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Best Fragrances for Men

32 Best Fragrances for Men – The Ultimate Guide

So, I’m a fragrance collector, and I have a ton of colognes. But I came across a problem.

My girlfriend just recently saw my collection for the first time and asked which one is the best.

Yikes! She asks tough questions.

I went to grab one cologne, then another, and another. As soon as I know, I can’t decide.

So, in light of the situation, I sat down and smelled all of them again. After hours of sniffing, I’ve come up with the list below. I don’t want you to waste time and money on colognes you don’t need.

This review will describe how the best fragrances for men smell and perform. By the end, you’ll know which is best for you.

Usually, I’m a stickler for needing the lists to be ranked, but in this case, it’s not possible. I can’t objectively rank this many colognes of this high quality. Now I know this may be a bummer to some. But it is out of the best interest of you and the fragrances.

These are the best colognes for men, and I will stand on that hill. However, your nose will most likely enjoy scents slightly different than mine.

Let’s get started if you’re ready to discover the best-scented creations for men.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Yet, we only endorse fragrances we’ve personally used or are highly recommended by trusted peers. You can learn more about our Disclaimer & Disclosure here.

Louis Vuitton Imagination

Talk about authentic. This is very zesty and sharp from the get-go. Is it sour? Never. As the scent develops, a warm bed of amber makes its presence known.

For a decent portion of the wear, there is a contrast of brightness and warmth. After half an hour, some green tea additions make this clean and slightly soapy in the best way possible.

All these notes will mix and mingle for hours. In the end, this scent will finish with a citrus, soapy scent on top of a light warmth.

How’s the performance? For a citrus cologne, it is great. It is a warm weather wear, but it is not only for summer. It will perform exceptionally well in spring and the warm part of fall.

Parfums de Marly Layton

The first spray is fruity apple and spices. The main idea here is charming sweetness. These two go back and forth for a while until the vanilla comes in and sets them straight.

It doesn’t negotiate; it just washes over the opening like a tsunami. It is very warm and keeps the same sweetness as the apple. While the spice sits around the edges.

Within a few minutes, some clean lavender jumps in. It is light but keeps things “upbeat.” It won’t last til the end, but it is a nice addition.

As the scent develops, the focal point is, by far, the vanilla. After one to two hours, the vanilla and light spices will roll into woods. The rest of the wear is all about vanilla and wood with some spices.

Layton has excellent performance. In the summer, it can be too strong at times. But you should be fine if you don’t wear it on hot days and limit your sprays.

Kilian Angels Share

How does the opening smell? Tasty!

The first spray is sweet cognac, vanilla, and oak notes. This cognac is the perfect type of boozy. It has a masculine aroma but is sweet and slightly fruity.

The vanilla is pure and amplifies the sweetness without making it too much. And the oak notes give a strong backbone.

Once this trio settles down, in comes cinnamon spice. Does this blend smell like an apple pie? Yes!

The first hour is the sweetest of the entire wear then this starts to get warmer. At this point, the cognac is fading. At the same time, there is an interesting twist on the sweetness. It smells like burnt sugar in the best way possible.

The rest of the wear simplifies. It is a heavy dose of wood with sweet vanilla and some cognac and spice sprinkled on top.

This is a cologne you wear when you want to impress. The performance is good, but only wear it in the colder temperatures so you don’t choke anyone out.

Prada L’Homme

The first spray is a very clean blast of orange with a quick kick of pepper. For the first 30 seconds, nothing is going on. It’s just clean. But then the powdery iris and soon after, the sweet violet will jump in.

For the next 30 minutes, the powderiness will only get more intense. Meanwhile, the violet here is floral and smells like a candied flower.

This is all I smell for hours. It is a floral dominant fragrance. At hours five to six, it is an entirely different fragrance. It is just a creamy, warm, and fresh cedar.

This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

How’s the performance? It will last all day but has a light scent bubble. As for seasons, it is all but struggles on the cold days of winter.

Xerjoff Naxos

The opening instantly pulls you in with a bright citrus, then the most interesting combination of real smelling, sweet honey, and lavender.

If you put the honey in here beside a real jar and closed your eyes, you’d have a hard time telling the difference. While the lavender is herbaceous and powdery. It smells like it was lying in the field, and now it’s a bit dusty.

