Men’s Fashion

11 Best Smelling Chocolate Scented Colognes for Men

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I’ve had this post in the queue for a few years, at this point, and never got around to finishing writing up my selections. So, I figured now was a good time to jump into the best smelling chocolate fragrances for men. I ended up picking eleven colognes or unisex perfumes, which feature either raw cacao or a more refined chocolate note as a main ingredient.

Note: I’ll come back and updated as needed. Some on the list might be older and now discontinued, but I’ve added newer releases that are still widely available and not insanely expensive.

What are the Best Chocolate Scented Fragrances for Men?

Unique Designer Cocoa

Jean Paul Gaultier Kokorico Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce– Cocoa mixed with an earthy and spicy patchouli note.

It calms down later, in the wear, but the opening can hit quite hard with an abundance of fig.

Some folks don’t care for fig at all. Personally, I love it, and think it fits in very well with the rest of the blend.

Kokorico then turns into a cacao and woody scent, smooth, and really quite distinct. There was a sweeter flanker version of this called Kokrico by Night, but it is really tough to find a bottle, after it was discontinued.

Update: This one can be difficult to find now, also.

Not Pure Chocolate, But Fantastic Fragrance

Christian Dior Dior Homme Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 1.7 Ounce– To me, the cacao is more noticeable in Dior Homme Intense rather than, the original. It takes on a powdered chocolate aroma, with dry cedar, vetiver, and of course iris surrounding the cacao note.

This isn’t a pure chocolate scent, by itself, but it does play a major role in this fragrance which is one of the best on the market. The opening act of this fragrance, is one of my favorites of all-time, and it also provides good performance. My Full Review

A Valentino Blend

Valentino Uomo FOR MEN by Valentino – 3.4 oz EDT Spray– Uomo isn’t a totally chocolate-led fragrance, but the note is there. However, it is going to be paired with bergamot, hazelnut and coffee notes, which further its gourmand stylings.

It does share a lot of similarities with Dior Intense and the old Dior Homme. Yet, it also does its own thing, and was enjoyable enough for me to grab a full bottle of.

The sweet creaminess and the juicy bergamot citrus is most apparent in the opening act. The later dry down will reveal more leather, coffee, and that nice chocolate facet. Don’t expect a complete chocolate takeover, but you will get plenty of it with this one, just blended.

Extreme Sweet

Bad Boy Extreme– I’ll put Bad Boy Extreme on the list, as I think that this is the best of the series. It does have a significant cacao note, but apparently Bad Boy Dazzling Garden, is more focused on that from what I understand. Haven’t yet tried that flanker, however.

This one is a blend of notes like cacao, plum, tonka bean, and ginger. It’s sweet, spicy, and fresh early on. But, once it hits the dry down I personally get a lot of the cacao and tonka bean working together.

Not a straight up chocolate fragrance, but one that should work well, if that’s what you’re looking for. Great performance and a cologne that could pretty easily find a spot in one’s scent rotation.

Nutty, Spiced, Cacao

Chelsea Nights by Bond No. 9– This perfume starts out with cacao and hazelnut coming on powerfully. 

The cacao note is the more noticeable of the two but the hazelnut is also present and adds a great nuttiness to the mix.

Chelsea Nights isn’t a a sweet and sugary fragrance. It’s got saffron, oud, a light rose, and myrrh. Yes, it’s sweet but it has a cinnamon sort of kick that comes through, warmth, a bit of smokiness floating underneath.

The end has a good deal of rich suede and vanilla. But, this comes across a leathery with the saffron note still being in the mix. It has settled down in terms of both spiciness and sweetness.

Smoother and creamy. Chelsea Nights hits so many different levels with its depth and is well worth checking out. Not a stand alone chocolate scent, but one with a good mix of other notes, to what we’re looking for.

Woods and Cocoa Bean

Giorgio Armani Emporio Armani Diamonds Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 1 Ounce– Cocoa bean, bergamot, and amber lead Emporio Armani Diamonds out of the gate. It is a brilliant trio, that isn’t to heavy but has a nice dynamic sweetness.

This then dries down with a woody base, but the chocolate remains freshly sweet. Nice performance and just a great scent. The citrus and cocoa bean opening is an amazing start, the warm amber note fills the heart of this scent.

