People are finally beginning to realize the importance of men’s cologne. It’s not only an extension of the man’s fashion sense and style, but it can also impact him and everyone around him on a very primal level. The best men’s cologne will not only change how other people think about the man wearing it but will also impact how the wearer thinks about himself. It will affect all those touched by it on a deeply psychological level that lights up different areas of the brain. After all, the sense of smell is the one human sense that can bridge emotion and memory centers at the same time.
Finding the best cologne for men, on the other hand, is another prospect altogether. It’s sometimes hard for men to find a cologne that not only naturally extends their sense of style, underlines their masculinity and make them feel in charge of their environment, all while being pleasing to those around them. There seems to be a never-ending cacophony of scents out there—from ones too mild to be noticed by anyone but the wearer to those that seem to overpower everyone.
Selecting the best cologne for men is a process that should be taken seriously but doesn’t need to be an overly complicated process. While the terminology used to describe different colognes can be confusing, what a man should really consider before buying any cologne are the scent combinations it provides. In my experience, all colognes can be broken down to a Base Note, a Mid-Range Note, and a Top Note.
It’s how these notes are combined that really is the most important thing to consider—but more on that a little bit later. Right now, let’s take a few moments to look at the Top 25 Best Men’s Cologne. These are the ones that are on top of their game and provide unique scent profiles for the wearer.
Best Smelling Cologne For Men
1. MONTBLANC Legend Eau de Toilette
MONTBLANC Legend is more than a men’s cologne that comes in a nice bottle. It’s a cologne that is made for the self-confident modern man who wants to be clad in scents that are in direct contrast with each other yet somehow manage to complement each other.
The top layer of this cologne is a mixture of lavender, lemon, and bergamot highlighted with notes of pineapple. Its middle notes stand in contrast to this top layer with scents such as dried fruit, rose, and geranium. And then it’s all finished with sandalwood and Tonka Bean notes that stabilize the cologne, and bring everything together. It’s a scent that continues to impress the longer it’s worn.
Pros
• Stylish Bottle
• Modern Scent
• Long Silage
Cons
• Extremely Maculine Profile
2. Paco Rabanne 1 Million EDT Spray
Paco Rabanne 1-Million Eau de toilette spray is a fragrance that hasn’t been around very long but has already begun making waves in the cologne industry. It was initially introduced to the world in 2008 and was reformulated in 2015 to be more seductive, energetic and lighter. When first applied, its light top notes come to the forefront with notes of blood orange, grapefruit, and cardamom.
These gently fade into notes of rose and juniper berries which keeps the scent grounded in traditional scents. Its base notes are where this cologne really shines, however. The sultry bottom notes of tonka bean, patchouli, and blonde leather give this fragrance the base it needs to give the wearer a sense of confidence. This confidence lasts all day, which is pretty close to how long this lightly aromatic fragrance will last.
Pros
• Lasts All Day
• Seductive
• Nice Citrus Top Notes
Cons
• Scent is Rather Strong
3. Cool Water By Davidoff For Men
While there are are many aquatic-themed scents on the market nowadays, few of them actually make good on the claim that they smell like the ocean. This one does, however. It has very nice aquatic notes that make the wearer feel like they are out on their sailboat. It accomplishes this feat by using a unique combination of top notes which come together to brilliantly capture that aquatic vibe.
Its top notes include sea water, fresh green notes, coriander and believe it or not, lavender. These top notes sit upon this cologne’s unique heart notes of rosemary. In the end, it finally fades into its base notes which include such scents as cedar, musk, amber, oakmoss, and tobacco. It’s a masculine scent, but we felt the end was a bit sharp and that this cologne’s longevity was too short lived.
Pros
• Cool Aquatic Scent
• Masculine Notes
• Projects Well
• Great Summer Scent
Cons
• Sharp Alcohol Note At End
• Short Longevity
4.Tommy Bahama Eau De Cologne Spray
With scents reminiscent of sailing into the horizon with your friends or hanging out at a bonfire on the beach, Tommy Bahama Eau De Cologne Spray is a complex combination of notes that promise adventure. It has citrus top notes that smell very much like tangerines, pears, and melons. It has middle notes that suggest violets and coriander and base notes of Tonka Bean and Australian sandalwood.
