Fragrance house Creed takes to the longships with its most important male fragrance since Aventus: Viking.
There might be plenty of misconceptions about Vikings (the horned helmets for one) but I think there’s one thing everyone can agree on: they’re not known for their smell. At least in any kind of pleasant way. Weeks and months at sea isn’t likely to leave you feeling as fresh as a raiding, pillaging daisy.
It’s certainly not a name that you readily associate with a refined, boutique fragrance house like Creed. Still, it’s what the French-yet-historically-British brand has dubbed their most important men’s launch since the almighty Aventus.
Still, there’s definitely something in the name. Aventus was always a smell of success, a fragrance for the man that has everything. It’s relatively light as these things go yet still rich and confident. Viking on the other hand is a fragrance for a man that can take everything for himself.
Compared to Aventus, it’s deeper, muskier and more masculine, contrasting a traditionally woody base with a mix of more contemporary notes across the top and middle – the likes of fruity pink peppercorn and Sicilian lemon. It’s powerful and primal with dusky Bulgarian rose adding a hint of seduction.
It’s not for the faint-hearted either. All you need is a couple of sprays and you’re good for most of the day. That’s no bad thing of course, you just need to make sure you don’t go overboard. A single Viking is fearsome, a whole fleet overwhelming. If the wearer enters a room you’ll notice.
Speaking of which, the bottle is certainly not one you can miss either. Forget black, white and glass – maybe a hint of gold for cliché luxury. The bright red of longship sails is the order of the day for Viking with the boat itself front and centre.
Despite its distinctly modern approach to traditional masculinity, Viking isn’t too different from what we’ve come to expect from Creed. For one it follows the brand’s obsession with water, for another it’s the same quality as any of their bottles: superlative.
Price: Viking 50ml (£185), 100ml (£255), 250ml (£425).
