Viking Cologne

Have finally brought a full bottle. Have been on the fence about this since its release. Tried it the first time, didn't like it (for the price and smell) Second time was alright Third time, went in without expectations and I actually really enjoyed. Prehaps the first 2 times I had already put perfume on but the third I didn't. So the opening is nothing special definitely a more subtle Viking/ Hermès Eau Intense Vetiver vibe, this carries into the drydown. However, this develops beautifully over the first 45min and the smell then is incredible. I have absolutely loved Viking since its release but this one needed to grow on me. I am a huge Creed fan even with the selling if the company etc. Something else that has been a constant with Creed is many of my now absolute all time favorites I didn't like at first. This is true for GIT, BDP, Royal Oud & Himalaya. All four I didn't enjoy at all but after wearing them around 10 times onwards, they grow on you and Viking Cologne is the same. The Creeds I immediately loved were Aventus, Millesime Imperial, SMW & Original Vetiver. My top 5 Creed are: - Aventus - Green Irish Tweed - Himalaya (so underrated) - Bois Du Portugal - Viking and/or Original Vetiver Will this slip into a slot? Prehaps in time it could. My take is this DNA is not unique, Creed are obviously turning to flankers because Great Original compositions must be harder and harder to create. I really like this stuff, it is a more version Viking toned down but has its own personality. I think I would wear this more often than the original and save the original for occasions. This is very much a dumb reach, can't go wrong perfume. Scent 7/10 - Not unique but it is blended beautifully Longevity 7.5/10 - Actually pretty good I don't mind it's not besdg mode in fact I prefer these types of perfume so I don't offend anyone Sillage 6/10 - Not the best but I bet it smells great Versatility 9/10 - Very good here but it won't fit every occasion Overall 7.5/10 Personal overall 8.5/10 Good perfume, solid all rounder, not unique but beautiful!

This is a wonderful and beautifully layered Fougère fragrance that despite several very shallow YouTube FragCom reviews regarding its performance, is actually a scent that's moderately powerful in the first 3 hours but just yesterday was still radiating from my polo after 13 hours. DO NOT JUDGE THIS FRAGRANCE'S PERFORMANCE FROM A 2-5ml SAMPLE BOTTLE! I genuinely believe the performance of this fragrance has improved with each wear since I got my bottle back in July, and that was after buying a 5ml spray decant to try it. The opening is a bright blend of mandarin and lemon sprinkled with pink pepper that tapers into a geranium and sage mid underlaid by nutmeg. The transition time on skin from opening to mid is a good 1-2 hours with the base of what I'd call a "bright" cedar with dried vetiver rubbed all over it at around the 4-5 hour mark that seems to works so well in tandem with the notes that preceded them. This fragrance really shines on clothing where it moves through the notes much more slowly and I kid you not, when you catch a whiff of it on yourself event at the 8-9 hour mark, you literally can smell the entire symphony of notes working together, catching the opening and then the beautiful mid and base. WARNING: Do not make the mistake of thinking this is a citrus-heavy scent because of the opening, this dries down into a VERY EARTHY Fougère fragrance that I would say isn't for single men under the age of 30 (at least those who are very into fragrance). It smells bright and sophisticated and in early sprays straight from a new bottle, you can expect to get some dirty patchouli vibes, which will also be present on the atomizer if you go too long in between spritzes and can be off-putting to some noses. Is it a value at full retail? Not for me, but is it a value at the current $260-290 (for 100ml) price point at certain discounters? Abso-freaking-lutely!

I’m going to miss this one when I run out. After going through the first half of my 100ml bottle I’ve come to realize something. This is truly a product for men of leisure, for those fortunate few whom can pay a premium for a situational grooming product. I am not one of them. I originally misunderstood this product’s intent. I assumed it was a warm weather companion to its OG stablemate. Viking OG is bold enough to be a daily wear and is one of my favorite discoveries. This isn’t really a flanker and it isn’t for wearing to the office or your average weekend. This isn’t for vacation. Instead this is perfect for refreshing in late afternoon. It’s a great way to wake up after a shower. And yes, this is exactly how you want to smell after an expensive shave and haircut. But this isn’t for me, a man who logs 8 hours a day in between hour long commutes. The arrangement of citrus, lavender, cedar and vetiver isn’t groundbreaking. But barbershop scents are classics for a reason. And here, this one is blended well. The bracing citrus opening revels the lavender heart with such grace, laid atop a firm cedar base that slowly fades as the hours pass. Were I unbound by the fiscal responsibilities of modern suburbia then I would keep this a staple in my home and freshen up with it every afternoon. Sadly my station in life requires I ask for more of my costly expenditures. When I outlay several hundred units of currency I need a perfume that can work for several hours. I need one of the marvels of modern perfume engineering that achieve great things from an ever shrinking pool of available ingredients. A tragedy capitalism has thrust upon me. But if I could, I would.

#21 on my Fragrance Review Journey Creed Viking is what Chuck Norris smelled like when he fought Bruce Lee in The Return of The Dragon. Creed Viking Cologne is what Chuck Norris smells like after a shower and comfortably on his sofa reading his favorite book. Creed Viking is the major battle. Creed Viking Cologne is the skirmish leading up to the major battle. After much back and forth, I finally pulled the trigger and on a full bottle of Viking Cologne. You can find pricing for $150 and lower through reputable discounters. I see the comparisons to TDH; however, my nose says they are not similar. Viking Cologne opens up with a realistic and gritty orange note. TDH is much more subtle. Viking Cologne continues its grittiness by introducing the toned-down spices from the OG, and for the next 3 hours I get an uplifting spiced orange vibe. Hours 3-5 I saw the orange note become much more subtle but still there. For the last 3 hours the scent remained on my skin, it became a quintessential barber scent. It reminded me of those times when your barber hits you with the brush, powder, and/or spray before releasing you from the chair. That fresh smells that says you are clean. With properly hydrated skin I was able to squeeze 8 hours out of this fragrance. I am in the Mid-West testing this in January. Though I am mostly in temperature-controlled areas, I can't wait to see how this fragrance blossoms in Spring and Summer. I would encourage a sample or decant versus blind buying. This is not a TDH replica. This is Creed DNA for sure. I am completely happy with my purchase. 8.5/10

35m, lovely scent, i can’t think of a reason why anyone wouldn’t like this, although I know of a bunch that don’t, and I feel as if a lot of the hate is from the comparison to original Viking and Tdh. Just remember that most people around you don’t know or care what original Viking smells like. Opens with a dryish fresh, maybe vanillic maybe coumarin sweetness, with a somewhat inconsistent opening sometimes I get pepper sometimes I get citrus. The mid is a lighly spicy arrangement of fougere aromatics, some refined lavender and geranium, while the base is a nicely blended wooden accord with clean olibanum, patchouli and vetiver with that subtle vanilla/coumarin lasting all the way through to the base, never in the spotlight, yet playing harmoniously with all the other aromatics in the background. Whenever I’m at the club(Costco) I get at least one compliment per visit. Longevity And projection is meh, I usually add 2 sprays on my shirt along with my 3 skin sprays. This gives me a freshly shaven, right out the shower vibe. Wouldn’t recommend to 25ys below, although young people can for sure still appreciate this fragrance. It’s like a more crowd pleasing version of an older man’s scent. Wear it year round, hot or cold. Office safe. Creed is a hit or miss with me, so while this is a mostly positive review, never pay retail for creed. Payed around 220 for the 100 ml, but I’d feel a bit more comfortable paying around 180. Might be my most complimented creed that I wear in public. Solid fragrance, my new signature fragrance.