This trio is the focal point for the first half an hour or so. After this period, cherried tobacco will start to sneak its way in.

At this point, the scent is still all about honey. It is not until a couple of hours into the wear that tobacco will take over. When it does start to come through, it is a bit harsh at first. Yet, over time, it will calm down with some vanilla and remaining honey sweetness.

The rest of the wear is tobacco with honey and vanilla.

Is the performance as good as the scent? Yes. Naxos will last all day, and then some with a scent bubble that is always noticeable. As for the seasons, it is a heavy fragrance, so it won’t be a great choice in warmer temperatures.

Terre d’Hermes Parfum

The first spray is loud, like a gunshot. Orange is strong and lets you know it’s there. Following close behind is a bitter grapefruit and a tinge of awakening ginger.

The first few minutes can be too much if you aren’t expecting it, but it will calm down quickly. 

Things get interesting in the heart of the wear. There is a unique addition of flint. It has this earthy and Stoney smell that tones down the citrus. 

It will lead you into the base, where you’ll smell a noticeable oak moss and wood.

The key here is the oak moss. It is slightly green but, more importantly, works wonders with the earthy flint note but never makes things dirty. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

Terre d’Hermes Parfum has excellent performance. It is one of the most unique citrus scents, if not the most unique. It works for all seasons, and with two to three sprays, it will last eight hours with a noticeable scent bubble. 

Acqua di Gio Profumo

Right off the bat, there is bergamot and green herbs. They are very fresh but won’t last long. In the background, the signature marine backbone is ready to rumble but not quite at full power.

As these two notes fade, the marine smell is flooding the scent. It is a lot darker than the rest of the line. It is like Profondo’s rocky beach idea, rather than a sandy beach.

Once the marine note takes over, in comes the smoky incense. This is what makes this scent so GOOD! It amplifies the darkness, and with the marine accords, you’ll smell this for a large portion of the wear.

After this point, nothing else happens. This is an extremely simple scent but so alluring.

How well does Profumo perform? It lasts six hours with an average scent bubble. This also works, no matter the season or occasion.

Dolce and Gabbana The One EDP

This is a brighter fragrance than I ever thought it would be. There is a quick hit of citrus on the first spray, but then it gets eaten up by a warm and zingy ginger spice. It is a fresh and bright spice for the first half an hour.

As the scent develops, the warmth of amber takes over. An hour into the wear, the scent is nearly completely developed. The last addition is a chocolately tobacco.

All you’ll smell for the rest of the wear is warm amber and masculine tobacco.

The performance is not great, but it’s incredibly wearable, and this makes it great for a date.

Xerjoff Uden

The first spray is the highest quality lemon. It is not like a freshly cut one. Instead, it smells like one of those lemon-filled pastries. This is going to be the biggest focus for the first few minutes.

At the five-minute mark, something strange happens. A brief coffee and rum hint only lasts a few minutes but sets this fragrance apart from so many other scents.

Once these fade, the vanilla note in the background will start to really come through.

As the scent develops, the vanilla gets stronger. At the half an hour to hour mark, this is equal parts lemon and vanilla. It is slightly sweet, but the bigger idea is warm and creamy.

Into the dry down, there is a warm woody base that the fresh vanilla will rest on for the rest of the wear.

How’s the performance? This lasts eight to ten hours with a moderate but wearable scent bubble. It can also be worn all year for all occasions.

Tom Ford Noir Extreme

The first spray is sweet vanilla right off the bat with spices and florals. These spices are so warm and somewhat nutty at first. But they actually coat the edges and showcase the vanilla, like a prize.

After 10-15 minutes, you’ll get into the part of the fragrance that makes this a one-of-one. It is the addition of kulfi. In this case, the scent smells like a rich and smooth bowl of French vanilla ice cream.

Some of this richness comes from the warm amber peaking in and out from the base. As the scent develops, the amber will become more prominent but won’t take away from the ice cream smell.

In the end, it is warm and rich vanilla ice cream with light woods in the background. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

This is only fall and winter wear, but it is one of my favorite fragrances for everything, even if it is too attractive.

