Millésime 1849
Creed (2012)

1849 opens with a bright, slightly lush and sweet citrusy bergamot note which gives way to a powdery ylang ylang heart notes. However this powdery accord has an interesting indolic and camphoraceous vibe which prevents it from turning into "baby powder" galore. The qualify of materials is good - the cedar is of the refreshing minty-earthy camphor kind, not pencil shavings, and the indolic floral "mature" jasmine note and the earthy patchouli combine with the powdery ylang ylang to create the highlight of the fragrance. The woody-musky base closes things off with more traditional flair.

More Bridgerton than Downton Abbey.

The opening blast highlights galbanum and cedar, very much reminiscent of Royal Oud. As it settles down, the Ylang comes into play and dominates the scent with cedar as a backdrop. A bit powdery, sweet, and floral. It transitions to a standout sandalwood accord in the base, reminiscent of Bois du Portugal.

Overall, my two favorite parts of this fragrance are the opening and the dry-down. I love both, but I can get them elsewhere. The mid is nice, but leans a bit feminine and doesn't quite move me.

Yes- this is much higher in quality & originality than most other Creed perfumes.

NO- there has been no practical use for the scent of Millesime 1849 for at least a couple centuries...neither for men nor women.

It smells the way I'd imagine a British judge's powdered wig to smell.

To be needfully redundant- this isn't a perfume that can be worn on the skin of a modern human living a contemporary life. If you spray yourself with it, you will feel out of place, and be treated like an obscene novelty, and potentially ostracized...unless the only time you leave the house is to attend bizarre & obscure Renaissance balls.

It is similar in nature to Royal Oud with the addition of floral notes. The opening starts off strong with the presence of ylang ylang with some bergamot to help brighten the scent. The opening as well as the heart are heavily dominated by florals which makes the scent skew unisex. The jasmine will become very prominent at the heart with the ylang ylang still holding on. The base is dominated by wood notes that features cedar, sandalwood and agarwood a combination seen in Royal Oud. The drydown is a little bit sweeter provided by a minimal amount of vanilla present at the base. The florals can subdued at this point but still can be detected in the drydown. Millesime 1849 would be ideal for fall (or spring) weather as it can be overbearing in very warm weather and not strong enough for very cold weather. This is better suited for formal occasions as it does have elegance to it. While the scent has a bit of elegance, it's something that could get rather cloying after sometime. Personally, I didn't enjoy smelling this on myself and it became increasingly unpleasant as time passed. The limited edition and exclusivity initially made me think that this would be to my liking but it ended up not being the case. I'd rather smell this on a woman than on myself. Despite this, I'm glad I had the opportunity to sample this Creed.

Ylang-ylang is the make it or break it note in Creed's Millésime 1849: It has a characteristic powdery, banana-like and jasmine odor that some may find off-putting.

Millésime 1849 is a woody-aromatic unisex scent. Patchouli, with its sweet, dark, woody edge, is quite discernible, along with the exotic jasmine flower. A mix of quality woods emerge, namely cedar, sandal and agar (oud), adding their starchy, dry traits. A touch of vanilla adds support to the other notes, as does the musk.

The result: A clean, bright fragrance that stays linearly predictable and moderately projecting. It's great for warm weather wear, and given its laid-back nature, may be worn in most any occasion by men or ladies alike.

Millésime 1849 isn't for everyone, but any serious fragrance aficionado should check it out.

Millesime 1849 has a good reputation, and as a white floral-dominant fragrance, it's bright and pleasant and probably has some unisex appeal, despite perhaps being more traditionally feminine. The bergamot gives it a strong opening but most of my experience of this is dominated by the ylang ylang heart. I hardly get any of the woody base, even after multiple hours on skin. In that respect, it's tough for me to imagine pulling this off on its own, though some to use this as a blend with other fragrances.

As a sweet white floral with some woody undertones, I liken Millesime 1849 to Tom Ford Shanghai Lily, though Millesime 1849 is a little less sweet. Millesime 1849 rings a little more sophisticated by Shanghai Lily is a little more accessible.

Certainly an interesting scent and something that one might ponder layering with, this isn't something I would wear beyond testing. Even if the opening is a little too floral for my taste, that it dries down so floral is a bit of a turnoff and it's a bit too feminine on my skin. Still, a nice exclusive Creed entry (and an expensive one, at $390 for 75ml) and a welcome try if it sounds good.

7 out of 10