Creed Royal English Leather

As you know, I have been a devotee of Creed fragrances since I was a young man.

The first Creed scent I acquired was Royal English Leather. As the name indicates, it is a rich leather fragrance with an intimation of tangerine in the top notes. It is a long-lasting perfume, without being overwhelming. I apply it once in the morning. Even after a day in the office and the gym, and then spending an evening in sweat-, alcohol- and pussy-soaked debauchery, followed by a shower or two, I can still detect REL on my skin the next morning. Amazing. This scent's lasting power is about as legendary as mine, which is really saying something. The fact REL was first created in 1780 for King George III warms my Royalist heart.

The House of Creed is a private firm owned by the France-based Creed family. President and Master Perfumer Olivier Creed is responsible for many of the range's most famous scents, including my other favourites Green Irish Tweed and Millesime Imperial, and is a noted yachtsman and polo player. I recently met his son and next-in-line, Erwin Creed, at the Neiman Marcus store in Newport Beach. He is a charming and capable young man and we should have every confidence in the continued success of the firm in his hands.

If I wore a hat, I would take it off to the House of Creed.