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Guerlain is a French perfumer which has been around for centuries now. With such a long time to develop scents, it is no wonder why there is a whole line of colognes for men available that smell great and provide a unique style.
I have now updated this list in 2023, some seven years after originally posting. I have included two additional entries, which I feel are very worthwhile to be included. I have linked each option out to its page on Amazon, for further info or purchase.
What are the Top Guerlain Colognes for Men?
Cocoa Spiced Guerlain
L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Ounces
An elegant and masculine fragrance and probably my favorite scent by Guerlain. L’Instant is a very pleasing and unique cologne for men which stands out even while being subtle.
It opens with a great citrus blend and some spicy anise, then, it has its jasmine and patchouli moments, before the cacao moves in.
There is the EDT version and the EDP version. The EDT is my favorite and described above. However, some folks like the EDP more (featured later on this list), and it is a very good fragrance. The EDP is a bit spicier and has a winter profile, being warm and more enveloping.
Super smooth and classy. Has a very unique vibe versus most men’s fragrances of today and will draw complements.
Notes include: Bergamot, Lemon, Pepper, Hibiscus Seeds, Badian Crystals, Patchouli, Indian Jasmine Petal, Elemi, Lapsang Tea, Bitter Cocoa Bean, Mysore Sandalwood.
Classic Guerlain
Imperiale Guerlain By Guerlain Eau De Cologne Spray 3.4 Oz
This cologne has been around for well over a hundred and fifty years because it is such a performer. It’s a crisp and clean unisex floral scent that is a great casual wear.
The citrus notes do permeate, this fragrance, but the neroli and verbena notes really bring things home.
Imperiale has a sort of carbonated fizziness lurking underneath, with a cooling refreshing feeling, that is great for the warmer months. This is a pretty light scent, without crazy performance, but it smells absolutely wonderful.
Vetiver Fragrance
Vetiver Guerlain by Guerlain for Men – 6.8 oz EDT Spray
Another classic fragrance by Guerlain, Vetiver is a woodsy and spicy scent that won’t make those around you feel overwhelmed by its strength. This is a really ‘manly’ throwback sort of a scent.
An affordable classic with citrus, tobacco, and nutmeg notes to help round out the vetiver dominance. A really good entry for those looking to get into vetiver scents.
Guerlain’s Vetiver opens with a blend of spice, citrus, and some tobacco. To my nose, the tobacco isn’t too powerful, and I actually get a stronger citrus vibe. However, that will quickly morph into a dry and earthy wear, led by the namesake note.
Rouge Remix
Habit Rouge Rouge Prive– This is a modern take on the Habit Rouge formula and one that deserves a spot on this updated list.
Rouge Prive opens with a large dose of bergamot citrus, joined by ginger, some patchouli, and the leather note already making itself known at the start.
Mostly, this is going to be about the citrus and leather accord, for the duration. But, in between you get some warmth in the early stage, powdery aspects from iris/vanilla, and a very smooth leathery finish when that note overcomes the bergamot.
Great strength and performance. Definitely a fragrance for those who want a great leather cologne, that still pays homage to the older Habit Rouge formula. Rouge Prive Review
Best Wintertime Guerlain Cologne
Guerlain L’Instant de Guerlain Extreme Eau De Parfum Spray – 75ml/2.5oz
It can be really difficult to choose between this and the original, as they are both utterly amazing. This one is darker, with more patchouli, and less of the bright citrus disposition. Still, it is a really great scent, in its own right without comparison.
I think that Guerlain has once again, discontinued L’Instant Extreme. I know that you can still get bottles of the EDT, but this one might be more expensive to get a hold of.
Best Guerlain for Summer
L’Homme Ideal Platine Prive by Guerlain- I’ve had to swap out the old Ideal Cologne, that was discontinued for the newer Platine Prive. Which, is very close to being the same thing, with some slight changes.
I’m so glad they brought back this formula, as it was my favorite of the series. Platine Prive isn’t dead on the same, but lets say 85-90ish percent there.
Ideal Cologne opened with a citrus blast of notes from grapefruit to bergamot. It’s a summery scent, that includes a great almond ingredient as well as, vetiver.
Platine Prive is the same basically, during my testing. I think the almond here is less involved than with Cologne and the citrus feels cleaner and a bit more impactful.
It is clean and cool and lasted on my skin for 8 hours, back when I tested it out. This is the best of the L’Homme Ideal fragrances, in my opinion.
I enjoy almond as a note, but it usually gets paired in more of a wintertime blend. The summer feel of this is fantastic. (discontinued one): L’Homme Ideal Cologne Review
The Next Best Ideal
L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)– Ideal EDP is now my second favorite from the line, but it is also the one more available versus the discontinued Cologne.
I came back to testing this one out and started to really prefer wearing it versus the also popular, Extreme. So, I’m replacing it on the list.
Cherry and almond are the centers of attention early on. It is attractive, warm, sweet, and has enough spiciness to liven it up.
The leather note is present, but not as much as in L’Intense (or the smokiness). It’s not sugary sweet or overwhelming with its sillage, just a nice balance.
It is pretty difficult to get in the US, since it is no longer for sale in stores here. I’ve linked to a UK store that will ship to the US and it’s really the best bet for getting EDP nowadays. Ideal EDP Review
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.