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!

4 Best Smelling Lalique Colognes for Him

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Lalique as a company didn’t get its start in fragrances, but when it decided to dip into this space, it did a great job of putting together some wonderful scents. It’s men’s line has produced a lot of fan favorites, which are usually available for a very inexpensive price. However, Lalique is inexpensive, and not cheap. It produces scents that can stand up against a lot of the big boys, that cost much more, but may not deliver nearly as much value. In this post, I have selected four colognes by Lalique which I feel are the best of the bunch.

What are the Best Lalique Colognes for Men?

Most Popular Lalique

Lalique Encre Noire Pour Homme EDT Spray, 3.3 oz– A very popular scent that is inexpensive but provides a lot of bang for your buck. Encre Noire is a wood based cologne with cypress, vetiver, and cashmere being the main attractions here.

Of course as the name suggests, it is a dark scent with an air of mystery, and a nice dash of smokiness. It is dry and features a vetiver note that feels a bit unique than some of the others on the market.

The cypress really comes through at the start, providing its green-ish aroma, then there’s the smokiness and overall dry quality. L’Extreme, listed below, is another option. I actually tend to prefer that one to this, but the original Encre Noire still has plenty of fans.

Unique Masculine Floral

Lalique Hommage A L’hommê Cologne for Men 3.3 oz Eau De Toilette Spray– Wow, what an interesting fragrance. Even the bottle looks like a work of art, as it was designed for the company’s 20th anniversary of creating fragrances.

Hommage is a heavy bomb of a cologne that features a wonderful powdery violet note, other florals, oud, and a creamy thick tonka bean.

It is a fresh and masculine floral/wood blend, that is rather unlike almost any other men’s fragrance that I’ve come across.  That uniqueness will probably keep this as a niche scent rather than universally beloved.

Dark Winter Woods

Lalique Encre Noire A L’Extremé Cologne for men 3.3 oz(100ml) Eau De Parfum Spray– This version of Encre Noire is much darker, intense, and has a dryer aroma than that of the original. They are similar, but not really the same. L’Extreme does its own thing, in many ways.

L’Extreme has a great smooth woody smokiness provided by the incense and cypress combination. Best used as a cold weather scent, but it really does shine during those frigid months of the year.

Beyond that, this one feels like it envelops you more so, as the resinous notes really come through. Enough benzoin to make things interesting. Ultimately, this one is woods and vetiver in the dry down. Can seem boozy and warm at the start.

Versatile Summer Wear

Laliquë Whîtë Cõlogne for Mén 4.2 oz Eau De Toilette Spray– A bright lemon leaf citrus paired with spicy pepper notes and a warm musk. It is classy, bright, and upbeat. Lalique White is an ideal choice for men during the spring/summer months.

The spice comes across as fresh and crisp, rather than an overwhelming warmth. Not too loud of a fragrance, the citrus aroma tones down as it moves along. Nutmeg and pepper early on, then more of a shift to pepper and musk.

Finally, the base is dry and woody, with cedar providing its fresh bonafides. An elegant and understated wear for the moderate to warmer weather.

Habdan vs Oajan Cologne Comparison

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Parfums de Marly is a higher end designer with a lot of great fragrances to choose from. As such, the question often arises as to which one is the best. I’ve listed my top 5 already, but now I am going to place two of these colognes head to head: Habdan and Oajan. Which of these scents smells better? Which gives better performance? Please continue below for my full take on this comparison.

Tale of the Tape: Oajan vs. Habdan

Habdan 

Notes include: saffron, amber, frankincense, caramel, apple, myrhh, rose

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Habdan Men’s Edp Spray, 4.2 Ounce

Read my Full Review: Habdan Review

Oajan

Notes include: tonka bean, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, benzoin, musk, labdanum, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Oajan EDP Spray, 4.2 oz.

Read my review: Oajan Review

Opening

Man, this is going to be a tough one to sort out. Oajan is fresh and dark with cinnamon and benzoin before it shifts into more of a sweeter profile with honey and vanilla. It reminds me quite a bit of 1 Million Prive and how it starts off.

Habdan also has the sweet/spicy blend but adds a smoky twist. Incense, saffron, and crisp apple take the center stage. It has a layered sort of aroma and a warm almost leather-like scent, at times.

I really dig both of these colognes and how they start off, but I think I’ll give Habdan the edge, just based off being more unique.

Edge: Habdan (slightly)

Projection

Oajan is the clear winner here. It is heavier and the sillage is much more powerful than what Habdan brings to the table.

Edge: Oajan

Longevity

Habdan isn’t bad in this regard. In fact, it performs for a solid 7-8 hours, which is plenty for most uses. However, Oajan is an all day wear. It hits the double digit hours on my skin, without a problem. Oajan is much more of a powerhouse than its Parfums de Marly compatriot.

