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!

Michael for Men by Michael Kors

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There are plenty of popular fragrances out there which are light and sweet in their aromas and downright unisex in their application, if not almost completely feminine. Michael for Men by Michael Kors is not one of these scents.

I recently received a sample vial of this stuff and have been testing it out over the past few days, in order to see if I like it and to get a sense of how it holds up throughout the day. In this post, I’m going to relay my findings to you and whether or not I think this cologne is worth a purchase.

What does Michael for Men by Michael Kors Smell Like?

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Notes include: Leather, woods, patchouli , tobacco, sandalwood, fruits, plum

Click Here to Try Michael Kors for Men

My Full Review

The opening notes of Michael for Men strike me as very warm and spicy, in the same way Opium Pour Homme does, only without the prominent vanilla note. Immediately, I thought that this was a cologne built for the colder months of the year.

However, the spicy notes don’t envelop you like a cloud, this cologne has a quite smooth and woodsy undercurrent to it, like a shot of good whiskey. I found it to be quite nice and masculine.

This Michael Kors fragrance also has a layer of sweetness to it provided by the dried fruit notes which includes, plum. To me, the fruits never develop into anything that strong but they do play a nice supporting role throughout its life cycle.

I will say, that, after about and hour or so, the spicy notes begin to take a back seat and the cologne becomes more refined with the scent of leather and woods emerging more to complement the tobacco.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

While Michael for Men starts out fairly strong, I would say that its projection is quite moderate. It doesn’t overpower, but I also got some pretty decent results with it too.

The sillage strength in the beginning, certainly isn’t a total bomb. Nonetheless, it will project itself to form a nice perimeter around you.

It also doesn’t last all day, like some colognes, but it doesn’t fade out after 30 minutes either. In terms, of its performance, I would say this cologne is moderate across the board.

Coming back to it, after a few years, it seems to stick around in the 5-7 hour range. Not spectacular, but quite useable.

Seasonally, keep it to autumn through early spring. It’s at its best in cooler temperatures, but it holds up decently in a more moderate setting. It is a versatile scent, good for an evening out, while being safe for the office.

Overall Impression of Michael for Men

Would I recommend this fragrance? Meh…I don’t hate it but I’m not exactly thrilled with it either, it’s just not really my style. I think this would be a solid option for some men during the late fall and winter months but it’s just not for me.

If you are the type that really likes the smooth, spicy, tobacco type of scents, this would be a good bet. It’s warm, inviting, and classy…I just personally have no real use for it.

I like the tobacco and the plum notes here, I think that they bolster the cologne, quite a bit. Trying this one again, a few years after my initial review, I can’t really say that my opinion has changed on this Michael Kors fragrance. Still good, but not great, with a solid balance all around.

Update: This one got discontinued. There is a Michael Kors Pour Homme fragrance, but it’s different from this older release.

Villain by Christian Audiger (Ed Hardy)

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I have some more samples on deck to review, but thought that I’d get the last men’s fragrance of the lot sorted out first. This entry is Villain by Christian Audiger, under the Ed Hardy banner. What does Villain smell like? What’s inside? How does it perform? Read below for my full take.

What does Villain Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: cedar, amber, nutmeg, basil, bergamot, cardamom, lavender, sandalwood, musk

Click here to try: Ed Hardy Villain Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Review

I was interesting in testing out Villain, as I had heard that it was supposedly a similar fragrance to The One by D&G. Now, The One, was a scent that I really enjoyed the smell of…it just lasted all of 10 minutes on my skin (the EDT version, the EDP is better). So, the thought of being able to get a cheaper ‘clone’ scent, was intriguing.

My initial impressions from the opening are that Villain is noticeably sweeter than is The One.

Add to that, the bergamot adds this citrus aroma that is much more pronounced than anything I get from the D&G product. In The One, it’s much more blended. It feels almost too sweet to my nose at the start, pretty synthetic in how it is put together.

After about 10-15 minutes, I think that Villain becomes much cleaner and fresh smelling. The amber note begins it warm take over and there is a pepper/cedar blend, which tones down the sweetness, and brings about a slight spice.

This is the smell that I get for the rest of the time that the fragrance lasts on my skin. So, it’s synthetic smelling cardamom with bergamot citrus, which transforms into amber with lighter spice. Pretty basic, not much development, like many inexpensive fragrances.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s strong at first but then fizzles out pretty quickly. It’s not a powerhouse by any means, but I think with the right body chemistry it could potentially be  loud.

On my skin, the longevity isn’t great. Better than The One EDT, but still I could only muster 3-4 solid hours of wear from it. If it could conjure up some more time, actually sticking around, Villain would be a pretty darn good cheapie. Not great, but definitely serviceable.

I’d chalk this up as a casual scent, with a chance to be a romantic wear cologne. I personally think there are better options, but if this is your price range, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Villain does have an appealing enough aroma to be deemed ‘attractive’.