Dry with a nice base of vetiver and guiac wood. Though, not too heavy and gives off a stylish and smooth aroma.

Cheapie Chocolate

Masaki Matsushima Chocolat Mat Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.7 Ounce– A really nice and inexpensive unisex chocolate perfume, which adds coconut, musk, and some creamy sandalwood to the dominant chocolate top note.

What’s great is that there is a bit of watermelon hidden in its depths, which emerges ever so gently, before folding back into the composition. Not great staying power, but one cheap enough to reapply.

High End Gourmand

Bond No. 9 So New York by Bond No. 9 Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3-Ounces– A pricier unisex fragrance from Bond No. 9, So New York, utilizes cocoa powder and espresso (with the former being dominant), to create a delicious and somewhat spicy scent.

It opens with a tart plum flanking those two notes and dries down with that role being played by patchouli. Rather simple, but quite nice.

Spiced Chocolate, but Discontinued

Polo Big Pony 2 By Ralph Lauren Edt .5 Oz- The whole Big Pony line from Ralph Lauren, were quite simple and straightforward colognes, and this is no different. Big Pony 2 takes cocoa and a spicy pepper/musk combo.

It’s quite a warm scent and the dry down is more of a chocolate and musk, with less of the initial pepper kick. You can still find some bottles around, but it is getting tougher.

Sweet Coffee and Chocolate

(Boticario Coffee (Man) Collection – Paradiso Eau De Toillete 3.38 Fl Oz)– A fresh and tropical blend of coffee and cacao, with amber and coconut. This one is sweet, with a cardamom spice, that isn’t too heavy but does give it a distinction away from being just a coffee cup smelling fragrance.

A great and masculine gourmand with a solid blend of chocolate aroma mixed with coffee beans.

Greed is Chocolate

MONTALE Chocolate Greedy Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 fl. oz.– Chocolate Greedy gives you a lovely chocolate aroma, that is supported by vanilla, and a hint of coffee.

The coffee is mostly around, at the start, but gets overtaken by a bitter orange.

Honestly, not personally a fan of the bitter orange note, but it ultimately isn’t too much of a distraction. As it dries down, it takes on more of a scent of chocolate baked goods, with its warmth.

Earlier it can smell more like a drier powdered dark chocolate. Which, this is a cacao note, but the vanilla and other notes add the creaminess.

Very good performance here. The aroma goes from baked goods to a creamier feel during the middle act. Not super sweet or sugary.

10 Best Givenchy Colognes for Men

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Givenchy is a French design house with plenty of history behind it and of course a great legacy of producing some fantastic scents for both men and women.

For this list, I have selected 10 of what I feel are the top smelling colognes by Givenchy, that they have produced. I have updated things to provide more options, as some have been discontinued, since I originally published this page.

Favorite Men’s Fragrances by Givenchy

Most Popular/Best Seller

Pi By Givenchy For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces
A sweet blend of vanilla and almond with underlying notes of cedar, rosemary, and mandarin to give it a dash of woodsy and citrus flavor.

Pi is another very good option for those who enjoy vanilla (along with Le Male and Opium) and is best served for use in winter. Longevity is pretty hit or miss.

The newer bottles do feel quite a bit different, than the older ones, that I remember. It does still have that great vanilla and almond combination with some boozy flourishes. Though, it feels like its lost a step.

pi

Privee Entry

Gentleman Reserve Privee- Other people seem to love this one much more than I do. I think it’s a good fragrance with an astonishingly good opening act. After that, it’s nice, but still worth checking out.

Reserve Privee kicks things off with bergamot citrus, whiskey, and chestnut. The iris note is also present, giving this Givenchy fragrance a classy floral touch. But, the whiskey with the nuttiness and the bergamot is so freaking good.

As it dries down, it becomes more about the iris, amber, and wood notes. The chestnut seems more like a chocolatey aroma than nutty. It’s all dry, warm, and that dynamic booziness that I liked it gone.

Nonetheless, this is a good cologne at the very least and might be some guys favorite signature fragrance. The performance is solid and this is one you should try. Reserve Privee full review

The Other Gentleman

Gentleman EDP– I’m kind of late to this one, but it’s definitely deserving of a spot on the list. Personally, I wasn’t too excited about trying EDP, since the EDT version wasn’t super impressive. This one is.

