I’ve written over 100 articles covering men’s fragrance and cologne for 7Gents, as well as contributed my thoughts on men’s colognes for dozens of national press and online magazines, including Bustle, EliteDaily, BestLife, and many more.
Based on all my testing, as well as the scent versus the cost, here are my top 12.
Overall, Cool Water by Davidoff is still the best cologne for men overall, for the price.
It stands out due to its clean, fresh aroma reminiscent of a summer breeze, making it ideal for everyday wear. Its blend of powdery oakmoss and fresh aquatic notes creates a sophisticated and masculine scent that never goes out of style.
|
BEST CHEAP COLOGNE
|
BEST FOR SUMMER
|
BEST FOR WINTER
|
|
4.2
|
4.8
|
4.5
|
|
|
N/A
|
$140.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Bright citrus and musky vanilla combine to create a serial compliment-collector.
- Perfect as an alternative to Creed Aventus for Gents on a budget
- Dry, woodsy Sandalwood for hot days.
- Retro masculinity that feels mature and energetic.
- Warming winter spice that lasts a lifetime.
- Projects well in the cold weather.
Another excellent option is Spicebomb Extreme by Viktor & Rolf. This fragrance is best suited if you’re looking for a winter cologne that balances office appropriateness along with enough personality to make an impression in social settings. Its warm and spicy notes make it perfect for colder months and evening wear.
Armaf’s Club De Nuit Intense is a fantastic alternative for those who want a cologne that stands out. Known for its longevity and high compliment factor, this fragrance is perfect for making a lasting impression and is suitable for both day and night wear.
Here’s my full recommendations below I’ll cover their note profiles, longevity, projection, value for money, and suitable occasions to help you choose your perfect scent.
Best Fragrances For Men in 2024
- Best Summer Cologne: Davidoff Cool Water EDT
- Best Winter Cologne: Spicebomb Extreme
- Best Cheap Cologne: Armaf Club De Nuit
- Best Leather Cologne for Men: Ombré Leather
- Best Cologne For Longevity: Aventus by Creed
- Best Cologne to Attract Women: Versace Eros
- Best Cologne for the Office: Boss Bottled Eau de Parfum
- Best Vanilla Cologne for Men: Stronger With You
1. Davidoff Cool Water- Best Summer Cologne
A mature sandalwood cologne with an aquatic, clean and fresh feeling.
Touches of lavender and rosemary help round out the bitter, dry sandalwood for a well-balanced fragrance.
Cool Water by Davidoff is a classic Summer cologne, perfect for a more mature Gent looking for something refined and masculine. This dry, sandalwood woody aroma exudes confidence in a way that feels energetic and fresh.
The clean, laundry-detergent fresh effect is perfect for everyday wear, with powdery oakmoss masculinity in the base. Touches of herbs like lavender and rosemary provide a little green vitality throughout the dry-down, resulting in a retro masterclass.
If you’re new to fragrances, Davidoff Cool Water really is a must-try. It’s one of the most popular Eau de Toilette of all time and could be your new signature scent if you’re a Sandalwood-aficionado.
| Cool Water EDT | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Sea water, Lavender, Mint, Green Notes, Rosemary, Calone, and Coriander |
| Middle Notes | Sandalwood, Neroli, Geranium, and Jasmine |
| Base Notes | Musk, Tobacco, Oakmoss, Cedar, and Amber |
2. Spicebomb Extreme – Best Winter Cologne
Longevity: It lasts for 8 to 10 hours.
Impression: On chilly days the smell feels like a cozy embrace.
Smell: A mix of the alluring scent of pepper, sweet spices, and woody undertones.
Spicebomb is synonymous with Winter fragrance, using warming notes of cinnamon and pink pepper to keep you toasty during the winter nights.
These tingly aromatics rest on top of a stiff masculine base of tobacco, leather, and vetiver. They’re very well balanced, providing just enough darkness to exude masculinity without detracting from the main event: the spice.
I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a winter cologne that is sensible enough for the office, but with enough personality to intrigue over a mulled wine after work.
