even if not quite the achievement that Delphinus is, and I’m really pleased with the release. I could certainly wear this most days in cool weather and be very happy with it. 8 out of 10

/// Never before smelled this one, blind bought it. Got it today,.. sprayed it on my arm and purposely did everything possible to avoid smelling it for about the first 3 minutes, sprayed it, ran outside kept my arm as far away from my nose as possible with the wind at my back, literally trying everything possible to avoid catching a wiff for a few minutes and casually went back inside to resume my honey-do’s whilst avoiding going in for a sniff test, just patiently waiting for it to do its thing,.... And baM-O, 30 seconds later there it was swirling and dancing around my nose,.. and CUT,... wait a Fuhki’N minute ,... what is this , I’ve smelled something very similar before ,.. in Fact ,.. I’m pretty dang sure I’ve got something similar to this 🤔 hmm , could not instantly figure it out and then saw something shiny and forgotten what I was even trying to remember. The moral of that story is if you can’t remember,.. just try to forget that you’re trying to remember and it’ll come to you about 15/20 minutes later as it did me ,. And there I was when it hit me . PDM LAYTON . except ... only in a way that Creed could pull off, no one else . And if you know Creed then you know what I know. But to me this is creed’s version of Layton. !!!! And it’s WELL DONE . Can’t speak on performances , but it smells well crafted . Still over priced but... whatever & just like with any fragrance, .. adjust sprays and spray techniques for different climates and situations, this just like any fragrance in my opinion can be worn year round mmmmmK! !!!!!!!!!...THE END..!!!!!!!!