Parfums de Marly Herod

This wastes no time getting into what it’s all about. The first spray is extremely fresh with tobacco and rich vanilla. Coating the edges is cinnamon spice that will never get too intense but is sweet.

This cinnamon doesn’t last long. Within a few minutes, the rich tobacco and vanilla duo will kick the cinnamon to the backseat. As the scent develops, the scent gets darker.

After the first hour, resinous labdanum starts to sneak its way in. It is present, but the main idea is to round all the rough edges and make the scent warmer, even though it is quite dark at this point.

The rest of the wear is warm and dark with tobacco and vanilla.

How is the performance? It lasts nine hours with light projection. However, it is only fall and winter wear.

YSL Tuxedo

The first spray is an immediate freshness. Now, don’t get this wrong. It is not citric or anything; it is just clean and energizing. In the background, there is a subtle greenness that is neither bright nor dark.

These notes don’t take long to fade, and this scent rolls into a delicious blend of notes. There is a classy rose, dark patchouli, and creamy vanilla, and spices will coat the edges.

It is hard to describe, and I know this will be vague, but it is rich, airy, and dense all at the same time. It has the feel of a meringue pie in a bottle.

This blend of notes is what you’ll smell for a large portion of the wear. As the scent develops, there will be a richer and denser backbone.

The patchouli from before has now given the scent an earthy quality but still maintains the same freshness, greenness, sweetness, and dense aspects from before.

Is the performance just as good? This lasts all day with the perfect size scent bubble. This is the best formal occasion fragrance but also so well-blended that it could work as well for casual situations.

Azzaro The Most Wanted Parfum

This scent is simple, but is it still interesting? Yes. Red ginger is the first thing I smell when I spray this on, but… it’s not your normal ginger. It’s awakening and will still clear your throat, but it is more of a sweet ginger.

So, for the first hour, there is this captivating contrast of spicy and sweet. After this period, the vanilla in the back starts to really come through. It is warm and powdery but lacks the smell of a pure extract.

After an hour or so, this vanilla will take over the scent and kick the spice to the edges. It is not for another couple of hours that the woody depth starts to come through.

As it does, it brings smoky accents that darken this scent. The rest of the wear is mainly smoky woods with vanilla and some spices.

So how about performance? Well, it’s only fall and winter wear. I mostly see this for special events. However, it would also work really well for casual situations and cuddling on the couch.

Viktor And Rolf Spicebomb Extreme

It is a bomb of spices on the first spray. Yes, it is intense, but never aggressive. There is a vein of grapefruit that runs through and seems to do its best to try and calm down the spices.

Within a few minutes, this citrus is kicked to the curb. This opens up room for vanilla and tobacco to make their presence known. They are noticeable these first few minutes but far from what they will be.

As the scent develops, cinnamon will become the most noticeable spice. It comes through as a very warm spice and will be the part to lead you into the dry down.

In the end, it is all about a dominant tobacco note with equal parts dark and rich vanilla. There is cinnamon sprinkled on top and then warm amber that rounds off the rough edges.

It is not a big player, but it makes this scent warmer. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme has outstanding performance. However, you should avoid wearing it in warm temperatures because of its intensity.

Tom Ford Ombre Leather

The first spray is, as the name suggests… leather. It smells like you reached down, picked up, and smelled a pair of luxury leather gloves. 90% of the wear is just this leather.

If you look for it, there is light cardamom spice in the beginning and some dry oak moss in the end. Besides these two, there’s nothing else to this fragrance.

Is it a little animalic? Yes. But it’s more enjoyable than off-putting.

For a leather-based fragrance, this is a unique fragrance and a great way to spice up your collection. The performance is great.

It lasts eight to nine hours with a scent bubble that is always noticeable. It is not summer wear but good for everything else.

Armani Code Absolu

The first spray is a quick hit of creamy orange and apple. Within a minute, they went away, but at least it was a nice start. This rolls into a tonka bean and nutmeg mix.

This duo has a degree of woodiness, but the main idea is sweet and creamy, while the nutmeg has a touch of spice. 

As the scent develops, I sometimes pick up rum nuances, but nothing that stands out. 

