Delphinus Creed 2024

First proper sampling of one of Creed’s newest releases, Delphinus, since I first smelled it in-store several months ago, it being my favorite vs. its companion release, Centaurus. Delphinus is, to me, an orris-led blend colored by incense, vanilla, and pepper, primarily, with an additional mélange of resinous/powdery/earthy notes of patchouli, almond, leather, and tonka. It balances boldness and subtlety, offering a little bit of the powder and creaminess orris but coupling it with a spicy, resinous, sweet ensemble that seems to be at the intersection of a few concepts, yielding a new idea that, while not a wild departure in its own right, does not remind me specifically of any one perfume. I find it to be smooth, easygoing, and classy, a reasonable statement in a formal occasion in cool weather, and a much louder statement at the beach in the summer. Evolution-wise, it begins with a bit more of a spices-and-orris vibe and gives way to the vanilla gradually over time, but the blend remains fairly consistent over the course of some hours.

Delphinus now appears to be sold via the Creed website and in Creed boutiques as well as its standard retailers, including department stores like Neiman Marcus. Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle to enjoying this fragrance and this house is its retail pricing, which continues to increase steadily, currently $545/400 for 100/50ml for this new release. Discounters like FragranceBuy.CA already offer it at more modest $309 for 100ml, however.

Overall, though, this is an outstanding release to me, one of Creed’s very best in a number of years to the point that I do not have an immediate comparison in mind as far as quality and just how much it stands out to me in a positive way.

8 out of 10

Legend tells that the Greek god Poseidon wanted to marry Amphitrite, a beautiful Nereid who, however, wanted to remain unmarried and escaped to the Atlas Mountains.
The god sent a number of seekers, including a certain Dolphin, who came across her by mistake and was able to convince her to accept Poseidon's courting.
In gratefulness, the god placed the image of a dolphin among the stars.
Delphinus is a fragrance that has rightly been called a ‘floriental’.
It appears dark, misty and deep, opening with important notes that vanish before the majesty of a slightly dusty iris but above all the sensuality of orchid, giving us an incredibly captivating, warm and enveloping creation that I really liked.
‘Neptune with Amphitrite’ painted by Poussin.

So, I was a little hesitant about this one based on a couple of elements I heard in some reviews:

a) It has Iris (I'm not an Iris fan)
b) It's unisex leaning feminine

I became a Creed fan and I still don't know why as I find many Creeds to be overrated or plain lackluster and yet I'm a Creed completionist. I really enjoyed Centaurus but it doesn't feel like a Creed, it's something very different from anything I tried from the house which is good but strange. Delphinus is similar to that, it goes on a different direction and that feels out of place, like not a real Creed but you're glad to get a Creed that performs on different occasions.

I get why they say Delphinus is unisex or even feminine, it's soft, smooth and bit more delicate than your average men scents. I get mainly vanilla and amber and instead of Iris I get Orris (which slightly earthier and not as feminine to me) but there also is some smokiness that gives it a little more masculinity. In the end Delphinus is a very nice fragrance that can be equally worn by men and women, with very solid performance and will certainly turn some heads just not worth the retail price.

This is a mid tier tonka leather scent. The almond opens loud and rounds off all the other notes in a very clean way. The combination of the leather and tonka is unique. It doesn’t smell like a wearable fragrance and can easily be mistaken for air freshener or room spray. It’s very light and delicate on the dry down. The fragrance seems chaotic and lacks direction.

Delphinus is an incredible fragrance from Creed. First, in the interest of full disclosure, I am a card-carrying member of "The Creed Breed". I love most of Creed's fragrances. Millesime Imperial was my first Creed purchase and remains one of my top 5 favorites. I delayed purchasing Delphinus last year and opted for it's release partner Centaurus first. I love that too, but I'll save my comments for another review. I pulled the trigger of the Delphinus purchase a few weeks ago, and WOW!!! This juice is FAN-FREAKIN-TASIC!!! Like Centaurus it's an amber based offering, but while the former is very spicy and smoky, Delphinus is smooth and smoldering. It is definitely unisex but not as feminine leaning to my nose as I've heard some say. In the opening you get a fruity, spicy heavy dose of incense that fades quickly. The opening could be overwhelming if it lasted longer but it gives way to it's sweeter, more gourmand leaning character. I really like this stuff, no, I love this stuff. It's got excellent sillage, and pretty good longevity as well. My first wearing, I got 6 yes 6 compliments and all from strangers. All that said, this stuff is more expensive than it needs to be so don't pay retail, and don't blind buy. Get a sample, get a spray, get a sniff...you'll buy it.