The Best Cologne for Men, According to a Fragrance Geek Who’s Smelled Them All

Best Woody Cologne: Hermès Terre d’Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver EDP

Over a decade-plus of grooming coverage, there are only two bottles of fragrance that I’ve used to the last drop. One isn’t on this list (shoutout to the brilliant Arquiste Nanban, a wintry staple); the other is Terre d’Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver, the best expression of Hermès’ iconic cologne. I went through an entire bottle in just a few months, and it remains one of the best buys you can make for yourself, your partner, or your son. It’s a reliable, invigorating, and head-turning masculine scent that’s perfect for all scenarios and seasons—and it should be triple the price.

Best Fresh Cologne: Diptyque Eau de Minthé EDP

No scent is fresher than this. Wearing it is like stepping out of the best shower of your life, wrapping yourself in the plushest robe on the planet, and ordering room service on the company tab. It might be a pinch too buoyant for some fellas, but it’s catnip for anyone who might be in the suite (or, heck, the shower) with you when that room service arrives.

Best Floral Cologne: Aesop Rōzu EDP

Whenever I wear Rōzu, I swear that some of my high school AP Calculus knowledge comes back into focus. It sounds corny, but it really does make me feel, well, smarter. Maybe I should give the debate team another go after all.

Best Spicy Cologne: Dior Sauvage Elixir Parfum

Of all the bestselling Sauvage expressions out there, Elixir excites me the most. I find it perfect for the colder months of the year, the darker half of the day, and any date nights throughout. It has a nice bite, too—a signature licorice-tinged zing that makes it memorable. Memorable on date night…that’s a decent sell, no?

Best Leather Cologne: Malin + Goetz Leather EDP

Why we love it: Malin+Goetz has conjured an approachable—dare we say…polite?—way to wear leather, while still announcing to the world that you are, in fact, just as confident as you are sexy. I love that this expression offers so many notes besides just raw, dripping leather. Despite that sex appeal, though, nobody will call you out for wearing it to the hardware store (or in the middle of May).

Best Musk Cologne: Frédéric Malle Musc Ravageur EDP

Frédéric Malle

Musc Ravageur EDP

Musc Ravageur is aptly named, in that it evokes exactly what it advertises: musk-infused sex appeal—but in a playful enough manner that won’t overwhelm your date. I wouldn’t wear it to the office, but I would wear it if I wanted to suggest—politely, of course—to someone special that I have the place to myself that evening. It’s a nice way to broadcast your complexity without coming on too strong, if you catch my musky drift.