In the last two decades, fragrances and colognes for men have exploded online and in blogs, as well as YouTube channels. There are things like Basenotes, Jeremy Fragrance, or Fragrance Brothers that are all about just the scent.
Why Should Men Wear Fragrance?
Colognes can create really powerful emotional ties. Style authorities such as Bruce Boyer argue that you should have a wardrobe of fragrances just like you have a wardrobe of clothes. That way, you can pick and choose depending on the season, your outfit, your mood, and the needs of the moment. The problem is fragrances are often expensive and not everyone wants to own 50 different fragrances or let alone 20. This issue is perpetuated by the fact that many colognes contain stabilizers meaning that they will smell differently five years down the road. So no matter if you have 10, 20, or 50 bottles, chances are you have to just throw them away after five or six years and do it all over again. Colognes are also heavily faked and because of that, you can’t return the bottle once you’ve removed the cellophane wrap from the packaging. Fortunately, there are samples so that’s the way to go.
Fragrances are profitable and so pretty much every brand under the sun out there has its own fragrance. Today, we wanted to choose a selection of classic fragrances that have stood the test of time. These days, the scents launched with the biggest hype and marketing budget are usually ones that sell the most but it doesn’t mean that you actually get the best quality scent for you. In fact, most large fragrance companies have a goal to have the content cost less than a dollar or two, with the bottle costing a little more depending on how intricate it is but ultimately, it’s a high margin business. Of course, there are also very high-end colognes on the market that sell for thousands of dollars.
8 Classic Fragrances for Gentlemen
Today, we’re just focusing on scents that have been around for at least thirty years. We narrowed it down to the ones that got the best reviews then got all of them, smelled them once, put them on, or then smell them twice. So we talk about the base notes, the heart note, and the top note but also about our just personal impression, review, how long it lasts, and we’ll share how much the bottle costs, what the top, heart, and base notes are, our personal views on it, and how they compare to one another.
1. Acqua Di Parma Colonia
Translated, the name means “Water of Parma” which is a city in Northern Italy. The small fragrance house created their first Cologne in 1916. The Colonia scent became a symbol of Italian chic in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Both David Niven and Cary Grant were admirers of the scent and someone even said, it smells like the golden era of Hollywood. Even though the brand struggled from the 60s onward, it was purchased in 2003 by the luxury conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy.
Like many colognes in our lineup, it’s considered to be a citrus fragrance because the top note is Sicilian citrus. After a little while, it fades a little bit and you get heart notes of lavender, rosemary, verbena, and damask rose. Base notes include the vetiver, sandalwood, and patchouli. Right out of the box, we felt that the hint of citrus was light and pleasant and unlike that of a strong cleaning product. Acqua di Parma Colonia is not a strong scent, it’s more on the lighter side and therefore, suited for spring/summer, in our opinion. It is by no means heavier or substantial, it’s the kind of scent that anyone likes. It’s not offensive at the office but at the same time, it’s not the most unique fragrance out there.
Personally, I think it’s a bit too light for the fall/winter season nevertheless, it can still be considered a great all-rounder. On a very personal rating, I would give it a four out of five, maybe even more if it would have lasted a little longer. On my skin, it only lasted about sixty to ninety minutes and it was not very strong, to begin with. Considering the eau de cologne cost around $160 for 3.4 ounces or about 100 ml means that you pay a lot for something that doesn’t smell very long or strongly.
2. Guerlain Vetiver
Even though Guerlain is better known these days for their cosmetics and skincare, it was originally founded in 1828 by Pierre-Francois Guerlain as a perfume. So over much of the 19th century, Guerlain created scents from their headquarters in Paris for the entire royalty of Europe. The company was passed down through the generations of the Guerlain family until the 4th generation master perfumer created the Guerlain Vetiver in 1959. Just like with so many other luxury brands, Guerlain was eventually sold in 1994 to Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy. Now, while some saw it as a cheapening move for the brand, it is successful today and in 2000, the Vetiver formula was reformulated probably to save some money or to just update it for more modern tastes. Usually, it’s described as a scent that is woody, earthy, it smells like leather or balsamic notes. Vetiver is often used in men’s fragrances because it’s a very good stabilizer and it has a more masculine smell to it.
