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 test out and 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!

Best Colognes for Date Night

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For this post, I want to present some cologne options for men when having a date night with a lady. Now, I’ve already addressed the best night colognes for summer and the most complemented fragrances and while there is some overlap between them, I want to focus this post on scents that are fresh, clean, masculine, and/or gourmand in their aromas. This is by no means a complete list, rather, it is a good starting point and there are plenty of options for almost any scenario and if not…check out some other posts on here. As always, I have linked each out to its page on Amazon for more info and ease of purchase.

 

Carolina Herrera Ch Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce
This is a beautiful fragrance by Carolina Herrera. It features notes of grapefruit, bergamot, nutmeg, jasmine, violet, leather, and amber. It is a sweetly sugary aroma with  vanilla and leather, which gives it  a rich and warm smoothness. The dry down is quite lovely.

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Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.
Very attractive scent that works well for going out for a night on the town. My review

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Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male By Jean Paul Gaultier For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.
The cologne has been extremely popular for a long time and for good reason. It is warm, seductive, and fresh. Ladies love this stuff. Review

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BURBERRY London for Men Eau de Toilette, 3.3 fl. oz
A wonderful blend of spice and woodsy elements. This fragrance is masculine and full of depth.Burberry London Review.

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Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces
Light, fresh, elegant, and classy. Dior Homme is a modern classic. The longevity isn’t as great as desired but this is still a wonderful fragrance, you could also go with Homme Intense. Top Christian Dior Colognes for Men

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Givenchy Play Intense by Givenchy for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray
Great fragrance from Givenchy with woodsy and spice notes.  

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The One By Dolce and Gabbana for Men, 3.3 Ounce

One of my favorites in terms of smell. However, it simply doesn’t last long on my skin and I know others have this problem too…but not everyone. If it works for you, you’re lucky because The One is amazing.

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Rochas Man Eau de Toilette, Woody Gourmand, 3.3 fl. oz.

Sweet and warm gourmand with a strong coffee influence. This is one for the wintertime but it gets attention.

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Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce
An entry from Yves Saint Laurent. With notes of bergamot, lavender, cedar, vetiver, and other floral notes…La Nuit is definitely a winner come autumn and is generally very well received. Here’s my review

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Kouros Body By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.6 Ounces One of my favorites during the wintertime. This cologne is sweet and spicy and has the ability to draw women in it seems. My Full Review

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Polo by Ralph Lauren Men’s Cologne Review

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I have already covered the best smelling men’s fragrances by Ralph Lauren and have done several reviews on this brand’s colognes. However, I have until now neglected to do a review of one of the originals which dates back to the late 1970s, Polo by Ralph Lauren.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at this now classic men’s scent and determine how it performs, what it smells like, what notes it contains, when it should be worn, and if it is really worth a purchase at all. My Reviews of: Polo Red, Double Black, and Polo Blue. 

Polo by Ralph Lauren Overview

Notes include: basil, leather, tobacco, oakmoss, pine, cedar, and more.

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Click here to try:Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

What strikes me about the opening of Polo is how dry and masculine it is. That isn’t a bad thing, this is classically masculine, so don’t expect sweet fruits and floral notes like so many more modern examples.

It’s an interesting mix of pine and leather notes which gives it a rich, grassy/green type of aroma, that feels quite complex and dark. I completely dig it as a change of pace from the norm.

After 20 minutes or so of that initial blast, Polo begins its transformation into more of a tobacco laden cologne with a distinct patchouli note poking through. This drydown phase is warm and smoky and still retains that dry woodsy element that makes the opening so intriguing.

Projection wise, Polo is a pretty heavy fragrance, so 1-2 sprays max. This one can fill a room if you’re not careful and it will take it from pleasant to overbearing.

Longevity wise, this stuff is really damn good, 8+ hours for each use in my experience. I would stay away from wearing Polo in the summer or on any warm day really, as it doesn’t hold up that well and seems out of place.

However, during the fall and into the winter, this is when Polo really shines.

Overall, is Polo worth a purchase? This one is for the older set. Not that younger guys couldn’t pull it off in some cases, but I’d say, 30 and up is your best bet.

So, yes, if you are in that age group and want something that a change of pace from the usual sweet type of fragrances, then Polo is a terrific choice which lasts a long time and performs great as a casual and everyday cologne.

Blv Pour Homme by Bvlgari

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In my long list of men’s fragrance reviews on this site, I have already tackled one Bvlgari cologne, and today I’d like to turn my attention to another, Blv. Blv is a casual scent for men released back in 2001 and like other scents from the brand, it is both affordable and has a really specific aroma that separates it from many other offerings.

Is that enough to make Blv a buy? How does it perform? What’s it smell like? Please continue reading below for my take on Blv.

Blv Overview

Notes include: sandalwood, juniper berries, cedar, ginger, cardamom

Click here to try: Bvlgari Blv By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.

My Full Review

Blv upon its opening strikes me as a rather unique scent for something that is a mainstream daily wear fragrance. It’s slightly sweet/citrus with an overtone of spice provided by the ginger note.

The ginger does get overshadowed by that cardamom, which only heightens the initial spicy profile of this fragrance. It seems to be the ‘lemony’ smelling sort of cardamom like Wanted by Azzaro, but not nearly as prominent.

Behind all that, sits a woodsy and fresh aroma that is down right pleasant. Blv in many regards is almost a perfect casual scent.

With Blv I get the same ‘dry’ type of scent that I do with Bvlgari Man, except more of a clean/powdery smell than that one. Yes, it does have a bit of a ‘baby wipes’ aroma at times, but not exactly.

Tobacco blossom and juniper give this one an aromatic and greenish profile during the middle especially.

In fact, Blv leans more towards the unisex side of fragrances, not that it’s really all that feminine but women could definitely pull this one off if they wanted to.

