It doesn’t last quite as long as our top pick, clocking in around 4 – 5 hours of meaningful projection. I know the suavest spots in town- from picking up new garments on Carnaby street to sampling fine cigars and colognes down in Knightsbridge. I wasn't so fond of the opening when I first tried this, but it has definitely grown on me overtime. One of the few gripes I had with the original Creed cologne is it just doesn’t last particularly long – so most of the scents on this list have been chosen with improved longevity in mind. As such, it clings a little closer to the skin, but you only have to use a very small amount to achieve the same power.

It’s a great pick for sunny days when you’re looking for an aquatic, salty, woodsy fragrance – but don’t necessarily need all of the fruitness you find in the Creed original. Once you’ve tried Creed Millesime, there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love and be able to justify splashing out on a full-sized bottle.It’s a faithful recreation that, albeit subtler projection-wise, would be a great choice for indoor environments like the office. Millesime Imperial has never been the same since Creed updated the formula, but Milestone brings back the scent we all love. Fragrance oils are the cheapest way to achieve a strong representation of a fragrance without resorting to low-quality imitations.

Citron Del Mar opens up with the same salty melon fruitiness as Armaf’s Milestone, reminiscent of the OG Imperial Millesime. Performance is superior to Millesime Imperial at 4 – 6 hours, which is perfectly satisfactory for what is still ultimately a mid-range summer freshie.as you walk back on the beach, your skin slowly dries and the ocean breeze blows the disctinct smell of the salty remains on your body, mixed with the leftover citrusy-orangey hint of the Terre d'Hermes you wore yesterday and memories of the glass of rum you enjoyed at sunset.

The bright opening mirrors the effect in Creed Milliseme Imperial but introduces muted herbal elements of sage, cypress, and cardamom in the heart. Sean Combs created this cologne (or ripped it off from Creed actually) in 2005 with three versions available. It’s sweet mandarin, lemon and grapefruit, with a green freshness that I find even more appealing than the juicy opening in Millesime Imperial.

It’s about 60% similar to the current batch, sharing more with the sweeter and musky Imperial of yesteryear.

It has a similar salty fruitiness in the opening but lacks a bit of the vibrancy that makes Millesime Imperial (and Armaf Milestone, for that matter) special.If you’re after an MI alternative reminiscent of the older batches, honestly just go for Armaf Milestone. Sure, it can get a little synthetic at moments, but not in a way you’d notice unless you were looking for it. The only thing that remained the same is the look of the black bottle which was inspired by a black apocathary bottle. As that calms down a little, it’s rounded out by flickers of bergamot as we descend into a boozier, woody base. I also love the woodsy quality in the base, like a sturdy scaffolding for the brighter citruses to swing around on.