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Aventus Cologne by Creed

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Aventus has been a best selling fragrance, for a long while now. Its popularity, was bound to spin off a flanker fragrance, at some point. Well, that moment came, and we have now been given Aventus Cologne. Sharing the name of Aventus, it is of course, going to be hyped and anticipated. However, is it actually worth a try? What’s it smell like? How does it perform?

What Does Aventus Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: birch, ginger, baie rose, mandarin, musk, mint, pink pepper, apple, vetiver, styrax, patchouli, sandalwood

My Full Review

Aventus Cologne opens up different from its predecessor. The mandarin orange note is very nice and doesn’t have that same sharpness, that the pineapple had in the original fragrance.

I actually like the start, quite a lot. The orange is flanked by ginger and mint, which gives the scent a cooled freshness about it. It’s juicy and somewhat green, maybe a hint of the rose, but not much. There is a pink pepper note, but it honestly, gets buried underneath the ginger and mint.

One thing, that I noticed about Aventus Cologne, is that it doesn’t have that warm smoky quality. The original Aventus had it, but this one, just shares the dry woodiness of birch and sandalwood.

After about an hour, that’s when I really notice the similarities between the two Creed fragrances. They aren’t identical, but you can definitely get a sense of one, from the other.

The next wave is a blend of the birch wood, sandalwood, vetiver, and some patchouli. The patchouli isn’t all that heavy, to my nose, at least. At this point, it’s a citrusy aroma, with a very dry and fresh base.

It stays this way for a while longer, then, tonka bean and styrax, come through. Aventus Cologne becomes less fruity and has a green, woody, and a slightly different take from the original.

Finally, the musk begins to take over for the rest of the way home. It leads the way, with tonka bean, styrax, birch, mandarin and vetiver, following on its heels.

It’s a nice smell, at this point, and the Aventus comparisons really pop into my head. Just enough of a difference, to be distinct.

Aventus Cologne is less sharp citrus fruit fragrance, with dry undertones, and cooled fresh spices. Then, it becomes a musky/woodsy orange cologne, with a similar feel to its namesake fragrance.

How Long Does it Last? What’s the Sillage Like?

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t too powerful here. Definitely lighter than Aventus. It projects itself well for an hour or two, before becoming a light scent, for the rest of the way.

So, starts off with a moderate 4-5 foot projection. Then, sits pretty close to wear you sprayed it.

The longevity isn’t that great, either. On my skin, I got about 5 hours of solid performance, followed by a couple where I could detect it…if I pressed my nose to my skin. Total? 7, if you count its greatly weakened state.

That was the biggest letdown with this scent, the fact that it couldn’t even get close to the original Aventus’ performance.

If you double up on the sprays, it can go an hour or two more, but that’s it. Maybe, it just doesn’t work on my skin, but that’s all I’ve been able to muster during testing.

Versatility

Aventus Cologne is very easy to wear. It’s not going to offend anybody. It’s safe for work, casual, or even more formal events.

It’s not really a nighttime cologne. Aventus Cologne feels much more like a warm weather scent, especially in the opening.

The mandarin, other fruit, and ginger notes give it that light cleanliness and energy. It’s a very nice start to a daytime wear. Being a Creed fragrance, it obviously going to be well put together. Classy, elegant, and just a joy to wear.

Overall Scent

Overall, do I like Aventus Cologne? I do. It’s not amazing, but I do enjoy it. The opening is the best part, in my opinion. It loses a lot of the sharpness, that could put me off to Aventus, at times.

For me, the loss of the smokiness was no big deal; it still has that nice dry quality, without the heavy enveloping cloud. The performance isn’t as good as it should be. Not terrible, but for the price, I expect more.

If the orange, ginger, mint blend could have been a longer part of the wear…this could’ve been great. Or even, if it could get up to the 8-10 hour range of longevity, this would be a winner. Apparently, some other people do get that much out of Cologne, not even close to that level for me.

Still, I enjoy the aroma itself, even if it leaves much to be desired.

This is an expensive fragrance, so, I don’t think you need to pick it up if you already have Aventus.

