Best Men's Colognes

Best Men's Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I've owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!

Select Night by Mercedes-Benz

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Select Night is one of the fragrance releases from Mercedes-Benz which has enjoyed some popularity since its release in 2019. It was one of the colognes from the brand that I bought a decant of months back, so that I could test out and see if it actually deserves the attention. How does Select Night actually smell? Is it worth a try?

What does Mercedes-Benz Select Night Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, lavender, bergamot,  vanilla, orange blossom, guaiac wood, cedar, sandalwood, patchouli

Click here to try: Select Night

My Full Review

Select Night starts off with a pretty hefty dose of cardamom in the opening act. The spice hits hard, but still feels somewhat tempered by notes like lavender and vanilla. Early on the lavender has the upper hand, but towards the end, the vanilla will take over the top spot.

Still, the cardamom reigns supreme in the opening act. It actually has a fizziness to it which reminds me of Armani Code Profumo. Mainly, I think its the way the orange blossom and vanilla are interacting in the mix.

Beyond the spice, Select Night has that same sort of sweetness in the mix, as the other colognes that it gets compared to. To me, that’s its least appealing aspect, as the sweetness smells kind cheap in this blend for some reason.

This gets compared often to Noir Extreme by Tom Ford. Sure, it has some similarities, but it is not at all the same. Noir Extreme is much better than Select Night.

At some point the cardamom will start to lose it hold on the composition. That’s when this really becomes lavender and vanilla dominant. I also get a period with a stronger orange blossom and some emergent sandalwood.

The dry down is more of a woody fresh blend with plenty of lavender and vanilla. The cardamom and orange blossom fades. There is a bit of a powdery finish to this and the sweetness has toned down from earlier in the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Select Night starts off with plenty of power. I can spray it on a piece of clothing I have laying around and pick up the cologne from 8+ feet away easily. It doesn’t stay at that super high level, but it is above average when compared with most basic colognes out there.

The longevity for Select Night is somewhere in the 8-9 hour range for me, on skin. Good projection and it’ll stick around for a long time without issue.

Performance with the Benz cologne is well above average, across the board. Great value.

Seasonally, this is built for autumn and winter, while not being overly heavy. So, in some regions of the world, you’d probably be able to get away with wearing Select Night in spring as well.

It does live up to its name, as being more for the night. It’s stylish and attractive enough to receive complements, but probably not going to fit in at the office during the daytime. But, as a fragrance to wear out, one should get plenty of use. Any age can roll with Select Night, also.

Overall Impressions of Select Night

Overall, do I like Select Night? It’s pretty good, one of the better Mercedes-Benz releases, but isn’t amazing. If its closest comparison is Noir Extreme, it falls well short of what I get out of the Tom Ford cologne.

It does have some elements of its own and similarities to that Code flanker, so it’s not trying to be exact anyway.

The opening cardamom is nice, especially with that fizziness, giving this a warm dynamism. The dry down is more of a straightforward woods, lavender and vanilla, but it’s solid.

The performance is for sure one of its strengths. So, if you can get a good deal on a bottle, there isn’t too much downside to owning this cologne. Nothing about Select Night is a glaring weakness, does everything well enough, and is worth trying out.

Defy EDT by Calvin Klein

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Defy is a cologne release from Calvin Klein that the brand put out back in 2021. It was good to see them taking a bit of a break from just putting out Eternity flankers all of the time and starting a new line. I got a sample of this recently to finally do a proper review and see if it’s worthwhile to actually purchase.

What does Defy by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, amber, vetiver, lavender

Click here to try: Defy EDT by Calvin Klein

My Full Review

Upon first spraying Defy, I’m immediately reminded of Y EDT from YSL. Very similar style with the blue-ish aroma, bergamot, and heavy use of ambroxan. Not one to one exactly the same, but the style is very much related.

The initial citrus here is juicy and has a nice freshness. It kind of fades quickly from prominence in favor of the lavender note.

For a while, there is more of a balance between the bergamot, ambroxan, and lavender. But, the lavender will consolidate more control, as we progress. Funny enough, the ambroxan does back off and there is another round in which the bergamot comes through more on my skin.

Defy doesn’t really develop all that much though. It’s like a generic ‘blue-ish’ cologne smell mixed with that lavender. There is some vetiver in the dry down, but even that isn’t too heavy or involved.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is light to moderate. Defy isn’t a fragrance that is going to leave a massive cloud in one’s wake or dare to take over a room. It’s just kind of middle of the road, extending out maybe to 5 feet, at its peak.

