Viking by Creed

We all know the fabled Aventus from the house of Creed, an unbelievably successful fragrance that has very much bridged the gap between niche and mainstream. With such unrivalled levels of adoration, and armies of fans, it’s hard to imagine a fragrance that can topple it from the top spot.

And therein lies the first hurdle when discussing Creeds latest release…the comparison to what’s come before. Creed have released several fragrances since the 2010 release of Aventus, but Viking feels like the first to directly take it on head to head. A fragrance solely aimed at the male market, with a name that’s synonymous with rugged, alpha males.

Viking opens with top notes of Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon and pink peppercorn. The Sicilian lemon is sharp, and fills the air on initial spray, overwhelming the Calabrian bergamot and pink peppercorn. However, the opening is fleeting and the mid notes shine through shortly after spraying. So far, not the Viking image I was expecting.

Mid notes are peppercorn, Bulgarian rose and peppermint. This is the heart of the fragrances and the stars of the show. Delicate rose and spicy peppercorn play their part, but to my nose, the peppermint is the show stopper. I’m a huge fan of mint notes, and this one is excellent, fresh, airy and masculine.

The first hurdle when discussing Creeds latest release is the comparison to what’s come before.

As the scent dries down the base notes of sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli and lavender reveal themselves. The sandalwood is creamy, the vetiver adds a touch of sharpness in partnership with a spicy patchouli note. However, the lavender is the star in the base to my nose. It combines with the mint in the mid to create what I’d consider a very classic masculine fragrance.

Viking is framed as being a fiery fragrance, inspired by the crafted longships of the Viking age. Whether or not Creed have achieved their ambition is something I can’t answer, however, I can comment on what I feel they have created. Despite the name, I feel Creed has created an incredibly refined men’s fragrance. It’s a perfect demonstration of a classic style of fragrance executed perfectly in a modern interpretation. Perhaps this is the viking who trimmed his beard and bathed daily. The modern viking.

In terms of performance, i got 2-3 hours of projection and 8-10 hours of longevity on my skin. Whilst not as bold and playful as Aventus, i feel Viking is for a gent who likes to be a little more understated and reserved. I feel Viking is for me.

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Availabity

Viking is available in 50ml (£185) and 100ml (£265). Flacons of 250ml and 500ml are also available.

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Disclaimer

I was gifted my bottle by Creed. I was not paid for this review, opinions and photos are my own.