475 Viviking

Creed Viking is built on a busy, well-balanced pyramid - citrus and absinthe up top, a floral-spicy heart of lavender, rose and clove, settling into vetiver, cedar and tonka - and No.475 uses essentially the same note list. That is unusual for a budget dupe and it shows in how recognisable the fragrance's shape is compared to the original from the first spray. The gap is in execution rather than notes: Creed's version has a rounder, more expensive-smelling blend where each note melts into the next, while this interpretation feels a touch more separated, with the citrus and spice sitting slightly apart from the woody base. Performance is moderate rather than the long-lasting sillage Viking is known for, fading to a soft woody-musk skin scent within four to five hours. Still, for anyone who wants to try the aromatic-spicy-woody genre that Viking popularised without the niche price tag, this is one of the more faithful notes-based dupes in the range.