Gentleman EDP is thoroughly great and might be better for some guys versus Reserve Privee. The iris note gets it compared to Dior Homme Intense and Valentino Intense, but it is a distinct fragrance from both of them. Better than the Valentino, I think.

That iris note is joined by some spiciness, benzoin, woody notes in the dry down, and the creaminess of vanilla (with a nice helping of tonka bean, also). Not super heavy, with its light citrus top note, but one that’s going to be an autumn and winter wear.

The performance is good, doesn’t disappoint me, in that regard. Gentleman EDP is a crowd pleaser, that’s sure to get complements and is super easy to wear in most cold weather scenarios.

Extremely Good

Gentleman Society Extreme– This has quickly become a favorite for me in 2024. I wasn’t too enthralled with original Society issuance, but this Extreme version is awesome.

Peppermint, nutmeg, and iced coffee really help to separate this one and give it a better balance than the EDP.

It’s cold and fresh, joined by the sage note and vanilla. It’s for sure got an iced coffee vibe to it, but one that’s got some extra flavor mixed in.

More iris and less of the sage and daffodil, found in the original Society. Obviously, there are overlaps, but this is a better formula with even better performance. Society Extreme is a winner. Society Extreme review

Boisee 

Gentleman EDP Boisee– Coriander and black pepper give Boisee a fresher start than might be expected from an iris based cologne. This flanker is a really great entry from Givenchy and is an option for those who want a woodier edition.

Cocoa bean and patchouli as further depth do Gentleman Boisee, but really this one is going to be about the iris, sandalwood, and cedar in the latter stages of the wear.

It has plenty of similarities with the original EDP listed above. However, I think that I prefer this one and the earlier freshness and later woods.

Performance is adequate, but Boisee smells great and is an easy one to wear in a variety of situations. Gentleman Boisee review

Sweet, Smooth, and Masculine (Discontinued)

Gentlemen Only Intense– Gentlemen Only Intense, is to me, the best release from the Gentlemen Only line that Givenchy released over the past 5-6 years. This one opens up with a smooth, warm, and sweet aroma.

Tonka bean, leather, and amber lead the way. This is an opening act which definitely draws me in, as these are some of my favorite notes, used in men’s fragrances. It is noticeably sweeter than the original Gentlemen Only, with less of the fresh spiciness, at least initially.

Though, you will get mint, pink pepper, and some mandarin orange like the original.

As it dries down, you will get more woody/smoky aromas coming through. But, the entire thing remains smooth with a masculine sweetness. The main downside here, is the longevity and overall sillage. It’s actually a moderate scent and not really ‘intense’.

This has been discontinued, but it is one that is worthwhile, if you can find a cheap bottle online. Gentlemen Only Intense Review

gentlemen only intense

Classic Givenchy

Givenchy Gentlemen Only Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 100ml, 3.3 Ounce
A classic fragrance which dates back to the 1970s, Gentleman, is a spicy/woodsy scent with notes of patchouli and leather as its highlights.

It is mature and refined with a citrus note that adds some sweetness to the mix.

Gentlemen opens up with a big and bold punch. Spice with citrus and that underlying earthy woodiness, that will come to dominate later on. Oh, along with the usual leather note.

This is probably best served by being worn by a mature man or just a guy who’s style can compliment a blast from the past. Still a powerhouse.

gent

Most Unique Givenchy Cologne

Xeryus Rouge for Men by Givenchy 3.3oz 100ml EDT Spray
Xeryus Rouge seems to be a different beast all together. To start with the notes include things like cactus, geranium, and pimento to go along with staples such as cedar and sandalwood.

Secondly, it has that exotic and oriental type of quality to it…it’s spicy yet fresh and slightly aquatic. Xeryus Rouge is just unique and is the type of special cologne that can set a man apart from the crowd.

It has sweetness, spice, and a total freshness. This has been around for decades now and is completely underrated, in my opinion. The red bottle really does fit the character of this one. It’s hot and smooth, with herbal highlights. Great stuff.

Balanced Daily Wear

Givenchy Pour Homme by Givenchy For Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce
Notes include cedar, tangerine, coriander, and grapefruit. A light citrus/woodsy smell that is very clean and crisp.

