Choosing The Right Cologne: A Guide To Fragrances

Choosing a cologne can be a tricky business. With so many options to choose from, how do you decide? The first step is to understand the different scent families that every scent is based on. The four main types are warm, woody, oriental, and fresh, with each effect brought out by different combinations of fragrances. Masculine scents tend to be sharper and muskier, often with spice, tobacco, and leather notes.

When deciding on a new cologne, it's important to fall in love with the fragrance. Ask for advice, but ultimately, you have to love the fragrance you are wearing. You can also attach certain notes to a specific mood or vibe that you want to emit. For example, if you want to feel comforted, a note like tonka bean or vanilla could be attractive.

It's also worth considering the seasonality of your cologne. What works in winter, such as warming tobacco, leather, or spice, differs from the best summer scents, which tend to be green and aquatic.

Don't be afraid to ask people which scent they're wearing if you like it, and always try before you buy.

Woody fragrances

• Tom Ford Oud Wood: a classic fragrance with notes of rare oud wood, sandalwood, and Chinese pepper.
• Jo Malone London Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne: a minimal scent that calls to the sea with notes of ambrette seeds, sage, and sea salt.
• Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum: a unisex fragrance with notes of cardamom, violet accord, iris, and a base of cedarwood and sandalwood.
• Chanel Bleu de Chanel: a fresh and masculine scent with notes of aromatic cedar and New Caledonian sandalwood.
• Burberry Hero Eau de Parfum: a bold and woody fragrance with notes of cedarwood, pine needle, and benzoin.
• Maison Margiela Replica 'By the Fireplace': a nostalgic scent that captures the sweet, comfortable woodiness of lying by the fire, with notes of clove oil, chestnut accord, and vanilla accord.
• Cartier Pasha Noir Absolu Eau de Parfum: a bold, sensual, and mysterious fragrance with notes of burnt wood and caramelized sugar.
• Penhaligon's Babylon Eau de Parfum: a warm and sophisticated fragrance with notes of saffron, nutmeg, coriander, and a base of sandalwood, cedar, and vanilla.
• Yves Saint Laurent MYSLF Eau de Parfum: a versatile and easy-to-wear fragrance with a floral orange blossom and a rich, woody base.
• Kilian Sacred Wood Eau de Parfum: a warm cologne that celebrates sandalwood with notes of ambrette seed and other woods like balsam and cedar.
• BVLGARI MAN Rain Essence Cologne: a woody men's scent inspired by rain with a base note of smooth guaiac wood.
• DIPTYQUE Eau Nabati Eau de Parfum: an exotic scent inspired by a walk through an imaginary desert garden with notes of balsam, sweet immortelle, crisp petitgrain, and bergamot.
• Arquiste A Grove By The Sea: a unique woody aquatic cologne inspired by islands in the Adriatic Sea with notes of Mediterranean pine tree, cypress, fig, and wild herbs.
• Perfumehead Xanaboud Extrait de Parfum: a bold and sensual fragrance with a combination of woods, Turkish rose, jasmine, and oud, perfect for an intimate dinner party.
• Michael Malul American Novelist Esquire Fragrance Eau de Parfum: a woody cologne for the day with notes of bergamot, juniper, wild mint, and a base of leather, cedarwood, moss, and pine.

Tobacco scents

Tobacco is a classic note in colognes for a reason—it has a rich, nuanced, warm, and sweet aroma. The scent is reminiscent of the raw material—usually the root, leaf, or blossom—that exists before it's processed into cigarettes.

Tobacco colognes are all about confidence, sensuality, and a kind of subtle, smooth masculinity. Because of its inherent warmth, tobacco-forward fragrances are often cozier, heavier, and ideal for winter. Tobacco fragrances are often mixed with notes like vanilla and tonka bean to bring out their sweetness or with woods to bring out their smokiness.

Best Overall Tobacco Cologne

TOM FORD Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum

This smoky, sweet, and spicy scent is one of the most popular from Tom Ford. It features tobacco (in both leaf and blossom form) and rich, smooth vanilla.

Best Subtle Tobacco Cologne

Santa Maria Novella Tobacco Toscano Eau de Cologne

This elegant fragrance from Santa Maria Novella has been a house favourite for centuries. It features notes of tobacco mixed with sweet vanilla, smooth leather, and a variety of subtle woods for a surprisingly long-lasting but non-aggressive scent.

Best Sweet Tobacco Cologne

Guerlain Tobacco Honey Eau de Parfum

Guerlain's symbol is the bee, and many of their products include honey and its derivatives as ingredients. In this cologne, the sweetness of honey mingles with the spices of tobacco, eventually drying down to reveal rich woods.

Best Bold Tobacco Cologne

Amouage Opus XIV Royal Tobacco

This bold, mysterious, and elegant cologne from Amouage is heavy on the incense, creating a smoky, mystical aura around the wearer. The tobacco note captures the smoke and creates an irresistible, royal fragrance.

Best Spicy Tobacco Cologne

Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb

This spicy cologne features an initial blast of pink pepper, saffron, and paprika, with a base of tobacco, leather, and vetiver that gives it unique longevity.

Best Long-Lasting Tobacco Cologne

21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Eau de Parfum

This cologne could be the literal interpretation of long, sweaty nights spent in a smoky dive bar. While it is strong and will last for hours, it's surprisingly wearable and can be worn during the day.

