Neroli Sauvage Creed 1994

Creed NEROLI SAUVAGE is a cheerful, clean and refreshing aromatic which would be great for the hot summer just around the bend!

Neither very wild, nor very neroli, however, NEROLI SAUVAGE opens with a bright burst of bergamot tempered with a bit of grapefruit. The drydown is very smooth and lightly floral with low sillage and, as advertised, suitable for gents and dames, guys and dolls, lads and lassies. Hermaphrodites and transvestites, too!

From the name one might have expected--I certainly did--a heavier presentation of neroli. Not so. I actually found the opening neroli of FANTASIA to be much more pronounced than that of NEROLI SAUVAGE!

Quibbles over the name aside, I find NEROLI SAUVAGE to be a pleasant, entirely enjoyable and wearable aromatic floral. Unfortunately, the beauty is rather shortlived.

I recently received a 250 ml fluid. When I brought it to my nose, I smelled lemon, zest, grapefruit and a little orange blossom. It smells very, I would even say too much, citrus, and at some point it even seemed to me that a candy had surfaced there again, but this time it was bitter. Maybe I exaggerated, but I still didn't really like it. When I applied it to my hand, I smelled lemon, bergamot, a little grapefruit and neroli. The citrusiness subsided, but still remained dominant in the composition, but now florality has been added. The middle reveals orange blossom. The aroma becomes less citrusy, but more fresh, tart and a little sweet. At the end it starts to smell like ambergris. The aroma becomes smoky, with floral notes and subtle citrus.

Starts off with a two minute lemon explosion, dry and refreshing. After that it turns to the EXACT combination of Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino Acqua and Clean for Men (the original one, not the abomination called “Classic”). Powdery neroli and citrus. This is not at all a bad scent, it is fresh and summery, perfect for a walk down the Croisette in Cannes. A tad flowery and feminine for other locations and times of year. Imaginative and groundbreaking it is not, many similar options are out there.

Only 7.1 popularity points in this forum. That was one reason why I didn't consider Neroli Sauvage for a long time. After all, I was looking for a citrus fragrance. But I also didn't know that it was a citrus fragrance. Just call the stuff "Orange Sauvage," then everyone knows what's going on.

Neroli. Ever since I tested and spilled the Spanish Nenuco baby scent, I haven't liked neroli anymore. On its own, orange blossom can be quite overwhelming. And then there are my constant associations with 4711, Echt Kölnisch Wasser. No, let's skip that.

But where should I find my citrus fragrance?
Eau Sauvage isn't what it used to be, Blenheim Bouquet isn't either, Royal Water could come from Mylady's boudoir, Pure White Cologne isn't for everyday use, and if it weren't for the caraway in Selection Verte... well, if only. But the caraway is there. Fragrances like Loewe pour Homme or Acqua di Parma's Colonia are technically citrus fragrances, but they lack the refreshing quality.

Somehow, I eventually figured out that Neroli Sauvage is a citrus fragrance (reading comments is educational). It would be a pleasure, at least visually, if another one were to join my previous Creeds. So I went for it. Blind. It was a good deal. And you can always sell it later.

And how delighted I was when a beautiful citrus fragrance poured out of the bottle. I say "citrus fragrance" because orange is a citrus fruit. Actually, it's an orange scent. Everything here comes from the orange. Juice, zest, leaves, and blossoms. Wonderful and subtly balanced. Refreshing and elegant at the same time. Then warm and softly fading away.

The scent reminds me of the widely popular (well, not just) Aventus. Just without pineapple, without tar, and without musk. But the fruitiness with the gentle, elegant finish comes very close to Aventus. Perhaps an ancestor?

In my opinion, the longevity is impeccable. You can spray it on generously. One might almost say: "The more, the better."

As for the price, you really have to be quite indifferent to splurge on the bottle. I agree with the critics on that. But I don't agree when they say: "You can get something like this for much less money from other manufacturers." Maybe something similar. But this one is really very good.

Like father, like son ...

To get straight to the point, one must have a certain insensitivity to spend more than 150 euros on a supposedly fleeting citrus scent, especially one that doesn't seem to be among the highlights of the Creed brand...

But that's not entirely true. The fragrance is unique in many ways; a comparable lemony and slightly spicy aroma that lasts more than 5 hours is definitely noteworthy and not easily found elsewhere. One must not overlook the slight old-school character; such scents are becoming increasingly rare. A truly beautiful men's fragrance - no, I certainly can't imagine it on a woman - that brings enough strength for all seasons except winter. However, in terms of sillage, it is not top-notch, which is not surprising for a citrus scent (except for the first 30 minutes). Who can wear it? For everyone aged 25 and up; it shouldn't be for anyone younger, rather older.

How do I come to the title? Goethe's poem describes a strong longing for Italy, which was significant for that time, and the first two lines reflect this Creed scent excellently.
You can smell this "green," a lemony, mild yet spicy freshness from various citrus peels and the leaves of orange groves. One might compare Néroli Sauvage with Eau d'Orange Verte from Hermès, but Creed has implemented the orangey theme in a "wilder" way and given it more strength through the Eau de Parfum concentration. If you press oranges, grapefruits, mandarins, and lemons along with their peels and leaves and add a few spicy woods, you get Néroli Sauvage; if you leave everything out except for oranges and leaves and dilute it 1:10, you get the Cologne from Hermès. If you only take the peels of all citrus fruits and rub the oil directly on the skin, you end up with Creed's Zeste Mandarine-Pamplemousse with bitter undertones. So much for a brief comparison. There are also similarities to Colonia by Acqua di Parma.

What remains of this scent? The impression that you are standing in the middle of an orange grove after a summer rain, underscored by a slightly spicy, smoky wood. It is very harmonious and finely balanced: initially very fresh and lemony (fruits and peels), then greener (wet leaves), and the base is unmistakably Creed with very pleasant mild, woody tones that are only perceptible very close to the skin. Whether one spends that much money on this combination is up to each individual, but this scent certainly belongs to the underestimated fragrances of the brand. All in all, one cannot expect more from a summer scent; no, that would be unfair, it often exceeds the expectations one typically has of a summer fragrance; this one has substance.

PS: The above example photo is outdated; I submitted a new one showing how the bottle and packaging currently look, see below!