The flankers are also well worth checking out, too. My favorite, Spicebomb Infrared, swaps out some of the harsher fragrance notes with tart red berries, producing a sweet, date-friendly fragrance.
| Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Base Notes | Musk, Tobacco, Oakmoss, Cedar, and Amber |
| Middle notes | Cinnamon, Saffron, and Paprika |
| Base notes | Tobacco, Leather, and Vetiver |
3. Armaf Club De Nuit Man Intense – Best Cheap Cologne
Incredibly similar to Aventus. I'd say 90% identical.
One of the most complimented fragrances in my collection.
If you’re looking for a cologne that punches above its weight, Club De Nuit Man Intense is for you. It’s one of the most complimented fragrances in my collection. It picks up plenty of female attention and lasts a full 10-hour day – what more could you want?
There’s a strong blast of citrus in the opening, which gradually mellows out into more moderated accords of musk, patchouli, and vanilla in the base. This is a masculine cologne at its core, but it still cares about the finer details and subtle inflections.
- Price: Available on Amazon
If you’ve ever tried Aventus by Creed, that will give you a good sense of Club De Nuit. It’s a very similar Aventus alternative, which is pretty impressive considering the difference in price. Armaf Club De Nuit Man Intense can really hold its own against colognes that cost ten times as much.
This is the sort of cologne that tells people you’re serious and are capable of handling business. I’d recommend it to any young professional trying to add some gravitas to their outfit without blowing their entire paycheck.
- Check out our full Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man review for more.
| Club De Nuit Intense for Men | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Lemon, Pineapple, Bergamot, Blackcurrant, and Apple |
| Middle Notes | Birch, Jasmine, and Rose |
| Base Notes | Musk, Ambergris, Patchouli, and Vanilla |
4. Ombré Leather – Best Leather Cologne
This deep and alluring fragrance exudes masculine sensuality.
A special introduction to high-end fragrance. A great place to start with the designer houses.
Best for evenings when you want to make an impression.
- A dreamy scent of butter-soft leather with hints of sensual flowers.
- The scent is incredibly on point; akin to a really beautiful, velvety black leather jacket.
Full disclosure: Tom Ford is my favorite house for luxury fragrances. Their attention to detail and high-quality ingredients set them apart from the crowd, and you just can’t help but feel more important when you’re wearing their Eau de Parfums.
And the best of that bunch is Ombré Leather. If you’re looking for confidence in a bottle, this is it. The leather here is deep and clean, unlike a lot of other more rugged leather fragrances I’ve tried. For me it’s got more of a “new supercar” sense than a “dirty biker” feeling, incorporating warm amber to produce a scent that is tempting and alluring.
It provides the sort of confidence that a CEO would want a public engagement. It’s clean and confident, but with enough of a brooding sense to point to a tamed monster within. Flickers of cardamom and vanilla also creep in to provide a little texture to an otherwise uncomplicated palate.
| Ombré Leather by Tom Ford | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Vanilla and Cardamom |
| Middle Notes | Jasmine and Leather |
| Base Notes | Moss, Patchouli, and Amber |
5. Aventus by Creed – Best Cologne For Longevity
One of the most popular colognes in the world - this is unbridled confidence, masculinity, and class.
Smokey pineapple on a woodsy base strikes the perfect balance between sweet and sultry.
- The fragrance combines notes of wood and fruit.
- A totally versatile scent that you can wear to clubs, date night or in professional settings.
- Excellent longevity and projection.
- The bottle design is worthy of being a collector's item.
Aventus is often heralded as the best cologne on the planet. When people think of high-end fragrances, it’s never far from their thoughts. I think everyone should try it at least once, even if only as a reference point to compare other colognes against.
This is a masculine and versatile scent that would do very well in situations that demand a suit. The workplace, a formal dinner – basically anywhere that you want to let people know that you’re a man in control.