That price has only risen since its release in 2018. It’s not better, to me, and it overlaps enough with the original to be superfluous for most folks. There are so many attempted Aventus ‘clones’, that maybe you pick up this one as a change of pace.

If you can get a cheap sample or decant, do so. You should consider buying, if the original Aventus was too powerful or had too much, pineapple and smoke.

Creed Aventus vs Aventus Cologne Comparison

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The release of a new Creed Boutique fragrance, is a pretty big event, in the fragrance world. That is especially true apparently, when it involves a scent which carries the Aventus name. The brand released a men’s flanker fragrance, under this title, and I have tested it out.

The obvious question is, how does it compare to the original? Is it a better formula? Which scent wins the Aventus vs. Aventus Cologne, match up?

Tale of the Tape: Aventus vs Aventus Cologne

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

My original Review: Creed Aventus

Aventus Cologne

Notes include: birch, ginger, baie rose, mandarin, musk, mint, pink pepper, apple, vetiver, styrax, patchouli, sandalwood

Read my original review: Aventus Cologne

Opening

The original Aventus’ opening, is honestly not my favorite. It does get much better, but to my nose, it strikes me as being quite sharp with the pineapple and bergamot. Plus, it has a dry woodiness.

Together, it takes on a somewhat kitchen cleaner, type of scent. The pineapple, bergamot, and birch are just a lot to deal with, at the beginning.

Aventus Cologne begins with mandarin orange, which doesn’t have the sharpness or tart qualities of the original.

It is paired with a bit of apple, but mostly, mint and ginger. It has a fresh, juicy, cool, and somewhat ‘green’ aroma.

Which is better? I prefer the opening to Aventus Cologne, more than the original. That’s not too much of a surprise, coming from me.

However, I think it is smoother and just a less harsh experience. Still, that’s not to say that there’s a wide gap in enjoyment. Though, the trio of notes it uses are among my favorites, and it works out well.

Edge: Aventus Cologne

Projection

Aventus Cologne’s sillage is pretty moderate, at first. For about two hours, it is solid, and quite noticeable. Then, it becomes a much lighter fragrance, without much ability to project.

Aventus has always been a strong fragrance. It’s not on the top tier of sillage, but, it can certainly make itself known in a room. It is more powerful than the Aventus Cologne formula and it isn’t all that close.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

Aventus has consistently lasted for 8-9 hours, on my skin, over the years. It’s a scent which performs quite well, in all regards.

Aventus Cologne, stays around for about 5 hours of solid performance, with a few more hours of being a skin scent. Aventus lasts longer and is way more consistent throughout.

The lighter quality of Cologne actually does translate to a worse performance in this case. None of the notes hang around on the skin, for an extended dry down period.

Edge: Aventus

Versatility

Aventus is pretty much a year round fragrance, except for the high heat of summer. To me, it is much better in spring or autumn.

Aventus Cologne, is better in the summer. It’s lighter and got a nice mandarin orange/ginger/mint freshness.

They can both be worn in a variety of situations. Cologne is more understated, while Aventus, is can play the dual role of daytime/nightlife scent. To me, the original still has a bit more use.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

Aventus Cologne is a nice fragrance. There are plenty of aspects of it, that I truly enjoy. I like how it starts off. I like its less smoky aroma.

The dry down is where the homage to the original, is really noticeable. The main drawback here, is that, it doesn’t really perform that well. It’s pretty much the same issue that Viking Cologne has versus Viking.

I know that, it is supposed to be a lighter fragrance, but for the price it doesn’t warrant such performance. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a terrible cologne, by any measure.

It just never fully surpasses the original or provides enough of a difference, to truly get excited about.

Aventus is a classic, at this point. I know what I’m getting. That’s why hundreds of fragrances try to copy Creed Aventus. I know what I like about it and what I don’t. In all of that, I still get a better overall experience and performance than the newer Aventus Cologne.

It’s not a bad effort by Creed, but doesn’t outdo its predecessor.

