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!

Sauvage EDT vs Acqua di Gio Profumo Comparison

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In today’s cologne comparison, we have a match up between two popular colognes: Dior Sauvage vs. Acqua di Gio Profumo. Which of these fragrances smells the best? Which performs well? Between the two which is the better buy? Dior or Armani?

Tale of the Tape

Sauvage

Notes include: Bergamot, Ambroxan, Sichuan Pepper, lavender, pink pepper, and more

Click here to try: Sauvage by Chrisitan Dior Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Ready my original review here: Dior Sauvage EDT Review

Acqua di Gio Profumo

Notes include: bergamot, sage, patchouli, incense, and marine notes

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo 75ml (2.5oz) Parfum Vapo., 2.5 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: Acqua di Gio Profumo Review

Opening

Sauvage starts off with a sharp bergamot note, calming lavender, and a peppery kick. The first 20 minutes feel a bit too sharp for my nose, but when the ambroxan fully kicks in, it becomes much smoother.

I do enjoy the bergamot citrus note, which I think is the strength of the entire fragrance. But, the Sichuan pepper does hit pretty strongly at first.

AdG Profumo, also has that bergamot start, but is paired with a dark oceanic aroma and incense smokiness. It’s deep and has a mysterious quality to it.

The Acqua di Gio sage note is pretty prevalent at the top of the wear, along with the rosemary. It is fresh and aromatic with a distinct connection to the DNA of the original AdG.

Which do I prefer? I honestly like Profumo more, in this regard. The opening is a great blend of citrus, aquatic, and incense which is pretty unique for a marine sort of cologne. Sauvage is somewhat harsh at the jump, but is nice overall.

However, it’s got so much overlap with other fragrances like Luna Rossa Carbon, that I appreciate the unique aspect of Profumo. Plus, I think it just smells better.

You get much of the original Acqua di Gio, but more mature and with enough difference to make it stand on its own.

Edge: AdG Profumo 

Projection

I’d call Dior Sauvage a moderate to strong fragrance, that has a potential to be heavy. Acqua di Gio Profumo is also a moderate and sometimes strong fragrance, but I don’ think it ever hits the same level as Sauvage in terms of its sillage.

Sauvage can be fairly powerful up front and maintains much of its strength. AdG Profumo, is by no means a weak scent, just a notch below the Dior.

I always expect Profumo to be a bomb, it just never was a total powerhouse.

Edge: Sauvage

Longevity

In warmer weather, I get about 6-7 hours worth of wear from Sauvage. During winter, you can add a couple more hours out of it. The Armani fragrance, gives me around 8 hours during the warmest months of the year and will squeeze out another little bit in the cold.

Profumo has better longevity on my skin and is more consistent. This was kind of a surprise initially, given that Sauvage has the bigger sillage.

Nonetheless, wearing these two again and again, I get the same results. Profumo lasts longer than its competitor.

Update: Even with my latest bottle of Profumo here in 2021, I still get the same performance. So, to my nose it hasn’t been weakened just yet.

Edge: Profumo

Versatility

Both of these colognes have great versatility. That’s apart of their strength and appeal. Neither is too strong that it can’t be worn at an office or school. They can both be great casual scents. Also, they are both winners in the nightlife and have really attractive qualities.

To me, there’s no clear winner, in this category. Both are Swiss Army knife fragrances, that can seemingly do almost anything, and wears well on many different occasions.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Dior Sauvage has always been a nice cologne in my opinion, but never really wowed me. It is a fragrance that I can enjoy wearing, though, isn’t something that I really love.

The bergamot, ambroxan, and lavender combination is quite great at times, but not something that I desire to wear on the regular. It is a solid performer and highly popular, so, a guy can’t really ‘go wrong’ wearing this fragrance.

I still prefer the EDP version or Luna Rossa Carbon, more so than the original EDT. There are now a ton of Sauvage alternatives to choose from, as well.