The iconic element of Aventus is the crisp pineapple in the opening. Paired with juicy blackcurrant, it’s an idiosyncratic combination that is undeniably Creed. This takes center stage for the first 2 or 3 hours, before making room for stacks of patchouli and sensual musk.
Aventus is also known as a performance beast, lasting 10 to 11 hours with no problem and projecting a considerable scent trail for the first 5 or 6. It’s one of the many reasons people are able to justify that hefty price tag. Per spray, you’re actually getting quite a lot of bang for your buck.
With that in mind, this is one of those fragrances that you’ll want to apply with care. Any more than 2 – 3 spritzes in the morning might find you dominating attention when you walk into a room. This is a cologne to be applied subtly for best results.
If there’s one drawback with Aventus, it’s that it has slightly become a victim of its own success. Because it’s so good, many people have selected it as their signature fragrance. In any given boardroom, 2 or 3 other people might be wearing it.
They say “if you can’t beat them, join them”, but if you’re looking for something novel that you will never encounter in the wild, you’re going to want to look elsewhere.
If you like the sound of Aventus but don’t quite have the budget, check out our guide to the best Creed Aventus alternatives.
| Creed Aventus EDP | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Blackcurrant, Apple, Bergamot, and Pineapple |
| Middle Notes | Rose, Patchouli, Jasmine, and Birch |
| Base Notes | Vanilla, Oakmoss, and Musk |
6. Versace Eros – Best Cologne to Attract Women
A vibrant, youthful party-banger cologne that women can't resist.
Masculine woodiness in the base (cedar) paired with sweet fruits and mint.
Beast mode performance- will last a full 8-hour day with no problems.
- More attention-grabbing than the EDP, and better for a party atmosphere.
- Not as expensive as the EDP – about 60 – 70 % of the price.
If you’re a Gent in your twenties, it’s pretty much mandatory to have a bottle of Eros in your rotation.
Versace Eros is a masculine club-banger, all about youthful exuberance. It’s a mass appeal fragrance that is pretty much guaranteed to pick up compliments from girls.
Perfectly balanced woods and fruits combine in a sensual fragrance that is creamy, rich, and perfectly sweet. Bright notes of green apple and Italian lemon zest are paired against tonka bean and vanilla to remarkable effect here.
There are also fresh notes from a spearmint accord that adds a bit of greenery to an otherwise fairly gourmand palate. To my nose, the result is similar to a luxury mint ice cream. Top-tier.
- To learn more about the best Versace colognes, check out our full guide.
| Eros by Versace | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Mint, Green Apple, and Lemon |
| Middle Notes | Tonka Bean, Ambroxan, and Geranium |
| Base Notes | Vanilla, Cedar, Vetiver, and Oakmoss |
7. Boss Bottled Eau de Parfum – Best Hugo Cologne for the Office
Fresh apple rounded out with a touch of cinnamon and spiced cloves.
Top-tier 10-hour longevity lends itself to those on a budget. You get a lot from just a couple of sprays
- Long-Lasting Fragrance: Provides up to 10 hours of wear with consistent scent projection, ideal for all-day events.
- Versatile Scent Profile: Balances fresh top notes of apple and citrus with warm heart notes of geranium and cinnamon, making it suitable for various occasions and seasons.
- Potentially Overpowering in Warm Weather: The intensity of its spicy and woody notes may be overwhelming in hot and humid conditions.
- Not Ideal for Casual, Everyday Use: Its sophisticated and bold character might be too much for casual or minimalistic style preferences.
If you’re trying a Hugo Boss cologne, it’s worth picking one that relies on the accord they’re known for – apple. In Boss Bottled, juicy green apple pairs with cinnamon and spice cloves to produce a hot apple pie effect.
It sits on top of aromatic woods like sandalwood and cedar, maintaining a masculine streak that would be ideal for young professionals looking for a confident and energetic workplace fragrance. It’s a versatile scent that you can wear all year round, apart from on very sunny days where I fear the apple sweetness may become a little cloying.
