Words: Jonathan Wells
In association with:
When is a cologne not a cologne? Answer: when it’s a Viking. It sounds like a riddle — but the most complex thing about the latest Eau de Parfum from The House of Creed is its electrifying, exhilarating depth of scent.
Encapsulating the allure of adventure, this latest fragrance from the heritage British brand is a natural next step on from the original Viking; a masterful men’s fragrance launched in 2017. And, while the bottle bears the ‘cologne’ name, this is actually a cooler, more aromatic Eau de Parfum from the ‘fougère’ family of fragrances —renowned for their dominant accords.
That means Viking Cologne offers something vibrant, new and fresh — quite literally. With a heavier concentration of perfume oils than a cologne, this latest Eau De Parfum is bursting with botanicals. As a result, it is exceedingly expressive, and opens with top notes of sharp lemon, mild mandarin and zesty bergamot. Then, through the subtle spice of pink peppercorns, it introduces its enticing heart notes.
Think woody nutmeg, rich rosemary and sage. There are also additional, more delicate notes of lavender and geranium at play, but even they are bolstered by a strong, deep base of sandalwood and cedarwood. Finished with frankincense, the earthy picture is complete; a seasonal spin on the vivacious Viking scent — just in time for summer.
And the inspiration is right there in the name. For this latest fragrance, Master Perfumer Olivier Creed and his son Erwin aimed to bottle a Nordic springtime. Whether it was the artic waters, the evergreen forests or the cascading waterfalls, the fragrant family dynasty wanted to find freshness in every spritz — and they’ve roundly succeeded.
But it’s not only the landscape that informed this latest fragrance. The Viking people also shaped the scent. Despite this being a slightly lighter spin on the original Viking, there are strong influences of musky masculinity at play here — marine-like twists on the scent’s strong fiery predecessor. There’s also an enduring power here; one that ensures Viking Cologne will make itself known from your morning ablutions to the end of your evening.
So what better scent to give as a gift? With Father’s Day on the horizon, there are few fragrances that encapsulate the strength, reliability and sweetness of a good father figure quite as well as Viking Cologne.
Ethereal and light, it’s the perfect choice this June. Of course, if your father already has a bottle in his fragrance collection, why not choose another complementary bottle — such as the original Viking, or the similarly strong Aventus Cologne?
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