Immense; The Greats Never Let You Down

The world of perfume is full to the brim not just with high-street names but also niche brands like the ones we love to share here at .Cent. However somewhere between the modern niche brands and the high-street are the originators of boutique style high end perfumery with iconic brands like Creed and Acqua Di Parma, both of whom hold legendary status in the word of fragrance.

Maybe one reason for this is that whilst many brands (from high street to niche) are now all owned by the big perfume groups and are under pressure to bring new products to market in order to keep shareholders happy and profits turning.  Thankfully, these two grand pillars of perfume, never let us down; Creed is still a family business and Acqua Di Parma  although owned by luxury group LVMH, still have all the product 100% made in Italy to sit with the brands heritage.  Neither brand are synonymous with multiple launches and in fact Viking, Creeds newest launch was seven years in its development, and because of this the house has not let us down, neither of course has the new Note di Colonia by Acqua Di Parma
NOTE DI COLONIA IV

As for the iconic brand Acqua Di Parma  (the city parma) which is also nearly as famous as parma ham as perfume  have their next Scent in the Note Di Colonia range with this being  is IV.  Just to refresh our memories the brand launched a collection of three fragrances all based on another famous Italian export- Opera  Note Di Colonia I is inspired by La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi; Note Di Colonia II is a tribute to Nessun Dorma;, ‘ Note Di Colonia III is an ode to Triumphal March, one of the most famous acts of Aida by Giuseppe Verdi.   So what does Note Di Colonia bring to the table?  well its paying homage to Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini, so how how have the brand interpreted this musical score into a set of noters that represent the opera?

Well is an oriental floral that is unisex with orange blossom mandarin and bergamot, middle notes of Turkish Rose with more orange blossom and a base composed of Opoponax, Patchouli and Cistus Labdanum.  There is a warmth and sparkling brightness to the fragrance that goes deeper into floral tones and finishes on woody notes.  Its sumptuous as you would expect, long lasting and really quite sexy!

As with the all four of the collection each is a fragrant interpretation of a musical score – notes to notes if you like in both ways creating a harmony of the senses, all come in a magnificent velvet box akin to a treasure chest and are encased in a glass flagon which are of course conducive with Italian craftsmanship.

Viking Creed 
Fearless man in a bottle? Crafted longships? a coming together of design, travel and skill the new eagerly anticipated mens scent Viking is no shy pretender.  A vital coming together of top notes of bergamot Lemon, Baie Rose and pink Peppercorn, heart notes of Peppercorns, Bulgarian Rose and Peppermint all siting on a base of Sandalwood, Veritver Patchouli and Lavadin.

Right on trend as there is a new breed of perfumes coming through in celebration of both Sandalwood and Vertiver but few brands will come close to reaching the heights of Viking.  This is a fragrance that needs to be worn, so it’s not for the faint hearted; it’s powerful bold and stirring and thankfully smells of a truly confident successful man.

Interesting is the heart of spicy rose  (don’t you just love a floral on men) which set against the peppermint and citrus bringing an unexpected facet to Viking. Oh and don’t forget the bright red covering across the iconic Creed bottle just to remind you its no shy and retiring mens fragrance.   Will it ever be the success of the house most famous mens fragrance Aventus? Its unfair to even compare because Aventus is so loved and Viking is so new, but its fair to say this is for truly perfume lovers who are going to grow to love this just as much as every other Creed perfume.

Yet again these fragrances are for true perfume lovers, for those that choose to bathe themselves in true luxury and as with Creed Acqua Di Parma have not let us lovers down.

In stores from September 2017 – here for Creed  here for Acqua Di Parma