Like the other Hugo Boss colognes I’ve tried, Boss Bottled delivers impressive longevity and performance – particularly for a midrange Eau de Parfum. You’ll leave an 8-hour day at the office still harnessing a light skin scent.
If you’re looking for something that will make you feel empowered to speak your mind and assert yourself, Boss Bottled can provide exactly that sort of confidence.
- Check out our guide to the best Hugo Boss colognes for more
| Boss Bottled Parfum | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top notes | Apple, Mandarin, Cinnamon |
| Middle notes | Patchouli, Rosemary, Lavender |
| Base notes | Olivewood, Sandalwood |
8. Stronger With You – Best Vanilla Cologne
When you’re looking for a vanilla fragrance, you want something that feels like comfort in a bottle. Stronger with You does exactly that, combining sweet gourmand vanilla with a warmer heart of cardamom and chestnut to represent a refined and gentlemanly brand of masculinity.
It moderates the vanilla sense with just enough warm spice to prevent itself from ever becoming “too safe”. It’s a hazy, cozy blend that would be perfect for a winter walk or nestling by an open fire with your girlfriend.
- Price: Available on Amazon
As the fragrance develops, a nuttier sense begins to express itself through the dry down. It’s almost a little holiday season a homely, baked goods sort of way. By this point, at around hour 5, the projection is reduced, becoming an amber-heavy skin scent more suited for intimacy than turning heads.
| Stronger With You by Giorgio Armani | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Cardamom, Pink Pepper, Violet Leaf, and Mint |
| Middle Notes | Pineapple, Cinnamon, Melon, Clary Sage, and Lavender |
| Base Notes | Vanilla, Chestnut, Amberwood, Cedar, and Guaiac Wood |
9. Dior Homme – Best Dior Cologne
Contemporary and subtle masculinity. A modernization of classic woodsy tones.
Natural, clean-smelling blend that offers versatility that supports your personality rather than stealing the show.
Dior Homme is an exercise in classic masculine scents, calling upon traditional notes to produce a fragrance that still feels relevant today.
It has that great ability to last a long time but at a consistent pleasant level, rather than overpowering in the first instance and being hard to detect by the end.
It’s a relatively light scent, but with enough woods in the base that there’s certainly a masculine sense. It is not a deep, brooding, alpha-male effort – but it does have a refined gentlemanly quality.
Dior Homme is a powdery and refined, sophisticated scent that embodies contemporary masculinity rather than blind bravado. Vetiver and musk do enough in the base to entice rather than overpower.
| Dior Homme EDT Spray | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top notes | Bergamot, Black Pepper and Elemi |
| Middle notes | Cashmere Wood, Atlas Cedar, and Patchouli |
| Base notes | Iso E Super, Haitian Vetiver, and White Musk. |
10. YSL La Nuit De L’Homme – Best YSL Cologne
Subtle and sophisticated, destined to catch the attention of ladies.
This dark, gloomy fragrance is perfect for evenings at the bar or classy parties.
If you’re after something casual for the evening, La Nuit De L’Homme is a great choice. It’s the perfect scent for a night at the bar where you’re still suited, but maybe you’ve taken off your tie and undone a button or two.
This mysterious fragrance has stood the test of time and it’s not difficult to understand why.
You’ll project a masculine combination of cardamom and woodsy vetiver and cedar which will attract attention without being overbearing.
Accords like cumin, which I find to be criminally underused by other houses, make a pleasant appearance and bring something new to the table. This is not a generic scent, but it’s not a disruptive one, either.
La Nuit De L’Homme is worth checking out if you need a cologne for a date night in the city – and particularly if you’re conscious of wearing something relatively unique as your signature scent.
- Click here for more sophisticated YSL colognes
| La Nuit De L’Homme by YSL | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top note | Cardamom |
| Middle notes | Floral Notes, Virginia Cedar, and Bergamot |
| Base notes | Vetiver and Caraway. |
11. 1 Million Eau de Parfum – Best Paco Rabanne Cologne
1 Million is a right of passage for every young man in terms of cologne. This is pure club-banger energy, designed to attract attention through a juicy blast of citrus and cinnamon. This bold and bright cologne is all about youth, revelry, and making an impression.