The longevity is also meh. I get about 5, maybe 5.5 hours on skin. So, if you do end up going for this one, you’ll probably have to bring the bottle with you for re-application later in the day.

Seasonally, it is good for the spring and summer. I don’t know that I’d wear it on the hottest days, though. It’s seems like a better play on moderate to warm days. I wore it out on a day where it was 65 degrees Fahrenheit and that seemed like a good spot for Defy to work in.

This cologne does lean more towards younger guys. It’s not a formal or refined kind of fragrance. Casual or a daily wear for something like school. It has enough mass appeal to grab some complements, but it’s a very basic and entry level cologne.

Not particularly going to stand out as unique, but younger guys could do a lot worse than this, as far as scent goes.

Overall Impressions of Defy EDT

Overall, do I like Defy? It’s okay. I think that it can be pleasant at times, but isn’t ever something that’s remarkable. Sure, it’s close to the original Y EDT in terms of smell and style, but that’s till better than this CK release. And, I’m not even a big fan of that one.

I don’t hate this either. If you can get it for cheap and are in your teens or twenties, this could be a very serviceable cologne for you. It smells nice enough and doesn’t have any repulsive qualities about it.

The opening is probably the highlight for me. I do like that bergamot note, when it is at its strongest. The dry down is fine, just not dynamic.

The performance isn’t great, which makes it even less appealing, even if you enjoy the smell. Five-ish or so hours, isn’t going to cut it for most guys. Especially, if this is selling a retail. I would only shop at discounters and see if they ever have this one sale. Outside of that, I probably wouldn’t even bother.

Love for Him EDT by Tiffany & Co.

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Love for Him is a release by Tiffany & Co. that came out back in 2019. It’d been a while since the jewelry company had put out a men’s fragrance and this was right before LVMH bought the brand. I hadn’t tried this one out, but recently got a sample to test. How does it smell? Is it long lasting? Even worth a try?

What does Tiffany & Love for Him Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, ginger, cardamom, cypress, juniper, vetiver, sequoia, sandalwood

Click here to try: Love for Him EDT

My Full Review

The opening of Love for Him is bright, fresh, and quite pleasant. The mandarin orange takes the lead up top, but isn’t allowed to overpower the other notes.

Ginger and cardamom are giving this a light spiciness to develop that freshness. The cardamom here is the type with the lemony finish, which accentuates the orange note. Not at all massive in the mix and the ginger note is definitely favored.

So, yeah, this does have a similar style to the Bleu de Chanel fragrances. Not the same exactly, but with citrus and ginger and woods…you’re going to get that kind of vibe.

The mandarin will begin to take more of a back seat, as does that cardamom. Love now becomes a woodier scent, with a drier freshness rather than juicy and spicy.

On my skin, the cypress comes through more initially. Then, the vetiver will be the focus. None of the woody notes really break up the balance of the scent, but some have a heavier weighting versus others.

Not a lot of sandalwood or juniper here. I was hoping that the sequoia note would have some more power, to make this a more distinct sort of cologne, but even that is relegated to the background.

Surprisingly, the ginger doesn’t completely fad away early on. I can pick it up really deep into the wear. The scent feels like a sparkling and slightly sweet woody cologne. The remaining citrus and ginger floats around an increasingly indistinct mass of woods.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one is pretty middle of the road with the scent trail it’ll leave behind or how far it tends to pop off of the skin. You do get a nice 30-45 minutes, with some decent reach. Ultimately, this Tiffany & Co cologne is a lighter one.

That’s not to say it completely disappears and isn’t detectable. Just expect something that’ll be intimate instead of heavy and bold.

The longevity is actually pretty good in that sense. Yes, it’s lighter but it keeps going for up to 7.5 hours, on my skin. Is it super sheer at that point? Yep, though that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer wear. The brightness, the citrus, and the freshness of the woods all scream to be worn during the warmer months of the year.

Within that context it is pretty versatile. Any age can wear this. Any occasion wouldn’t be too much of a problem. Love for Him is pleasant, likeable, and will draw complements when it is detectable to those around you.

Could easily be a daily wear for this stretch of the year. You’d want to go with something else, if you want a bold nightlife kind of cologne. Outside of that, you’re good.

Overall Impressions of Love for Him

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I think that it smells very nice. It’s nothing super unique or complex, but the aroma itself is attractive and something that can easily fit into your spring and summer lineup.

