Scents are deeply personal and some men would never think about leaving the house without one whereas others, never use one in the first place. But for us, we agree with G. Bruce Boyer who advocates that a man should have a wardrobe of fragrances so he can choose the right one for the right outfit and the right occasion.
This is the second installment of classic men’s fragrances where we see how they’ve stood the test of time, and if you haven’t yet, you can check out part one here.
Experimenting with fragrances can be quite expensive because once you open it, you can’t return it. Even though there are thousands of fragrances out there, we wanted to focus specifically on the classic ones that have been around for a while because there’s a lot of marketing hype and marketing dollars in the game but we wanted something that was truly classic and gentlemanly. Just like in part one of this series, we only considered scents there for 30 years or older.
10 (More) Classic Fragrances for Gentlemen
In this list, we talk about the cost of a bottle, the fragrance notes, the history of the cologne, as well as our personal review.
4711 by Mäurer & Wirtz
In German, it’s “siebenundvierzig elf.” It is now at Mäurer & Wirtz but it used to be from Mülhens. It was originally created in 1792 as a health elixir. These days though, it’s only used for external application. Like when a fragrance is this old, this was made from men and women. It is a classic citrus fragrance and it doesn’t have an atomizer, so you have to apply directly to your skin.
Overall, you can get this fragrance project more if you add a spray head or if you decant it. In my experience, it’s got a weak longevity but it’s relatively inexpensive so you can reapply it many times. Some people in Germany like to add it to their guest bathroom. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of that.
Top notes are orange oil, peach, basil, bergamot, and definitely lemon. In the heart note, people could smell lily and melon. Personally, I smell more of the rose and jasmine. In the base notes, get some patchouli, vetiver, and musk, as well as oakmoss and sandalwood. Some people also smell cedar.
Our verdict? We had four people on our team test this cologne just so we get a more well-rounded review rather than just my personal opinion. So, what did our team of four think about this cologne? Well personally, I think it smells like the classic unisex cologne or perfume for grandparents. Maybe I’m biased because I grew up in Germany but at the end of the day it’s old people’s stuff. It’s great beyond your 70s or older. Personally, I would not wear it. That being said, our team liked it more than denied it but they didn’t grow up with it.
It’s priced at $22 for 100ml which is quite inexpensive in the fragrance world but I would rate it at a 2 or 2.5 at most and it’s just not something I’d wear.
Aramis
This was created in 1966 and is undoubtedly a very masculine scent. Aramis is a member of the Chypre fragrance family which is built around citrus, oakmoss, spices and woods. It’s considered by many to be one of the first fragrances to combine citrus notes with a more masculine sense. It’s also one of the few fragrances where leather is a very strong detectable note and on a top note, I can smell cinnamon, I can smell some bergamot, and something flowery; some people call it gardenia.
In a heart note, I can definitely smell some sandalwood, vetiver, and patchouli. The base notes for me are leathery, there’s some oakmoss and some people could smell amber, but I couldn’t. In my mind, it’s definitely heavier in the 4711 but it still has that citrus note. It’s a great masculine cologne and personally, I’d rather wear it in the fall winter season than in the spring summer season. It’s definitely a scent with a strong presence and because of that, I think it’s better suited for evening occasions; not so much for the office because some people may just think it’s too strong.
At a price of $25 for 110ml, Aramis is definitely on the lower end of the fragrance scale. Our team rated it unanimously at about 3 out of 5 stars.
D.R Harris Classic
It was developed in London in the late 1800s in one of the oldest pharmacies there. It has been on St. James Street for over 200 years and they hold the Royal Warrant from Prince Charles.
It is characterized as an aromatic fougere scent with a citrus-forward note. While some people can smell some lemongrass, rosemary, and rose water into hardened base notes, I could just smell the lime in as a top note because it’s the dominant scent. In my mind, this was a citrus all the way and it smelled more like a tub cleaning product to me than a high-end cologne. It’s like for me a lighter, fresher summery scent which is great for day wear and it’s definitely a unisex.
Our team really likes the fruity and spicy and citrus for a profile. Personally, I don’t want to smell like a cleaning product, so I would not wear that one. My rating is 1.5 out of 5, our team rated at 3.5 out of 5. The price is $60 for a 100ml; it is not super expensive but somewhere in the middle.