Edge: Oajan

Versatility

They are about the same in this category. Either can be worn on a variety of occasions and are both sexy enough to be worn out on a date. Work, casually, semi-formal, formal.

Both are best worn in cooler weather, but I’d say that Habdan can handle the heat better…that’s not to say it’s built for summer, but it can be worn on moderate spring days.

Edge: Habdan (slightly)

Overall Scent

This is one of those comparisons when there isn’t much of a clear cut winner. These are two of my favorite Parfums de Marly colognes and the one that I would prefer to wear would change based upon my moods.

Habdan has a great saffron, caramel, apple, and incense blend. It is a smoky sweetness, that has great personality, and complexity to its profile. I will say, that it probably doesn’t enjoy the same universal appeal for most guys.

I think it is great, but it isn’t the same level of crowd pleaser as Oajan is. Habdan is more niche.

For most guys, I think the safer bet is Oajan. It has that mainstream appeal and a very close similarity to the aforementioned 1 Million Prive, which is a best seller.

Again, I like both, and Oajan is a great blend of sweet and spicy. The notes are well blended and nothing ever seems to be too heavy-handed.

So, the winner is Oajan. I’m basing it off of it’s better performance and greater mass appeal. Though, some guys reading this are going to absolutely adore Habdan, just a smaller percentage of readers.

Winner: Oajan 

4 Best Smelling James Bond 007 Colognes for Men

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James Bond is an iconic film and literary character and has been so for many decades at this point. It’s funny how many celebrity fragrances are out there on the market, to the point that a fictional character has a line, all his own. In this post, I want to go over the 4 best men’s colognes that Eon Productions has released under the James Bond 007 moniker and what makes each one unique.

What are the Top Smelling James Bond 007 Fragrances?

Best Overall 007 Cologne

James Bond 007 Ocean Royale Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 2.5 Ounce– I’d say that this is probably the best scent of the lineup. Ocean Royale is aquatic but not overly marine, fruity but not completely sweet.

It opens up with a blend of lime, iris, and tonka bean. The citrus aroma is very nice and the other two provide a soft a somewhat powdery scent underneath that top note. Smooth, semi-tropical, with a hint of the seaweed note to give it the ‘oceanic’ vibe.

It’s interesting with a clean and fresh profile highlighted by a pinch of spice. Like the others here, my only major complaint is how long it lasts, which is kind of a big one. Ocean Royale Full Review

Warm, Sweet, and 1 Million-ish

007 Fragrances James Bond Gold Edition Eau de Toilette Spray 50ml– Has some similarities with 1 Million by Paco Rabanne but doesn’t really have the opening bubble gum sweetness nor the cinnamon spice.

Edition Gold is more earthy and woody with vetiver and sandalwood notes while maintaining a crisp apple top note. It has a drier quality as well. The cardamom is the bigger difference to me, with a more floral and aromatic heart.

Sweet, with some warmth but not too heavy. Nice enough for what it is and has the best performance out of the list.

Classic Leather and Cinnamon

007 Fragrances Seven Intense Colognes, 2.5 Ounce– A nice base for a cold weather scent. Woody, amber, with a spice provided by the cinnamon note. There is also a leather note which is fairly nice and supports the overall composition.

I really like the smell of this one. You get a classic masculine spiciness that is smoother out and warm overall. If it had the power, this would be an amazing cheapie. Still nice, just missing the last bit.

This is definitely a double (or triple) spray candidate, however, so not really ‘intense’. It’s one of the best smelling scents, just performance isn’t great. Seven Intense Review

Fresh Fruit and Greenish 

James Bond 007 Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 1 Fluid Ounce– Light and refreshing scent with apple and lavender notes which provide a steady calm. The longevity isn’t really all that great, it’s just a light fragrance, and the projection isn’t huge.

Mainly this is just a good blend of apple, bergamot citrus, and lavender with a little bit of cardamom spice and warmth. Not much of a dry down for me, but sandalwood and dry moss come through somewhat.

Again, double it up, if it’s too much of a problem. 007 Full Review

Sublime Vanille by Creed

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So, among multiple Creed samples, I received a few from their Royal Exclusives line of scents. These are even more high end (read: expensive) scents than their usual already high-priced fair. Sublime Vanille is a fragrance that is built for those who love vanilla, but is it any good?

In this review, I’m going to cover what’s in this unisex fragrance, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Sublime Vanille Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, musk, tonka bean, bergamot, lemon

Click here to try:  Sublime Vanille

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Sublime Vanille is a mix of citrus and the fantastic vanilla note. In fact, it smells like an orange Creamsicle to me, except changing the orange for a lemon note.

The first ten minutes or so it stays like this until the vanilla note becomes dominant along with the creaminess of the tonka bean. Honestly, this is one of the best vanilla notes that I’ve smelled in any fragrance, it’s really good.