I feel similarly about Acqua di Gio Profumo. The difference is, I find it slightly more appealing, and interesting. I love the dark marine aspect, smokiness, bergamot. Plus, the underlying herbal notes, just add to the essence while not over-complicating things.

Is it way better than Sauvage? I don’t think so. They are pretty much neck and neck, in my mind, just like Profumo a bit more.

Update: Here in 2021, I have an even greater preference for AdG versus the Sauvage EDT. It is a deeper and more interesting fragrance. Plus, it isn’t worn by absolutely everyone.

It might come down to which you can personally get a better deal on or if you’d prefer more of an aquatic/oceanic scent.

Winner: Acqua di Gio Profumo (Slightly)

Polo Deep Blue Parfum by Ralph Lauren

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It’s 2020 and Ralph Lauren has launched another fragrance, adding to the laundry list of offerings to the Polo Blue line up. This one, is called: Polo Deep Blue Parfum. I got to test it out and wanted to share my initial thoughts on this new release. How does it smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Is Deep Blue even worth a try?

What does Polo Deep Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: Hawaiian Green Mango, fir, sage, Deep Ocean Accord, Cypress Oil, ambroxan, grapefruit

Click here to try: POLO DEEP BLUE by RALPH LAUREN 

My Full Deep Blue Review

With lock downs ending, I’ve had a chance to try Polo Deep Blue, for an initial test run. Usually, I like to wear a fragrance multiple times before a review, but I’m going to give my initial thoughts on this scent and update later.

I gave it three solid sprays on my arm, at the pulse point, with the tester bottle right before exiting the store. That turned out rather favorably, as Deep Blue smelled wonderful outside in the fresh air.

Initially, you get a great mango note. This is the same note found in the Polo Black series, which is a great addition to this one. The mango is blended with some lighter citrus (bergamot and grapefruit) and what Ralph Lauren is terming ‘Deep Ocean Accord’.

What is deep ocean accord? Well, a somewhat salty aquatic aroma. Not quite the same marine note, like Bvlgari Aqua, but a fresh and pretty captivating aroma.

The next wave brings the fresher herbal and woody notes. I mainly get sage and cypress. During the part of the wear, it feels more like Polo Blue EDP. A different wood highlighted, but the sage is a dead ringer. More aquatic and with the mango, but you do get the close resemblance.

A few hours in, the Deep Ocean, smells almost purely like ambroxan. The note heavily featured in Sauvage, Dylan Blue, and many others. Deep Blue comes across as a fruity and fresh herbal scent sitting in a pool of ambroxan.

The latter stages feel like some kind of mix between Polo Blue EDP and EDT, with that ambroxan presence and added mango. It’s fine, but it’s not nearly as intriguing as the opening act. The opening hour or so, is great, and I wanted it to continue exactly like that.

Sillage 

Polo Deep Blue projects itself well, before slowly decaying during the rest of the wear. I’d say it starts off strong, at least strong enough to be over-sprayed, but it isn’t a complete powerhouse.

If you’ve tried the other Polo Blue colognes, this one is on the same sort of level as Blue EDP. Not weak, but not an insane sillage monster.

How Long does Deep Blue Last?

In total, I got somewhere in the 7-9 hour range. I kind of lost track of the time, during this initial test run, but it was a solid performer. Again, the ability to project itself does die down, as it wears on.

The last few hours definitely hung close to the skin, but the first 2+ hours performed quite well.

Versatility and Season

When should you wear Deep Blue? As far as the season goes, this is a spring and summer fragrance, all the way.

The oceanic influences, the citrus, and vibe just screams out summer. It will be most useful as a casual to semi-formal daily wear. Deep Blue is attractive enough to gather compliments and go from daytime to night wear.

Though, I would most prefer to wear this during the day, while out and about around town. It is suitable for all age ranges. If you’re looking for a more niche or grown up scent, be aware that this is more of a mass crowd pleaser. It’s a good one, but won’t be the height of complexity.