After an hour or two, the scent starts to dry down. Two things are going on in the end. On one side of things, there is vanilla with light rum nuances.

While on the other side, there is a woody suede that sits in the background as support. The rest of the wear are all these notes together. 

The performance of Armani Code Absolu is outstanding. It lasts over 12 hours on my skin and nearly fills a room with its projection. Its elegant and classy aroma suits it best for formal and special events.

Armani Code Absolu Review

YSL La Nuit de L’Homme EDT

This scent is the epitome of simple. There is a brief blast of fresh bergamot in the opening. But almost immediately, it gets shoved to the side by a warm cardamom.

This is very smooth and never too peppery. From here on out, the scent is all about cardamom spice.

As the scent develops, it picks up an aromatic nature. It is dark and almost forest-like. In the end, the scent finishes with all cardamom, a tinge of sweetness, and dark aromatics, all atop a woody base.

This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

This is one of the best date night scents. It lasts nine hours but with a very light scent bubble. You’ll be able to wear this in the spring, fall, and winter.

Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Le Parfum

Right off the bat, powdery vanilla is present. It is the most prominent and will last for the rest of the wear. There is some sweetness with it, but nothing that gets sticky.

It is more charming. Lavender is the second thing to make its way in, and it is clean and mostly amplifies the powdery nature. Some spices are in the background, but it takes a few minutes to get strong.

The cardamom spice comes through with a bright and fresh aromatic nature as the scent develops. It doesn’t take long before it is as strong as the vanilla.

The scent finishes with some warm and rich amber while the vanilla and spice sit on top. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Le Parfum lasts all day with moderate to light projection. This is a great fragrance for all seasons but summer.

Guerlain L’Homme Ideal EDP

There is cherry, there is almond, and there is leather. This is a unique fragrance that is ready to get attention. I don’t usually like almonds in fragrances. But here it is different. It is nutty but so smooth.

It helps a lot that the cherry is semi-sweet. There are no bitter or fruity smells to the cherry. It reminds me a lot of the smell of a Shirley Temple without the fizzy nature. Does it smell like you could eat it? Yes.

In the background is leather. And I have to say I’m impressed this is authentic without smelling like a biker. 

As the scent develops, clean florals jump in and out. In the end, this fragrance adds some warm wood to the leather. All you’ll smell for the rest of the wear is sweet cherry and almond with woody leather. 

The longevity and projection are above average. Guerlain L’Homme Ideal EDP is limited to fall and winter. And this is a show-stopper for dates and going out.

Gentleman Givenchy EDP Reservee Privee

A strong whiskey note is the entire opening. It smells like the juice looks. Is it boozy? Yes. Does it smell like you just walked out of a bar? Definitely not.

The whiskey note will settle down within a few minutes, and then comes a powdery iris accord.

A large majority of the wear is this iris and whisky duo. Over time, a warm, smooth amber with wood will sneak into the base.

This amber and wood blend will be the focal point for the rest of the wear, while the iris and whiskey are light in the background.

How’s the performance? Strong enough to be smelled but not so much that it is overwhelming. It’s only good for some things, but it’s great when you want to stand out.

Giorgio Armani Stronger With You Intensely

The name of this fragrance couldn’t be more true. Right off the bat, it is the richest blend of toffee. It is sweet, caramel, and milky. It smells like the real thing as it sticks to your skin.

And yes, the sweetness is so strong that it feels sticky.

Within a few minutes, things get more lively. A cinnamon spice will be sprinkled on top. Most of the time, I can smell it. But sometimes the sweetness says no, and that’s all I can smell.

As the scent develops, it moves more into a caramel smell – losing the milky nature. This is then what you’ll get for a large portion of the wear.

After a couple of hours, the vanilla that has been resting in the background really comes through. The sweet toffee and vanilla are in equal parts.

You’ll smell these two for the rest of the wear, with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Is the performance as strong? YES! This will last all day, and always make your presence known. The downfall? It is ONLY for the cold weather.

Enigma Pour Homme – Roja Dove

There is a cola vibe that leads the opening. It is sweet, bright, fresh, and will sparkle off the skin. No specific note jumps out at me, at least for the first few minutes.

After this period, a duo of vanilla and tobacco started to really come through. There are glimpses of cognac floating around behind these prominent two.

