A fragrance is an accessory that lifts up your appearance, and frankly, is a must for any man, especially a gentleman. But what are the best fragrances for a gentleman?
What To Look For In A Gentlemanly Fragrance
It has been said that clothes make the man. A nice cologne adds the perfect finishing touch to your attire, as well as a degree of elegance and sophistication. As a gentleman, this is a vibe you want to portray, but in order to do that correctly, you’ll need to find the correct fragrance.
As a gentleman, you want to smell classy, sophisticated, and elegant. This is often portrayed best by wearing a fresh and inoffensive fragrance that will make you appear interesting. Something aromatic or citrusy is often the right way to go, but there are a few sweeter fragrances that will work perfectly as well. Listed below are the 9 best fragrances for a true gentleman, in no particular order.
1. Hermes Terre d’Hermes
Scent: Hermes Terre d’Hermes is well known for its earthy scent of orange along with a slight mineral effect that can be best described as flint. This fragrance opens with the fresh scent of orange and grapefruit. Shortly thereafter, you catch some geranium that adds coolness and enhances the freshness even more. Also, some black pepper comes in to add a little spice. About 30 minutes after the opening, an earthy scent of vetiver makes itself known, giving the fragrance that dirty orange-like feel that has made Terre d’Hermes extremely popular. Even though the word ‘dirty’ might not sound great, this fragrance actually smells utterly fantastic. It’s fresh and citrusy, but it also has depth and weight to it. This makes for an overall appealing and pleasant scent.
Notes: The top notes of Hermes Terre d’Hermes are orange and grapefruit. The middle notes are geranium and black pepper. The base notes are vetiver, benzoin, cedar, and patchouli.
Best for: Hermes Terre d’Hermes is the fantastic work/office fragrance for any man, but can also work great in a more casual setting. This cologne can be a signature scent for someone looking for a year-round winner, as you can wear it during the colder months, but also during the warmer months. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
2. Creed Green Irish Tweed
Scent: Creed Green Irish Tweed is the quintessential gentleman’s fragrance that was created back in 1985 by Oliver Creed. Even though this classic has been around for many years now, Green Irish Tweed is blended to give it a modern feel. Green Irish Tweed is indeed a classic fougere fragrance. Fougere is a French word meaning “fern-like” so that will give you an idea of the type of green scent to expect. GIT, as it is affectionately referred to, begins with a sweet touch of lemon. A few minutes later you start to get into the green side of the scent which many people say smells like freshly cut grass. The base of this fragrance adds a touch of wood with a salty aquatic freshness.
Notes: The top notes of Creed Green Irish Tweed are lemon verbena and iris. The middle note is violet leaf and the base notes are sandalwood and ambergris.
Best for: Creed Green Irish Tweed is a fantastic fragrance that you can easily wear all year long. However, GIT is the perfect cologne to wear during the Spring since it is so fresh, clean, and green. This fragrance is great for the office and can be worn for formal and casual occasions as long as you are dressed nicely (hint: not tee shirts and shorts). Creed Green Irish Tweed is one of the best fragrances for today’s gentleman since this cologne is a classic with a modern scent profile. This fragrance does cost a bit more than some fragrances on the market today, but you get a true work of art when you purchase a bottle of Creed Green Irish Tweed. If you’re interested, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
3. Visconti Di Modrone Acqua Di Selva
Scent: Acqua di Selva by Visconti di Modrone is a true classic fragrance for men. It was even James Bond’s signature cologne in the original 007 movie. If it’s good enough for 007, then it’s got to be a winner! This fragrance was created in 1949, but it smells as fresh as the ones that are being made today. Acqua di Selva is an aromatic fougere that opens with a couple of citrus elements and several herbs. After a short time, you begin to notice forest woods, some florals, a little spice, and even more herbs. Lastly, this cologne finishes with some musk, an aromatic wood note, and a nice clean earthiness.