Best Winter Tobacco Cologne

Parfums de Marly Herod Eau de Parfum

This cologne is the ultimate winter cocktail, perfectly balanced with warm spices and cozy sweetness. The top note of cinnamon and pepperwood gives way to a delicate balance between sweet vanilla and dark, sensual tobacco.

Best Floral Tobacco Cologne

Serge Lutens Chergui Eau de Parfum

This elegant cologne uses notes of tobacco leaf, honey, amber, hay, incense, sandalwood, iris, musk, and rose to create a unique fragrance that smells slightly different on everyone yet remains identifiable.

Best Boozy Tobacco Cologne

Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club Eau de Toilette

This smoky, spicy tobacco cologne features rum, nailing the nightclub vibe. It is surprisingly versatile and wearable, making it a popular choice.

Best Woody Tobacco Cologne

Kilian Back to Black Aphrodisiac

Part of Kilian's “Smokes” collection, this cologne features wood notes that reinforce the dialled-up tobacco. Fruit notes like cherry and raspberry add a sweetness that's sensual instead of cloying.

Citrus-based fragrances

Citrus fragrances are often paired with other notes to create unique and interesting combinations. For an extra-juicy scent, citrus can be paired with fruity or berry notes. For a richer and warmer scent, it can be paired with spicy or woody notes. For a softer, more feminine fragrance, it can be paired with rose, jasmine, or other florals.

• Terre D’Hermes Parfum
• Under the Lemon Trees by Replica
• Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine
• Chanel Allure Homme Sport
• Acqua di Parma Arancia di Capri
• Chanel Chance Eau Fraîche Eau de Parfum Spray
• Atelier Cologne Clementine California
• Byredo Palermo
• Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic
• Parfums de Marly Perseus Eau de Parfum
• Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum
• Phlur Tangerine Boy Eau de Parfum
• Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Parfum Spray
• Arquiste L'Etrog Acqua
• Estée Lauder Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle Tiare Eau De Parfum
• Byredo Sunday Cologne Eau de Parfum
• Maison Margiela 'Replica' Under the Lemon Trees
• Jo Malone London Yuzu Zest Cologne
• Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Eau de Parfum
• Nette Opening Night Eau de Parfum
• Clinique Happy Eau de Parfum
• Diptyque Oyédo Eau de Toilette
• Aesop's Tacit
• Perfumehead Somewhere Extrait de Parfum

When choosing a citrus-based fragrance, it's important to consider the concentration of the perfume. The concentration determines the percentage of pure fragrance oil in the perfume and affects its longevity. Higher concentrations will result in a stronger and longer-lasting scent. Eau de Parfum (EDP) and Eau de Toilette (EDT) are popular choices, offering a balance between strength and longevity. However, for a lighter option, Eau de Cologne can be chosen, which is often used as a body splash.

Fougère fragrances

Aromatic fougère, a derivative of this class, contains additional notes of herbs, spices and/or wood. Fougère perfumes are especially popular as fragrances for men, with many modern fougère perfumes including various citrus, herbaceous, green, floral and animalic notes. The most common additions to the basic fragrance blend include vetiver and geranium, with bergamot often added to sharpen the lavender top note.

The fougère olfactory family was born in 1882 with the creation of Houbigant's Fougère Royale perfume, which quickly made this olfactory family super popular and widely used, especially in men's perfumes. However, the term "fougère" does not refer to any fern note within the perfumes. Instead, the fougère accord, to be considered as such, must be composed of lavender, geranium, oak moss, vetiver and tonka bean. Fougère notes create a refined, classic and reassuring scent, balancing fresh and clean notes with warmer and softer ones.

Examples of men's fragrances that fall into the fougère class include Sartorial by Penhaligon's, Brut by Fabergé, Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, Prada for Men, Eternity for Men by Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme, and Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent. Lately, many companies have started selling unisex and female fougère fragrances, such as Libre by Yves Saint Laurent and Coffee Break by Maison Margiela.

Leather notes

Leather fragrances are often used to create unisex and masculine scents, with perfumers using a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients to create this scent. Natural ingredients include labdanum, birch tar, castoreum, and cade oil, while synthetic ingredients include ethyl maltol, isobutyl quinoline, civetone, and labdanum.

Leather colognes can be found in perfumes belonging to the oriental, chypre, and woody fragrance families. They are often blended with other notes, including musk, vanilla, and woody scents, to create a complex and balanced fragrance.

• Vince Camuto Original For Men is a spicy and leathery accord with an injection of confidence. It combines leather and nutmeg with lavender and musk, balanced by mandarin orange for a fresh and sophisticated scent.
• John Varvatos Dark Rebel Rider is a woody and balsamic composition that exudes quality and individual style. It opens with an explosive citrusy and light floral scent, gradually deepening with Russian leather and balsamic notes. The base is woody and sweet, featuring amber and vanilla.
• Boss the Scent by Hugo Boss is an unabashedly aromatic cologne with a high dose of leather accords. It is bold and spicy, perfect for a fall stroll.
• Cuirs by Carner Barcelona evokes luxury with exotic oud. It was inspired by the founder's great-grandfather, who started a leather business in the 19th century, and the distinct aromas of tanned leather and wood barrels.

Leather fragrances can be smoky, woody, animalic, floral, or even fruity. They are versatile and can be blended to create either a lighter, gentle, and feminine scent or a deeper, stronger, and more masculine scent.

Frequently asked questions