The booziness is in the background for the rest of the wear; most of the time, it smells dark and rich.

Sprinkled throughout the rest of the fragrance is a decent dose of spices. These will lead to the dark and rich dry down. There is a very warm benzoin that pairs with the vanilla.

The rest of the wear is benzoin-fused vanilla with spices on top. The entire time, it is very warm.

The performance is just as good as the smell. This will last days on the skin with a big scent bubble. It is best for special events but is still great for everything.

Cremo Spice and Black Vanilla

This is the cheapest fragrance on this list and still keeps the same quality as most of the other fragrances on this list. Right off the bat, a peppery cardamom spice will slap you in the face.

It is intense for the first 10-15 minutes, but once you get through it, you’ll be glad you did. Over this period, it will tone down as vanilla takes over.

By the half-an-hour mark, the cardamom is gone, and vanilla with a pure extract smell is left. It smells like cooking vanilla that has been put into a bottle. The rest of the wear is all about warm vanilla. It is never too sweet.

There is supposed to be tobacco here, but I never smell any.

How’s the performance? It lasts five to six hours with a light but intense scent bubble. This is a must-have winter fragrance for any man.

Valentino Uomo Intense

This is not a fresh fragrance, but the first spray is a quick hit of orange freshness. It’s kind of like drinking the pulp of orange juice. It has the same tanginess.

Within a few moments, the powdery iris takes over. In the background is a clary sage that will add a crisp and herbaceous boost.

Vanilla will slowly creep in as the scent develops. It adds sweetness and warmth but never comes off as too sugary. It doesn’t take long for a strong leather to fuse with vanilla.

The rest of the wear is leather with vanilla.

It is a simple scent with above-average performance. It is a great scent if you want to impress.

Gucci Intense Oud

This is simple from start to finish. The first 15 minutes are intense and in a good way. It is this smoky, resinous mixture on top of a woody backbone. The main idea here is dark and warm.

Now, the unique part of the resin is that it has a fruity twist. The woody oud will start coming through as these notes settle down. Before now, it was there but wasn’t doing anything.

With the resins, the oud will make this scent darker but also doesn’t have any of that barnyard stank that some Oud fragrances get.

This is very rich and smooth into the dry down, and the rest of the wear is mainly oud with some warmer additions of resins.

The performance is great, and this can be worn for all occasions. However, this is only for the cold weather.

Tom Ford Oud Wood

It’s all oud from the get-go and very warm for now. It won’t be until later that it gets really intense. On the edges is a pleasant and warm cardamom spice.

Within a few minutes, this oud is really going to start picking up strength. The spices still sit on the edges, and some sweet vanilla is making its way in.

It has this smooth nature that will calm down the oud from getting too stanky.

This is the entire scent. The rest of the wear is all oud with light, warm vanilla and whatever is left of the spices.

Oud Wood only lasts five to six hours with a light scent bubble, and this is only for fall and winter wear.

Creed Aventus

The opening is all about juicy pineapple and bergamot. It smells like a real pineapple but doesn’t smell like one at the same time. It is of the highest quality but never too tart or tangy, like eating a fresh one.

This will be a large part of the wear, and over time, the woods in the base will come through more and more. As the scent develops, the strength of the citruses is switched out for smoky woods.

Into the dry down, there are some warmer and musky additions. The rest of the wear is fresh, smoky woods and masculine musk.

This fragrance has great performance and is perfect for wearing all year round.

Creed Royal Oud

The moment I spray this on, it is nothing like the name suggests. There are citruses, pink pepper, and light woods. Are the woods an oud note? No. They are warm cedar.

For the first 20 minutes, this is a lot of what I smell. After this period, these opening notes start to leave and do so fast.

Their void is being filled by an herbal greenness with some oud in the background but far from the star of the show.

These notes will mix and mingle for a while, and after a couple of hours, the oud will finally decide to show up. They are extremely wearable and feel more like warm woods than heavy, intense oud notes.

The herbal greens are still present, and these herbal greens with oud are what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

Is this even versatile? Yes, it is great for everything, but it becomes too much in the heat.

