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The 1970s really saw the first expansion of offerings, in terms of men’s fragrances. In a lot of ways, Estee Lauder helped to pioneer the space, with popular cologne releases.
Now, the number of fragrances during this decade aren’t as numerous (then or having availability now) when compared to the subsequent years, but there are some great scents from this time period.
The style can be much earthier, herbal, and just plain different than what you may be used to today. So, many guys won’t vibe with these classic. Anyway, here is my list of the best colognes of the 1970s.
Classic Green Bottle
Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce
It starts out quite dry with leather and pine notes and then transitions into a rich tobacco and patchouli blend that is smoky and intriguing.
An absolute monster in terms of sillage and performance. There’s a reason it has been so loved for over 40 years.
It such a great blend and starts to check off boxes throughout. Herbal. Woodsy. Spicy. A very thorough scent and one which completely goes against the grain of most of the most popular colognes of today’s era. You can also try the updated Cologne Intense version.
Again, not for everyone, but Polo is an absolute signature scent for the right man. My Full Review
70s Z
Z-14 by Halston– Z-14 is one that is still going strong today and is available at a massive discount to the modern designer options.
However, this Halston will always be special. It’s fresh, with a smoother finish, and a woody clean profile.
Cypress and cinnamon are pretty prominent early on. But, the spice never feels like it overwhelms anything. The smooth comes in from the leather and other resinous notes in the base.
Z-14 isn’t rough, it’s kind of soapy, and very well put together. Oakmoss in the middle to latter stages, gives it an earthier woodsy aroma to go along with that smoother leather.
Grey Energy
Eau de Grey Flannel- Eau de Grey Flannel is an energetic and soapy/body wash kind of cologne. It’s got a similar style to Chrome by Azzaro, which came out in the 1990s. To me, the citrus is what’s toned down the most. Though, it’s still plenty noticeable in the top.
To me, it turns woodsy fresh and a bit herbal green. Cedar, lavender, and cypress are the main notes I get in the dry down. But, eucalyptus and sage pair well with the lighter citrus notes early on.
What it does have going for it nowadays? Mainly, it’s the price. Less than $15 is pretty commonplace for a full bottle. It can be worth checking out, as a value play.
An Older Gentleman
Givenchy Gentleman Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 100ml, 3.3 Ounce
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.
Gentleman 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.
My Favorite 70s Scent
Yves Saint Laurent Pour Homme- This is my absolute favorite of the 1970s decade. I have a bottle of the Haute Concentration version released in 1983, which is a simplified and more concentrated version of this 1971 release.
Unfortunately, this one is much more expensive and harder to come by, a still pristine bottle of.
Pour Homme became more well-known for younger people, as it was shown in the cabinet of the Patrick Bateman character in “American Psycho”.
YSL Pour Homme kicks off with it’s citrus notes lemon and bergamot. Flanked by a whole host of other ingredients including rosemary, lemon verbena, lavender, with other woods and herbal spices.
Citrus and lavender are going to be dominant here. Underneath that, it is woody, herbal, musky, and very well balanced.
A 70s Musk
Jovan Musk– Released in the 1970s, but I remember it from the 1990s. It used to come as a part of a gift set, that some relative would inevitably give someone in my family during Christmas.
Frankly, I’m not even sure if I like this one entirely. I certainly don’t hate it, but it is one of those enduring and popular releases from this time period. I go back and forth between liking it, with long stretches of indifference.
Fresh spice from mint and pepper are joined by some light citrus notes up top. The dry down gets muskier, with plenty of warmth, and a lavender note to temper things somewhat.
The formula now is ‘vegan friendly’, so, it’s going to have a synthetic musk note(s) in lieu of what you used to get.
Beast Mode
Yatagan– Yatagan is a scent from Caron, that is absolutely not for everyone. It’s unique and challenging to pull off at times.
The opening is gritty, with dry woodsy note, an animaliac musk, and general earthiness to it. This one can be weird, if you’re new to this type of fragrance. Most people, from any generation, are not.
But, Yatagan’s unique qualities make it one from the 70s that has to be on the list. At times, it’s very bitter and quite dirty. Then, it is like a fresh stroll through a damp forest. Loud and bold, a testament to perfumes that no longer get made.
Old School Azzaro
Azzaro By Azzaro For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 6.8 oz
It starts things off with moss, anise, and cedar notes. Very fresh, spicy, and woodsy. A light lemon note and a great coldness that permeates the start.
It will clean up with the inclusion of leather and lavender notes. The dry down is a pretty classic barbershop style of cologne.
Honestly, there are better options than this one. But, I still think this is a worthwhile fragrance from this time period. Azzaro Review
Early Influence
Paco Rabanne– Paco Rabanne Pour Homme was released in 1973 and you can detect its style, coming through in many other designer releases that follow. It has an aroma that is somewhat like, Polo.
When I think 1970s colognes, I think: mossy, musk, lavender, and spice. That’s what this one has going for it.
This one goes for a very greenish start, with plenty of dry woods surrounding it. Later, it is cleaner with lavender, honey, and musk.
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme been out for 50 years, at this point, and still being sold. There must be something to it.
A Distant Hermes
Equipage By Hermes For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz.
Equipage is a very interesting and charming Hermes fragrance from the 1970s, that isn’t really like anything else released nowadays.
This one is for sure in my top 10 for the decade, which probably isn’t the case for the brand in any others.
It is masculine, but not overpowering, and features smooth woody notes such as: rosewood, oak moss, and pine needles.
Has that great woody, smoky, and autumn outdoorsy scent. Equipage is refined and well put together, with a nice spice from nutmeg, and a pretty distinct carnation note up top.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.