7 Best Cheap Winter Colognes
Winter Colognes.
They’re a special breed of fragrances.
The best cheap winter colognes have warm spices and heavy sweetness that cut through the dry winter air. All for an affordable price.
In this review, I will rank seven of the best so that you can consistently smell good this winter.
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Table of Contents
#7 – Mont Blanc Individuel
The opening begins with a combination of Juniper, Raspberry, Bergamot, and Pineapple. A unique and refreshing mixture. As you can imagine, this is exceptionally sweet and fruity.
Yet, the sweetness thankfully never becomes syrupy and thus never overwhelming.
Into the mid, calming lavender and cinnamon spice add to the fruity top notes. They help temper the strength and sweetness while giving Individuel an additional faucet.
This spice nature starts to make this a clone of Original Santal.
For a large portion of the mid and into the base, it’s all about sweet fruits and cinnamon spice. The scent tree has a few other spice notes, but cinnamon is the most prevalent.
The overarching emphasis is warmth. The dry down is still clean and fresh.
A woody depth develops, bringing creamy vanilla with it. The sweetness of raspberry gets paired with vanilla, and the two sit atop a spicy sandalwood backbone for the rest of the wear.
#6 – Narciso Rodriguez for Him Bleu Noir EDT
Bleu Noir EDT’s opening starts very spicy with a sweet undertone and greenish tinge.
The greenness is fleeting and doesn’t contribute much to the scent. The sweetness gives the dominant spices some balance but will be more present later.
The spicy notes come from a combination of cardamom and nutmeg.
They both have that alluring accent that makes winter colognes so attractive. The first 20 minutes of the wear is okay, but the dry-down is where the money’s at.
After this period, musk notes linger in the background with warm amber. They significantly decrease the intensity of the top notes and provide an excellent balance that only makes the scent better.
It’s all about amber, woods, and lingering spices a few hours into the wear.
The best part about the base is the unique ebony wood note that mixes with the spices and creates a sweet, creamy accent that I can’t keep my nose away from.
This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.
#5 – Halloween Man – X
Halloween Man X is a unique name. If you know why Jesus del Pozo would have named it this, comment below. I would love to hear your theories.
Back to the fragrance, what does Halloween Man X smell like?
A dark roasted coffee aroma dominates the opening. It is a very authentic smell supported by boozy sweetness and leather. This trio is a special blackjack accord created by the perfumer.
As the scent develops, the dark roasted coffee remains prominent and stays that way for the rest of the wear. Prevalent cinnamon and cardamom appear in the drydown and add a warm, spicy backbone.
Into the base, whiskey gains strength and projects with coffee in equal parts. Vanillic Tonka Bean and sweet whiskey combine, creating gourmand goodness.
So, what’s the longevity and projection? Halloween Man X lasts 6 hours on my skin and projects well for a few of those. It’s not a fragrance for warm weather but can be worn for all occasions.
#4 – Burberry London for Men
Think of the last time you were staring at your collection in search of a holiday scent. London for Men is the perfect choice, commonly called “holidays in the bottle.”
The beginning is strong but fades quickly. Crisp citrus and lavender dominate the opening. Undertones of spicy cinnamon are sure to remind you of the holidays.
Progressing into the heart is a soft leather aroma and a floral scent. Most of the florals come from lavender lingering from the opening.
Warmth and luxury accompany the base. The leather lingered from the heart and was joined by tobacco and oakmoss. These scent accords don’t seem like holidays, but Burberry London smells like them.
#3 – Lalique Encre Noire A L’Extreme
Mr. Dark and mysterious over here. Lalique released Encre Noire A L’Extreme in 2015. They stated it was the definition of masculine sensuality.
Were they right? Well, it is a very dark and masculine fragrance that screams power.
The opening is led by a mix of bergamot and vetiver with a forest-type background. The bergamot here differs from the bright freshness commonly found in other openings.
Instead, it contrasts the outdoorsy top notes.
Bergamot fades into the dry down, allowing a richer aroma to take its place. This additional depth is from more earthy, aromatic, and incense additions. Sandalwood is the only prominent note.
Anything else adds to the general idea of dark and mysterious.
After two hours, the dry-down starts. At this point, most other forest-like notes have faded. The base is left with equal parts vetiver and sandalwood. The vetiver is earthy, but not to the degree you’d think.
The smoothness of the sandalwood helps balance the potentially off-putting nature.
This ultra-masculine creation is best for casual events in colder weather. It is decent in the spring but too strong in the high heat.
#2 – Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo Signature
If you aren’t looking to spend big on winter perfume, this is the place for you. A 100mL bottle for around $50 at Amazon. So what makes this scent so special? Well, it’s interesting and alluring.
Uomo Signature’s opening is strong and masculine but also sweet at the same time. In this case, the sweetness is more charming than playful. Orange and pink pepper are the first initial blast.
Within a minute, the top notes are overtaken by more prominent notes.
These are cypress with cinnamon and tonka bean. Often times you will pick up a coffee note as well.
One thing that is for sure is that this scent changes after the first few minutes and throughout the middle. The different notes are constantly competing with one another.
Once in the dry down, the scent settles. It is still sweet with coffee, tonka bean, and leather.
All work together, and none overpower each other. Leather is the heavier accord and acts as the base, while the other two work off of it. So, an interesting scent but still masculine and mature.
The performance is slightly above average. The projection has three phases. The first two hours, it pushes out really well, but after five, it sits closer to the skin.
With the uniqueness of the scent, it could be perfect for going out, on dates, on formal occasions, etc… Probably not office wear, but whatever suits you best.
#1 – Lattafa Asad
The best cheap winter cologne for men and the best Dior Sauvage Elixir clone.
Asad opens with warm spices and a tinge of fresh citruses. There isn’t a heavy emphasis on the citruses as they are fleeting. Enough to give you a momentary jolt.
The first few minutes of the opening are intense; it’s all about cardamom and clove with a slight hint of cinnamon.
Prominent vanilla and lavender are the dominant notes in the mid. They’re sweet and classy while still retaining an old-school aroma.
The spices are still present for the rest of the wear. But they weaken as the wear continues.
The base is all about warm amber and sweetness from the vanilla. Patchouli and other woody notes are in the background but only balance the dominant amber note.
Final Words
I have another article on my website that highlights the best winter colognes overall. That list includes many expensive fragrances. Yet, many on this list can still hold their own against those $300 scents.
With these seven fragrances, you’ll no longer have to worry about poor winter performance.
These are some of the best cheap winter colognes for men. However, don’t limit yourself to just winter colognes. Discover the best cheap colognes for men here.