So what does the modern Guerlain Vetiver smell like? You have top notes of bergamot, lemon, neroli, and coriander. After a little while, the heart note of the vetiver and the cedar comes out a little stronger. In the base note, you have tobacco, nutmeg, a little bit of pepper and tonka bean. Out of the box, we didn’t like this one as much as the Acqua di Parma Colonia because it was sharper and stronger smelling. The bergamot, vetiver, nutmeg, and cedar is just a little too strong. When I tried it a second time around, I found it more pleasant than when I originally smelled it. I don’t know if that had to do with the fact that I had it before but it was definitely growing on me.
Personally, I would rather wear it during the fall/winter season rather than summer. With it being a little sharper, it’ll last a lot longer than the Acqua di Parma. On my skin, about 6 to 7 hours. For the price of $99 for the 3.3 ounces or 100 ml bottle of eau de toilette, I thought it was pretty good. Generally, eau de toilettes are supposed to be less strong than an eau de Parfum but in this case, it lasts quite a while. My rating for the Guerlain Vetiver alone is 3 out of 5.
3. Dior Eau Sauvage
Dior is known as a fashion house, but their fragrance history dates all the way back to 1947. Eau Sauvage was launched in 1966. It’s considered to be a classic citrus fragrance. Out of the box, we like the citrus woody and spicy base. It’s about more substantial than Aqua Colonia without having the sharpness of the Guerlain Vetiver. Top notes include lemon, bergamot, a hint of cumin and rosemary. The heart note, you have petitgrain, jasmine, and patchouli, as well as a bit of carnation, basil, and coriander. For the base note, you have vetiver, sandalwood, amber, oakmoss, and musk. to me
To me, Eu Sauvage is the perfect year-round fragrance. It is light, it has some citrus but it has a substance that makes it office appropriate or also suited for a cocktail party or basically, any other event. I’d happily travel with just a single scent. While the top notes faded rather quickly, the base notes were still there solidly for about two to three hours. Afterwards, it turns more into a skin scent. For an eau de toilette, that’s okay. It’s priced at $95 for the 3.4 ounce or 100 ml bottle. My rating for the Eau Sauvage from Dior is 4 out of 5.
4. Knize Ten
Knize is a Viennese tailoring house known for their store designed by Adolf Loos. I have been at their Vienna headquarters twice and it’s quite an experience. The scent Knize Ten was developed in 1924. The number 10 didn’t mean it was the tenth fragrance but it was a dedication to the polo game because Knize was associated with polo long before Ralph Lauren was. The fragrance was famously designed to imitate the scent of a leather.
While some people may describe Knize Ten as a young Marlon Brando scent, personally, it was my least favorite of all eight of them and honestly, I wasn’t alone. Our entire team felt the same way. Knize Ten is definitely a little more unique. It is a heavier scent, more powerful but to me, it doesn’t quite smell like leather and it has a certain kind of sweetness to it, definitely smells old-school and heavy and because of that, in my mind, it’s not at all a spring/summer scent but maybe only suited for the fall/winter season. That being said, personally, I would likely never wear it. Of course, for the review, I tested it a few times and I got top notes of bergamot, a hint of lemon, a bit more orange, but also petitgrain and rosemary.
While these ingredients are similar to many of the other colognes, the ratio makes all the difference and it makes this one smells a lot different than the others. The heart note, for me, was more flowery, there was carnation, rose, and geranium but also a little bit of wood in there like cedar, maybe even a hint of cinnamon and sandalwood, as well. In the base note, it has more like leather, musk, moss and amber and with this being a perfume from 1924, I think the recipe is a lot stronger than modern colognes. So when I put it on, I could still smell those base notes the next day if I didn’t take a shower, which I thought was quite impressive. Price of $120 for the 125 ml bottle, it’s quite fair and even though it’s just an eau de toilette, it’s just very intense, strong, and long-lasting. That being said, it’s just not for me and so I gave it a 1 out of 5 stars.