Geo F. Trumper Extract of West Indian Limes
It was created in 1880 by George Francis Trumper who was a master barber and the name says it all; this one is all about lime. It’s one of the brand’s most favorite colognes and as a brand describes it, it is the essence of those West Indian limes.
When I smelled it, it’s very clear, direct, limey. There’s not much else there. When I smelled it for the first time, I instantly thought of Caipirinha and because of that, it’s a very beachy, summery scent. It’s not just unisex, but it’s also priced at $60 for just 50ml of cologne and frankly, I was wondering if I could just put some lime on my skin, I would probably smell exactly the same.
On our team, people liked that it was unisex but they complained that it was actually not long-lasting. Preston and Kyle thought it was the favorite cologne in the lineup. So my rating would be just 2 out of 5 stars, their rating would be 4 out of 5.
Dunhill for Men
This one was created in 1934 by Alfred Dunhill, the son of the founder of Alfred Dunhill Limited which was a well-known London luxury goods maker specializing in tobacco and leather goods. Very much in line with their brand cachet, they created a fragrance that is heavy and manly.
On the top note, I can smell some lavender and a nutmeg, some people could smell geranium. I thought there was also a bit of a lemon. The strongest heart notes for me were woods and a smell of a fresh cut carnation. Other people could also smell iris, rose and jasmine. The base note was definitely leather, vetiver and sandalwood and it was something else. Looking through our people’s notes, it seems to me the tonka bean because the oakmoss and the cedar was there but the characteristic part was a tonka bean that just made it smell different.
The rice is $46 for 100ml. It’s definitely somewhere in the middle. Frankly for my first sniff, I came too close and was just overpowering and overwhelming. At that point, I would have given it a -1 out of 5. After the initial shock, I could smell some lavender and it made me think of a 1950’s women’s powder room, not a London gentlemen’s club. When we test scents, we always smell them very up close in our skin and I think sometimes that’s not quite realistic because other people will smell you from much further away and the scents really smell differently.
Because of that, I gave it more chances, I wore it on regular days and tried to experience what it felt like, and I liked it more than I initially did. I would definitely still call it an old-school scent. Some people may call it dated, others may call it just serious. Overall, it’s a mixed bag. So the team rated it at 2 out of 5 stars. I probably would give it a 3 out of 5, now that I’ve worn it a little more often.
Chanel Pour Monsieur
It was created in 1955 by Chanel’s second chief perfumer, Henri Robert. It was Chanel’s first fragrance for men and is such a novelty.
On top note, you can smell some lemon, verbena and orange. The heart notes have some ginger, cardamom, and coriander. On the base note, there’s definitely some cedar and oakmoss. Overall, it felt like a very round elegant scent. Personally, I like anything related to verbena or lemongrass, but this Chanel cologne wasn’t overpowering. It was very elegant and not as much in your face as a Geo. F. Trumper or a D.R. Harris.
Smelling it, I could tell it was designed for the Parisian gentleman not for the American cowboy. Why? Well, it’s not this distinct heavy men’s cologne like the Alfred Dunhill, it’s just a bit more rounded, but it’s also not female. I think the Chanel Pour Monsieur could be worn in the evening but also at the office.
Personally, I gave it a 3.5 out of 5. Some people in our team hated it, others really liked it. Priced at $98 for 100ml, it’s definitely more in the upper echelon of men’s colognes that are quietly available.
Caron Pour Un Homme De Caron
Created in 1934, just like the Dunhill for Men, this scent was one of the first ones that was specifically marketed towards men. The two founders of Caron individually liked the vanilla and lavender so they just combined those two in this scent. It was a known favorite of James Dean and the current owner of Caron says that the formulation has never changed.
The top note for me was very lavender heavy, it was maybe a bit of rosemary, some people say bergamot but to me it was just lavender. In the heart note, there was maybe a bit of sandalwood, some people say sage but definitely a strong vanilla and as the lavender evaporated the vanilla was still lingering. Base notes had some musk and oakmoss and something special, which probably tonka bean.
While someone on our team called it understated, personally, it felt like an assault to my nose. At first, I smelled it too up close and it was just strong lavender and especially vanilla and I really disliked vanilla colognes or scents. It’s just not my type of thing. It reminds me of a woman’s hair salon in the 1950s and the closer you get to it the stronger the vanilla gets. Frankly in my mind, it’s a lavender vanilla balm and I can see it being used for a milkshake flavor, maybe a chocolate flavor or ice cream, but not for a men’s cologne.