The cedar note leads things here and is paired mainly with the tangerine, with a bit of grapefruit.

Beyond that you get the dry woodsy aroma, with some spicy coriander, to give Givenchy Pour Homme an edge. Good daily wear option.

givenchy

Fresh Summer Spice

Givenchy Pour Homme Cologne, Blue Label, 3.4 Ounce
Another citrus and woodsy effort, though, done better than the scent above. This is a scent built for the summertime with notes of grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine, pepper, cedar, and vetiver.

Obviously, these two have plenty of overlap between them, go with this one if you prefer more of the citrus air versus being led by cedar. That’s not to say, that Blue Label smells like Pour Homme, it doesn’t really.

Blue label has a sweet fruity top and then transitions into woodsy, with a pepper and cardamom blend, to give it some spiciness.

givenchyblue

xeryus rouge review

8 Best Smelling Gucci Colognes

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Beyond the other fashion products Gucci creates, it has a very popular line of fragrances for men and women. Its colognes offer a blend of unique scents that remain masculine and versatile to fit a consumer’s lifestyle.

While there are plenty of options for a man to choose from among the Gucci line of colognes, I wanted to focus on what I feel are the best perfumes pour homme from this Italian design house.

As of now, I have narrowed things down to eight scents for him, which are Gucci’s current greatest.

This list is not in order, as it is of course personal preference which scent smells the best, however, this is what I consider to be the cream of the crop. I have updated this list in 2024, to add to the original post from 2013, and change up the picks slightly.

Favorite Fragrances for Men by Gucci

Best Guilty Fragrance (Tie) and Top Summer Pick

1. Gucci Guilty Black Pour Homme Fragrance Collection 3.0-oz. Eau de Toilette– One of the many flanker fragrances to stem from the Guilty namesake, Guilty Black is possibly my favorite (it’s a toss of with this and Intense).

Note: They’ve renamed this one, Guilty Essence.

Back in 2014-2015, I would wear this one all of the time, as I found it to be quite captivating and refreshing on my skin.

Guilty Black Pour Homme doesn’t have the same distinct citrus opening, as the main versions of Guilty, but it shares a sensibility. It is very well blended with the familiar scent of coriander and lavender being rather distinct.

It does have floral heart and a woody base. Orange blossom and neroli, are very present after the initial opening. I get a ton of orange blossom on my skin, some nice lavender, and greenish ingredients.

Guilty Black always had great staying power on me and also a very good ability to project without being overpowering at all. Still a very attractive scent and one that exceeded the others using this name. Guilty Black Review

Best Daily Wear Gucci Fragrance

2. Gucci Guilty Intense Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3 Ounce– Guilty Intense is a fresh and clean scent, which delivers a unique scent for guys who demand a signature fragrance. Mandarin, pink pepper, lilac, amber, and other ingredients in the notes blend well to produce a memorable experience.

Note: This has now been discontinued.

This one is better than the original Guilty, in my opinion. It doesn’t have as much of the lemon note from the start, but instead goes heavier on the lavender and amber. Again, I go back and forth between this and Black, but Intense gives me a nice amber finish to its citrus start.

It’s warm and bright with just hints of spice from light coriander and patchouli poking through the aroma. It is quite a linear scent, the dry down essentially adds some floral notes to the mix (orange blossom and neroli) that helps to further develop that citrus feel.

The sillage is on the upper end of moderate and I can get 7-8 hours of solid wear out of Guilty Intense. One of its strengths, is that, this fragrance can pretty much be worn year round and can go from office to date night without issue. It’s an all around solid scent. Guilty Intense Review

Best Winter Perfume for Men

3. Gucci for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3 Ounce– This namesake fragrance delivers a woodsy aroma, which is both highly masculine and sensual. Bergamot, Cyprus and violet notes open the scent followed by tobacco leaves and jasmine before the final note which includes amber settles in.

A gorgeous fragrance that would be a welcome addition to any man’s cologne collection. The tobacco is the main draw here, not a heavy scent, but light and exudes confidence.

Gucci for Men is very dry and green, cypress and violet, flanker the tobacco note and you have several other outdoorsy ingredients supporting the structure.

