Best Creed Colognes For Men – 14 Unique Ways You Can Standout

Creed.

The most popular niche fragrance house in the industry.

The best Creed colognes are known for their supreme likability, masculine tones, and high quality. This review will rank the top 14 and describe their smell and performance.

Let’s get started if you want to learn about the best Creed Colognes for Men.

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#14 – Creed Himalaya

So what’s Himalaya’s inspiration? The bottle was meant to resemble the canteen of climbers. Now I’m not sure you’d want to lug a fragrance to the top.

But I’m here for it if you do, now onto the smell.

A giant blast of citruses leads the opening. My nose mainly picks up grapefruit, lemon, and bergamot. For the first few minutes, slightly bitter citrus is the only accord.

Eventually, a noticeable mix of sandalwood, ambergris, and musk adds to the background.

At this point, it is still all about the citruses, but the backbone is there. After 20-30 minutes, the woods and musk come to the forefront, bringing a dash of pepper. 

This is the best part of the fragrance, and it lasts for a decent amount of time. With all these notes mixing and mingling, Himalaya has a very clean and soapy nature. Yet, it’s never like wearing soap suds.

Over time, the citrus’s strength fades. While the ambergris/musk combination fills the void. Both are the signature notes you’ll find in almost all Creed Fragrances. 

For the rest of the wear, it is prominent ambergris and musk with lingering spice. 

The performance is about average. It will never fill a room, but it will attract a lot of attention.

It gets weak in colder temperatures, but as long as you don’t wear it on the coldest days of winter, then you should be fine.

#13 – Creed Viking

Creed describes this as having a “firey” aspect, so let’s talk about it.

Viking opens with a fresh burst of citrus with green and spicy notes. Multiple notes are working together. The ones that really jump out at me are bergamot and spicy mint. Each creates their respective accord.

However, the star of the show is pink pepper. It amplifies the intensity of the spices and provides the scent with a unique, masculine edge. This is the part that Creed calls “firey.”

For a while, it is all about fresh spices. The entire wear, I never felt overwhelmed by them. They were relatively smooth and well-blended.

Citruses fade as the dry-down starts to develop. Lavender and sandalwood fill the void. They combine with spicy mint and pepper, producing an elegant, aromatic aroma.

The spices never needed it, but lavender soothes them with its calming nature. Sandalwood sits further in the background, acting as a deeper support.

Viking is an average performer. It has all-season and occasion versatility. I particularly enjoy this when I want a scent that will spice up my wearing experience – no pun intended.

#12 – Creed Tabarome Millesime

Creed Tabarome Millesime is an ultra-masculine fragrance. If Tabarome Millesime was a person, he would exude quiet confidence, dress well, think critically, and enjoy classic tastes.

The uniqueness of Tabarome Millesime is the peculiar opening of ultra-bright citruses. The tangerine and bergamot combination is equal parts citric and sweet, mainly from the tangerine note.

Though the citruses are bright, they never come off as “bitter.”

In an ultra-masculine fragrance, sweet accords are not usually involved. Yet, Creed has a way of reinventing the wheel. Only moments after warm ginger spice becomes present. It breaks up the top notes but doesn’t overpower them.

The citruses dissipate in the heart. A warm sandalwood and tobacco combination fills the void. At this point, it is a deep and bold scent but with a fresh and lively twist.

As Tabarome dries down, it stays very similar. A leathery depth lingers in. The citruses and spices are nearly gone. Tobacco takes the sweet accent.

The rest of the wear is wood, tobacco, and subtle leather.

As for wear, it can be worn all year round, but be careful; it can get quite heavy in the high heat.

#11 – Creed Original Santal

Creed Original Santal uses high-quality ingredients and knocks creamy sandalwood out of the park.

I’ve said it before, and I stand by my words. Creed Original Santal is the gold standard of Sandalwood colognes. The warm and creamy sandalwood is always present but never overpowering.

Accompanying sandalwood is equal parts cinnamon spice and aromatic juniper berries. Alone, Cinnamon spice and sandalwood are exceptionally warm. But with juniper’s fresh and herbal qualities, the scent is well-balanced.

As the scent develops, vanilla adds a degree of smoothness. It plays middleman for the contrasting warm vs. fresh accents. When this happens, Original Santal enters another dimension.

The rest of the wear is so good it’s hard to put words to.