Guerlain Heritage EDT

This is the perfect scent for someone who wants to be able to easily wear this. Why? There are woods, spices, aromatics. The main idea is fresh and woody.

The beginning is all about freshness. There is lavender, herbal smells, and light citruses. As the scent develops, there are more spices, and the woods are getting more intense.

By the time the scent is done changing, this fragrance is all about fresh woods but not in the way of citruses. It is an aromatic freshness.

This is a long laster, but the scent bubble is never too intense. This is perfect for wearing at a special event but works just as well casually.

As for seasons, just be careful in the warmer months.

Xerjoff Nio

What’s the easiest way to explain the opening? Tart and fresh. It is an overload of greens and citruses. The bergamot that is so prominent has a bitter nature that almost makes my nose pucker.

There are no spices, but it feels like there are, as the bergamot is so intense. This may sound off-putting, but I mean this in the best and most refreshing way possible.

As the scent develops, the green notes will get more intense and calm down the citruses.

At this point, we were a few minutes into the wear, and a clean white floral addition was added, further taking the spotlight away from the citruses.

In the end, the scent will settle on a warm, woody base, with the citrus and green notes still intense from before.

Is this wearable? No. It is only for the summer, but the good thing is that it lasts a long time and has a decent-sized scent bubble.

YSL L’Homme

The first spray smells like zesty lemonade. There are citruses, and there is noticeable ginger. Have you ever eaten fresh ginger? Same idea here.

This is attention-grabbing, to say the least. As the scent develops, it becomes more floral and aquatic freshness. Meanwhile, the spices from before are getting weaker.

At this point, you’re 10-15 minutes into the wear, and these varying types of fresh spices are what you’ll smell for a large portion of the wear.

In the dry down, the scent starts to sweeten up. There is a creamy wood addition of tonka bean. It is important to know that this is not a real heavy wood, but more mimics it.

The rest of the wear, this is all you will smell.

This lasts all day, and the scent bubble will never be too much. This is great for all seasons and occasions.

Rochas Moustache EDP

On the first spray, all I smell is heavy warmth and semi-sweet vanilla. The resins are deep and feel like they have an anchor on the vanilla, keeping it from exploding off the skin.

On the edges are vibrant spices. It is the softest of the blend but grabs attention.

As the scent develops, the vanilla becomes stronger as the resins fall into the background and leave their warmth. After about 15 minutes comes wafts of floral rose that make this clean and interesting.

It doesn’t affect the scent much but breaks things up.

For hours after this, the vanilla is going to be the star of the show. It smells barrel-aged with a woody faucet. There is one last addition of smoke, and this is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

How well does this perform? It will last almost all day and always make your presence known. It’s not summer wear, but it works for everything else.

FAQs

What are the Most Popular Men’s Fragrances?

The most popular men’s fragrances are usually blue fragrances. These tend to be Dior Sauvage, Bleu de Chanel, And YSL Y EDP.

These three will be your best choice if you want scents that do it all for nearly any situation. All three are outstanding colognes and would be an honorable mention for this list.

What is the #1 Men’s Colognes?

You won’t like this answer, but it’s honest. You have to find the best cologne for yourself. Our noses are all different, and no one can tell you what you’ll love and hate.

Now, I believe you’ll think the #1 men’s cologne is on this list but which one is up to you.

How Many Fragrances Should a Man Have?

As many as you want, it depends on the colognes that you have. If you only own Creed Aventus, then you only need one. However, if you own Stronger with You Intensely, you’ll need a summer cologne.

Thus, you’ll need two.

This can be expanded for all seasons and occasions, but most men are happy with 8-10 colognes. Even this can be too many at times.

I recommend buying an all-season and occasion fragrance first. Then growing your collection with scents suited for specific situations.

Conclusion

Out of the 1000s of colognes in production, many are stunning. Even when creating this list, I started with 104 men’s colognes that I whittled down to just 32.

It can be a daunting task to pick the right cologne for you. But I can assure you that it most likely lies on this list.

No matter the season, occasion, price, or performance you want. This list has one perfect for you.

When it doubt, always try a sample.

What are your favorite fragrances for men?

These are all some of the best fragrances for men, but do you want fragrances that get a ton of compliments, too? Check this list.

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