Overall Impression of Polo Deep Blue Parfum

Overall, do I like Deep Blue Parfum? I do. I think that it’s a great take on the Polo Blue name and structure. It might be my favorite release under this Polo Blue banner, but I’ll need to spend more time wearing it, to reach that conclusion.

You get an attractive and fresh fragrance. It has plenty of overlap with both the EDT and EDP versions, but with enough distinctions, to separate itself…especially early on. Later, it does smell more like the others.

I like the Deep Ocean Accord, which seems to be a combination of ambroxan and something else, I can’t quite pick out. That note does get overused, but I like it here.

The mango, sage, and woody undertones are very appealing and strike a masculine tone. This is probably the most aquatic feeling of the Polo Blue line. Is it different enough to own Deep Blue, if you’ve already got a bottle of the EDT or EDP?

Initially, yes. How much you want a bottle of a similar fragrance, is up to you. If you’re looking for a new summer cologne, this is one to check out. Groundbreaking? No, but a nice all around fragrance, with mass market appeal.

Update: Think that this one got discontinued. Still floating around online, though.

Azzaro Pour Homme by Azzaro

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In my continuing series of men’s fragrance reviews, I am going to take a closer look today at Azzaro Pour Homme. I have already reviewed Chrome by Azzaro , which is quite a different fragrance then this one.

This cologne is a long-time seller, and some would say, classic scent. Does is live up to that status? What notes make up Azzaro? What does it smell like? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase? Please continue below for my full write up.

What does Azzaro Pour Homme Smell Like?

IMG_0768

Notes include: oakmoss, amber, musk, cedar, juniper berries, lavender, lemon, anise, and more

Click here to try Azzaro Pour Homme: Azzaro By Azzaro For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 6.8 oz

My Full Review

Azzaro Pour Homme has been around for a long time, and has basically achieved classic status, in the fragrance world. That being said, it definitely is not a scent for everybody, and won’t vibe well with some people’s style. Especially, if you’re into more ‘modern’ releases.

The opening of Azzaro is a fresh and woodsy blast. The oakmoss, cedar, and anise really stand out to me. Lemon is there, but it is a light touch, to my nose. There seems to be a refreshing spice that lingers quite well, but it’s a cool spice (sort of the same way mint projects itself), and it is all tied together by the smoothness of lavender.

Cold, spicy, and woodsy. Still, Pour Homme is clean at the top, with a very smooth leather and slight herbal quality to its aroma.

Azzaro is quite an interesting scent. It gives off a refined and masculine vibe that is wholly unique, especially compared to more modern fragrances for men.

It is so layered at times that is can be difficult to pick out some of the notes but the lavender and oakmoss are the most prominent, which gives it this crisp and soapy/cream sort of aroma.

The cycle of Azzaro starts off with the fresh spicy aroma, which then moves into the sort of classic barbershop soapiness. The oak moss and lavender, are particularly noticeable in the latter stages of the wear.

Sillage, Versatility, and How Long does it Last?

Projection wise, Azzaro does it’s job. It isn’t a heavy cologne but you really don’t have to use much of it either. I find that 2-3 sprays, is about the max, that I’ll put on.

Even with that, I still don’t think it’s an absolute beast with its sillage either. It will reach rather far away from the skin, for 30-45 minutes or so, and then become moderate to semi-powerful for the remainder of the wear.

It is also one, that doesn’t quit on you after a few hours, and will keep going along for the remainder of the day. Testing it a few more times recently, it was clocking 7-9 hours, on my skin. That’s not an insanely long time, but a full work day is plenty, for most guys.

This would honestly be worn best in the months of autumn, as its woodsy aroma would fit in quite well during that time of year. However, it’ll work well in anything besides extreme heat and humidity.

If you live in a tropical climate, I’d probably avoid Azzaro Pour Homme for anything besides wear in an air conditioned building.

Also, it does seem to be a versatile scent that can be worn everyday, but it isn’t too casual of a scent. Azzaro Pour Homme is an anytime wear really, within the confines of its climate boundaries.