Winner: Aventus

Virgin Island Water by Creed

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Within the box of sample fragrances, I recently received (note: I’ve updated this page several times since), were several fragrances by Creed which I had yet to review on the site. One of them, is the popular unisex summer fragrance, Virgin Island Water. It was released in 2007.

This is a scent that screams time spent at the beach in some far flung tropical paradise. But, how does it perform? What does it smell like exactly? Is it actually worth the price of admission? Please continue reading below for my full take on Virgin Island Water, after wearing it.

What Does Creed Virgin Island Water Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lime, rum, sugar cane, coconut, ylang-ylang, and ginger

Click here to try: Creed Virgin Island Water by Creed for Unisex – 4 oz Millesime Spray

My Full Wear Review

Upon getting my sample of Virgin Island Water, I immediately wanted to do a side by side comparison with Set Sail St. Bart’s, due to the similarities with these fragrances. I have tried both fragrances before but never had them together at the same time.

Virgin Island Water opens up with the lime and bergamot notes taking center stage, whereas the Tommy Bahama cologne is almost exclusively lime.

The opening is where the two scents are the most similar. I like Virgin Island Water better, as I feel the lime is less in your face, and tempered by the other citrus note and the coconut hanging around in the background.

It’s really the lime note that allows St. Barts to temporarily pass as a super cheapie VIW clone of sorts. The two scents also each have an alcohol note (tequila in St. Barts), which gives them another similar feel, but the quality difference is noticeable to yourself when wearing.

Anyways, the bergamot used in Virgin Island Water reminds me of it’s fellow Creed scent, Aventus. It really does blend well with the lime to create a beautiful citrus fusion.

After about 10-15 minutes of wear the creamy coconut takes over as the top dog in this scent and VIW starts to feel more like a suntan lotion.

It’s really like a sensory experience type of fragrance, it’s like being in the Caribbean on a beach with a drink in hand and a delicious smelling lotion covering your skin.

There are hints of jasmine and hibiscus, throughout the wear, but the floral notes are never out in full force. During the final dry down, it’s like a coconut rum lotion with some musk added in.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, it’s okay. It’s not a super strong scent but you’ll know it’s there for the first few hours. With these notes, I’m kind of glad it’s not a complete beast, as it’d probably too much.

It’s longevity is kind of meh, too. I’d say somewhere in the 4-6 hour range is what you can expect to get out of Virgin Island Water.

I get that this is a warm weather scent with some limited use cases versus others in the line, but that performance is pretty darn bad. It can make it difficult to justify paying full price for VIW, even if you completely love it.

When should this scent be worn? Summer. That’s about it. It’s a very good warm/hot weather scent, which is a bit rarer, so I think that it serves this niche well. Also, it is a unisex fragrance, and honestly doesn’t seem to lean towards one end or the other.

It’s a very balanced scent. I’d also say that this is a casual type of scent, I don’t think I’d be wearing it for any ‘serious’ functions or even a date. But, an outdoor party or beachy nightlife spot? Sure, I’d go for that.

VIW is mostly something to wear during the daytime to be refreshed and conjure up those memories of the island life.

Overall Impression of Virgin Island Water

Overall, is Virgin Island Water worth a purchase? I like the way it smells, but I don’t know that I like it for the price that Creed fetches. It’s honestly not one of my favorite Creed fragrances, but it is good.

The lime and rum are particularly likeable for me. The coconut is good, but it’s not my favorite aspect, especially how it plays off of the floral notes. Not bad or anything, just not the greatest either.

So, I wouldn’t tell anyone else to not buy it. Some folks love it, but it has never particularly struck me as a ‘great’ perfume. Plus, not much in terms of being a high performance scent.

Personally, Set Sail St. Barts, while not exactly the same and not as high quality…is cheaper enough in price that I could substitute it. I have a full bottle of the Tommy Bahama cologne, so having VIW seems like overkill, especially since it’s so limited to one season of the year.

Update: I wouldn’t go for the Tommy Bahama option nowadays. I do now actually have a Dua Brand blend of this and Afternoon Swim by Louis Vuitton called, “Gone Swimming in Caribbean Waters”. That is much cheaper and better than just VIW on its own (they also have a cheaper alternative of that).

