Baie de Genièvre (1982)
by Creed

I had forgotten how "barbershoppy" the opening is on this one, with moderately sweet but very sharp spices (and unfortunately the alcohol really smells strong in this one). It's got a little lemon and lavender, but it's mostly bold cinnamon and nutmeg, with the bright herbal note of the juniper cutting through it. I'm not sure if they've added just a trace of vanilla, but something that's in here right from the very top notes acts as a slightly sweet, smoothing influence over the spices, keeping them in check. It's very dusty in spite of how resinously sweet it is, and gets more medicinal as the base wears on. The base is frankly disappointing compared to the great top notes. I can see why people place this on the spectrum between Epicea and BdP...I'd say this is more convincingly woody than the super-weak former, but doesn't get as heavy into florals as the latter. What bothers me is that there is a plastic-ness to it all, almost like slightly burnt insulation; I'm sure incense fans would just say it's incense, but it doesn't quite sit right with me because it's unpleasantly smoky and burnt. Arguably reminiscent of a roaring fireplace perhaps.

4th November, 2011.

For those who love the House of Creed, but dislike the current and somewhat formulaic trend of a lot of the Millesimes (codeword 'fresh'), this fragrance should do wonders! Indeed, Baie de Genievre is firmly entrenched in the 'old Creed' period, if we might term it as such. And as a result, it is composed in the somewhat astringently eccentric style of the older Creeds, aka the Eau de Toilette range. Whenever I try to describe this fragrance to someone, I often say that it is a cross between its predecessor Epicea and its successor Bois du Portugal, in that all three share a similarly distinct woody and spicy character. However, Baie de Genievre differs from Epicea in that it lacks the overarching pine note of Epicea. It is similar to Epicea by way of its use of spices (clove in particular), and the coniferously-tinged aroma of the titular juniper berry found within also makes it similar to Epicea's pine-dominant aroma. It is similar to Bois du Portugal because of its Old World masculine qualities and strong personality, though it is different because I find Baie de Genievre to exhibit more of a sweetness and a slightly more 'earthy' quality than BdP. I wholeheartedly agree with others on here who say that Baie de Genievre is one of the most underrated Creeds. Its spicy and somewhat barbershop-esque character speak volumes to those who afford it the time, and provide a somewhat nostalgic retreat to an era long past. Very different from the modern Millesimes, but much more rewarding than them in many aspects (as Acier Aluminium, Epicea, Vetiver, and company are).

30th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 5th June, 2011.)

Baie de Genièvre Feuilles de Canneliers

Top: Bergamot, cinnamon leaves
Mid: Clove, juniper berry
Base: Vetiver, ambergris

I think of this as an upper class Italian barbershop type scent. It opens with a great blast of juniper combined with lemon and of course, cinnamon; the citrus note is present throughout. The eventual drydown is upon a rich, wet vetiver and some soapy note that gives it its barbershop quality. A lot of people think it to be a cold weather scent. As someone who lives where it's basically 65*F all year round, I think it works quite well when it's warm, even hot, out.

This is truely one of my favorite Creeds and is shamefully underrated, especially among its rather pedestrian bretheren.

29th May, 2011.

I like this barbershopesque fragrance for out of doors in the chilly, breezy Pacific Northwest on a sunny day. The refreshing juniper berry and cinnamon blend well with this environment. The fragrance starts out quite strong but after 10-20 minutes depending on temperature, it has died down enough to be just right and remains that way for several hours. To my nose, the fragrance is quite linear which is one reason why I chose it. I give it a thumbs up in a retro sort of way.

In this part of the country, it is easily a 9-10 month of the year fragrance, avoiding late July, August, and September when the weather finally heats up and dries out. If one lives essentially in doors, I'd use BdG during the coldest 6 months of the year.

17th April, 2011.

Good, but not outstanding.
To me, this scent plays it a bit too safe. I keep wanting it to be more daring and assertive... it fails to do that.
The scent starts with an aromatic note that is just the tiniest bit coniferous and medicinal. I think the juniper could be so much more interesting and developed. What I smell of it, I like... but I want more. There are hints of a tonic, sprightly note full of energy. But that quickly is subsumed beneath the Creed style (rich, languid, a touch of sweetness and fairly dense). Cinnamon leaf adds a spicy note. The dry-down is a cedarwood note with a hint of vetiver. Don't overapply.
To reiterate: this is a good scent. However, it doesn't wow me.

21st February, 2011.

Scents like this are the reason I hold the House of Creed in high esteem, despite their ennervatingly faux history. Baie de Genièvre Feuilles de Canneliers is not as complex as its long full name suggests, but indeed, basically juniper and cinnamon moderately embellished and providing a perfect marriage of nature and culture. In fact, this fragance is the perfect choice for chopping wood in front of your log cabin - dressed in a bespoke tuxedo. But fear not, it also works as a classic barbershop scent, though the quality and the composition take it far beyond run-of-the-mill products of this kind. Impeccable and unique, it conveys a message of style and gentility with no haughtiness or pretension. For once I would thus suggest to proceed with ungentlemanly haste to procure this elixier, before it follows Vintage Tabarôme and so many others in becoming a ghost of fragrance past.

21st February, 2011.