Near the end of wear, you’ll find fleeting spicy kicks and nuances of aromatic lavender. Both add the same qualities as the notes in the heart of the fragrance.

Still, in the base, warm sandalwood is prominent and stays that way for the rest of the wear.

#10 – Creed Royal Water

Royal Water is A simple scent, yet ready to shine.

The opening is a sharp blast of citruses, spice, and green freshness. Citrus, at first, is the dominant note. Yet, all notes work together to create an uplifting and energetic nature.

Off my skin, it has a degree of coolness that I find quite refreshing on hot days.

Within a few minutes, the juniper jumps to the green mixture’s forefront. And soothes the intensity of the citruses.

Juniper had a roller coaster ride. It was lost in the green mix, then prevalent, and now it retreats back into the mix.

The citruses are still the star of the show, but the green spices are gaining strength. It is 70% citrus and 30% green spices for the next few hours.

Once in the dry down, ambergris and musk are the prevalent base notes. With the lingering notes, the finish has a soapy quality. Spices have faded, and once this happens, the scent gets smoother.

The rest of the wear is all about citrus notes sitting atop musk and ambergris.

For a citrus-focused fragrance, this has outstanding performance. It isn’t exclusively summer wear, but it does need warmth to work to its fullest.

#9 – Creed Erolfa

Named after the Creed family yacht. Creed Erolfa captures the memories of sailing the Mediterranean as a family.

Right off the bat is a trio of citruses: lime, melon, and bergamot. It is reminiscent of many other summer Creed colognes on this list. The citruses are the most prominent from the start but sit on a salty aquatic background.

The opening is quite simple and focuses heavily on being fresh and clean. Like the other summery Creed’s, there is a soapy nuance. However, it is the most subtle of all.

The heart of the fragrance gets a heavier touch. The citruses are still present but get shoved to the side. This makes room for a slightly spicy wood note and the airiness of a salty marine background.

These notes rest on a mixture of musk, ambergris, and wood.

For the entire wear, the general idea was a citrus-based cologne on a woody base.

This is the most summer-based scents out of all the Creed Colognes listed. This attributes to its just average performance in all categories.

So yes, not the best performer, but that doesn’t take away from its fantastic smell.

#8 – Creed Silver Mountain Water

Uh oh! Another water fragrance? It’s a cologne for warmer temperatures but has a degree of coolness. It’s almost like drinking a glass of mountain water… I’m sorry, bad joke.

Before I humiliate myself, let me describe the scent.

Cool and crisp mandarin and bergamot lead the opening. For a solid 20 minutes, the citrus is alone. Until a very sharp black currant emerges with a tempering dose of green tea.

In the mid, green tea goes from restraining black currant to gaining a green and herbal quality.

All of this happens while being encased in a shell of musk. At this point, the composition is super fresh with a green coolness.

Into the dry down, a couple of things happen. Green tea and musk move to the forefront, but neither is dominant. While this happens, citruses recede to the background and pair with black currant.

Finally, this interesting fresh mix finishes off on a sandalwood base.

Silver Mountain Water fairs slightly better in cooler temperatures than Erolfa. Yet, this would not be considered a fall or winter cologne. On my skin, the performance is average.

The projection is decent for 1-2 hours but then gets softer.

#7 – Creed Original Vetiver

Original Vetiver has a simple, airy, and pleasant aroma. It is one of the best office-safe fragrances on this list, if not out of all fragrances.

Upon the first spray is a dominant pair of bergamot and mandarin that works with subtle spicy ginger. Like real ginger, it has a “hot” quality that is so exciting. Initially, there is a green tinge. Yet, the opening doesn’t blast you with a tidal wave of vetiver.

At first, it is all about green spice with citruses. Eventually, the dominant vetiver creeps in.

Once it comes to the forefront (a few minutes), it is the star of the show for the rest of the wear. It never comes across as sharp, grassy, or abrasive to my nose as many vetivers do.

Instead, it is clean and refreshing. The citruses in the opening certainly help out in this respect.

For the rest of the wear, it is mostly vetiver and has a less prevalent woody backbone. The woodiness isn’t really anything to write home about it. It is just there for support.

The performance is office-safe. It lasts an entire workday and has a light projection.

