The House of Creed

Hello, to those reading, I am simply making a quick entry to both sate my enthusiasm and inform a few people who keep in touch with my hobby of scents. I recently announced on my facebook timeline that I indulged in one last high-end fragrance for the year as a special treat to myself before my next child makes it's appearance. As I await the arrival of the fragrance, which I won't reveal until I find I know enough about it personally, I wanted to give a little information as to help illustrate why I am so utterly excited to receive and review it.

As the title suggests, it is from the House of Creed which was founded in 1760 by James Creed. Since then the technique used in the private yet world renowned perfumery has been revered as the scent of royalty and reserved for only the highest of the high-class society. James Creed and his technique quickly gained such notoriety as to become a favorite of Queen Victoria and soon after was appointed as the official supplier of fragrance to the crown. As the fame of his fragrances' sophistication, originality and quality continued to rise so did the demand. As one article states, "Creed quickly became the fragrance of choice for all the Courts of Europe: from Napoléon III to Empress Eugenia, Francois Joseph to Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary, and Queen Christina of Spain."

Now all the way down the line in our current time, the house has reached it's sixth generation in perfumery with a man named Olivier Creed who has made his way by not only releasing Creed's most popular scent, Aventus, but also by making his line of fragrances available to the public. Anyone who knows me will understand that I appreciate timeless pieces of history and this is bound to be one of them that I cannot let pass. Not only from the name do I derive the timeless tradition...but the scent on it's way to me was worn by one of our most adored U.S. Presidents many years ago.

I hope you'll join me on my next review which has generated enough hype in me it could be likened to a gamer's obsession with obtaining his masterpiece collectors edition box on it's first day of release =).

Eau d'Orange Verte Concentre

Well it's been far too long and I had all but forgotten about this blog I started until recently when I received a compliment while wearing the scent in my original post, Terre d'Hermes. This time I will be bringing you another scent from the Hermes line, a newer cologne based on the original recipe from Hermes which is in turn influenced by an ancient recipe. I'm talking about the wonderful summer scent called Eau d'Orange Verte Concentre. In English this simply means green orange concentrate.

Originally this scent was a simple cologne with plenty of natural notes such as lemons, mandarin oranges, papaya and mango and finishing with a distinct patchouli and oakmoss mixture. To someone who samples a range of high-end fragrances, one could appreciate this cologne and it's different changing notes mostly because they are so noticeable when worn close to your nose or smelled often from one of your body's pulse-points. The, "Concentre," version I have is all of what I have described with added longevity, meaning it will last much longer on your skin.

First and foremost I must admit that the sillage, meaning that after you've left the scene the scent lingers, is not a selling point for this cologne and if you're looking for something that's projects for a full workday then this is not for you...but please read on as you may yet be swayed.

I received this particular scent as a gift from my father a little before Christmas last year and of course I had to open it and try it on right in front of everyone. I was so struck by the clarity of each note, each one discernible and obvious as it traveled through each stage...which brings me to the most exciting point for my experience. I've sampled many scents, both male and female (on other women of course for the latter) but none have EVER struck me as being so simple while maintaining such class! Every single bolstering note in this bottle is directly on point with it's designers description and it's so brilliantly done. This cologne does not offend anyone, it wears close to the skin for a FAR more personal experience for both you and a loved one. I absolutely cannot see nor begin to understand why anyone would complain about this scent if they are looking for a personal experience.

In closing I will type out my personal experience in the exact way it happened as it is extremely personal to my memories.

When I was younger I lived in East Tennessee and family was a big part of life, especially on the weekends. I can remember going to my grandparents (father's side) quite vividly and even more-so I remember the house and what was in it. Picture with me a single-story house with a nice sized living room, a large wall-length window behind a couch, coffee table in front and a soft, fabric recliner to the right. Next to it sat a sort of end-table with a lamp on it which housed a dim light. Everything else in the room was wooden; regular tables, coffee table, desks and floor, even the television had wooden trim around it if I remember correctly. Both of them smoked as well so at times there was a smoky haze which the sunlight pierced in the evening. Lastly, my grandparents had personalities to match giants. I mention this because the most important notes in Eau d'Orange Verte bring me back to that house. The bottom (longest lasting) notes of oakmoss and patchouli are deep, smoky and remind me of old but well-kept wooden furniture with just the slightest tinge of musk. It's almost as if those notes were intentionally kept close to your skin so as to make you want to smell yourself in order to relive those reminiscing moments. Pure, fresh class in a bottle. Thank you for reading.