Be irresistible: 4 best Creed colognes for men with style

by Greg Jameson | 0 comments

When I was quite a bit younger, I often wondered why would my father shell out so much cash for cologne.

“You’ll find out when you become more mature,” he said then.

Notice he didn’t say “older”! Now, a mature man, I realize the sophisticated power of an intricate fragrance. And Creed colognes are up there with the top choices for any gentleman.

Once you get one, you enter a very exclusive club of men with the most refined of tastes. I’m not being pompous about that. It’s the simple truth.

However, there’s no such thing as a best Creed cologne. I repeat: there’s no such thing. It depends on both the occasion (formal or casual), as well as the season.

If you live in hot, humid areas with perpetual summer, you’ll want a Millesime Imperial, for example.

If you’re a fan of clubbing and seductive social events, a Santal will give you that irresistible edge with the ladies.

Both will make you feel like tying your shoelaces and setting on an adventure to captivate everyone’s attention:

Be irresistible: 4 best Creed colognes for men with style

However, the Imperial wouldn’t fly that well during colder months and its longevity isn’t the best. And, the Santal will be quite out of place in more reserved, highly formal situations.

So, as a mature man to other mature men, I plan to do a few Creed cologne reviews. I want you to forget about terms like most popular Creed fragrance for men.

Instead, let’s focus on your needs and how different Creeds suit them, ok?

The 4 best Creed colognes:
their fragrances reviewed

1. My vote for general top Creed cologne:
Aventus Millesime

No doubt: the Creed Aventus is the best Creed fragrance out there.

Aventus is my personal favorite, but this has nothing to do with the fact that it’s the symbol of Creed. No, what I like about is the ethereal cloud of confidence it envelops you in.

“From the wind”, as its name translates, is for gentlemen who know what they want.

This is a solid fragrance with manly tones, most suitable for formal occasions and cooler months. It’s, to me, one of the most layered and intricate fragrances Creed has ever come up with.

Creed classify it as a fruity/rich blend and that’s exactly what you get. The fruity notes open with a strong pineapple fragrance, supported by apple notes, along with bergamot and blackcurrant leaves.

The middle continues with pinkberries, birch, jasmine and a tang of patchouli. As you can see, this gives quite the contrast to the strong fruity opening. This is what opens the gates to the rich, sophisticated and manly base.

Yes, the base is indeed spectacular with gentle vanilla wrapped in more aggressive oak moss, musk and ambergris. The final result is subdued fruitiness turned into a masculine, deep fragrance that will bring out the best of your maturity.

Aventus is the most popular Creed cologne, but it has its limitations. It doesn’t fare well in hot, humid months.

If you want to plunge into raunchy, more open-minded and seductive situations, it can feel too “stiff” and conservative. Millesime Imperial would be a better choice in such cases.

2. Best Creed perfume for nights out:
Santal

Santal just might be the greatest Creed cologne that attracts women!

A complete opposite to Aventus, Santal is easy-going, seductive and complements any free-spirited person looking for some fun.

Once again, you get the rich part of Creed’s classification system here. However, this one’s on the woody oriental spectrum, a more daring fragrance for bold situations engulfed in any night’s secrets.

The exotic, mysterious Santal opens up with orange tree, Jamaican ginger and the light freshness of the Sicilian lemon.

This outstanding trio is expanded on by refreshing peppermint and lavender, supplemented by rosemary and pinkberries. These blend with the exotic opening quite well and subdue it a bit, without stripping it off its charm.

The base in Santal just might be Creed’s greatest experiment. Virginia cedar, Mysore sandalwood and Tonkin musk that care of that earthy, woody tones. The vanilla and ambergris entwine with them, calming their otherwise masculine scent down.

As a result of this extremely complicated blend of fragrances, you get a lighthearted, extremely alluring Creed perfume.

It’s especially great for younger guys on the hunt for some amore, or even for women who’d like to captivate hearts and noses.

Santal, however, isn’t that great for formal or more conservative situations. Get it if you’re a fan of clubbing and want to blend in the adventurous atmosphere of upscale venues.

If you’re interested in more traditional sandalwood without Santal’s playfulness, check my quick guide on classic sandalwood colognes.

3. Best Creed cologne for summer:
Millesime Imperial

The Imperial is a legitimately awesome fragrance for any summer you want to furnish with a Creed cologne.

Even the hottest, unbearably humid summer becomes a festival of coolness and marine-scented moments with the Millesime Imperial. It is inarguably the best Creed cologne for men who want to escape from the scorching sun.

The Imperial is Creed’s most refreshing perfume, blending marine notes with citrus fragrance and unmatched freshness. It’s invigorating and will cool off your skin and mind even in the most dreaded of temperatures.