Exuberant and vibrant fragrance for youthful revelry.
Girls seem to absolutely love 1 Million - it's a thing.
Lasts 8 - 10 hours, which will get you through the whole day.
This Paco Rabanne cologne is perfect for a Gent in his early twenties to express bustling, lively energy. As a bonus, girls seem to absolutely love this stuff.
Just be aware, that once those fruits fade, the cinnamon does become pretty powerful. It’s sort of like spiced Christmas Cookies. Plenty of sweetness but bags of spice. If you’re not a fan of cinnamon scents, it’s probably best to give this one a miss.
In the base, there are amber and woodsy accords to provide some masculine bite and prevent 1 million from wandering off into sickly-sweet territory.
Longevity is similarly hefty at a solid day’s use of 10+ hours. 1 Million will carry you through a busy day and well into the evening entertainment.
For a top-tier energizer with the power to match, 1 million hits the jackpot.
| 1 Million EDT | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top Notes | Grapefruit, Mint, and Blood Mandarin |
| Middle Notes | Cinnamon, Spicy Notes, and Rose |
| Base Notes | Patchouli, Woodsy Notes, Leather, and Amber |
12. Burberry London – Best Burberry Cologne
This is an ideal cologne for winter, with warming notes of cinnamon and tobacco flower combined with deep woods and aromatic lavender. If you’re looking for a fragrance with crowd-pleasing qualities that still smells unique, it’s a great option.
- Price: Available on Amazon
This is not the sort of Eau de Parfum that’s going to fill the room when you walk in or command immediate respect and deference from your enemies. But it is a fragrance that will put those around you at ease, and leave them with an impression of you as a refined and tasteful individual.
It’s in the midrange of pricing, but to be honest it smells like it could be a luxury scent. This excellent cologne from Burberry is perfect for holiday season events where you’re not looking to blow anyone away, but still want to feel like the man.
| Burberry London For Men | Fragrance Notes |
|---|---|
| Top notes | Cinnamon, Lavender, and Bergamot |
| Middle notes | Leather and Mimosa |
| Base notes | Tobacco Leaf, Opoponax, Guaiac Wood, and Oakmoss |
What to Look For in a Men’s Cologne
Colognes are an extension of your style and are a fairly subjective experience. Part of the fun of discovering what works best for you.
So when you’re choosing a new cologne, what sorts of things should you be considering?
Scent Profile and Seasonality
Do you want a cologne that is intended for a certain season, or something more versatile that you can wear across a variety of situations?
Warmer weather causes fragrances to project more heavily, meaning that particularly sweet fragrances have to potential to become overly cloying in the heat. Similarly, a lighter fragrance designed for summer is going to lack the necessary firepower to cut through the cold air if used in winter.
Lighter colognes will rely on brighter notes of citrus, light greenery, or aquatics, while you’re heavier fragrances will employ stiffer accords of leather and spice.
Performance/ Longevity
Generally speaking, the longer a cologne lasts, the better. It really depends on what your schedule is like, but in an ideal world, you’d be able to apply your fragrance before you leave the house, and still be projecting by the time you get home.
For the standard office worker, that means you’ll need at least 8 hours of meaningful performance.
As a general rule of thumb, you’d hope for at least five hours of performance from any budget cologne to consider it a decent buy. In the mid-range, the best colognes will provide around 8 hours of active fragrance, while the top-tier designer colognes can stack up to 10 – 12 hours if they’re particularly potent.
You can make cologne last longer by spraying it on your clothes, but be aware that it has the potential to damage your fabric.
If you enjoyed reading our take on the best colognes for men, check out the guides below to find out how to get the most from your new favorite fragrance:
What’s Changed?
We updated this guide in January 2024 to reflect the most recent pricing information.
24th June 2024: This guide was overhauled with changes to our recommendations, latest reviews, and was re-fact checked to make sure our reviews are as up to date as possible.
Write a comment