Notes: The top notes of Acqua di Selva are lemon, bergamot, lavender, basil, and rosemary. The middle notes are pine tree, cloves, thyme, clary sage, and geranium. The base notes are cedar, peat, musk, and vetiver.
Best for: Visconti di Modrone Acqua di Selva is a wonderful fragrance to wear during the spring, summer, or fall. The scent is crisp, light, yet refreshing and extremely clean. This fragrance is great for the office and can be worn for formal and even casual occasions as long as you are dressed in business casual attire (hint a polo shirt and khakis). The best part about Acqua di Selva is that it is one of the most affordable fragrances on the market today. Even though Acqua di Selva is made in the eau de cologne concentration, it has decent longevity of around 4 hours. Since it is so inexpensive, you can also reapply as many times as you like without breaking the bank. If you’re interested, you can check out the current price over here on Amazon!
4. Chanel Bleu De Chanel
Scent: Chanel Bleu De Chanel is called a lady killer in some circles and for good reason, women absolutely love it. It is a beautiful fragrance that is fresh, a little spicy, somewhat balsamic, aromatic, and masculine. This fragrance opens with a beautiful scent of mint, citruses, and pink pepper. Soon after the opening, the fresh citruses, mint, and spices are accompanied by jasmine, ginger, and a woody undertone. These additional notes give Bleu de Chanel a wonderful aroma. When this fragrance dries down, you’ll be left with a clean, somewhat aquatic, fresh, spicy, and slightly woody scent. Bleu de Chanel is a scent that is truly elegant, sexy, and perfect for the modern-day gentleman. In addition, it has depth and takes hours to reveal itself properly.
Notes: The top notes of Chanel Bleu De Chanel are lemon, mint, grapefruit, and pink pepper. The middle notes are jasmine, nutmeg, ginger, and Iso E Super. The base notes are incense, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, white musk, sandalwood, and labdanum.
Best for: Chanel Bleu De Chanel is a fragrance that is made to be worn by a man. This is not a unisex fragrance for sure. This scent will give you a level of confidence whenever you wear it and can be worn all year long. However, this fragrance truly shines during the spring and summer. Bleu de Chanel works great in both formal, as well as casual settings, as it will never fail to amaze the people around you. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
5. Nasomatto Pardon
Scent: Nasomatto Pardon is a complex gourmand fragrance. It is extremely classy, somewhat balsamic, luxurious, woody, spicy, and sweet with the intoxicating smell of dark chocolate. Pardon has a phenomenal scent. The opening is floral with the distinct smell of Magnolia. Very soon though, the gourmand notes take control. Dark chocolate, cinnamon, and tonka bean make up the middle. Lastly, Pardon finishes with a natural smelling oud, a little smoke, and a bit of sandalwood. Once it dries down, you’re left with this incredible, sophisticated, and seductive scent.
Notes: The top note of Nasomatto Pardon is magnolia. The middle notes are dark chocolate, tonka bean, and cinnamon. The base notes are oud and sandalwood.
Best for: Nasomatto Pardon has a marvelous almost edible scent of chocolate. This chocolaty scent has a very distinguished vibe to it as well. This niche fragrance works best in the colder parts of the year and especially at night (try it out on a date!). During the colder months, this fragrance will work nicely in a casual setting but truly excels in a more formal setting. The luxurious and elegant scent will fit right in. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
6. Bentley For Men Intense
Scent: Bentley For Men Intense is a truly masculine scent. What you get from Bentley for Men Intense is a well-blended fragrance that smells like a high-quality niche cologne. It is spicy, woody, leathery, boozy, strong, yet exceptionally smooth. The combination of all of these elements makes for an amazing fragrance that is also very long-lasting. The booziness will continue to intoxicated the people around you, while the leather gives it that masculine and gentlemanly feel.
Notes: The top notes for Bentley For Men Intense are black pepper, incense, and geranium. The middle notes are clary sage, labdanum, and leather. The base notes are cedarwood, patchouli and sandalwood.