Plus, I’d wear this mostly while outdoors anyways, and with heat and perspiration, it’d be hard to tell the difference between the two.

Since this is a unisex fragrance, I would also recommend Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc, over this. It is more of a women’s perfume (floral notes), but is honestly better than VIW, to my nose.

Creed Viking vs. Viking Cologne

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Viking became a fairly popular release from Creed some years back. With its success, the brand naturally launched a flanker fragrance to this formula, called, Viking Cologne. Now, consumers have two options to choose from when they want to own a Viking scent. The question is, which fragrance is better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Viking vs Viking Cologne

Creed Viking

Notes include: rose, pink pepper, bergamot, peppermint, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli

Click here to try: Viking Eau de Parfum Spray for Men by Creed

Read my original Viking Review

Viking Cologne

Notes include: mandarin, lemon, bergamot, pink pepper, lavender, geranium, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, olibanum

Click here to try: Viking Cologne

Opening

Viking starts off with a bit of citrus up top. But, the peppermint, pink pepper, and sandalwood notes are all stronger. The citrus is just a bright blip in the mix.

It’s a mix of cool freshness and that warm peppery spice with woods. I love the crisp aroma of the peppermint, even as this settles into a fragrance with more balance.

Viking Cologne starts off with a strong pink pepper note, that is flanked by citrus notes. I mainly get lemon, but it’s being overshadowed by spice and some smokiness.

So, it’s mainly a fresh/smoky accord of the pink pepper, sage, and some of that incense wafting up from the base. After like 5 minutes, more of the citrus seems to finally break through on my skin. It’s like a lemon/orange blend.

This will transition into something with more of the sage, rosemary, lavender, and geranium. The citrus and pink pepper fade a good deal.

Which do I prefer? It’s actually a very close call for me. Cologne has plenty going on and I dig the blend and the emergence of the citrus.

But, between them, I’ll go with the original. The peppermint note really makes it for me. Plus, there is still overlap between these two, and I like the presentation of these notes by Viking more than Cologne.

Edge: Viking

Projection

I’ve always found the original Viking to have a very nice and steady ability to project. It was never a heavy fragrance that would bog down on you, but it’s got a nice reach and doesn’t just quite.

Early, Viking Cologne is similar. However, that will only last 30-60 minutes, before it begins its quick descent into skin scent territory. Nice start, light moderate for an hour or so longer, and skin scent for the back half.

Edge: Viking

Longevity

With the original Viking, I get somewhere in the 7-9 hour neighborhood each time that I wear it. The performance is actually good, not elite, but it gives you plenty.

With Viking Cologne, it’s around 4-5 hours. To be clear, hours 3-5 are basically a skin scent. It’s a pretty faint smell by that point, but still there.

This is an easy win for the original.

Edge: Viking

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are daily wear types of fragrances, that are clean, but not super formal. You can wear them casually, to work, etc. Neither is all that ‘sexy’ or a club beast.

But, outside of that they are very versatile. I like Viking better in cooler to moderate temperatures. Viking is lighter, so maybe it has a slight advantage in the heat. Even still, it’s not that much of a summertime cologne.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I like more?

In terms of the scents themselves, it’s a lot closer call than the categories might indicate.

Viking Cologne has a nice aroma. I like the smokiness, the freshness, and the citrus notes in the beginning. Also, that transition to the latter stages is also pleasing, especially wearing it outside on a mild day.

The performance of the cologne, is pretty bad. The longevity isn’t great and what power it has, doesn’t even make it far into that short run time.

Viking, I think, smells better. Beyond, just being a much better performer.

I like the balance of the notes. You get a floral middle, spiciness, freshness, and then woods in the dry down. There’s some smokiness and even a touch of sweetness, at times. All together, I am more impressed with the original versus what you get with Viking Cologne.

Cologne doesn’t live up to the lofty price tag, even if, it isn’t a bad smelling scent.

Winner: Viking

Himalaya by Creed

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Creed is a highly respected and world-renown fragrance designer. Personally, I like a lot of what they do and Millesime Imperial is one of my favorites for the summer months. However, I am not wild about all of this brand’s fragrances.