The whole thing feels warm, almost like the vanilla is baked in, and it has a syrup sweet quality to it. The citrus note still hangs around but it plays the background exclusively after the beginning. While this is a unisex scent, Sublime Vanille does seem to lean more toward the feminine end of the spectrum.

One thing that I enjoy, is how the musk note is subtle and doesn’t overpower the composition. This scent is pretty straightforward, it doesn’t change all that much from the start, and is consistent from then on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Sublime Vanille is decent but not amazing. It’s a fairly soft fragrance but you’ll know that it is there during wear. Longevity, is disappointing but not terrible I can usually steal 4-5 hours with this beauty before it fades away.

With many vanilla and tonka bean scents, you are limited to the colder months of the year but with the citrus notes in this, you can get away with wearing it in the summer. In fact, it’s pretty great when its warm outside, with that typical Creed bergamot note.

I would call it a casual scent, but it smells good enough to be a romantic wear. I guess you can call it a dressed up casual fragrance. It is not however, a night club scent.

Overall Impressions of Sublime Vanille

Overall, is Sublime Vanille a buy? OK, I’m going to assume that anyone who is researching a bottle of Creed, can actually afford to pay for it without selling a kidney.

I do think that this is a really nice vanilla fragrance, but I do have some reservations about the longevity. The aroma itself? It’s beautiful and one of the best vanilla notes that I’ve ever experienced. Top notch.

I feel that if you’re going to spend $500-1000 a bottle, you should get something that lasts throughout the day, and this doesn’t. Personally, I’d rather spend that money on several fragrances instead of just one, but if you’re a well to do vanilla lover…I say, go for it.

Best Smelling Playboy Colognes for Men

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Playboy as a branding logo, name, and lifestyle persona has been used from casinos to nightclubs to the subject of today’s post, men’s fragrances.

Now, before I get to the list of the five best scents from this line, I want to make it understood that these are very inexpensive colognes and not always comparable to designer fragrances.

However, out of all of the colognes that were produced under the Playboy imprint, there were some surprisingly nice wears that are available for under $10 and as low as $5 in some cases. NOTE: HERE IS THE LIST OF THE BEST WOMEN’S PLAYBOY PERFUMES

What are the Top Playboy Fragrances for Him?

Low Key and Unique

Playboy Vegas By Playboy For Men Edt Spray 3.3 Oz– An herbal/powdery/sweet/spice opening that transforms itself into more of a woodsy scent during its short life cycle. No, Vegas is not a longevity or projection beast, even by Playboy cologne standards.

However, while it lasts it’s quite an attractive fragrance, which is good enough to reapply. It actually feels rather unique, which is rare at this price point. There is a tea note, apple, a nice basil kick, and it dries down with doses of vanilla and lavender.

You’d think that the Vegas one would be more of a bold or nightlife kind of cologne…nope. Actually, a light aromatic.

Familiar Fresh

Playboy New York Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Playboy actually has an array of scents available for under $10 and in fact, most of them can be had for $5 currently. New York is one of the best of the bunch.

A very fresh and sweet scent that feels like a designer fragrance clone…a vaguely familiar mix of several scents. Think along the lines of Montblanc Legend and all the others, that smell like it. This is the super cheap version.

The performance is okay when compared to most colognes but for the insanely low price, Playboy New York is an absolute winner. Playboy New York Full Review

Sweet Winter Cologne

Playboy Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, VIP, 3.4 Ounce– A sweet chocolatey fragrance with a nice boozy spice provided by a rum note and smoothed out by tonka bean. Not super sugary when blended with the rum note.

Nice gourmand entry from Playboy and it actually has okay longevity and won’t crap out in a few hours. Not that it goes super long, but it held up well enough. Enjoyable wintertime scent.

Boozy Semi-Gourmond 

Playboy London Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce–  This is possibly the most interesting and perhaps the most refined of the Playboy label. London has notes of tonka bean, brandy, and cinnamon with a pretty solid longevity.

The brandy note gives it a boozy start and the blend of cinnamon and tonka bean, feels quite powdery, on my skin. Warm and cozy with a sweet floral and clean cedar base to hold things together.

At this price, point I have ranked this as one of the best scents available. Playboy did good. Playboy London Full Review

Cheap Code

Hollywood Playboy by Coty for Men Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz– Soft, powdery, and sweet like a very poor man’s Armani Code. But hey, for $5-10, you can double up the sprays to make it last longer than the few hours it usually gives.

Hollywood is a mixed bag performance wise, though, it could serve a place in a teenager’s collection. Synthetic citrus opening with lavender and vanilla, really coming through after 15 minutes or so. Once it settles, Hollywood is actually pretty enjoyable to wear.