There are a lot of popular men’s colognes, which get mentioned, again and again. The same usual suspects, which is nice to know, but sometimes you want something different. You want to find an underrated scent that gets overlooked, that hidden gem, or something you’ve possibly never heard of.
That’s where this page will come in. In this post, I will post some of my favorite and best smelling underrated perfumes for guys. I am going to be updating this list, as I think of more options, because I do have to scour through 1000+ colognes to jog my memory.
What are the Best Underrated Hidden Gem Fragrances for Men?
Valentino Uomo Acqua By Valentino for Men – 4.2 Oz Edt Spray, 4.2 Oz
To me, it distinguishes itself from the rest of the Uomo scents, while delivering a pretty unique experience on its own. The citrus opening act is amazing, and when paired with the tomato leaf, this cologne brings things to another level of enjoyment for me.
I know some people like Noir Absolu, as the best flanker by Valentino, but I think that this one just smells better. It’s a delightful wear in the spring/summer months. Uomo Acqua Review
FENDI Fan Di Fendi Acqua Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce
What sets it apart from most other aquatic colognes, is its use of leather and pink pepper. It does have bergamot and citrus notes, as you’d expect, but it is paired with cedar and leather up top. The citrus is tempered and sits within the oceanic notes, along side of the peppers. This has been marked down, so much in price, that it’s practically a steal (either this or the other Fan di Fendi cologne). Fan di Fendi Acqua Review
BAD by Diesel | Eau de Toilette Spray 125 mL / 4.2 fl oz
Nonetheless, this scent grew on me, the more that I tested it out. When smelling up close, it doesn’t smell distinct, but as it projects itself out…it became captivating. The performance is also really good. Now, I wouldn’t pay a lot to have this, but as it hits the discount retailers it should be a nice buy for guys in their early 20s. Bad by Diesel Review
Yves Saint Laurent L’homme Intense for Men Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce
This is a floral based men’s fragrance, which right away, is going to scare some guys off. Plus, the performance is just okay, which is disappointing. However, the smell is great. It’s a beautiful spring and summer scent, full of orange blossom and amber.
It’s sort of a dark floral. You get a citrus opening, with a spicy pepper note, fresh cedar, in an absolute sea of amber. I guess that’s why I dig wearing this, as I love amber and orange blossom. I’d say, due to the longevity issue, don’t pay full price. If you can get a discounted bottle, it’s a definite yes, in my mind. L’Homme Intense Review
MONTBLANC Legend Night Eau De Parfum, 3.3 Fl Oz
It is a sweet fragrance, with lots of freshness. In fact, it has some overlap with Versace Eros. Some folks, don’t like the sweetness, or have longevity issues. For me, I completely dig the vanilla, cardamom, mint, apple, and the other ingredients that make this one such a fun wear. Plus, it lasts a long time on my skin.
It is smooth, fresh, calming, and delicious. It’s a great modern take on a nightlife scent. I’m not even much of a fan of the original Legend, but this one is completely different, and a scent I love. Legend Night Review
PARFUMS DE MARLY Oajan, 4.2 Fl Oz– There are a lot of great Parfums de Marly scents for men. It is an expensive niche designer line of fragrances and has plenty of fairly hidden gems. I’m going to select Oajan, as one that doesn’t get its proper respect, but is a really damn good wear.
It opens up with cinnamon, benzoin, and tonka bean. It’s like a blend of Kouros Body (another underrated scent) and 1 Million Prive. It is sweet, warm, and slightly spicy and then, the honey note kicks in. It is creamy and sweet with apple cinnamon vibes.
The longevity here is amazing and it has the power to back it up. This is an expensive option, but a great wear in the colder climates. Oajan Full Review
Opium By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Ounces– Opium is a fragrance which dates back to the 1990s. As such, it gets lost in the shuffle. Add to the fact, it has an exotic and ethereal quality to its aroma, and you’re not going to get a huge mass market audience for it.
Opium was one of the first colognes, that I ever purchased, and really helped to spur my interest in this topic. It opens with a blast of black currant, spice, and a balsamic aroma. It is warm, thick, and smoky. Star anise and pepper, provide its spice, which is later sweetened up by a nice vanilla note.
I’m not sure what the latest formulations are like, but you can grab a bottle for cheap, relative to other YSL fragrances. But my bottles, of this stuff, projected very well and would go for over 10 hours. This isn’t for everyone, it’s best in colder weather, but it is a unique and great cologne. Opium Pour Homme Review
Straight To Heaven Extreme by Kilian/1.6 oz.
However, this one doesn’t go into full sweetness mode, and is much boozier overall. There is still some sweetness, with dried fruits and some vanilla, but it has a much earthier base with a nice patchouli note. It lives up to the extreme title, as the projection and longevity, are awesome.
