Best Nautica Colognes – 7 Affordable Oceanic Scents For You
I’ll get right to the point. I know why you are here.
You enjoy fresh fragrances that remind you of sailing on a boat or relaxing near the ocean. Yet, like all of us, you want them for an affordable price.
This very idea is how you stumbled across a review of the best Nautica colognes for Men. It will describe how the top 7 smell and perform and if they are the right choice for you.
If you’re ready, jump on board, and let’s sail through this review.
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Table of Contents
#7 – Nautica Voyage Sport
Nautica Voyage Sport is a fresh fragrance made for sporty occasions – hence the name. It was released in 2016 and is one of the many flankers from the original Nautica Voyage.
Of all Voyage colognes, Sport has the brightest opening. You will still get fresh, clean, and aquatic Voyage DNA.
A blast of citruses leads the opening with a light, salty aquatic note. The top notes are straightforward, but they last only a short time. Within 10-15 minutes, the citruses are significantly weakened.
As the citruses dissipate, the aquatic note becomes stronger, fusing with a musk. It is the same dry-down as the Nautica voyage original but has less emphasis on green wood accords.
Once the musk appears, that is the entirety of the scent. Soon after, it becomes a skin scent and fades away.
Nautica Voyage Sport has the poorest performance of all Nautica Colognes. It is exclusively a summertime fragrance. For me, a Nautica Voyage 100mL is not a must-have. The only use I see it for would be to spray yourself before walking into a gym.
#6 – Nautica Life
So you want a cologne that reminds you of a freshly-showered man in a nice suit. Nautica Life is just that. It has a clean aroma with classy touches.
Fitting the Nautica sailor theme, it has a boat deck-type top and a rope-like tube.
This is a very fresh and simple aquatic scent. From the beginning, there is an aquatic tone. It rests in the background and gives the opening a watery smell. Amplifying the aquatic aroma is a sea salt note that is slightly synthetic but attempts to mimic the scent of ocean air.
Undertones of fresh accents are in the background but don’t come from any note specifically. The last top note and the most prominent is a spicy ginger. This is my favorite part of the opening, as it has an invigorating and intriguing aroma. It puts a unique twist on the aquatic backbone.
Traces of herbal greens with floral touches appear in the heart of the wear. There isn’t a note that exudes greenness, but it becomes overwhelmingly dominant as the wear continues. The fresh and aquatic backbone is retained in the mid.
Woody moss leads the dry-down. It amplifies the greenness and gives the scent a prominent woody base. The rest of the wear is prominent woody and green moss notes, sitting atop an aquatic background.
Nautica life has below-average performance and is exclusively a summer fragrance.
#5 – Nautica Voyage N-83
You can’t get much more straightforward than N-83. It has been slightly adjusted but, for the most, is very similar to the original Voyage.
The overarching emphasis in the opening is a very fresh and pleasant aroma. Aquatic notes are the most prominent blended with a heavy dose of spicy mint. The mint has a more aromatic and green tinge than spicy, but it grabs attention better than the aquatic notes.
N – 83 doesn’t have much of a mid. There are touches of lavender and subtle spices. After these nuances are present, they quickly dissipate and take the scent into the dry-down.
The dry-down is predominantly sea-like aquatic notes and signature, Voyage musk. Compared to the original, N-83 heavily emphasizes freshness more than greenness.
Like the preceding Nautica fragrances, N-83 could have better performance. It is exclusively a summertime fragrance and works best for casual situations.
#4 – Nautica Blue Cologne
One of the older colognes on the list. Yet, it is still able to hold its own with new releases.
So, what does Nautica Blue smell like?
A harsh and heavy detergent-like smell leads the opening. It is not a bad smell, but for me, at least, it is not what I want out of a fragrance. Quickly the detergent smell is gone, and sharp bergamot and pineapple fill its void. Fruitness is emphasized and makes up for the less-than-ideal top accord.
Progressing into the mid, cedar and heavy musk start to peek through but aren’t at full strength. Later in the wear, the top notes are muted, and the base notes dominate. At this point, Nautica Blue becomes quite pleasant. Musk is the most prominent, but woods and nuances of fruits and florals accompany it.
#3 – Nautica Voyage Heritage Cologne
Here’s the black sheep of the Voyage line. It is not bad, but it differs the most. It allows you to enjoy warm herbal touches with the signature aquatic background.
Heritage opens aromatic from the start. A unique and equal blend of mint and rosemary lead the opening. They have a degree of spice and maturity that will add to the aquatic background. Like the original, the aquatics are present but become more prevalent over wear.
As the mid develops, it stays exceptionally herbal and aromatic.
The dry-down starts to develop within half an hour from the first spray. It brings semi-sweet lavender with a dominant sandalwood base. The aquatic notes still linger in the background and are slightly stronger. The rest of the wear is aquatic woods and subtle aromatics.