5. Green Irish Tweed from Creed
Creed, today, is one of the longest-standing fragrance houses in the world. It was launched in 1760 in London by James Henry Creed. He was supposed to create a scent for King George III. The scent is known today as Royal English Leather. So even though the brand is more than a quarter millennium old, Creed fragrances didn’t become available to the public until 1970.
Green Irish Tweed wasn’t launched until 1985 but today, the house of Creed is still run by the 6th and 7th generation of the Creed family. Creed’s most popular scent was launched in 2010 that is named Aventus. I own the scent but we didn’t include it in this lineup simply because it is not 30 years or older. On the other hand, Green Irish Tweed has been around for longer and it has stood the test of time. It’s considered to be a classic Fougere fragrance which means as much as “fern” in French.
It comes from a family of perfumes that is based on lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin. Coumarin is a scent derived from the tonka bean and it’s often described as the smell of newly mown hay. If you read the reviews about Green Irish Tweed, it’s often described as an herbaceous and woody scent. It also plants notes of verbena, sandalwood, violet leaves, and iris. So on the top, you get the lemon and the verbena which is a very nice scent that I typically like in soaps. The heart note is more the iris and the violet leaf but I can always smell this freshly mown hay which is very pleasant, in my opinion. In the base note, there’s a little more sandalwood and ambergris.
Frankly, in this group, it was my personal and the group’s favorite by a long shot. Maybe it’s because it was the youngest scent in the lineup, but it had this unique scent that was very mesmerizing. It was masculine but had a level of freshness, it can be worn year-round and is office-appropriate. Unfortunately, it is quite pricey, 100 ml or 3.3 ounces retail for $395 to $415 dollars, depending on where you buy it. And for some reason in Europe, it just costs a little more than €210 which is a lot less expensive. It seems like, overall, they definitely increased their prices over the last decade. With it being so expensive, it, at least, last for quite a while.
On my skin, I could notice it for six to eight hours and then even the next day there was kind of a skin scent similar to the Knize Ten in intensity. So honestly, my rating is 5 out of 5. My wife even said that her gift to herself would be a bottle of that cologne for me so she could smell it. Obviously, I won’t argue with that and she was so excited about it that she showed it to all her girlfriends which, for the record, loved it too.
6. Floris London No. 89
Even a little older than Creed, it was founded in 1730. Even though it’s less well known than some of the continental European counterparts, it is still family-owned today. Winston Churchill was a fan of their scents and so was Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond. Floris no. 89 was launched in 1951 and is reminiscent of the number of their German Street shop in London, 89. It is, by many, considered to be the quintessential scent for the English gentleman.
When we tested it out of the box, there was a spicy nutmeg in the top note. The base notes were more like sandalwood, cedarwood, and vetiver. In the heart notes, I got a lot of florals. The first impression I got from this scent was an old-school barbershop. Overall, it was not offensive by any means but it wasn’t as great as, let’s say, the Green Irish Tweed and also not like the Eau Sauvage from Dior.
In my mind, the scent felt a little more dated rather than like a great vintage classic. It lasts about five to six hours on my skin which is quite good and a 50 ml bottle of the Eau de Toilette costs 80 bucks. Overall, my rating is 3.5 stars out of 5 for the Floris no. 89.
7. Blenheim Bouquet from Penhaligon’s
Launched in 1902, it is another one of Winston Churchill’s colognes. In my mind, it smells like a classic cologne even though it has more lemon and citrus notes than the Floris 89 does. I can also get notes of lavender and overall, it’s not too overpowering but in my mind, very well befitting of an English gentleman. I definitely prefer it over the Knize 10 or the Guerlain Vetiver. For the top notes, you got lemon, lime, and lavender so it’s very fresh. Interestingly, there’s not much of a heart note but it goes right into the base note. There is a bit of pine, musk, and black pepper.
In my mind, this is a great spring/summer scent for men, not so much for fall/winter. I would also call it much more linear and straightforward and less complex than, let’s say, the Green Irish Tweed. The Blenheim Bouquet lasts about 4 to 5 hours on my skin which is quite good for an Eau de Toilette. At $132 for a 100 ml bottle, it’s not cheap but it’s a classic and not a bad investment. If you like a citrusy, limey, summer classic, I think it’s a 4 out of 5. For an all year round one, it’s more like a 3.5.
