Reviews of Millésime Impérial (1995)
by Creed

Beautiful is the word that describes this. From the first spray to the heavenly drydown. Great stuff. I'll just echo what others have said in that it doesn't last long. It is similar to SWM to me but SMW has more longevity. This is lighter and overall a better scent in my book though. I get a little bit of melon with this in the middle.

This is one of only two aquatic/marine scents that I own (the other being Creed's Erolfa), as I tend to favour darker, dry, spicy, woody scents, but I do not have any regrets about picking up Millesime Imperial. It really is in a class of its own, which can be said of all Creed fragrances. This one is no different...another winner from Creed (surprise surprise)! It is a welcome break from all of my heavier fragrances, and is an absolute joy to wear for any occasion, casual or formal. The opening notes of melon and sea salt (or whatever it is; Creed bills it as a 'marine note') are addictive! Just ask any person who has smelled this fragrance...I do not know what it is, but the first few minutes when the fragrance commences are just so edible and delicious! Quickly though, the top notes fade and the heart reveals a combination of lemon, bergamot, green mandarin, and Florentine iris, in a delightful citrus accord. The base is "tropical forest notes" juxtaposed with the standard Millesime ambergris/musk base. I am not sure exactly what Creed means by tropical forest notes, but there is definitely a woody character in the base. In short, it is a masterful aquatic fragrance and the quality alone is far above and beyond the plethora of mass-market synthetic designer aquatics like Bvlgari, and Acqua di Gio (please, let us not even go there). I will mention that wretched Unforgivable cologne that has been out for a couple of years, and yes, some people you pass on the street who are not perfume connoisseurs might think that your Imperial is the cheap Unforgiveable, but you in your heart will know that it is the supreme aquatic, Millesime Imperial! It is a Creed, so as always, wear it with pride and distinction!

THE KING of citrus scents. Cheers me up whenever I wear it. Longevity does kinda suck, but it's SO NICE while it's there. I have to bathe in this whenever I want to get any sillage/projection. Only problem with this is its copy cat, Unforgivable. Whenever somebody compliments me on this they always think it's Unforgivable. Meh, as long as I enjoy the scent right?

I used to wear this all the time on hot summer nights when I was going out. Females used to love it. My sister even bought it for herself. It lasted a long time on my skin. I stopped using it though, when Sean Paul brought out Unforgiveable, as it smells pretty similar. I use Royal Water now when I need something refreshing.

I bought this as a summer cologne. What drew me to it was the green/sweet components which other people have noted. This is a great scent and, on me, it's lasts a long time. Small luxuries like this is why I work!

I'm new to MI. In fact, I'm new to Creed fragrances in general. I've fallen in love with them though. They are intriguing to my nose and the complexity of the dry down I really like.
MI starts out very sweet to my nose (on my skin). It doesn't really start smelling more masculine till the dry down when I get a hint of some sandalwood and musk in the basenotes. But for the most part, this is definitely a unisex fragrance to my nose. I love it on my wife and she loves it on me...so it works out.

It is definitely refreshing to smell a fragrance that isn't bogged down in spice and woodsy, leathery smells that are atypical masculine fragrances. This is light, fruity, floral with a hint of the usual masculine scent. I would find it great for a spring or summer day outside...a couple sprays on the neck and one on the wrists and I have my wife hanging off of me for the rest of the day....

If you can pony up the cash for it, I recommend it as an alternative for most of the cliche, run of the mill aquatic fragrances that seem to be pushed out on the market. Its unique and many other fragrances have tried to copy its great scent. Like I said, I'm new to Creed, but I'm sure this is one of their best along with GIT and Silver Mountain.

9/10 Miss the longevity. But smells like heaven!

Creed’s website describes Millésime Impérial as “exotic wood and musk notes are enlivened with a refreshing marine note.” I find a dominant melon-aquatic accord, quite radiant and uplifting. Far more interesting than most aquatic scents. I used to complain about longevity with this one, but not anymore. I get many hours out of it. My one complaint would be that it seems to be fickle in how it presents itself. Sometimes it feels very rich, other times it seems lighter.

God I love this scent! It smells nice right from the start! The longevity is just good (but not outstanding) and for me it's the perfect spring/summer fragrance! It's fresh (or clean), while being bright and warm at the same time! The watermelon is what makes it so great for hot weather! I could wear this everday (unlike most other scents I got) and will probably even buy a big bottle!

An absolutely outstanding perfume!

8/10

Be warned for fake Creed fragrances being sold on Ebay, they look exactly like the real thing, but the smell ain't coming close!

One of the stars of the Creed line-up, and launched to the public in 1994 to celebrate Creed’s 140th anniversary as supplier to the Imperial Courts of Europe. This oft-imitated fragrance was one of my first exposures to this house and is a permanent fixture in my wardrobe.

