Smunitz

As with many Creeds, if the name says Royal Oud, you probably guessed, the oud will not be the primary note :)
This fragrance is best described as Spice and Woods (only that name is already taken by another Creed fragrance!!!).
Two major notes will be pink pepper and cedar (which most clones copy rather well) but the background notes are just as important. Lemon will be noticeable at the opening but as secondary note. The oud will provide an impression of smoky/tobacco note (not just medicinal note like in Tom Ford's Oud Wood). The angelica and galbanum will add dry green impression and a little of spice too (in addition to pink pepper). Musk and sandalwood will be noticeable from the mid and down. It is a beautiful composition, in my opinion, created as a more likable combination of Bois du Portugal and Tabarome for men under 60 :) Unlike those two, Royal Oud will get you compliments and will also perform rather well (solid 6-8 hours with average projection). As many of you, I was not that impressed at first but the more I wore it the more I liked it: to the point that I think now that this is probably among better top 3 Creeds for me.
Very versatile and easy to wear scent for any occasion (perhaps not for hot summer days). Take your time with this one, as it is one of more unique and true niche quality Creeds, do not dismiss it easily, you will regret it later as did I :)

Viking has been eclipsed by Aventus somewhat, true! Creeds cost exorbitant amount of money, true too! Now that we got that off our chest, let's see what the fragrance really is!!! :)
I believe this is actually one of the better Creeds, certainly in the same league with Aventus and Green Irish Tweed. It is very original (specifically the use of combined mint and rose in men's fragrance is daring), well made and has great performance (not all Creeds do). It smells expensive (for this money it'd better!!), very versatile (can use all four seasons, except for really hot summer days unless indoors or in office) and in general not offensive to anybody. Could easily be used as signature scent. Has modern touch to it (it is not your Bois du Portugal, which I also love, by the way) but at the same time has traditional cologne base (vetiver, patchouli, lavendin, citruses). The use of rose in this one reminds me of Royal Mayfair a little, deep and masculine, so I can see this as a modern take on men's rose based scent. It might not garner you as many compliments as Aventus (true too) but if you ask people what they prefer, you'll be surprised that close amount will find Viking almost as nice as Aventus.
Solid fragrance release from Creed, definitely test it. As with many Creeds, it will take several wearings to truly appreciate it and will grow on you!

PS Love the opening here: mint, deep rose and pink pepper, gorgeous!!! The dry-down is the trickiest part: the note of Lavandin Absolute was used and while this is a variation of lavender, it's different and together with woods and remaining peppers creates an impression of Old Spice scent. It develops differently on skin, so try on yours to decide.

The name IMO should have been Enchanted Garden as this fruity, green, floral, spicy-woody and slightly resinous mix really reminds me of my grandma's beautiful garden in the bloom. The front runner is the black currant plant (you could say this scent does the same to black currant plant as Philosykos to fig tree). Second, the blend is impeccable and the black currant plant theme starts dying deep in the dry down. Longevity and projection are average, not a beast nor a slouch. It reminds me a bit of Bleecker Street by Bond N9 (another berry-fruity green scent) and a bit of Green Valley by Creed (as it is going for similar imagery though the notes are different). The bottle is gorgeous!!! This scent is a true art but still rather wearable, which is a plus. Overall, I was mesmerized by the scent the first time I smelled it and I knew I had to get a bottle. Once again, this is a purchase when you have 10-15 niche fragrances in your collection since this is for a seasoned nose. Versatility is the only weakness here: this is to me a casual scent for spring-summer. If you like fruity-green scents, this is a safe blind buy. Otherwise, test it. Chances are you will be buying a bottle since this scent is like no other!

Yes, it resembles the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue and to a lesser extent Fierce (imagine 70% - 30% mix). Obviously, it is an unfair comparison: the above two frags are designer while Paolo is working with a different budget. Very Italian, citrus-floral-aromatic-slightly woody with a pinch of ozonic and slightly airy salty accord. High quality, no chemical overload here, very natural smelling. Not very original, due to the above resemblance but very nice, easy to wear, likable scent. Great performance, unlike current formulations of the two above. So if you like D&G Light Blue and Fierce, blind buy safe. If not, you still might like this but try first.This also reminds me of Percival but I strongly prefer Foconero to the above, really. :)