Warm and herbal touches are what set Heritage apart from all other voyages.
#2 – Nautica Midnight Voyage Cologne
Nautica Midnight Voyage is the newest release from Nautica. As you tell from the bottle, it is a “blue” fragrance.
This extremely simple fragrance is meant to replicate Dior Sauvage and other popular blue fragrances. It opens with equal parts fresh mint and a kick of spicy pink pepper.
The mint is attention-grabbing and alluring. The pink pepper spice amplifies this attention-grabbing aroma and “jumps” off the skin. But the best part is that it’s never “assaulting” or overwhelming. In the background is subtle amber that will become more prominent over time.
The spices dominate in the mid but quickly weaken and give way to warm amber. After an hour into the wear, the fragrance is darker and more masculine with dominant amber, with green and spicy nuances.
Dior Sauvage EDT and Nautica Midnight Voyage have a similar note breakdown. Midnight Voyage is not a dupe but provides a cheap alternative.
#1 – Nautica Voyage
Nautica Voyage Eau de Toilette is the best Nautica cologne. It was released in 2006 and has been the backbone for numerous flankers.
Yes, it smells good. The fresh, clean, and aquatic aroma is like lounging on a sailboat sulking up the sunshine.
Apple and green leaf notes lead the opening, smelling like you just got out of the shower. Both are equally prominent and are supported by an aquatic background. Combined with a degree of coolness, it emphasizes a beach-type feel.
Touches of musk creep into the mid but dominate in equal parts with woods in the dry-down. They add depth and masculinity. There are few Nautica Voyage notes, yet they all blend well. For under $20, Nautica Voyage 3.3oz has an excellent cost for value.
Nautica Voyage has average longevity lasting 5 – 6 hours on skin and all day on clothes. Projection, no matter on clothes or skin, is only a couple of hours and up to arm’s length. It is a fragrance that can be worn for all occasions.
When it drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, I stop wearing Nautica Voyage. It still works but doesn’t develop correctly. All other times of the year, it is excellent.
My Experience With the Best Nautica Colognes for Men
All of the above information is my experience with the best Nautica colognes. However, I keep it as objective as possible. This way, you can objectively decide if this is a fragrance you want to purchase or if you’re comparing a few fragrances. Thus, this section is my subjective opinion.
One of my first fragrances was Nautica Voyage, as it probably was for many of you. Nautica is a good and affordable brand and definitely hit the spot with Voyage, but… I don’t think owning any other of their fragrances is worth it.
Even with Voyage, you’ll quickly realize it’s synthetic when you get your nose on enough quality fragrances. And from Voyage, it only gets worse. Yes, they are affordable, but in the long run, you’re going to be wasting money and quickly outgrow these fragrances.
In short, I like Voyage, but I never want to own another Nautica other than that.
Faq’s
Nautica Midnight Voyage vs. Voyage?
Nautica Midnight Voyage is a “blue” fragrance and deviates from the Voyage line. It still has the aquatic backbone but differs in many notes. Its most prominent notes are mint, pink pepper, and amber.
Whereas Nautica Voyage is based heavily on aquatic and oceanic vibes. Its most prominent notes are apple, green leaf, and musk.
Nautica Voyage vs. Blue?
Nautica Voyage is based heavily on aquatic and oceanic vibes. Its most prominent notes are apple, green leaf, and musk.
Nautica Blue is very fruity with a harsh detergent opening. As it dries down, it consists of woods and musk with light touches of florals. It has Nautica’s signature musk but differs in almost all notes.
If you are wondering, Nautica Voyage or Blue. I recommend Voyage.
Nautica Voyage vs Versace Pour Homme?
Nautica Voyage is based heavily on aquatic and oceanic vibes. Its most prominent notes are apple, green leaf, and musk.
Versace Pour Homme is also a fresh fragrance but uses higher-quality ingredients. It consists of citrus and dries down to a simple masculine base. In short, they are similar in their vibe but differ in quality and notes.
Nautica Voyage vs. Voyage N83
The main difference between the two fragrances is their aromatics. N83 is all about aromatic, spicy mint. Whereas the original Voyage has a more general watery greenness. Besides this, the scents have a similar aquatic nature with a musk base.
The last difference is the performance. The original Voyage is a considerably better performer, whereas N83 is a weak fragrance. N83 is pleasant with its spiciness, but the original is the better buy.
Which Nautica Cologne Smells the Best?
Nautica Voyage is the best Nautica Men’s cologne. The performance is some of the best from the entire line. The smell is the most authentic of all, it’s well-blended.
Conclusion
Nautica colognes are good, affordable, and easy to wear. For a man looking for a starter fragrance, they are excellent choices.
I do not recommend all Nautica colognes. However, a select few should be in every man’s fragrance collection.
What are your top Nautica Colognes?
Please leave a comment; I would love to hear your opinion!