Imperial opens with fresh notes of lemon and bergamot. Its in the middle notes where the magic happens. Imperial contains an unusual aquatic/marine note with a hint of "watermelon" or a "sweet note" which makes it incredibly irresistable. Maybe its the iris blending with the "marine accord". Or maybe its the musk. Or its Creed magic. Whatever it is, it draws people to this scent. The aquatic note is expertly blended here ..its not garish and plasticky like as in many haphazardly put together low budget chemical juices or even in other expensive niche fragrances where this note sticks out like an ugly child (Malle's En Passant is an example). The composition lands on the signature Creed ambergris-musk base. Another note: if you have a bottle of older juice, the drydown will be more rapid.

Imperial is very wearable, fanstastically crafted, works under all situations, often used as inspiration (Unforgivable, Wall Street), all with good longevity. And that gold plated bottle is a cracker (try to grab one fast - Creed is changing the packaging to clear glass). Creed do citrus and aquatics extremely well, and this is yet another example of it. Fantastic stuff.

Rating: 8.5/10

I love Creed Millésime Impérial. It's warm & romantic. It smells like "Bergamots & Florentine Iris' in a stone temple." I love the new bottle!

Am absolutely outstanding perfume! I don't see it as an unisex fragrance, but more as a masculine scent. Very clean, bright and warm, this highly elegant and sophisticated fragrance is a true masterpiece!

Hey I really like this juice! I wore it throughout the summer and give it a big thumbs up for warm weather. The watermelon is what makes it different. The warmer the climate the more the watermelon note shines. For people that have a problem with longevity just apply it to your undergarments.

This seems to behave quite differently depending on the weather. In hot humid weather it gives the wearer a beautiful warm, golden melony glow which garners awestruck compliments. Absolutely lovely.

In any other kind of weather it seems frail and somewheat dirty and has no longevity whatsoever. Strange.

But when it's on, it's right on. Gorgeous.

I have now smelled both Unforgivable and MI and believe that MI is slightly better, but I honestly believe that it is so slight that 99% of people would not have the slightest clue.

everybody can wear this stuff
very fresh ,sweet and citrusy.i like the bottle more than mi.its one of the oh you smell good frag ,should worn hot summer days

Millésime Imperial is sooo clean and fresh and it got this fruity middle note. One of the best scents ever (with SMW and GIT).

i'm gonna be simple. fantibulous!

Millesime Imperial was a strange progression for me: when I first wore it, I was suitably impressed but not overly so that I felt I had to buy it immediately.

One of the more important points in liking for perfume for me involves my wife. The chances of buying a perfume is directly proportional to her love of the fragrance. She really liked MI.

That was the first step, so to speak. The second, which pushed me over the edge, as they say, is time. It's been a few weeks now and MI has really grown on me. I really, really like this fragrance, one of the best aquatics I've ever smelled.

Incredibly good.

spectacular! out of all da creeds talked about the most,mi blows em all out of the water 4real. thats just my opinion of course. doesnt last that long on me though but thats ok i just have to buy mi more frequently as i apply more.

Millésime Impérial by Creed is by far the best aquatic cologne out on the market. All the notes are completely natural, so it does not smell synthetic in any way. Impérial is so smooth,rich, and complex that it is hard to compare it to any other cologne out on the market. I have over three dozen colognes, and whenever I am uncertain of what to wear for any occasion, I know I can count on Impérial to make an impression.

The first so-called aquatic (which is a category I suppose you could put MI into) that I could honestly enjoy.
Cheerful, uplifting, sporty even! Lighthearted yet sophisticated. For those hot sunny summer days of sipping champagne on the beach.

Just received my bottle of this. First let me say kudos to Basenotes. I have bought several items based on combing through the reviews of this community - and as a community, everyone does a great job. Now to the fragrance. I was extremely excited about the arrival of my golden bottle of MI. Once I put this on - I was not dissappointed. I applied three sprays then picked up my wife for dinner. She couldn't stop talking about it and asking me what I was wearing. Let's just say the evening went REALLY well.

This is a very fresh - yet strikingly masculine scent. Fruity and salty with an impeccable woodsy dry down.

It's marine, fruit and wood like no mass market frag could do. No wonder it was made for a king - that's how it will make you feel when you wear it.

The more I wear Creed selections, the farther away I get from buying over the counter mass market scents. This is a must have for any refined gentleman's collection!

This at the moment is my absolute favorite fragrance. I usually test a perfume for weeks before actually buying it. But for this, I purchased it immediately without hesitation. It reminds me of Buddist temples in the East..the burning of incense, the ripe fruit offerings for all the gods on the mantle...the surrounding lush trees and tropical flowers, the wood beams of the temple...I just love love love this one!