For older guys, it could be a daily wear or something for the evenings. Most younger guys, probably won’t be that enthralled with Azzaro, but it could find a place within a rotation.

Overall Impressions of Azzaro Pour Homme

Overall, is Azzaro a buy? It is an (usually) inexpensive performer. If you enjoy dry, fresh, woodsy, classic types of scents, Azzaro would be right up your alley. However, if you like really sweet or aquatic type of colognes, you may want to look elsewhere.

Azzaro can be a good change up to wear, every once in a while, just to add some variety to your style. I like it to some extent, but it really doesn’t fit with my personal taste. The classic woodsy/barbershop cologne isn’t one that I gravitate towards.

That being said, Azzaro Pour Homme is an example of this style, done right. Amazing? No, but one that does everything well enough.

High Line by Bond No.9 New York

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So, I have a ton of fragrance reviews that are coming out over the next month or so, and I figured that I’d kick things off with another entry from Bond No.9. I’ve completed a good chunk of the entire line of scents from them at this point, which is cool, but there’s so many more fragrances to explore.

High Line has been around as a scent for about 10 years now and has developed into a well known Bond scent. Is it worth it? I have tried it, tested, and am reporting back. So, please continue below form my complete review of High Line.

High Line by Bond No. 9 Overview

Notes include: bergamot, grass, rhubarb, rose, hyacinth, tulip, and oak 

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 High Line Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

Right from the jump, while this is classified as a unisex fragrance, High Line lean much more toward the feminine end of things. It’s a green floral/outdoorsy scent, so if that’s not your type of fragrance, this will probably be a complete miss for you.  That being said, High Line is a light, bright, and upbeat perfume.

I do get a mix of bergamot, grass, and tulip at the opening. Now, the grass note isn’t like a freshly mown lawn or anything like that. It’s fresh, green, and feels like a well-manicured garden.

To me the bergamot and oak notes serve as bookends, to keep the fragrance from going completely into the floral space. I like that aspect, because there are other Bond No.9 scents that take things to a full bouquet of flowers, and it kind of gives me a headache.

The floral notes really take over at about 10 minutes in and it takes on a floral/citrus tone, that has a soapy quality. High Line’s notes don’t have that overwhelming or cloying personality to them.

The hyacinth and tulip are very noticeable, I get some rhubarb, but it gets blended away on my skin. It is a pretty dang strong aroma but it’s crisp and not a heavy cloud of perfume.

In the end, it is a grassy floral with citrus hints. Powerful, with a clean, and soapy-like aroma. Hyacinth, grass, citrus, with some remaining tulip.

Sillage, How Long does High Line Last, Versatility

Projection wise, this is as I wrote above, a strong scent. A few sprays is all you will need and anything beyond that is simply too much, in my opinion. At least you can say, that you get your money’s worth, with this loud of a sillage.

The projection power can indeed fill up a room. During testing, I could spray a shirt and pick up the scent easily, from 12-15 feet away.

However, with that sort of projection power, High Line is absolutely an all day wear, just off of those two sprays. It really hung around me for a long time during my testing. You’ll get to the double digit hours in wear, without any real problem.

Seasonally, this has spring/summer written all over it. It would seem out of place during the colder months of the year. It has the vibe of a bright sunny day, not a gloomy, overcast, and frigid one.

I’d call this casual, not really a business scent or a sexy one either. This is the type of perfume you’d wear outdoors, where it really has a chance to blend with the environment. Probably too heavy for the office, not appealing enough for nightlife. A perfume for a spring day, walking about the city.

Overall Impression of High Line

Overall, would I recommend High Line? For some, yes. I’m not a huge floral fan and for guys, this is distinctively feminine. BUT for the floral lovers of either gender, this is a very nice example of a fragrance that is well-blended and gives good performance.

High Line isn’t a scent that I could wear, as it is too powerful, floral, and feminine for my tastes. Nonetheless, it is a good entry from Bond No. 9. Maybe more niche, than some of their more popular offerings, but one that has an audience of fans.