Your coworkers will still get wafts of you as you walk by but not get consumed by your smell. It does struggle in the colder temperatures, so it’s not ultra-versatile.

#6 – Creed Bois du Portugal

I heard down the grapevine that this was Frank Sinatra‘s signature scent, but I don’t know. I never meant the guy. If Frank Sinatra tells you anything about the fragrance, it is an old-school classic.

Creed kept Bois du Portugal simple yet sophisticated.

Lavender and bergamot lead the opening charge, with sandalwood in the background. The sandalwood gives the fragrance depth and will be stronger throughout the rest of the wear.

Bergamot is fleeting but provides an awakening fresh touch. It is an authentic bergamot note with a slightly bitter “bite.” The lavender is the most interesting.

It has an old-school quality – the sole reason this fragrance smells old-school. It works well with bergamot, amplifying the freshness but never becoming too floral.

After 20-30 minutes, the citrus dies down, giving way to a more mature and defined green vetiver. It never comes across as earthy. Instead, amplifies both the woodiness and aromatics of Bois du Portugal.

Until it dries down, sandalwood lingered in the background of the scent. But with a power pump, it dominates for the rest of the wear. Touches of lavender and vetiver remain in the background.

This trio gives Bois du Portugal its classic woody scent.

The performance here is outstanding, one of the best from the house of Creed. More geared towards cold weather wear but is still useable in moderation on summer days.

#5 – Creed Virgin Island Water

As the name might suggest, Creed Virgin Island Water is inspired by a trip to the Caribbean. With this scent, Creed has packed the smells of a Caribbean vacation into a bottle.

Equal parts lime and bergamot lead the opening. They are not the only citruses but the ones at the forefront. Traditionally, this combination would be sharp.

Yet, a smooth coconut background calms the intensity. 

After 15 minutes, the coconut jumps to the front, bringing rum nuances. To my nose, the booziness is fleeting and only results in occasional wafts for the rest of the wear.

After this, the notes mix and mingle until the scent adds hints of white florals. They are subtle and will lead Virgin Island Water to dry down. Here it is predominantly coconut rum and a musky background. 

For the entire wear, it has a tropical twist and sweet touch. But to my nose, neither ever gets too overpowering. 

With such a heavy emphasis on airy accords, it is exclusively a summer scent.

#4 – Creed Royal Oud

No, I didn’t forget. Every cologne list needs an oud fragrance, but it is usually ranked lower. This speaks to the quality and versatility of Creed Royal Oud.

Whether you’re a beginner or a collector, this is an ultra-easy fragrance to wear. One that I highly recommend as a beginner oud.

Oud is in the name; it must be all about Oud, right? No. It’s there but subtle. The opening begins with subtle pink pepper and a fleeting dose of citruses while soft cedar lingers in the background.

The first few minutes are not about the notes but the warmth that invites you in.

20 minutes into the wear, the citruses and spices are almost gone. An herbal greenness fills its void while cedar strengthens in the background.

The mid retains the fresh and inviting nature, expressed through the greenness.

Cedar jumps to the forefront in the dry down, with equal parts powdery musk. Herbal greens linger but don’t contribute much after a few hours. There are some oud notes, but the entire wear is mostly about woody cedar.

As for performance, it is more of an occasional wear men’s cologne. Like all oud fragrances, it tends to get too heavy in high heat.

#3 – Creed Imperial Millesime

Just the color of the bottle screams expensive and classy. The smell of Imperial Milliesime represents the citrus groves of Sicily. Released in 1995, it is the sexiest Creed Fragrance.

Upon the first spray, you’re slapped in the face with summer vibes. The opening is fruit and citrus based. There’s a prominent lemon note and an array of fruity ones. The fruits are most reminiscent of melon.

These top notes rest in front of a faint sea salt and musk background. There are marine accords, but only sea salt is prevalent in the first few minutes.

As the opening develops, musk and citrus become a great pair. The contrasting accents of both combine and project a warm and inviting aroma. This pairing lasts most of the mid and leads to the dry down.

Fruity notes are still dominant in the base, but the marine accords really came through. For the rest of the wear, the fruits and citruses are the star of the show. And salty oceanic notes are present in equal parts.

Like most Creed fragrances, the performance could be better. It lasts 6 hours and has an average projection. Imperial Millesime doesn’t hold up well in the colder temperatures.

Yet, it works for all occasions, during the warmer months.