The mandarin orange note with the ginger and cardamom is a great opening act. Mandarin is usually one of my least favorite citrus notes, but it works here. Not too strong, but also doesn’t get annoying.

The brightness and ginger transitions into something woodier, giving Love for Him a different sort of freshness.

The performance is kind of a let down. If you want a strong and bold cologne, this one isn’t going to be it. Longevity is actually good, just not with a lot sillage behind it. Which, for a refreshing summer fragrance, I don’t have a problem with.

My only reservation with this one, is the price point. If you can get a nice discount, Love for Him is probably worth it. However, I’ve also seen it retail for over $100. To me, that’s a stretch.

Sure, it’s a nice fragrance but nothing that you need to really need to acquire at a high cost. It will probably be considered to simple or not unique enough for some people either. In the $50-75 range, I’d be a lot more comfortable picking up a bottle.

Uomo Born in Roma Intense by Valentino

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Uomo Born in Roma Intense is the 2023 flanker to the ongoing fragrance series by Valentino. I haven’t been a particularly big fan of Born in Roma entries thus far, especially the original release. As such, I wasn’t all that excited to try this Intense version out. How does it actually smell, though? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Uomo Born in Roma Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, amber, lavender, vetiver

Click here to try: Born in Roma Intense

My Full Review

Here’s how Valentino describes it: A fougere ambery fragrance combining the intensity of lavandin with an addictive vanilla.

Intense opens up with a fresh sweetness about it. The original was sweeter to me and had more of an Invictus style, but there is similarities here. One major difference is the lavender note that is present throughout.

It sort of tempers things from venturing too far into the candy-like sweetness realm. Though, it still flirts with it. I also appreciate the lack of mineral oil/saltiness in this Intense version. That gave me a headache while testing the original.

Intense becomes more of a lavender and vanilla combination after about 20 minutes or so. Very balanced and almost unisex with how it comes across. Could be a unisex version of the YSL Libre line.

They don’t seem to go into much detail regarding all of the notes. But, I think this has some of the same sage note, as the original and Coral Fantasy. Not to the same extent, however. Possibly some tonka bean? This fragrance totally has Luna Rossa Sport vibes.

The final dry down is like a lavender and vetiver blend on my skin. The vanilla and amber are in support, but this is much less sweet, and more of a floral/fougere aromatic for the rest of the way. Clean and easy to wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage opens up even stronger than Born in Roma. With that, I got 5-8 feet of projection off of where I sprayed. This seems to hit an extra foot or two for that first hour. Not massively more powerful, but it does take things to a slight higher level.

After that, it settles into the same sort of moderate performance. That being said, I still could detect it for a good long while without having to press my nose in closer.

It sticks around for 8.5-9 hours, on my skin. Very nice for a mainstream designer cologne like this. That should be a boost for its popularity.

Seasonally, this is going to be an autumn through springtime wear. It’s fresh, but just a little too heavy/thick for the summer months. In cold or moderate temperatures, Born in Roma Intense comes off well.

The versatility is one of its main strengths, if not the biggest selling point. Day or nighttime wear. You can wear it casually or more dressed up. It has mass appeal and an attractiveness that can work on dates.

For the non-enthusiast or collector of fragrances, you won’t need much more than something like this in your rotation.

Overall Impressions of Born in Roma Intense

Overall, do I like Intense? I do. It’s my favorite of the Born in Roma line thus far. It’s still nothing groundbreaking or anything, but Intense delivers a good experience overall.

I like that initial sweetness, in its more tolerable form versus the other entries in the series. That blended with a strong lavender, vanilla, and the amber coming from the base is nice. Not sickly and has a great freshness.

The back half of the wear is kind of boring to me. Doesn’t smell bad, but Intense gets pretty linear and the development is basically non-existent.

This isn’t too original. Similarities with the other Born in Roma’s, Luna Rossa Sport, and some of the Most Wanted by Azzaro fragrances. Not exactly like any of them, but takes cues from them all.

While it doesn’t hit the ‘great’ level for me, it does everything well enough that I think this one is pretty safe to grab a full bottle of for most guys. Unless you’re not a big fan of lavender, this probably won’t ever be a complete waste.

Personally, it’s too borderline for me to want a full bottle, but I’m glad that Valentino finally put out a good Born in Roma for men.

Light Blue Eau Intense Pour Homme by D&G

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I just posted my write up of the original Light Blue Pour Homme, and of course, I had to grab a decant of Light Blue Eau Intense to try out as well. This one was released back in 2017, after years of the original being a best seller and a staple of warm weather wear. How does this one stack up? Does is actually deliver intensity? Does it still smell good? Is it worth a purchase?