Smooth and refreshing.. Great scent for a night out or even for me I wear to work occasionaly.. My favorite Creed fragrance.. Great for summer and spring.. I cant get enough of this stuff

A very fine fragrance which doesn't mess about in its intentions. A clear strong and quite fine watermelon/aquatic/oceanic accord sitting on a fine creed house base. Sometimes I think I am sick of this,then find I am craving it a couple of days later.

I flit from smelling the top notes as natural or synthetic. I think it smells very much like natural watermelon, but watermelon could never smell that strong or clear naturally. Sometimes this puts me off a little.

Ultimately excellent.

The best summer scent ever! Luxury!

A classic fragrance by Creed. attractive opening with accent fruits,
MI is very very extraordinary IMHO...
But the lack of most of Creeds, that's imitate. for example:
Himalaya-XS, Millésime Impérial- Gendarme, Original Vétiver-Mugler Cologne, etc...
totally all of Creeds is better than equivalents.
the most of Creed is my faves.

I agree with the reviewer who deemed this Creed classic "bright." I wear M.I. whenever I want to be in a good mood all day -- never when I crave a little melancholia on a dark winter afternoon.
Along with Clinique's "Happy" and Dior's "Eau Sauvage Extreme," Millesime Imperial's always sure to cheer me up.

Could be longer lasting, true, but the first few hours (and the cool bottle!) are well worth the price.

A nice smelling fragrance I also smell the watermelon note quite strongly but i do not think this is as nice as GIT in my oppinion but i think it stands out a bit more. Also I think the dry down smells a very tiny bit like the top notes of armani black code (not a bad thing) in my oppinion does anyone else smell this?

It is not my usual type of fragrance—it is fresh and light and citrus, three qualities not usually very high on my list of desired effects. But somehow, in Millésime Impérial, those qualities are raised to regal heights—it is an imperial fragrance. The opening, aquatic and fruity, is dominated by a luscious watermelon and a tart citrus. As the scent develops, it continues its clean, uplifting aquatic, fruity ambiance. The dry down is the typical Creed dry down that we so willingly pay for. I can believe that this was created for a King.

Excellent summer scent and probably my most complimented. Wonderful lasting power and one that seems to work with any style of dress and mood. Clean citrus notes mixed the ambegris and has a salty tinge to it that sets it apart from run of the mill summer scents. A must for any summer wardrobe.

Exotic smelling aquatic scent. Sharp and clean and gets you noticed in a hurry...And unlike inferior aquas, there is not a trace of soapyness to be found, only cool, crisp, distinct, and UNsoapy notes. Requires an extra spray for longevity, however.

I agree with the reviewer who did not like this scent at first, but after a few wearings, came around to loving it. On me it starts off a little salty and sweet, but later settles into a very nice, warm, semi-sweet musk scent with a creamy fruity note (watermelon, cream, and musk?) that I've found to be really addictive. The first time I wore it, it wore off within a few hours. After that, however, it has stayed with me for about 6-8 hours every time I put it on, and even after that, it is still faintly perceptible. It's even made it through the shower a couple times. I think this has the chance to be a real keeper in warmer weather, where the sillage will be stronger, and the lightness, creaminess, and hint of fruit will be welcome. Also, the musk really does make this one more of a masculine frag. My girlfriend put it on one day; it smelled too dark and thick on her. Finally, this is the first Creed I have worn, and I have to say I am really impressed by the naturalness of the scent. Before wearing this, I would not have noticed a huge difference between synthetic and natural fragrances; this one smells so pure and naturally fresh to me that it will be tough to ever wear another synthetic scent...goodbye disposable income!

I absolutely abhor most of today's "fresh" scents that nearly everyone on campus wears (I'm a college student, obviously), mostly due to the awful synthetic smell that lends this "freshness." Millesime Imperial, on the other hand, manages to be light and truly fresh, with absolutely nothing synthetic about it. The gentle and crisp citrus overlays a salty, aquatic accord that is perfect for those beautiful spring and summer days. The drydown is also a work of art, seemlessly morphing into a sweet, musky base. Its major downfall, however, it that it barely lasts two hours on my skin (but then again, my skin does not hold on to scents well at all) and can stand to be quite a bit stronger as I find myself using 6-10 sprays with nary a reaction from those around me (however, every reaction that I met has been extremely positive and often involves me having to explain the whole Creed thing and why it's worth it to spend $150+ on a bottle of cologne). A masterpiece, fleeting though it may be.

Hello, Gorgeous! Addictive, elegant, fresh, distinct, pleasant, refreshing, garners compliments, decent lasting power and sillage. Still the best of Creed in my opinion. Love the blend of fruit and green notes with the classic millesime basenotes.