#2 – Creed Green Irish Tweed

So, you want to hear about one of the best spring fragrances for men? 

A recurring theme of Green Irish Tweed is the green tinge that lasts for the entire wear. The first 15-20 minutes are heavy on the greenness. Almost to the degree of mossy.

I attribute this mainly to lemon verbena and violet leaf still looking for balance. 

After this period is over, the greenness settles very nicely. This is the elegant and masculine aroma you were waiting for. There is an addition of citrus-based accords that pair perfectly with the greens. Yet, never does this become overpowering.

The scent only gets better as the dry-down develops. Signature Creed Ambergris is the most prominent. Followed by warm sandalwood, a touch of iris, and lingering greenness.

I know it’s a vague descriptor, but the base smells gentlemanly and sophisticated. 

As for wear, Green Irish Tweed can be worn for all occasions. It works for nearly all seasons but struggles during the colder times of the year.

#1 – Creed Aventus

I was trying to figure out the best niche fragrance. But I found it to be an easy choice. When in doubt, go with Creed Aventus. This really showcases the versatility and likability of this fantastic creation.

So, what does Creed Aventus smell like?

Fruity, smoky, and musky. An aggressive burst of pineapple and bergamot leads the opening. Both ingredients are juicy and ultra-authentic.

Nuances of other notes amplify the juiciness but aren’t identifiable. As the opening mystifies you, Aventus progresses into the dry-down.

Smoky birch and musk add to the vibrant fruits. Neither dominates the other but is an outstanding balance of freshness and woodiness. When you combine the musk and fruits together, it creates a sensual aroma.

Creed Aventus for men has above-average longevity and projection. It will push past an arm’s length for hours, but never overwhelming.

As for the season and occasion, it is difficult to find the time when you can’t wear Aventus.

How to Pick the Right Creed Cologne for You

It’s easiest if you know what you want. Will this be an all-season, warm, or cold-weather fragrance? The same can be said for the occasions you want to wear it.

You can narrow the list by reading the last paragraph in each mini-review to determine its seasonality. As for occasions, you can look at the infographics.

Once you narrow your list, it’s just about what you want it to smell like. Unfortunately, all Creed fragrances cost about the same, so there’s no point in considering the cost.

If you’re looking into Creed colognes, my guess is that you have some experience with fragrances. So, you have a pretty good idea of accords you usually like or don’t.

If not, the top four on this list are always great choices. Royal Oud is awesome because it pushes the boundaries but is still ultra-wearable.

FAQ’s

What is the Best Fragrance of Creed?

Creed Aventus is the best Creed cologne. It is masculine, popular, and performs exceptionally well while smelling amazing.

Why is Creed Aventus So Good?

Creed Aventus has above-average longevity and projection. This allows you to wear it for any occasion and smell like Aventus the entire time. As well as performing well, Creed Aventus is masculine and highly likable. It is difficult not to love.

Are Creed Fragrances Worth it?

The best creed colognes are worth it. There is no doubt that they are pricey, but they smell amazing and are highly likable and masculine.

They are not must-have fragrances for a first-time buyer. However, Aventus and Green Irish Tweed are the best fragrances to buy when looking for your first niche fragrance.

What is the Most Popular Creed?

The most popular Creed is Aventus. Since its release, it has skyrocketed to become the best niche fragrance. When you talk about niche fragrances, Aventus always comes into the conversation.

Final Words

The house of Creed is a brand of quality and luxury. Known for its signature likable and masculine fragrances. As you may have noticed, there are many common notes among Creed fragrances.

Though Creed is expensive, many of its fragrances are worth it. I will not say they are must-haves for small collections or should be your first fragrance. Yet, they are always good purchases if you do buy them.

Niche brands, as a whole, tend to be more expensive because they use richer, more profound, and high-quality ingredients.

What do you think is the best Creed Cologne for Men?

Please leave a comment; I would love to hear your opinion!

Other Articles of Interest

• Creed Aventus Review – The Truth About The Best Niche Fragrance
• Creed Green Irish Tweed – Everything You Need To Know – Full Review
• The Ultimate Review Of The Best Bond No 9 Men’s Colognes
• Best Creed Clones – 6 of the Most Popular Alternatives
• Best Creed Aventus Clones – 10 of the Most Criminally Deceptive