For instance, Himalaya wasn’t one that I was too enthusiastic about when I first tried it, many years ago and reviewed it for the site. Now, I am coming back to this page, trying it again to see if my opinion has changed. How does Himalaya smell? Is it any better this time around?

What does Creed Himalaya Smell Like?

creed himalaya

Notes include: sandalwood, musk, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, pepper, nutmeg, vetiver, tonka bean

My Full Wear Review

Just to be upfront from the start, I don’t like this scent at all. Some guys might, however, I think it’s quite poor. The opening is a bitter citric accord  (grapefruit, lemon, bergamot) mixed with sandalwood and ambergris.

I’ve tried this one multiple times, over the years, and still really don’t enjoy the opening act. Which is strange, because I usually love citrus. It must be the inclusion of musk and ambergris notes, which is bothering me. The musk, is particularly noticeable.

Update: I don’t hate the opening anymore, not pleasing to me, but it’s okay.

I had a hard time deciphering this scent, until I read the ingredients, and got a better sense of what I was smelling. There is this strange aroma of soft and bitter citrus with this almost metallic scent that hangs around.

Update: Once that grapefruit wears off, I get a brighter lemon note, with some of the nutmeg/pepper peaking through early. The musk feels substantial and it’s giving the citrus accord a very clean feeling.

While there are plenty of scents who’s opening I do not care that much for (see: Creed Aventus), these colognes tend to settle down into something more palatable or beautiful. Himalaya never does, in my opinion.

It’s a clean fragrance with soapy qualities to it but it really isn’t pleasant to me nor is it interesting. The woodsy and musk notes do emerge more in the dry down, though, it never quite takes off into something special.

Sandalwood with a dash of pepper, join the citrus top notes about 20-30 minutes in, and then really take over. I think the middle of the wear, is the best part, and still not too impressive. Yes, its clean and soapy, and the sandalwood note is very good.

The pepper and a slight nutmeg, give Himalaya a bit of a spice, for a period of time. However, that Creed ambergris and musk come in, and take the dry down a notch below of what it achieved in the middle.

Update: Nowadays, it strikes me as an old school cold/fresh/clean sort of scent. The sandalwood and musk give it the clean sort of barbershop vibe, but it never fully goes in that direction (at least by the more shaving cream lavender cologne standards).

Still has that soapiness and some spice among the wood and musk. The citrus hangs around, but I’m still definitely not in love with the top notes here and how they integrate in the composition.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

It’s sillage and longevity are both moderate to very good in my opinion. That is one bright spot, however, if you actually enjoy the scent itself, then I suppose that this would be a selling point for you.

I can get around 7-8 hours from this fragrance. While the sillage isn’t super powerful, it is quite noticeable, especially during the first 2-3 hours of the wear.

In terms of its versatility, Himalaya is best in the springtime and it can venture into the summer months, as well. For me, it felt too sharp wearing around in the cold of winter. I mean, it wasn’t terrible but it stood out too much.

This can be worn casually, at work, or more formal occasions. It is a well put together scent, like most of the other releases from this designer.

Overall Impressions of Himalaya

Overall, I cannot personally recommend this scent. It’s not completely offensive to me like something such as Oud Noir or Issey Nuit but it just isn’t a great cologne. Especially, at the price point Himalaya is sold at, I expect something better.

I know that I could buy 3 bottles of cheaper colognes, and make out much better, in the deal. In the end, it strikes me as a sandalwood/musk soapy, with a bitter semi-metallic opening act.

Creed has much better options than this, but some people still dig Himalaya. I’m just not one of them.

Update: I’m still not a massive fan, but I have come to enjoy this Creed a bit more. I don’t want a full bottle and it’s still one of their ‘mid-tier’ offerings, to me. The citrus is meh. The rest of it past the opening 30 minutes or so is fairly enjoyable.

Nothing amazing, a classic clean cologne with some soapy vibes. It’s worth checking out, as others will appreciate this style much more than me. Too expensive for what you’re getting in return, unless you really love it.