I bought this blind and initially did not care for it at all. It almost made me feel ill. But I've worn it a few times now, and I think it's become my favorite cologne. I'm still not super crazy about the salty top note (although I'm growing to like that too), but a few hours later it's got this wonderful subtle scent of watermelon and musk, which seems like an odd combination but works beautifully. While it's billed as a unisex fragrance, the musk makes it seem distinctly masculine to me.

AMAZING is the word to describe it, on my first day with Imperial I just thought it was a ok smell, but couple of days later I fell in love with it, its starts of with a strong watermelon note and drys down to something salty and musky which is heavenly.

At the moment this is starting to take over Green Irish Tweed as my 1# Fragrance.

A highly agreeable fragrance is one of the best fresh scents. Very well bleneded and always a pleasure to smell.

Every time I use this fragance I get compliments from both women and men. I am impressed with it, and so was my lover. I do not agree with other reviewers that have stated that it does not last enough...I have worn it from 6:00am to 12:00 midnight and STILL get complimented! This is a kudos for Creed. Very elegant, sensual, and sophisticated fragance. If you like Millisime Imperial, you may want to try Annick Goutai, or Eau de Santal by Floris.

It doesn't last long, but I have fallen completely in love with this scent. Not one to put on in the morning as it will not last the whole day, but for that first impression at a special occasion I cannot think of anything I would sooner be wearing.

MI is Creeds most wearable and, generally, most loved of the Creed fragrances. It’s a sparkling Citrus fragrance, which is surprisingly rich and modern for what it is. Most French citrus fragrances are stuffy or herbal, but this is amazingly chic. It’s smooth, refined, and effervescent. A great summer fragrance that everyone will love.

I was not really expecting to like this one, but turns out Millesime Imperial is quite great. I don't know if it is super original, but it is the best example of a particular genre of scents out there right now. Imperial is that fresh, clean, manly scent that all the other colognes try to be. It all these things, but never too much so. It is balanced. I get some citrus, definitely some ocean (but more salty than watery), some melon (I think this gives the aquatic feel), and a bit of green. The dry down is like most Creeds, subtle with a sweet, blended woody-ambergris feel. So skip the Eternity, Cool Water, Polo Blue, Hugo, et cetera-- and class it up (nasty, noveau-riche bottle, though) with Creed Millesime Imperial.

Immensely pleasant. I like it! However, I agree that it's not very strong, and I think it has a bit of a feminine drydown. At first it seemed a little one dimensional to me, but on a second wearing I detected more. It's very similar to SMW, it has that same instantly recognizable basenote that is found in almost all of the Creed fragrances but is especially strong in both MI and SMW. Since I already own SMW I don't think I'll buy this, as they're too similar to warrant the $200 pricetag. But an exceptional fragrance nevertheless!

Refined, elite, extraordinary. That's the best way to describe Millesime Imperial. It's a fragrance of classic style and elan. A pleasure again and again.

One of my favorite Creeds...almost like a breezy summer day. However, even though I love it, I don't own any because of the watermelon note (my Dad HATES watermelon).

A wonderful and very fine fragrance even if not nearly long lasting enough.

refreshing and clean...puts me in a good mood.
Stays on me for around 8-10 hrs.

Rich, bright, regal scent that is elegant and very uplifting. Has a richness and complexity that is mesmerizing while still maintaining a fresh and clean quality. There is a hint of something that is akin to watermelon that is amazing - the masterful harmonization of that note with the others is what gives this scent so much character. In my opinion this and Silver Mountain Water are close relatives - they both seem to share the same basic formula with just enough difference to make each distinct from the other, SMW being lighter, this one being a bit richer. If you are going to invest a good amount of money on one get this one because it lasts significantly longer than SMW. One of my all-time favorites.

A brilliant and refreshing all round scent. Not my favorite Creed but still head and shoulders about many other like-minded fragrances I have tried. This is one I wear when I want to impress others and it usually works. Sparkling at the start and extremely elegant throughout the drydown. Don't try- just buy.

This scent is incredible. It's got a note in it I can't identify, but it's regal and noble smelling. It won't overpower, but it lasts. Nice complexity, and it will work in any situation, from a board room to a game room. I love it!
The golden bottle is mesmerizing. I can stare at it for hours. It appears as a priceless treasure from a lost city.

Once I heard that Millesime Imperial has notes of watermelon in it, I had to run and try it. With that as the head note I can determine, MI (in my opinion) is THE Creed base scent, which means it's easy to wear and great for layering. By far, this is the most versatile scent that Creed offers.

In my opinion, this is THE base for many Creed scents. It seems to my nose that I can smell the notes of this product throughout many Creed porducts and that's not bad. To me this is the "common" Creed scent that you just can't go wrong with. Very versatile and long-lasting.