From what I understand, this one might have been reformulated, so I cannot speak to its current performance. The older bottles were never beasts in terms of sillage (more light to moderate), but always had good longevity.

Top Versatile Pick

4. Gucci Pour Homme Ii By Gucci For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz.– This Gucci fragrance is clean and never overpowering. There is a bit of spice to it but people will be wondering what exactly it is you’re wearing.

Pour Homme II opens up with that familiar citrus note, bergamot, but one quickly realizes that you are going to get a unique experience with notes of cinnamon, violet leaf, black tea, and pimento.

At times, it is smooth, others spicy, quite floral, and then feels green and herbal. Gucci II is a very subtle wear, not weak, but it’s never one that is going to choke out the room. You will catch it wafting up to your nose throughout the day and get that feeling of, “Damn, I smell good.”

You’ll probably have to find this Gucci scent online, as I haven’t seen it in a physical store, in quite some time. Still plenty of bottles, though, and it’s a damn good fragrance.

Best Unique Cologne and Longest Lasting Gucci

5. Gucci Guilty Absolute Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3 Ounce– The flankers to Guilty that have been coming out as of late, have been quite different from the original scents.

Guilty Absolute is definitely a new experience for the brand, but what I think is the best of the newer flankers.

Now, this is really powerful, masculine, and intense. So, it isn’t a cologne which will work for everybody. It opens with a nice leather and very earthy patchouli note, packing a punch right from the start.

However, as it dries down it really does actually get drier with notes of cypress and golden wood, taking over much of the composition.

The finale is a blend of the leather and cypress note, with a strong sillage, and double digit hour wear time. Guilty Absolute, isn’t going to be one that appeals to everybody.

In fact, some guys will find it overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, it offers something different and niche, that some men will swear by it. Read my Guilty Absolute Review

Interesting Guilty Flanker

6. Gucci Guilty Love Edition by Gucci Eau De Toilette Spray 3 oz Men– So, I tried this and the newer EDP version of Guilty, and I actually prefer this one. I do really like the opening act of EDP, but it pretty much just dries down to a flatter version of the original with rose on top.

Meanwhile, Love Edtion opens up with a delicious mix of kumquat and orange, making this a nice zesty option for the spring and summer months.

It actually reminds me of having a similar style to Chanel Allure Blanc, with its pink pepper, vetiver, and other dry elements. The difference being, the Chanel has a vanilla finish and lemon, while Guilty Love Edition is soapier and floral.

I really dig the combination of ginger and pink pepper. The lavender is nice and, this does have some overlap with Guilty Black, yet retains its own style. The performance isn’t amazing, but I really enjoyed this one. Guilty Love Edition review

Replacement for Guilty Intense

7. Guilty Pour Homme Parfum by Gucci (Macy’s)– This is a new release for 2022, has a lot in common with Guilty Intense, but is a more refined and better version. I bought a full bottle upon release and have been really enjoying this Gucci perfume.

To me, it is already one of the best Guilty colognes from the series. It opens up with, a lemon peel-like zest, nutmeg, and juniper notes. It is less of a pure citrus play versus others in the series, but has a delightful aromatic quality to it.

Guilty Pour Homme Parfum is a balance of all the signature Guilty aromas; from floral to citrus to fresh, but with more woodsy influence. 7-8 hours of performance, but pretty darn solid all around. Read my full review (or video below).

Eighth Elixir

Guilty Elixir– Personally, I think Elixir Pour Homme is overrated. That being said, it’s mostly a fine cologne, that other people like way more than me.

Pimento and nutmeg lead things off with a spiciness, but the vanilla and iris notes are really going to shine in this one. It’s got a bit of a kick, but the fuzziness of the benzoin note prevents it from going too far into that direction.

Floral, powdery, a bit sweet, warm with an amber. That’s about what you get from Gucci Guilty Elixir.

I really like the opening act, but it’s somewhat bland to me after that. I will say that the performance here is good. So, even though this is an expensive one, it does a solid job at sticking around.

It’s different from the rest of the series and kind of unisex. Enjoyable enough, but not something I’m crazy for. Guilty Elixir review

Other Discontinued Gucci Colognes that were great:

Gucci Rush

Gucci Envy

There you have it the short list of the best men’s colognes by Gucci. This design house has had many winners over the years, Rush, Envy, and Pour Homme, are all wonderful choices if you can still find a bottle of them.