8. Polo by Ralph Lauren
There’s also a modern one in the blue bottle but this is the classic from the green bottle. Ralph Lifshitz created the eponymous Ralph Lauren brand in 1968 starting with ties which, at the time, were quite wide because that was opposite the trend of slimmer ties. He launched his first two scents ten years later in 1978. The Polo in a green bottle was one of them. Top notes include basil, thyme, and cumin, but for me, the strongest one was pine. In the heart note, there is some coriander, patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver. In the base note, there is more leather, tobacco, and thyme. In my mind, the green bottle Polo is in an intense masculine scent. I also think the green bottle is befitting of the strong pine top note. The heavy pine notes in combination with the herbals make it a very woody and earthy scent.
Interestingly, it disappears more over time and also the second time around I smelled it, the pine wasn’t as strong anymore as it was initially. In my mind, this is a great cold-weather scent where you can put it up in a club bar or if you go to some of his restaurants. I think the scent fits right into the aesthetic that he wants to create. For office wear, it may be too bold for some, it is definitely bolder than, let’s say, the Blenheim Bouquet or the Floris 89. It lasts for about 6 hours which is quite nice and overall, my rating would be a 3.5 out of 5 stars, maybe a 4 if you like the pine scent that disappears over time. The eau de toilette costs $85 for four ounces or 120 ml.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, scents are a deeply personal and emotional thing and just because we like something, doesn’t mean you will. That being said, these eight classics have stood the test of time, there are a lot of people who like them and some who dislike them so if you want something classic that’s befitting of a gentleman, you can’t really go wrong with any of them, as long as, of course, you enjoy smelling them. Also, keep in mind that super strong scents that are not office appropriate can be a bother to others so it’s probably best to only use them outside your work environment.
If you want to learn more about fragrances, make sure to check out our general guide on men’s colognes and the 10 (More) Classic Fragrances for Gentlemen which contains a number of videos and all about the history and just more information about men’s colognes and how to choose one that you like.
What’s your favorite classic scent? Share it with us in the comments section!
Outfit Rundown
Today’s outfit was a little bit inspired by the Green Irish Tweed scent. It is actually not a tweed jacket but part of a green suit, but it has this kind of multi tones of green, which is something you typically find in Ireland. I am combining it with a shirt with a very small green, blue, and white houndstooth, and paired with a turquoise tie with a diamond pattern from Fort Belvedere. You can find it in our shop just like the pocket square that picks up the tones of the orange, the turquoise, and the blue in the rest of my outfit.
My pants are solid Navy with two inward-facing pleats. I combined them with a pair of dark green suede tassel loafers with brown leather elements that provide a little bit of contrast and make it a little more casual. To get the transition right between my shoes and my pants, I chose a pair of shadows striped socks in navy and blue from Fort Belvedere. Of course, my scent is the Green Irish Rweed from Creed, which was my favorite.
What – no Creed? Aventus and Silver Mountain Water are my two favorites. The fragrances last forever when applied. Cost a fortune, but well worth it. I get complements frrom women whever I wear them.
Missed the green Irish tweed. I’ll have to give it a try.
It seems to me we are very few here, so look at Lalique: separate and reliable
Those are great scents- however in my field – one cannot wear anything strong as there maybe allergies. I grew up with Royal Lime but L’Occitane makes a light Lemon citrus or Verbenna. So light it works for me.
#6 from Caswell Massey- historically one of the first Anerican scent used by George Washington is light too. Thank you for all your great artickes8!
I have worn Guerlain’s “Eau du Coq” and “Eau Imperiale” for decades. The first is warmer and richer, while the second is sharper and more elegant. Both are timeless.
How about including the classic and reasonably priced – Pino Silvestre and Victor Original in after shave and cologne ?
In CH at this time CREED IRISH TWEED eau de parfum 100ml approx. CHF 200. for info
Eau de cologne 1709 by Farina is my favorite so far.