Citizen BJ7000-52E Eco-Drive Nighthawk Watch– Going from a rather basic display, to one with a whole lot going on, this stainless steel watch even features a pilot slide rule. Beyond that, it looks completely cool. The numbers are easy to read, you’ve got your standard date display, dual-time display, the solar powered Eco-Drive, and quartz movement.
The blue face is totally eye catching and features large numerals for quick telling of the minute of the hour. The 60 minute chronograph, is a nice touch, and gives the Avion a classic look.
– The original 1 Million is now utterly legendary and a constant best seller, after what, 20+ years? One of the main reasons, this sweet club beast has garnered so much attention, is how long it lasts. When you talk about all day wears, 1 Million is one that immediately comes to mind in the world of men’s perfumes.
– The EDP version of Sauvage, is much better than the original EDT release, in my opinion. Not only does it smell better, it’s sexier, and lasts longer than its predecessor. This one starts out with a strong ambroxan note which tones down the bergamot and pepper, which were so harsh in the EDT.
– A boozy club scent, that lasts all night? Yep, that’s 212 VIP from Carolina Herrera. Vodka is a main ingredient, especially towards the top of the wear, with tonka bean, vanilla, and pepper kicking in. It also has frozen mint and lime, bringing spice and citrus juiciness. It’s smooth and very boozy at first, but dries down with an alluring spice and sexiness. This stuff is an absolute beast with the sillage and longevity. I have a full bottle and I only break it out on certain occasions and keep the sprays limited. Is 212 VIP for everyone? No way, but for certain guys, this stuff is just plain awesome. 
– This flanker to the original Prada L’Homme opens up with that powdery iris note, amber, and rich leather. Intense is a mature and clean fragrance with a smooth warmth provided from the main players, as well as, notes like the tonka bean. The solid woody outdoorsy base, adds another dimension to this cologne, with the emergence of sandalwood and patchouli. The sillage on this one is moderate to strong, but the longevity is great, and Intense is a classy fragrance for work or the night life. 
– The original Le Male had really good performance and is still very popular. However, with the release of its flanker fragrance Ultra Male, Jean Paul Gaultier kicked up the intensity even further. Ultra Male is sexy and has a spicy and candy-like sweet aroma, that not only projects well, but also goes far into those cold weather evenings of wintertime. It opens up with pear, vanilla, cinnamon, and mint notes, which of course add to the spicy sweetness of this cologne. It has a bold start with the projection, but becomes more moderate. Ultra Male performs best in cooler weather and really isn’t suitable for warmer days. 
– Versace Eros is one of the most popular scents on the market and has been so since its introduction in 2012. Sure, it a monster in terms of its sillage, but that’s just a part of the experience that is this cologne. It’s sweet, crisp, masculine, and bold. With notes like mint, apple, vanilla, and tonka bean…it’s no wonder why this stuff lures so many folks in. It can keep going and going, throughout an entire evening, or daytime depending on one’s application.
– The opening minutes of Dior Homme Intense, are probably my favorite ever from any cologne. While I do, very slightly prefer wearing the original 
– A great luxury fragrance from the French brand, Parfums de Marly. Herod is a sweet and spicy blend of tobacco, cinnamon, black pepper, and vanilla among other notes. This is a super rich and attract men’s cologne with a captivating resinous aroma with a somewhat smoky air. Herod is a gentlemen’s fragrance that can be worn in the office, at a formal event, or out on the town for the evening. The sillage isn’t super loud, like 1 Million, but you’ll know that it’s there and still chugging along without fail.
– Luna Rossa Carbon starts off with a pretty strong opening but then becomes much more of a moderate fragrance. However, while it’s sillage isn’t extreme, Carbon’s longevity is. This Prada flanker scent will hit 10+ hours of wear without much trouble. It is good as an everyday scent, with a very similar profile to Sauvage, and features lavender as its main note. Also, here are: ambroxan, pepper, bergamot, and patchouli. 
– Finally, rounding out the list is a newer release. Not only is this a follow up flanker to the classic best-seller 
– Pure Havane is an amazing mixture of masculine sweetness featuring notes of 
–
– Animale is warm and has some spice, but the top is populated by a delicious pineapple, paired with our honey note. Pineapple and honey? Yes, it works.
– Lapidus is another affordable fragrance, dating back to the 1980s. The honey in this is prominent, but is more a part of the larger whole, than a dominant standout.
– Blvgari Man has a smokiness up top, fresh vetiver, and woods joining the honey. This is a clean masculine scent, that I really enjoyed when I tried it out.