People on our team said it’s not like candy with a licorice note. In my mind it was a straight 0 out of 5. I would never ever wear this. Our team on the other hand, gave it a 2 out of 5 with a caveat that they wouldn’t wear anything below a 3. Even though it’s just priced at $30 for 180ml, this is a solid NO for everyone on our team.
Old Spice
Even though this seems to be the classic grandpa cologne in the last 50 years, it was actually invented much earlier in 1937. At the time, it was created by Shulton Inc. However, in the 1970s Old Spice pivoted from just old school shaving, more on to fragrances and so eventually, it was bought by Procter & Gamble. The true original formula of Old Spice is no longer available because Procter & Gamble reformulated it in 2016 to comply with current regulations.
If you grew up in the US, Old Spice is probably a scent that you’re familiar with because your dad might have used it or your grandpa and it was just a very commonplace aftershave. Because of that, many will probably associate an old-school vibe with it and nostalgia.
On the top notes, I could definitely smell some nutmeg and citrusy, maybe lemon or orange and some star anise. On heart and base notes, people could smell all kinds of things from carnations to jasmine to vanilla. Personally, I thought it wasn’t such a strong sense. It was hard for me to pick a specific sense.
Not having grown up in the US, I wasn’t really exposed to Old Spice, and I just know it from advertisements, for cheap men’s grooming products, basically. So frankly when I smelled it, I thought it was surprisingly good. Of course, when you look at the flacon and anything else, it looks really cheap because in fact, it is. Eight dollars for 120ml is hard to beat.
It’s definitely a more subtle scent, it won’t last long and it’s not too extreme in any way so it’s kind of a crowd-pleaser. In that sense, it reminded me a bit of Acqua Di Gio because it is just something that most people will be okay with or somewhat like no one will love it, no one will hate it. In my mind, Old Spice is a lot better than 4711 and I would give it a 3.5 out of 5. Everyone on our team liked it and it made people feel very nostalgic.
Guerlain Habit Rouge
The brand was founded in 1828 and is now known as a more high-end skin care cosmetics and perfume producer. They have a rich history because they created sense for Napoleon and Queen Victoria. Habit Rouge was created in 1965 by one of the last family members in the company. It’s considered by many to be an oriental woody fragrance.
The top notes contain a lot of citrus such as tangerine, lemon, lime and orange, some bergamot; it’s pleasing. The heart note, I could smell some flowers and sandalwood. Some say they could smell some vanilla on the base note but frankly by no means, it is as strong as a Caron Pour Un Homme.
At first, I thought it was an interesting scent, it was not too much in your face and so more pleasant to wear. Nevertheless, it was distinctly masculine and I thought it was a great office cologne. I also didn’t think it was particularly seasonal so it’s a good year-round thing, maybe something would bring for business travel.
The team only gave it a 2 out of 5. Personally, I gave it a 3 out of 5. It’s priced at $40 for a 100ml, which puts it somewhere in the middle.
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme
Paco Rabanne is a pseudonym for Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo. He was a Spanish fashion designer for the Basque region who made a name for himself because of his avant-garde designs in the 1960s. Because of his success, he eventually opened a fashion house and in 1973, introduced fragrances.
The scent is characterized as an aromatic fougere fragrance. Top notes include rosemary, sage and rosewood. Heart notes have some lavender and tonka bean. The base notes, I could smell a bit of sweetness, musk, and oakmoss.
Overall, it’s not very manly, mossy and bold to me. Because of that, I’d associate it with maybe a velvet dinner jacket or something but even then, it was too much for my nose and I would just give it a 1 out of 5. The team, on the other hand, rated it a 3 out of 5. If you want to go for it paired with sumptuous fabrics such as silk or brocade or velvet and then you can wear it maybe during the colder months of the year. The price is $29 for 100ml, it’s definitely not expensive but again price alone should not be an indicator whether you should buy a cologne or not.
Conclusion
Out of all the fragrances, our favorites were probably the Chanel Pour Monsieur, surprisingly Old Spice, and then Geo. F. Trumpers West Indian Limes.
If at all possible, try getting a little sample or try it on your skin because on a tester, it will just smell very different than on your personal skin. With some scents, you just need to try them a little more often to just get an idea of whether you like it or not.