Overall Impressions of Villain

Overall, would I recommend Villain? Maybe for younger guys, who need something cheap. I don’t think it smells as good as The One or even close enough to be a direct clone of that fragrance, but it does last longer than the EDT (I’d buy the EDP before this, however).

For what it is, I do think it’s a decent buy in the 20-ish dollar range of scents.

It would never be my go to and I’m personally not going to wear it around after this, but I don’t hate it, and can see how it could find a place in a younger guy’s rotation. It’s fresh, warm, sweet/spicy, and smells good enough.

I should really enjoy Villain, but I don’t think the cardamom note, is all that amazing. The spiced and amber are nice, but again, not anything special. Really would only suggest buying at a cheap enough level.

Ralph Rocks by Ralph Lauren

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Moving right through my sample reviews, today we have an entry from Ralph Lauren, Ralph Rocks. This one was released in 2006 and was a part of the ‘Ralph’ Collection of fragrances. In this post, I will discuss: how it smells, what’s inside, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase.

What does Ralph Rocks Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, kiwi, passion fruit, orange blossom, sandalwood, palm leaf, amber, freesia

Click here to try: Ralph Rocks by Ralph Lauren Body Lotion 1.7 oz

My Review

My immediate reaction to smelling this perfume after applying was being intrigued by the tropical aroma. I had no idea what the notes were at the time and thought that there was a vague coconut like note in there.

But not quite coconut. The aroma is very smooth and screams the island life and that main player happened to be passion fruit. Plus, how the kiwi blends with the sandalwood, gives it that slight pseudo-coconut scent.

It sort of reminds me of Virgin Island Water. Not in its fragrance per se, rather, the lotion like creamy smoothness that is produced by Ralph Rocks. What I like about this scent, is that while it is a tropical scent, it doesn’t have a cold oceanic quality to it.

No, Ralph Rocks is warmed by the amber note and provides a lush floral undertone, which ties the whole scent together. It’s all very sweet and enchanting but it doesn’t have that candy-like sugary smell to it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Ralph Rocks isn’t a powerhouse. It sticks around, but is more of perfume that stays within one’s own personal space. Not a simple skin scent, but within 3-5 feet. Not even the opening act, is all that powerful, it’s a fairly steady scent.

Longevity is seemingly okay, as well. I got about 6 hours of wear from a few dabs out of the sample vial. Not great but not awful either. Even trying it for a few times, this is about what I came to expect with Ralph Rocks. A fairly decent performer, but not elite, at all.

Ralph Rocks is a definite spring and summertime fragrance. As I mentioned before, it is such a nice change of pace from super fruity or super aquatic summer perfumes.

It is simple and inoffensive enough to be worn to work, school, or casually. It’s not really a sexy scent in my mind, but I think that it is quite pleasant to be around.

This Ralph Lauren perfume has really good versatility in terms of when you can wear it, but also, it can fit well with a wide age range. It is a simple fragrance to reach for and spray on, on an almost daily basis.

Overall Impressions of Ralph Rocks

Overall, would I recommend Ralph Rocks? Yes. This is assuming that you can buy a bottle. This perfume has been discontinued, so you will have to find some unsold stock of it online. It might be super expensive.

Though, it appears the body lotion is still available on Amazon, as of now. This is a very nice casual perfume and has a somewhat unique take on the tropical fragrance arena. I like it.

It wasn’t ever an amazing fragrance, though, it is a very good one. Nice smell, good enough performance, and can be worn in many instances. If you do happen upon a bottle, I wouldn’t pay an outlandish price to possess it.

Perfumista Avenue by Bond No. 9

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I’m still working my way through writing up reviews for all of the Bond No. 9 samples that I have laying around. Today’s entry is Perfumista Avenue, which was released by the company to celebrate it’s 10th anniversary. In this post, I will explore: it’s ingredients, how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not I think it’s worth a buy.

What does Perfumista Avenue Smell Like?

Notes include: red plum, rose, saffron, patchouli, musk, nutmeg, peony, jasmine, amber, davana

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Perfumista Avenue EDP Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

Geeeeeezzz, is this stuff loud. From the opening spray your nose is bombarded with rose, spice, and a very tart red plum note. The rose note smells more pinkish, than contained in many other scents.

I am admittedly, not a huge fan of rose and patchouli, but I would think that this stuff might even offend many rose lovers. At times, I start to think that it’s pleasant and interesting and then it starts to smell like really sour rose water mixed with booze.

It reminds me of one of those drinks at specialty bars that serve their own concoctions, sometimes brilliantly, and other times off putting.

Perfumista Avenue does settle down, somewhat. You eventually get a full bouquet of flowers while retaining it’s sharp and bright aroma. Underneath it all, there is an herbal scent but it kind of gives off this weird metallic smell.

What you will mainly get is the rose, plum, patchouli, and nutmeg. Everything else plays a supporting role. The saffron can be strong at times, but during the latter stages, I really don’t pick up any on my skin. Tart, rose, with a warm spiciness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Perfumista Avenue is a monster. Good lord, what a bomb of a fragrance this is. Whether you like it or not, you can’t say Bond No. 9 didn’t deliver a bang for you buck.