Best for: Bentley For Men Intense is a fantastic fragrance to wear during the late fall days once it gets a little colder and also all winter long. During the colder months, this cologne truly shines at night due to the boozy aroma of rum and heavy scent of leather. Please don’t wear this cologne during the warmer season because you will choke people out since it is so strong. You can wear this fragrance on dates or for a night out in the city. This fragrance can also be found at a bargain price. If you’re interested, you can check out the current price over here on Amazon!
7. Ferrari Bright Neroli
Scent: Ferrari Bright Neroli is an extremely refreshing, bright fragrance with a truly uplifting scent of neroli. It opens with a radiant blast of fresh citruses followed by the main ingredient – neroli. Moments later, a dash of Sichuan pepper spice joins with orange blossom to make this scent more complex. Although the neroli and corresponding citrus notes are strong in the beginning, they are in no way offensive. As it dries down, this fragrance becomes even better with a subtle earthy undertone of vetiver present. Many in the fragrance community say that Ferrari Bright Neroli is very similar to Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino. However, Bright Neroli is much more affordable.
Notes: The top notes of Ferrari Bright Neroli are bitter orange, lemon, and citron. The middle notes are rosemary, Sichuan pepper, neroli, and orange blossom. The base notes are amber, patchouli, and vetiver.
Best for: Ferrari Bright Neroli is a tremendous fragrance to wear during the daytime in the spring, summer, and early fall seasons. Since it is a little stronger scent it can also be worn at nights during the aforementioned seasons. Of course, it wouldn’t be a gentlemanly fragrance if it wouldn’t work well in a formal setting, but it also works great in casual ones. Besides the excellent aroma, Bright Neroli also has an incredible price. It is really inexpensive. You can check out the current price over here on Amazon!
8. Acqua Di Parma Colonia
Scent: Acqua Di Parma Colonia is a timeless classic that dates all the way back to 1916. The opening of this fragrance is a burst of zesty lemon. After just a couple of minutes, a nice touch of lavender begins to emerge. This provides an old school barbershop feel. A little later, you will recognize some floral and green notes that blend well with the lingering citrus and lavender accord. This leaves you with a classy and sophisticated fragrance with a fresh and aromatic scent.
Notes: The notes of Acqua Di Parma Colonia are Sicilian citruses, lavender, rosemary, jasmine, vetiver, lemon verbena, patchouli, Bulgarian rose, white musk, amber and sandalwood.
Best for: Acqua Di Parma Colonia is a fantastic fragrance for a slightly older gentleman. This scent is clean, masculine, fresh, aromatic, spicy, and a little woody. Colonia makes a fantastic signature fragrance. Although this fragrance can be worn year-round in more temperate regions, it excels in the spring and summer. This fragrance also works well for any occasion from casual to formal settings. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
9. Jesus Del Pozo Halloween Man Shot
Scent: Jesus Del Pozo Halloween Man Shot is an oriental, woody cologne with several interesting notes. This fragrance opens with the sweet lemon scent of a fruity daiquiri cocktail. Added to the sweetness is a hint of spice, namely black pepper. After a little while, you start to notice a nice floral scent with a touch of herbs. This goes really well with the already established, sweet scent. The dry down of this fragrance adds even more sweetness with a nice dose of vanilla, some smooth leather, a little wood, as well as a boozy scent. Overall, you get a very sweet and creamy scent with even better sillage and longevity!
Notes: The top notes of Jesus Del Pozo Halloween Man Shot are brisk lemon, cardamom, black pepper, and daiquiri. The middle notes are iris and sage. The base notes are amberwood, vanilla, and leather.
Best for: Halloween Man Shot is an awesome fragrance to wear during the fall and winter. The scent is sweet, sexy, and strong so it cuts through the colder days leaving you feeling nice and warm. Jesus Del Pozo Halloween Man Shot is great for nights out on the town and in more intimate settings such as on a date. The best part is that you can get this fragrance for a very reasonable price, but smell like a million dollars. If you’re interested, you can check out the current price over here on Amazon!