It’s quite a subtle scent, that isn’t too complex in that it doesn’t change all that much from the first 15 minutes of wear. Yes, less spicy and more woody. But, Blv is a clean aromatic scent with some nice highlights of spice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is fairly light to moderate. This isn’t a cologne that’s going to bog you down with a thick or heavy feeling. Nor is it going to be one that’s absolutely jumping off of the skin.

It hangs around well enough. Though, it isn’t a fragrance that is going to be radiating across a room with its power.

In terms of longevity, it’ll get a solid 6 hours and maybe more depending on the conditions its being worn in. It’s not a projection beast, as I said, it’s subtle. But, you might get 7 hours from this Bvlgari cologne at times.

That isn’t a bad thing in this case, as it begs to be worn during the daytime as an office/school wear. It’s very versatile within that frame. It can go casual or semi-formal and it’s a low key aroma that can fit in almost anywhere.

Not too much of a date night fragrance or one that will command attention (although it will draw complements). It’s a pretty unique scent, while being familiar enough, that isn’t offensive and does its job well.

Seasonally, this one can be worn pretty much whenever. Spring through autumn is when it would be at it’s best. I like it more in the warmer weather than anything approaching freezing temperatures.

Overall Impressions of Blv

Is Blvgari Blv worth a purchase? Fragrance wise, yes, it smells really nice.

It’s got a great blend of spice and powder. But, the woods and even slight creaminess make this one interesting to me, even with Blv’s simplicity.

I think that they might have stopped making this at one point, because for a while it became pretty difficult to find.

Now, I’m seeing it around a lot more and the price isn’t too bad.

Terre d’Hermes vs Creed Aventus Cologne Comparison

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In this installment of my ongoing series of men’s fragrance comparisons, I want to tackle two relatively popular scents, Creed Aventus and Terre D’Hermes. I am going to break down each, see how they perform, and ultimately which I think is the better buy. Of course, fragrance is ultimately a subjective experience, so while I will share mine this may not hold true for someone else.

Creed Aventus Tale of the Tape

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Notes of Creed Aventus: 

Top: Blackcurrant,Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to read my original Aventus Review

Terre D’Hermes Tale of the Tape

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Notes include: mineral note, Grapefruit, bay rose, pepper, geranium, Atlas cedar, benzoin, patchouli, vetiver, orange.

Click here for my original review

Opening

Gahhhhhh, this one is difficult. I’m not a fan of either fragrances opening. To me, Aventus is too harsh at the start, like lemon Pine Sol. On the other hand, Terre D’Hermes is rather earthy, with a strong orange note that is quite bitter. Which opening impression is better? Neither.

Edge: Push

Projection

Both of these colognes have really good projection. But I have to give the slight edge to the Creed scent. Though, Terre D’Hermes is by no means ‘weak’.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

Much like the projection, these two scents are really neck and neck. I get 7-10 hours from each cologne with no let down at all.

Edge: Push

Versatility

I do think that Creed Aventus is best worn during the spring and summer months due to its citrus content. Terre D’Hermes, while it contains an orange note, is more earthy/smoky/woodsy in its presentation and would be best served as a autumn/winter type of fragrance. However, Aventus wouldn’t be entirely out of place in the cooler months of the year, while the Hermes cologne just wouldn’t hold up as a summertime scent.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

While I’m not a fan of either one of these fragrances openings, I am a fan of Aventus overall while I’m none to hot on Terre D’Hermes. I absolutely hate the orange note in the Hermes scent, it’s bitter and struck me as sort of rotten. I know many people enjoy it but orange is just one of those notes that bother me when it’s prominent. I think it’s presented well in a inexpensive scent like Nautica Voyage but in Terre D’Hermes, it just bothers me. The dry down of the Hermes is much better than the opening but it just isn’t something that I am impressed with…just my opinion.

So, I think that Aventus is the better smelling cologne. However, if you want something with more of a mature spice, Terre D’Hermes might be worth a look. Also, price is a factor here too, Creed scents aren’t cheap.

Winner: Aventus

Best Tonka Bean Scented Colognes for Men

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Tonka bean is a note which is commonly used within men’s fragrances and helps to give the scent a sweet and smooth profile. In this post, I want to explore some cologne options for guys which feature a prominent use of tonka bean. As always, I have linked each scent out to Amazon for further information and ease of purchase.

 

 

L’homme Yves Saint Laurent By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3-Ounces
Ginger is the big star of the Yves Saint Laurent fragrance. However, the tonka bean in the heart of the fragrance provides a smooth sweetness and helps to make this one special. L’Homme Review

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Angel By Thierry Mugler For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray Rubber Bottle 3.4 OZ
A bold and quite powerful gourmand fragrance from Thierry Mugler.

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Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.
A masculine blend of citrus, leather, tobacco, and tonka bean. The latter three notes create an aroma that is so alluring and smooth with a slight kick. Armani Code Review

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Prada Luna Rossa SPORT Eau de Toilette Spray 3.4 oz
Man, this fragrance smells so awesome. It’s another use of vanilla and tonka bean which performs very well and isn’t too heavy. My Luna Rossa Sport Review

 

BURBERRY Brit for Men Eau de Toilette, 1.0 fl. oz
Smooth, powdery, and somewhat spicy. Brit is one of my favorite casual colognes during certain times of the year. It seems Burberry is just amazing at creating Fall and Winter scents. My Full Burberry Brit Review

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Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Tonka bean is one of the multitude of notes which makes Versace Eros tick. It is extremely rich, complex, warm, and powerful. Eros Full Review

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Givenchy Play Intense by Givenchy for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray
A fresh gourmand scent whose two main players are the coffee and tonka bean notes. Warm and slightly spicy and best for a cold winter’s day.