Legend for Men by Mont Blanc

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Mont Blanc Legend is a pretty popular cologne and for very good reason, it smells good to almost everyone. The fragrance is featured in a black and metallic bottle which could be characterized as minimalist in style, but I’ll tell you looks really damn cool.

Introduced in 2011, this scent has quickly become a hit due to its versatility and universal wear-ability among all different types of men.

While it isn’t some off the wall or highly unique scent, it is a very pleasant one, which I will now take a closer look at in this post. How does it smell? What are the notes? How long does it last?

What does Mont Blanc Legend Smell Like?

legend

Notes include: Bergamot, Pineapple Leaf, Sandalwood, Apple, rose, oak moss, lemon verbena, geranium, lavender,  And Tonka Bean

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Eau de Toilette 3.3 fl.oz.

My Full Review

While there is a pineapple note within Legend, I don’t get the same type of strong opening like I would from another pineapple note such as Creed’s Aventus. The note is definitely in there, it is just that it doesn’t stand out as much.

What I do notice in the opening, is how utterly crisp and fresh smelling Legend is. This cologne has a very clean scent and doesn’t seem thick or heavy in the air as some other colognes might.

The bergamot here isn’t sharp or bright, pretty subdued, and gets lost in the shuffle pretty quickly. 

The opening is more fruity than the rest of the wear, though, it really isn’t typical. It smells a lot like an advanced version of Playboy New York, which is wholly watered down, when compared to this.

In the beginning, I pick up quite a bit of tonka bean, but it smells kind of different to my nose. I think one of the other notes in this composition, is making it seem different.

The lavender note quickly takes the lead with Legend. I think that this note is what takes the sharp edge off of the pineapple, which at this point, is also joined by the apple.

There is some smooth sandalwood lurking around in the composition but it isn’t overtly powerful. It’s pretty linear from here on out, with lavender and the fruit notes, with pineapple in the front.

Ultimately, what I get from Mont Blanc Legend, is a smooth and somewhat dry lavender blend with fruity notes. The further along is gets in the wear, the more everything starts to run together, into a sort of generically fresh scent. It’s pretty simple and isn’t going to offend anyone around you.

Sillage and Longevity

Projection wise, it is a light to moderate fragrance. The sillage isn’t very huge on this one and compared to the newer, Legend Night, it is downright weak in comparison (spoiler: Legend Night is better).

It’ll be noticeable for those who get quite close to you. Which is fine, for many uses, but the overall performance is never that great.

The longevity on this one seems to go about 5-6 hours, slowly working closer to the skin, until it fades completely. I have never really gotten a long wear out of Legend.

Versatility

Legend is a very versatile fragrance in that it can be worn almost year round and to any type of event or environment. I think that it would be best in the spring or summer months but I wouldn’t be opposed to wearing it during the autumn or even on certain wintry days.

This is they type of cologne you can quickly spray on before work or school and not have to second guess it at all.

This isn’t a cologne that will overpower the room, but is one which will grab some attention, because its clean scent is also a fairly seductive one.

The opening then transitions into something sweeter but still manly, which I think is the reason it gets complemented by women. It feels much more casual to me, though, rather than something that’s built for the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Mont Blanc Legend

Legend while containing fruity notes is a masculine scent which is probably best suited for younger guys who are in their 20s, though I wouldn’t exclusively pigeonhole it as such.

This isn’t really a ‘unique’ scent, in that, there are others which smell similar but it is one that stands out from the crowd a bit.

It has a moderate longevity, which is my only real complaint about this cologne, if it lasted longer it’d be on my list of definite everyday wears but it isn’t completely weak either like Artisan.  Honestly, the longevity is just okay.

Overall, I’d say that Legend is a buy, I would just get a small bottle of it though because I prefer something that is longer lasting but I for sure dig the scent.

However, I doubt I ever would buy a bottle of this because, Legend Night is so much better and more interesting to me.