Which of these fragrances is your favorite? Do you know of other classic ones we’ve missed to cover in this list? Let us know in the comments.
Outfit Rundown
I’m wearing a three-piece suit with a double-breasted waistcoat and I felt like the Chanel Pour Monsieur or maybe the Old Spice could have both worked with it. It’s a grayish Brown with kind of a very faint orange stripe which is somewhat of vintage-inspired. I’m picking up the orange tones of this suit in this pale peach dress shirt with French cuffs and a very wide open cut collar. In order to accommodate such a collar, you need a very big tie knot, I went for a Half Windsor because I’m not a fan of the Full Windsor.
The tie is a jacquard woven silk printed with a diamond pattern in turquoise and orange picking up the color of the stripe on the outside but also the lining on the inside. It’s from Fort Belvedere and you can find it in a shop just like my pocket square which is wool silk and orange with some paisley patterns on it.
Because of the warm tones in my outfit, I went with a gold pair of monkey fists knot cufflinks also from Fort Belvedere and I tied together the outfit with a pair of burgundy shoes by Meermin and with the socks, I could have gone with something shadow stripe but I kept it a bit more muted with just a pair of gray socks with clocks on the side that had red and white that pick up the rest of the color in the outfit. Last but not the least, a little pinky ring with a bloodstone that is greenish and red which picks up the color of the tie and brings it all together.
There is Creed Aventus, and there is everything else.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing this with us.
You forgot Floris…….
Follow the link to part one. Floris London No. 89 is the sixth listed scent. I agree that Floris should be on the list.
Floris 89 is a great fragrance and fantastic for mornings in the office. Also, their Chypress Eau de Toilette, a unisex fragrance is subtle and clean. I wear and recommend both of these indulgence fragrances
Thanks for sharing Alexander.
We mentioned Knize but not the other two, we will look into them.
No, check out Part I here.
Dear Sirs,
Thank you so much for a very informative article on men’s fragrances. I was pleased that Sauvage was so highly rated as it is one which I have always preferred. Floris too, featured well. May I discreetly advise you, however, that their London shop is at 89 Jermyn Street St James in London and not German Street anywhere.
At my sear and yellow age, it’s fun to be reminded of the ‘passage of yout.h’ Through Old Spice, Aramis and Paco Rabane to the refined assurance of Dior! Perhaps Viersieben elf yet waits in the wings!
Thank you as ever for interesting and informed pieces across all aspects.
With all good wishes,
John
I rediscovered classic (green bottle) Polo Ralph Lauren and Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene. For reasons I can’t explain, wearing Grey Flannel on a rainy day is perfect.
Eau Sauvage.
Those of us of a certain age remember.
We’ve also featured that on one of our fragrance videos.
I’ve been wearing Jade East since 1964 Now when family member smell it, they know I’m in the house.
Speaking of the 60’s:
English Leather
Hai Karate
British Sterling
Canoe
Thank you for your suggestions, Jim!
Chanel Pour Monsieur is my favorite. My sweet wife also wears Chanel: No.19. Both are wonderful without being over powering, something I value highly. Tip for those new to wearing adult scents: wash your hands after application. Not too much is worse than shaking someone’s hand and smelling their cologne on your own hand when you’re done.
Thanks for sharing some tips, Patrick!
personally my favorite is Green Water by Jacque Fath not a heavy cologne, it was discontinued in the mid 70’s only 3 stores carried on the west coast the Perfume House, Portland Oregon, Jacqueline’s, San Francisco and Mr Guy’s Beverly Hills in 1993 it was relaunched, the formula was slightly reformulated every now and then you find the oirginal GreenWater for sale on Ebay selling for $200.00+
Thank you for sharing, Guy!
Eight & Bob original is a great one for work and play. Superb longevity and seems to smell differently on each user. I think it’s timeless.
It was apparently a JFK favorite, and still the original formula.
Thanks for sharing, Andrew!
Just a heads up on an increasing health problem of chemical sensitivity. Over years past acquired a nice collection of men’s fragrances such as Cool Water, New West, Escape, Anucci, Sung, J. Del Pozo, Eternity, Bijon, etc. After more than a few encounters with friends with sensitivity affective disorder decided to forgo wearing any added fragrances. This decision was made 10 years ago. Something to think about. Not intended to rain on the parade at all just helping us gentlemen to be well informed.