However, the ones that are still in production should add some luxury to any man’s toilette and keep him smelling great.

3 Best Smelling Jimmy Choo Colognes

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Jimmy Choo really became famous as a women’s fashion brand, which then expanded into ladies’ fragrances. However, it has now more recently, come on the scene as a seller of men’s colognes. While it doesn’t have a huge back catalog of options yet, the brand has already become appreciated, in the fragrance world.

In this post, I want to present my top three scents from the designer. I’ve also listed some further honorable mentions, after my favorite picks.

Best Smelling Jimmy Choo Colognes

Top Jimmy Choo Cologne

1. Intense Eau De Toilette, Fougere Oriental Woody, 3.3 fl. oz. JIMMY CHOO – I’m only going to put Jimmy Choo Man Intense on the list, ahead of the original Man (I didn’t want to include both here, as they’re so closely related).

Though, I will say, I think I prefer the opening few minutes of the original more. However, I get better performance from Intense, as well as the overall smell in totality.

Intense gives you a nice juicy fruitiness, paired with lavender, and tonka bean. Sitting underneath that, is a nice small dose of spiciness, provided by pepper and patchouli. Man Intense is very well-liked and will receive complements.

This is the type of cologne, for a guy who wants a simple daily wear, that will be appreciated and not too heavy. No worries, the Intense name, doesn’t mean the sillage is unbearable. Pretty moderate, in fact, but that’s what you’d want for its purpose. My Review

The Next in Line

2. Jimmy Choo Man Blue Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce JIMMY CHOO Man – Sage and lavender are the main notes, up top, along with a slight peppery ingredient. It’s starts out fresh and spicy, before it gets smoothed out/sweetened by: vanilla, leather, and sandalwood.

Blue has become one that I’ve come back to now and then, as the opening act appeals to me on certain days. It feels like a borderline great fragrance, that’s just missing that extra something.

This does become more about the vanilla and amber notes, as it dries down, which gives Man Blue a sweet and a bit of a powdered finish. For a while, you do get a very nice middle play between the emerging woods, and the trio of lavender, vanilla, and amber.

The longevity is pretty solid, but the sillage can end up being somewhat light, but still serviceable. Very nice smell, however. Man Blue Review

Third Place Finisher

3. Man Ice Eau De Toilette, 3.3 fl. oz.– Super fresh and chilled citrus, that is utterly perfect for a summer’s day. Led by citron, with the aid of orange and lime, Man Ice takes on the aroma of something akin to lemonade.

The dry down becomes, woodier, with a slight soapy air about it. The cedar note adds to the freshness and is joined by a light touch of vetiver. It is pretty limited in its uses versus what a lot of men will want in a daily wear.

Not much complexity here, but a joy in the right situation, with a smell along the lines of Dior Homme Cologne. I do like these citrusy lemonade sorts of colognes, but they aren’t great with the longevity.

If you can get a bottle of Jimmy Choo Man Ice for cheap, it’s a nice addition, for a summer’s day.  Read my full review: Man Ice

The Others (Ranked)

JIMMY CHOO Man Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 Fl Oz– Honestly, this one smells pretty good, and that’s never really been my major qualm with it. But, the performance of Jimmy Choo Man is also pretty atrocious.

Similar aroma to Coach for Men, but the Choo is better. Pineapple and melon are fresh and clean with underlying pink pepper and suede, mixing the smoothness and spice.

Choo Man will settle into being mostly about the pineapple and lavender notes. It’s pretty attractive and versatile. Again, though, it lasts about 4 hours on my skin. Not great. As such, if you want a bottle, try to get it at discount. Jimmy Choo Man Review

Man Aqua– This is another one for the summertime. I still lean toward Ice above Aqua, but this is a really pleasant ‘blue’ fragrance from Jimmy Choo.

Grapefruit and sage are the main attractions, sitting on top of a marine accord. Not super oceanic, but clean and fresh, with some added cardamom giving it some more spiciness.

It dries down a bit earthy and woodsy. Patchouli and moss are present. Not that it turns completely in any direction, Man Aqua is quite a balanced cologne.