Surprisingly to some, Millesime Imperial is a blend of only a few ingredients. It opens up with a trio of lemon, green mandarin and bergamot – now you know where the citrus comes from.

The only middle tone is the iris, but what an addition that is! For some that might feel scarce, but I vote this little touch of iris to be Imperial’s most coveted secret.

As a base, you have sandalwood, amber and musk. Some slightly heavier tones, but they need to be there to balance things out with a tang of masculinity.

Millesime Imperial is that light, breezy company that will have you set sail along the vast enigmas of the ocean. A perfect balance for the summer without it lacking the depth Creed fragrances are famous for.

Yet you do have to know that the longevity of the fragrance here leans towards being moderate to low. Aventus and other more conservative Creeds will linger for longer. Then again, however, they wouldn’t be as invigorating as the Imperial.

4. Intriguing best smelling Creed cologne:
Original Vetiver

Vetiver: best smelling Creed fragrance ever, maybe?

I was really torn between doing a Creed perfume review on the Vetiver, or the Irish Tweed.

Vetiver is, without a doubt, among the top 3 most intriguing fragrances from the brand for me. Technically, it serves a similar purpose like the Imperial.

By that I mean that it’s designed to be the fresh, invigorating scent that carries you through the summer on its breezy, gentlemanly wings.

Yet it relies more on the green/fresh classification combination. In other words, if you don’t like citrus fragrances and some inherent fruitiness, you might prefer it to the Imperial.

I know: the opening here also has some citrus fruits (bitter orange and mandarin.) But the big news are the vetiver leaves, mixed with bergamot.

This Creed fragrance for men’s strong point is exactly the vetiver. Normally, other perfumes use only one part of the plant when mixing their intricate scents.

With Vetiver, Creed put all cards on the table. The whole three parts of the vetiver are used: that means the root, leaves and its heart, famous for its rich, long-lasting fragrance.

It’s exactly what you find as a base: vetiver blends, supplemented by Mysore sandalwood, amergris and the Tonkin musk. A woody, engulfing combination that will cool you off without Imperial’s fruitiness.

The middle element here is crucial for this effect. Imperial has only iris, but with Vetiver you’ve got white pepper, pinkberries and coriander. A more versatile mix that brings out the woodyness and subdues the mandarin and bitter orange notes.

Why are Creed colognes so expensive?

I could probably write a full essay on this question, but essentially it boils down to several things.

First, Creed is an extremely old company with traditions stretching more than 250 years ago. Throughout all these years it’s always been a part of the top of society. Before we entered a more modern age, it was reserved for the aristocracy.

Yes, that’s right, you’ll be wearing a scent that was trusted by a very exclusive circle of people. Rumors also say this man I’m sure you’ll recognize right away was also a fan of Creed:

Be irresistible: 4 best Creed colognes for men with style

Additionally, Creed have a very specific, handcrafted approach to creating perfumes. Did you see the ambergris in some of their fragrances for men?

It’s an old-fashioned, craftsmen approach to preparing a perfume. Again, we’re looking at traditions spanning across generations of perfumers. A lot of Creed perfume’s ingredients are very exclusive and you wouldn’t find them in cheaper brands.

And third, this is a boutique, niche product. Creed isn’t just for anyone. I mentioned this in the beginning: by getting one of their beautiful bottles with fragrance blends, you enter a sophisticated, exclusive club.

Only the best of connoisseurs rely on Creed for their aroma needs and captivating other people in various casual or formal situations. You can’t just get one from wherever and on whatever price.

Are there batch variations with Creed fragrances?

I won’t lie to you: yes, there are. And perhaps their most popular Aventus is the biggest culprit in this sense.

But hear me out: it’s not that much of a problem. Really. You shouldn’t consider this as a complete dealbreaker.

The thing is, as I mentioned, Creed have a very intricate, exclusive way of preparing their perfumes for men and women. This means having batch variations.

When you’re not hitting everything with the heavy hand of mass production, this is a natural occurrence. Think of handmade pottery or other similar products. They differ in their form and presentation slightly, right?

Also, a lot of people tend to overestimate the effect of a batch difference in Creed fragrances.

Having a “bad batch” of Aventus, for example, doesn’t mean it’s useless. It means you might get a little less longevity, or not its gentlemanly, conservative tones will be just a little bit subdued.

So, as I said, I don’t think you should stress over this. You’re still getting the best out there.

Ex-digital nomad, DIY enthusiast and an appreciator of cozy foot wear. Always ready to give lifestyle tips for men. Tea, not coffee is my fuel for writing.

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