What Does Light Blue Eau Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, frozen grapefruit, juniper, aquatic accord, amber woods, musk

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Eau Intense starts off quite similar to the original, in many ways, but also as a standalone fragrance. The grapefruit and mandarin are still there, this time without the bergamot note, but the grapefruit is in a ‘frozen’ state.

It is chilled, bright, and sharp. Also, while the original had a peppery note, it is absent here and in the opening I pick up more of the juniper note instead.

One big difference, is the aquatic accord that is present in Eau Intense. It is slightly salty, but much less like an oceanic note, and more of like sitting by a pool with a slight chlorination.

Not to say that it smells strongly like pool water, but there is a familiar hint of that on a summer’s day. This version is chilled and refreshing and I really enjoy that aspect of the cologne.

Update: Coming back to this one, I now recognize the aquatic note to be the same one found in Living Stromboli. That one goes spicy and dry to pair with the aquatic accord, which ultimately isn’t as good as Eau Intense.

I think that it’s the way the juniper berries super fresh aroma, is interacting with the aquatic accord. It becomes heightened, and when paired with the citrus notes, creates a clean and refreshing scent.

Update: New batches seem to be the same. No degraded quality. This part of the wear smells really balanced between that grapefruit, juniper, and the aquatic notes. 

There is a feeling of slight spiciness, but not the same sharp pepper, as found in Light Blue Pour Homme. More of a blend of juniper and the emerging musk, stemming from the base of the composition.

As it dries down, more amberwood and musk, come out more and solidify the base of Eau Intense. However, the grapefruit, juniper, and aquatic notes dominate the composition throughout.

It’s a fairly linear and simplistic scent, which is to be expected for a summery aquatic such as this. Nonetheless, the citrus does tamper down a bit towards the end, and the marine notes are able to smell much more oceanic.

To me, the strength of the juniper and the woody notes really help to separate this version from the original. Everything is geared toward being super fresh, intense, while still being usable for when it gets hot.

Yes, the aquatic accord creates distinction, but the juniper really stands out to my nose. I like the grapefruit and mandarin, in the start, and they feel well blended.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Eau Intense lives up to the name. The sillage is strong for this type of fragrance, it’s not insane or anything, but it’ll be noticeable in the 4-6 feet range around you.

The longevity is also very good, I get about 9 hours of solid wear with it on my skin, but on an old t-shirt it kept right on going along.

For me, the sillage quiets down after an hour or two. It’s not a skin scent, at that point, but feels much lighter and airy. Still, I really dig how this fragrance performs on my skin.

It’s better than all of the other Light Blue Pour Homme fragrances, in terms of performance. It not only outlasts them all, it has more consistent sillage, in the process.

Seasonally, once again it is mainly for spring/summer, but like the original it can be worn year round without any issue. It’s got that same versatility. It can be worn casually or at the office or out on a date. It’s not really limited and is a good all around cologne.

Now, I probably wouldn’t make it a go to for more formal occasions or be a daily office wear. Plus, there are better options for romantic wear, but it can cover plenty of bases otherwise.

Though, in it’s most basic form, it is best used on a warmer day. It’s refreshing, and one that I have been loving to wear casually, during this summer.

So, while it has versatility, I’m going to stick to daily wearing it during spring/summer. It’s been occupying the same role that Eternity Aqua has, for me.

Overall Scent

Overall, do I like Light Blue Eau Intense? I actually like it a lot for a summer scent. It is really great while being utterly simple and easy to love.

I am digging it more than the original Light Blue, as D&G took what was working with that, and then made it better. I like how cold and smooth this one feels versus the spicier original.

The aquatic accord and juniper really add a fresher summer vibe. Not the same spiciness and woods as the original Light Blue has.

Update: To me, this is still the best of the Light Blue Pour Homme line. The more recent releases have given it a run for the top spot, but Eau Intense just does everything better in aggregate. 

It also has better strength and staying power. I can recommend and it is a good inoffensive scent for guys who want a fragrance to cover many bases with one bottle.

The dry down, can be fairly musky and has a dose of amberwood, which some might not like. That’s probably the main drawback with this one. It can be pretty synthetic smelling, at times.

However, most people seem to have positive feelings toward Eau Intense. It’s a very good aquatic, that delivers a pleasant smell, and does a fine job at not quitting early.