Another one that doesn’t have amazing performance, but this is a scent that has mass appeal, and is easy to wear.

Urban Hero by Jimmy Choo– Urban Hero is a newer release after the Man line of fragrances, but it’s not that great. It’s like a mix of the one above and Guess Seductive Homme.

It’s more like an impression of those up top. It’s warm and sweet without much distinction, as to what notes you’re getting. ‘Lemon caviar’ is the listed note. That’ll change and this will become more about leather and the amber note.

Under that? Some rosewood and vetiver. Urban Hero is okay with how it smells. Not too exciting or complex. This is another one, that’ll put out around four hours of wear. Very forgettable. Urban Hero Review

10 Best Smelling Bvlgari Colognes

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This is a list of the top ten fragrances for men by the design house, Bvlgari. Each of these perfumes is unique and smells great in their own right.

The key, is to find the one that pairs well with your own personal tastes, and sense of style. All types are represented here, from aquatic to the more spicy or woodsy scents.

They are mostly all among Bvlgari’s most popular, with some other, underrated gems. Some will be more versatile than a few of the niche entries on the list and I try to describe where each one falls on the spectrum.

Favorite Best Bvlgari Colognes for Men

Top Winter/Nightlife Bvlgari Fragrance

Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce
Man in Black by Bvlgari is my favorite cologne from this brand. I love its dark, spicy, and boozy aroma. Its one that I’ve gotten plenty of complements on wearing, over the past two years, including one girl telling me repeatedly how, ‘incredibly sexy’ I smelled.

It wasn’t something that I was all that crazy about at first, but this cologne really grew on me in a big way. Wearing this on a cold evening, really let’s the fragrance shine.

This one gets plenty dark and has a smoky undertone, that is simply great. Boozy and spicy, then, smooth and warm.

Man in Black is spice soaked in rum, with a smooth leather and creamy tonka bean to calm it down. Add to that, tobacco plus oud, and you have yourself a highly masculine scent that gets noticed. Man in Black Full Review

Update: The Parfum version of this has been released. It’s a spicier blend, without the rum, and an iris note which gives it some distinction. I still prefer the EDP.

bvlgari man in black cologne

Top Spring/Summer Fragrance Overall

Bvlgari Man Extreme by Bvlgari 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray– Man Extreme has much better staying power, than the original Bvlgari Man (listed lower on the page). However, the two really aren’t similar in how they smell.

Man Extreme is led by citrus, with vetiver undertones. The woodiness and vetiver, is the major overlap between these colognes. Ultimately, the arrive at different places.

Most importantly, is the inclusion of a great and quite unique, cactus note. It is a freshly spiced citrus scent, for the warmer months, with a note which really helps to set it apart. Very nice, with good performance, and the sillage isn’t too loud.

The citrus and cactus blend, up top is really awesome. It’s a rather dry scent, much like the original, and you get the fresh and smoothness of vetiver in the latter stages. Along with, some light cardamom spice.

Tygar Summer

Tygar by Bvlgari– Tygar is one of the brand’s more exclusive and expensive scents. It’s not too complicated, but is a great citrus wear for the warmer months of the year.

To me, it splits the difference between Afternoon Swim and L’Immensite by LV. This one goes with a heavy use of grapefruit (feels like some orange is there too), as the citrus. With amber and wood to round things out.

It’s also got a fresh kick with the lovely ginger note and a musky finish that pairs with the amber note in the back half.

Not exactly the same as either of those Louis Vuitton fragrances, but gives you the same well put together feeling, in a cologne that’s pretty chill and casual for the summertime.

Best Oceanic Aqva

BVLGARI Aqva Atlantiqve Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce– The Aqva line inhabits its own space in the male fragrance world. You have to be a fan of the marine/oceanic fragrances to truly appreciate them.

Atlantiqve is probably the top pick, in my mind. This is a very nice fragrance that comes across sort of like an oceanic version of Versace’s Dylan Blue.

The two are most alike at the start, when the citrus is strongest. The sea notes are there, but it isn’t overly salty, and there is of course the ambergris.

Atlantiqve does a great job at evoking the depths of the ocean, while still bringing the pleasant citrus notes. The latter stages really start to bring in the amber and drier notes. Salty with that amberwood note, that’s found in Light Blue Eau Intense.