That’s the original one, Im pretty sure you’ll like it.
I agree with Eau Sauvage, I prefer the Extreme for evening wear. You omitted to mention my favourite daytime wear,Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel. Great scents and a very affordable price.
My top 3 are:
3) Eau Savage
2) GIT
1) Chanel’s Pour Monsieur which is an absolute classic from 1955.
I have worn British Sterling by Dana for years. It’s still my favorite.
Since 1964, I use Jade East, period
Grey Flannel for day wear maybe? Zizanie for contacting the ghost of Frank Sinatra? Brut for cleaning the toilet bowl, Old Spice, if you engage in amorous transactions with merchant seamen. (Spelling crucial in that one). So many scents, so little time.
Excellent read as usual-however while pronounced German Floris is located on Jermyn St in London.
I actually like Guerlain’s Vetiver for spring and summer, perhaps because it goes more floral on me, and the tobacco element is strong at first. i’m very fond of Chanel Pour Monsieur, especially for fall and winter, and it lingers nicely for a long time. Many years ago I was fond of Caswell Massey’s Tricorn, but it went away, and though it’s back, I’ve read recently that it’s not as nice as in days of yore.
Hello I m looking for a good cologne after shave. Could you suggest me one?
Pitralon
Which Pitralon? The Swiss? Personally I am a fan of the German Pitralon, but that is not the original one (it’s said that the Swiss one is pretty close).
Another aftershave that I use pretty often is Tabac. Doubles as a fragrance; it has a great longevity.
Personally I stick to either a lavender water, or a classic European cologne (4711, L.T. Piver Eau des Princes, AdP Colonia). Today these are positioned as feminine scents, but I blame the influence of the perfume powerhouses of the eighties and nineties. They were originally designed for men, and worn by gentlemen for ages already. So there is little reason to reject them now.
For classic fragrance, I always head to one company – Caswell-Massey. They are one of the oldest in the US. I never travel anywhere without their No. 6 Cologne.
For fragrances, we have so many choices in Europe, and so many houses with a long legacy, that I have not explored the fragrances from other continents yet really.
I am a huge lavender scent fan, and there are very good lavender waters (EdT strength) produced in France, Italy, and the UK. And Bulgaria or Spain, of course. Interestingly, they are all different.
I became a fan of Givenchy Gentleman when I received it as a gift from the fashion director of a department store back in the 80s. As it became increasingly difficult to find in the US, I laid in a few bottles. There is since been released a new formulation under the same name which is close to the original but not quite.
This article is a great read and start for anyone who wants to know about mens colognes. However there is one fact that that most men miss, at is any cologne that you put on will be different than what it smelled like in the bottle. That is because your own natural scent will effect the overall smell over time. Which also will be effected by the shower soap that leaves a scent. The best thing to do is pick up samples and wear them to determind which is best for you in different seasons and times of the day. This way you will know what works best for you and hopefully the people that will tell you what works. Personally, i get women to tell me how a certain cologne will be great for me. They seem to have a better sense of smell than mem do, but thats just me.They have never been wrong yet!!
My favourite is Yves St Laurent’s Kouros. The effect on my wife is remarkable.
Chanel Pour Monsieur has been my mainstay since 1977. Tiffany for Men is also right up there. They share a creator as it happens. Creed Silver Mountain Water is beautiful in warm weather, and when I am in the mood to wear it, Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet has got many favorable comments.
This is a great review much appreciated. Nice selections of different colognes. Very nice historical review which I appreciate as well. However I want to point out that not all of the colognes are appropriate for all skin types. Same cologne smell different on different people. I don’t know if anybody else had this experience but I sometimes like the cologne but if you weeks later he just doesn’t smell the same. It is interesting that Irish Tweed is liked more by women than men. I saw women buy it more frequently for their man than men themselves. They just love it for some reason ? Personally I found Cannabis by Mallin+Goetz. I never smelled anything better than this and believe me I had a lot of different expensive colognes.
AQUA DI PARMA..sorry to say Raphael but the most dangerous fragrance according to EWG site that you mention in a previous video..