Sélection Verte (1970)
by Creed

Very, very nice. Selection Verte may not seem very original or unique but it is such a pleasant fragrance. On examination of all the previous reviews, non-'Thumbs Up' reviewers each have their different gripes, but I notice that none actually disliked the smell.... this is not a surprise. I myself have no problems with the longevity, 6 hours of soft citrus and fresh mint goodness.

I've had a bottle of 'Roger & Gallet - Extra Vielle' for quite some time now and it has been one of my favourite summer scents. The moment I tried Selection Verte recently I thought "My God this is identical to Extra Vielle". So the next day I decided to wear the two on either arm. Side by side the Creed is head and shoulders above the Extra Vielle, brighter, better longevity, cleaner and just plainly of a higher quality. The Creed remains bright and fresh throughout (with the help of the mint) whereas the Extra Vielle takes on a rather stale/musty direction 2 to 3 hours in. There is no denying the two are 90% the same, but with the Creed being 21 years the senior makes the EV into the blatant copy. Roger & Gallet's offering represents much better value for money though.

Oh, why does this have to be part of Creed's "private collection?" I would buy a smaller bottle of this in an instant. Selection Verte opens with a blast of citrus and mint that smells incredibly natural and refreshing. As it dries down, the citrus subsides, and the mint and sweet pea become the focus of scent until it fades away all too quickly. Green, citrus-y, cool, and natural, Selection Verte is a superb warm-weather fragrance and one of Creed's better offerings in general.

This scent is utterly beautiful! I just love the opening citrus and mint blast so much. However, there is one slight problem – its longevity is rather pitiful.

And to think Sélection Verte had the potential to be one of my all-time favourites...

[Original submission date: 10 April 2008]

If I had tested this blind, I would swear it would be a Bulgari. Has the aldehydic drydown of the The series with a fresh and amazing green mint added on top. Nice, since I don't like mint. Doesn't last long though. Go for Chèvrefeuille Original if you want longevity and mint (from a Creed). Honestly, thumbs up if it lasted longer.

This is a very interesting and distinctive scent. It is perky, quirky, minty citrus-green. The opening is very citrus-y, then it settles into an earthy-green chord. A peppery mint, or peppermint, whatever you please, is evident. This is a very GREEN scent which gets more substantial as time goes by. It develops sappy, juicy notes. I am a big fan of green scents – and yet I’m of mixed mind about this one. Perhaps it is just so distinctive that I need to become accustomed to it. A sweet floral note emerges, the so-called “sweet pea”. I’ll try this again sometime, and I urge all greenies out there to give it a try… see what you think!

As of this writing, there are 10 fragrances in the basenotes directory with Verte as part of their name. I’ve tried four of them so far and I inferred there would be a bunch more, since the word ‘verte’ was not the basis for trying them. Creed’s UK website characterizes Sélection Verte as a “fresh, sophisticated citrus fragrance with light, clean notes of mandarin, lemon and bergamot combined with peppery mint and sweet pea.” I am not especially fond of prominent mint in fragrance and here it is a dominant note. It is fresh, cool, quite potent and I think well-executed. Eventually the mint loses its dominance and the sweet pea comes out; mint remains but in a subtle role. It is at this stage that I am most impressed with the fragrance – the drydown is something to look forward to. I get about 6 hours out of it altogether, a little less than I would like, but not bad.

I think Sélection Verte is a good choice for a mint lover. I think if you are looking for citrus-dominance, go elsewhere – here mint rules. But it feels fresh, clean, lively and very natural, so I give it good marks.