Best Fresh Daily Wear

Bvlgari Blv By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.
Bvlgari Blv is a scent that sort of stands alone, in terms of its unique style. It has that familiar and subtle spice of ginger and cardamom.

It has a super fresh quality and woody/outdoorsy notes, holding up its base.

Blv also brings in its greenish tobacco note, mainly the flower, which plays quite well off of that ginger top. I really dig this one, as ginger, never seems to get much play as a strong note. It’s usually just a role player, but here, it gets the chance to shine.

Blv is an every day wear for casual situations or an office environment. That low key spice is wrapped up in a powdered finish, which is quite nice.  My Blv Review

bvlgari blv

Top Woodsy/Unique

Bvlgari Man Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce– Bvlgari Man is a woody fragrance that is soft, smooth, and sweet with that bit of honey at its heart. Man is not at all an overpowering fragrance, it is more of one that demands others get closer for a better aroma.

It opens up with violet leaf, pear, lotus, and a bit of citrus. It is sweet, while being floral/woody, and especially dry.

The floral notes will lighten, as it moves on, and you will be left with more vetiver and woods. Bvlgari man is clean, with a dry sweetness, and crisp aroma in the beginning.

That is not to say that Bvlgari Man is completely weak, it isn’t, it is more subtle, refined, and masculine but use more sprays. I do wish that it was bolder and had top notch sillage, because it is a pretty unique and fine smelling scent.  Full Bvlgari Man Review

Update: It’s discontinued. But, Dua has their inspired version of it: Dua’s Charming Man

bvlgari man

Neroli Clean

Bvlgari Man Wood Neroli– A very nice spring/summertime wear that is indeed in the same vein as Neroli Portofino  by Tom Ford, but not at all an exact match. Wood Neroli, is much woodier (as the name suggest), particularly in the dry down.

It opens with a fresh squeeze of bergamot and the signature neroli note. It’s got a nice balance of the citrus juice and neroli for the first bit of the wear. Then, the neroli will get the upper hand between them.

The dry down is where this one really takes on its own unique qualities. Cypriol, cedar, and other woody notes combine with musk and amber in the base.

The earlier stages feel more like a clean soap. Then, it shift to a fresher woodsier clean.

Classiest Bvlgari Cologne

Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz
Homme Soir is such a simplistic and straightforward kind of cologne, but I don’t think that I’ve encountered anything else like it.

It is a classy and refine fragrance that is brilliant in its use of a limited amount of notes.

There’s the citrus top of bergamot and a green herbal aroma of tea. This is all surrounded by the warm understated amber note and the crisp dryness of papyrus.

Update: This one has been discontinued for a while now. Though, the brand did release a new EDP version of Pour Homme. So, maybe this one will also get a refresher at some point.

bvlgari pour soir

Original Casual Aquatic

Bvlgari Aqua By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces– Aqva is obviously an aquatic scent. From the start we get a strong blend of two types of orange, salty seaweed, and cedar driftwood.

It has that really oceanic and water laden citrus fruit vibe, that strikes hard at first.

However, it doesn’t stay citrus laden throughout like most aquatics and ends up with quite a moderate sillage. The orange note, actually fades pretty fast, and you get that seaweed coming in to its full effect.

That is joined by lavender and the remaining cedar wood. Really good casual scent for the summer months and feels like being at the shore. Full Bvlgari Aqva Review

bvlgari aqua

Essence Line

Bvlgari Man Wood Essence– For me, the Essence line was mostly a disappointment from Bvlgari. But, there are those who like it, and Wood Essence is the best of them.

It surprised me that this and Terrae, were the colognes that I enjoyed the most from the series. I would’ve though it’d be the others.

It kicks off with a mix of sweetness and citrus zest. It’s not heavy or too overdone with the citrus notes, but feels quite refreshing.

Coriander shines for about 15 minutes, but this one is going to be led by the cypress and cedar notes.

Not too amazing with the performance. Though, it’s good for most purposes.

Would be my last pick on this list, but I think Wood Essence delivers a nice enough wear to be included in the current crop of fragrances from the brand. Wood Essence review

wood essence review