Aberdeen Lavender 
Creed (2014)

It's such a strange mix but really fascinating to wear. Like most of Creeds fragrances, they almost always start with a soundcheck before the orchestra stars playing in harmonious.

First spritz of this is literally feces, morning breath and some kind of meat boiling with rosemary, artemisia and cloves. Then some sort of kaleidoscope action starts to happen; first turn: the shards fall to form a dandy-ish barbershop fragrance, and letting out pleasing wiffs of sweet dried lavender and lemon zest.

Second turn: the vetiver and leather makes a dirty accord. I don't detect civet, or anything animalic, but an accord that roughens and complicates the rest of the fragrance and gives it inner strength. If you found yourself liking this, i think you can use it virtually any time, any place. A refreshing after-shower pick-me-up.

Aberdeen Lavender (2014) tends to be overlooked as part of the Acqua Originale line, a sort of niche line within the main Creed brand roster, as it tends to focus on note explorations rather than scents which target six-figure spenders looking for an elite take on the latest mass-appeal vibe. Instead, we get an assortment themed on Olivier's travels but really just perfumes built around embelling one or two accords, with in this case means lavender. What really surprised me about Aberdeen Lavender is it presents itself as a straightforward lavender treatment only in the opening, then melts into a creamy upscale barbershop fougère accord which is something Creed actually lacks in their otherwise-robust lineup, and is shockingly artistic just like Vetiver Geranium (2014) from the same line. This style is continuously done to death and I've felt rather ambivalent to unimpressed from some higher-end styles like the later Boy Chanel (2016), but Aberdeen Lavender brings that uncanny "supernatural sense of naturalness" Creed is known for to the genre, with excellent note separation despite the blending. This won't appeal to guys who hate the traditional styles and gravitate more towards modern compliment-getters slathered with ambrox or aquatic accords, but Creed has plenty of that already even outside their breakout Aventus (2010) if you have the coin for it.

Aberdeen Lavender opens with artemisia, lemon, bergamot, and rosemary carrying aloft a noticeable sweet French lavender. Right away comparisons to Caron Pour Un Homme (1934) can be made, but unlike the cynical Tom Ford Lavender Extrême (2019), this doesn't try to reinvent the wheel at an exponentially higher price point, but does something all its own instead. The lavender heart is joined by muguet, rose, and tuberose for a bit of a white floral cleanliness with just a touch of sensuality, flirting with the dominance of lavender just a bit before submerging in a musky patchouli oakmoss base with the prerequisite tonka blended in without making the fougère accord feel plodding. Vanilla and vetiver form a rare synergy of creamy green, and the whole thing blurs into the closest rendition of a niche luxury iteration of Dana Canoe (1936) we'll likely see. Supposedly a leather note exists in the base, but I don't get one myself. Performance is near-powerhouse with this one so be careful, especially as the rich base can become quite cloying with overzealous use, and the stuff lasts all day. Aberdeen Lavender is otherwise as general a wear as any traditional lavender fougère, suitable for formal or casual use in all seasons but the hottest, and great for use as a day scent after wet shaving. This is listed as unisex, but I see mostly guys gravitating towards Aberdeen Lavender.

There are scents like 1725 Casanova by Histoires de Parfums (2001), Parfums MDCI Invasion Barbare/SB (2006), or Penhaligon's Sartorial (2010) which came before this in the same field, but they all use a gimmick note or theme to suspend disbelief, while Aberdeen Lavender doesn't even try selling itself as a barbershop fragrance, it just is. The unassuming and humble demeanor combined with quality ingredients and an impeccable execution from Julien Rasquinet make Aberdeen Lavender another example of what this house could be if they just relied on their abilities rather than bombarding us with pedigrees, rewritten histories, socioeconomic ego stroking, and claims of purely natural ingredients. Creed without the puffery or demographic-driven composition style is the best Creed, and honestly something we haven't seen since they retired their eau de toilette lines, many of which were made before they started their revisionist history crap. Even if Aberdeen Lavender is still no replacement for a bottle of Creed Acier Aluminium (1973), it's a step back into the same direction, and done with much less pretense than the main line. Test first and look for deals, Aberdeen Lavender might just become your new go-to for fans of the old Pinaud vibe looking for something with more sophistication and performance. Thumbs up.

Aberdeen Lavender (sometimes spelled "Lavander", depending on your bottle) is yet another well-made fragrance from the house of Creed.

This is an aromatic oriental scent, with fresh spicy and floral elements as well. It smells vaguely similar to Guerlain's Shalimar perfume.

AL is full of lush lily and tuberose floral notes, playing against the surprisingly mild lavender. Slight menthol notes are discernible in the artemisia (absinthe) and tuberose, along with a smooth rose note; all of these reinforce elements of the mild lavender. Base has a light supple leather trail amidst the pleasant patchouli and vetiver.

Very nice scent that can be worn on higher temperature days. It seems wearable for both sexes, though men may want to see if the floral components suit them.

Picked up a tester for $129 and was well worth it since my sample vial was nearly empty. I don't really smell lavender. It has a similar vibe to Tom Ford Noir EDP for men with less of a cocoa note.

This one lasts about 10 hours and projects quite well for the first 5 hours. It's not worth the retail price (what Creed is?), but very much worth $130

Don't buy without testing first. It's not for everyone and is very unisex.