While it’s a little more expensive than it should be for a cologne in its category, it does have decent hang time and will linger for quite a while without needing to be reapplied. It’s not the best perfume for men, but it does deserve its place on this list for its adventurous style and longevity.
Pros
• Adventurous Scent
• Complex Scent Profile
• Long Lasting
Cons
• Expensive
More About Choosing the Best Male Cologne
While there is some consensus over which men’s colognes are the best and which don’t even come close, the only real indicator of which cologne is the best for you is you. After all, you’re the one that will wear the scent, and it’s your body chemistry that will determine how that scent is expressed, so the only thing that really matters when choosing a cologne is how it suits you.
Of course, with the wide array of products on the market today and a whole lot of industry terms being batted around, it can not only be hard to find out which cologne is the best for you, but it can be hard to determine what the defining characteristics of particular scents are going to be. Which is why I’ve decided to give you a little cheat sheet.
I’m going to reveal to you what the notes really mean and some of the terminology that’s used to sell cologne. That way, you can rest assured that you not only are able to differentiate between the different cologne brands but that you can find the one best suited for you.
Base, Heart and Top Notes
Base, Middle (also called Heart) and Top Notes are simple terms used to describe which scent hits you first and how long that particular scent will linger. It’s a solid way of breaking down a cologne into its component parts so that you can get a good feel for what a scent is going to be like before you even try it.
The Top Note is the first note that reaches your nose and is the one that lasts the least amount of time. The scents that can usually be found in this part of the cologne include citrus fruits such as lemon and lime, as well as aromatics such as Anise and Lavender. This top layer of the cologne will usually linger anywhere from 15-minutes to 2-hours depending on the cologne.
The Middle or Heart Note is the next set of notes that will surface from the cologne after the Top Note has begun to fade. There can be a variety of scents found in this layer—including floral scents such as jasmine and rose; green scents such as leaves and grasses; spicy scents such as cinnamon or nutmeg; and fruity scents such as pear or pineapple. This layer usually lasts about 3 to 5 hours depending on the cologne.
The Base Note is the main foundation of the cologne. It’s the part of the cologne that you can expect to last anywhere from 5 to 10 hours. It’s usually composed of woody scents such as cedar or moss; or balsamic notes such as vanilla or Tonka Bean.
The Different Types of Cologne
In general, the terms perfume, cologne, and fragrance are all generic interchangeable terms for a scented water that’s applied to your body and/or your clothing. And these terms are used fairly frequently. However, there are also a few terms that are more specific and will give you a better idea about the product and how it should be used. Here are some of the specific terms used by cologne manufacturers to describe their products.
Parfum: Parfum is usually the most concentrated of all of the available fragrance styles and is usually composed of about 30-percent pure fragrance essence that should last about 24-hours when applied.
Eau de Parfum: Eau de Parfum is less concentrated than Parfum with a concentration of about 20-percent. This allows it to last about 8 hours on your skin or clothing.
Eau de Toilette: Eau de Toilette is a spray that’s anywhere from 4-percent to 15-percent perfume concentration. This product will last about 3-hours.
Eau de Cologne: Eau de Cologne is usually applied to masculine scents with a concentration of 2-4 percent. At this concentration, it can last about 2-hours.
Eau Fraiche: Eau Fraiche has the least concentration of fragrance at 1 to 3-percent and will last about an hour or less.
In Conclusion
Now that we’ve run through 25 of the more popular cologne brands and you’ve learned a bit about cologne notes as well as styles, it’s now time to find a cologne that will fit you and your lifestyle and says something about your personality. Choose well and you’ll be happy with your purchase every time you sprinkle it on.
Did you find our recommendations too expensive for your budget? Don’t worry, check out this list of cheaper colognes for men that smell great!
writer and seo expert.