It also lasts seemingly forever. I’m not sure when it quits, as I scrubbed it off 8 or so hours after application, and it was still performing. Coming back to it another time, I’m convinced of this Bond scents as being an all day wear. It’s too powerful to fade out quickly.

This feels like a springtime scent to my nose. I cannot imagine this in the summer heat, and potentially, how overwhelmingly messy it could become. Moderate temperatures without much humidity would serve as the best option.

This is certainly a niche fragrance. I wouldn’t wear it in an office or school type of environment. More out for the day or night during spring. So, a casual fragrance to wear in a place with a breeze, and only so with a light application.

Overall Impression of Bond No. 9 Perfumista Avenue

Overall, can I recommend Perfumista Avenue? Not for the general public. This is a perfume that will have a very limited appeal. I’m not personally enthralled with it and it grates on my nerves.

However, I know there are some serious rose and patchouli fans who will dig this scent. Everyone around them might not, but hey, at least the bright pink bottle it comes in is pretty.

Mr. Burberry EDT by Burberry

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Mr. Burberry EDT isn’t a cologne that I had tried out yet, so when I got a sample of it, I was hoping that it would be among the brand’s best efforts. This scent was released in 2014, which makes it one of the newer colognes from this line. It is a woodsy based fragrance with a citrus note provided by grapefruit.

In this post, I want to give my impressions of Mr. Burberry eau de toilette after wearing, describe how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase or not.

What does Mr. Burberry EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: tarragon, cedar, birch leaf, grapefruit, cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: BURBERRY Mr Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Mr. Burberry is a smooth blend of the grapefruit note along with some of the woods, notably the sandalwood and cedar. I can’t say that I’m blown away by the opening but I do find it pleasant and subtle on my skin. There’s just so many pairings of grapefruit and wood out there, it feels redundant.

There is a dash of mint in there, from the start, which lends a nice bit of coolness to the composition. It has a slightly herbal tone to it that underlies the citrus and woodsy notes but again, Mr. Burberry never comes across as anything special, in my opinion.

That isn’t to say that this cologne smells bad, it definitely doesn’t. Mr. Burberry is very clean and crisp and feels like a more dressed up type of fragrance, that can also be worn casually. The mint, cardamom and tarragon, is what really drives the best aspects of this cologne.

There is a hint of spice there, that is pretty much the only thing I find interesting about it. That’s the cardamom note coming through, to my nose, it is the highlight of Mr. Burberry. It plays wonderfully off of the mint, and then later, the woodsy base notes.

Nutmeg? I suppose, but it is none too strong. It just seems really generic and uneventful otherwise, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, depending on your own personal style.

As it dries down, I think this fragrance gets somewhat better than how it started. It’s got plenty of woody goodness in there and is quite fresh. Vetiver and birch, are the main notes I pick up from that aspect, along with the ubiquitous sandalwood.

The grapefruit is still around, not as sharp as it once was, but it does provide the main thrust of this cologne. The finish of Mr. Burberry is dry, woodsy, with the herbal/spice notes still floating around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is decent. You can get away with spraying a lot more of this stuff than some other entries. It’s stronger than a skin scent, but the sillage doesn’t carve out a path in a room. Mr. Burberry does everything smoothly.

The longevity is also pretty good, this isn’t an all day and all night affair, but it’ll probably get through most of a work day. During testing, I got in the 5-7 hour range, and that’s what it seems about capable of.

Having now used up the sample sprayer that I had, I’d say that’s the range I get each time. Mostly, closer to the five hour mark, rather than the latter.

Mr. Burberry is an elegant type of scent so it will do well in those dressier situations as well as at work or school. It really isn’t offensive and is simply something that smells good/fresh. It does enjoy some versatility too, as it seems like it could work in almost any season.

It’s not a night club beast, has a definite appeal, but not really a sexy quality. Women will enjoy it, but it’s isn’t something that truly captures attention, in my experience.

As much as it doesn’t really cultivate much excitement from me, I can honestly say that it’s versatility is perhaps its strongest point. It’s pleasant, low key, and has the ability to simply work in so many different scenarios.

Overall Impressions of Mr. Burberry

Overall, is Mr. Burberry a buy? For me, no. I actually like the way it smells and it is far better than Burberry Weekend, for example. There are just other Burberry colognes that I would rather wear.

Plus, since the performance isn’t outstanding, it loses more of my potential interest.

This cologne seems to get a lot of undue hate from a lot of folks, but it really isn’t a ‘bad’ fragrance, just not something I absolutely must have. If I could snag a really cheap bottle of this stuff, I probably would wear it on some occasions, and enjoy doing so.

It doesn’t stand out from the pack and that could be good or bad depending on your own tastes.

I do wish it was a bit more interesting and had some greater longevity. Even just the performance, could’ve made Mr. Burberry EDT worthwhile at the right price.