Thanks for the heads up! We appreciate it.
Chanel pour Monsieur is my favorite, and is well received by others. I also like it since it dates from the year of my birth. My other favorite is Guerlain Vetiver. Smoky and flowery, it reminds me of when I was a kid and my parents returned from an evening out, my mother smelling of perfume and cigarettes. It’s a scent I wear for my own pleasure.
Thank you for sharing, Daniel.
Nino Cerruti (ala Pretty Woman)
Back in the day Pino, Baron, Drakkar, Blue Stratos and Black Belt.
Thanks for sharing Elliott.
Perhaps covered in first installment, but if not. Knize, Grey Flannel, Zizanie? Just some suggestions if not previously mentioned.
Thank you for your suggestions, William!
Another article comparing apples and pears. Considering only scents 30 years and older to have something classy is hogwash. Most of the genre-defining icons haven’t aged particularly well due to reformulation in the early 10’s, and simply, because most people are not accustomed anymore to things like an aromatic fougère or a leather chypre (which you’ve proven in this article and the last).
Ironically the most timeless style of perfumery on the list (traditional eau de cologne like 4711 with was re-interpreted many times the last couple of decades in long-lasting versions) is something you consider a cologne for “old people”. This is on similar levels of absurdness as the last article, where you chose Green Irish Tweed, an aquatic (you know, the ones you smelled in 90’s schoolhalls everywhere), as a classic and gentlemanly fragrance, although Guerlain Vétiver, the standard setting vétiver fragrance perfect for office wear, was “too strong”.
Maybe the shoemaker should stick to his last.
Dear Tom,
The jungle of fragrances is huge and we find experts and fora like fragrantica talking about patchouli etc. does not help the person who is not into fragrances because they speak on another level.
These are down to earth, subjective impressions that anyone can take or leave. We do not hold ourselves out to be fragrance experts by any means. We are exploring things along the way and share our thoughts, not more and not less.
If you do not get value from it, that’s ok, and you can spend hours on fragrance expert platforms. That being said, even people who are solely dedicated to colognes, such as fragrance bros, selected Green Irish Tweed to be among their 2 most favorite fragrances.
At the end of the day, we want to help people find something they like, that is not Acqua di Gio or CK One, and start them off on a fragrance journey. There are many things that can be discovered and in a world of free speech, we can all share our experiences and opinions.
That being said, I watched a video by hespokestyle
Well said, Sven!
Thank you, Rohan.
First I would like to thank you for some excellent content. I would also be interested in your thoughts on Penhaligon’s scents which I do not recall you mentioning. I find English Fern and Blenheim Bouquet to be my everyday scent with Halfeti Leather for after six o’clock.
Dear Michael, we actually talked about Blenheim Bouquet in our other Fragrance Video.
My favourite is LOEWE pour homme. A Spanish high quality manufacturer (Madrod 1846) acquired by LVMH in 1996
Thanks for sharing!
Some of these were old hat when I was in school 50 years ago. You missed the entire Royall line with its mandarin, lime, musk and all. These have been real standbys for years.
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Great article something at 61 still had question I’ve almost every popular men’s Cologne on deck before! In 1989 I ran across one called Fahrenheit my go too its all I wear!
Talking about Chanel pour Monsieur,
Three version are in market,
First, 1955 edt version (50 and 100 ml)
Second, 1989 EDT concentree version(75 ml)
Third, 2016 EDP version (75 ml)
All has the same name, but the last two, are totally different from the first one mostly because that oakmoss note,
Specially the EDP 2016, mostly lean to Chanel edition blanche,
So, which one is your choice when you mention Chanel pour Monsieur?
I’ve been wearing Chanel’s Pour Monsieur for years. A classic! Very well-balanced.
Thanks for sharing, Nicolas!
Talking about Chanel pour Monsieur,
Three versions are in market,
First, 1955 EDT version (50 and 100 ml)
Second, 1989 EDT concentree version(75 ml)
Third, 2016 EDP version (75 ml)
All has the same name, but the last two, are totally different from the first one mostly because the oakmoss note,
Specially the EDP 2016, mostly lean to Chanel edition blanche.
which one is your choice when you mentioned Chanel pour Monsieur?