I Keep a Spreadsheet of Every Cologne I Smell. These 17 Made the Cut

If there’s one brand that understands the value proposition of fragrance, it’s Dossier: Their expansive line of fragrances covers both dupes and original compositions that rival high end counterparts in sophistication and longevity. Musky Green Tea is among my favorite springtime scents because of its citrusy, tea-forward top notes atop a base of musk and woods, smelling masculine yet unconventionally so.

“Beast Mode” fragrances are super popular right now, referring to colognes with strong silage and longevity. Many of these feature more traditionally masculine scent profiles like chypres and aromatics. Afnan in particular has been lauded online for their beast mode fragrances and after smelling Supermacy Collector’s Edition, I have to agree with the hype. The fruity opening gives way to a warm, musky, and woody base that lingers for hours. I keep my bottle on my desk in the Good Housekeeping Institute for whenever I have an evening event and need a long-lasting scent.

Where many colognes opt for bold, head-turning presence, Tacit takes a polished, understated approach. The fresh notes of yuzu and basil give it a serene just-left-the-spa quality that is both familiar and unique. While I've found it doesn't have the longest wear time compared to others on this list, it's a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to smell good without announcing it to the whole room.

Since I’ve gotten Snif’s Ace Ace Baby I’ve worn it pretty much every weekend. The light composition is refreshing in an unconventional way, swapping more well-trodden citrus notes for lemonade accord, ginger, and grass. While it isn’t the most long-lasting, it’s a great inoffensive daytime scent for any guy looking to smell fresh without smelling like everyone else.

Finding a gourmand scent that still feels manly can be difficult, but Scents Unearth’d has cracked the code. Oro Tonka is sweet and warm in a way that compliments colder weather and smells far more expensive than its $35 price tag would imply. The star note of tonka bean is prominent and long-lasting.

When I have to go to something special—a wedding, a birthday, a celebratory dinner—I wear Eau de Minthé. Even if I'm lacking a fresh shave or haircut, this fragrance makes me feel like I just walked out of the barbershop. This is no doubt due to its well balanced prominence of mint notes which are mellowed out with soothing rose oxide and patchouli. In aggregate, these scents create a unique profile that harkens back to older styles of masculinity in the best way possible.

I Don't Know What is an aptly-named concoction: It features subtle, skin-hugging notes like Iso E Super, ambrox super, and Civettone that are barely perceptible unless you get close. The top note of bergamot offsets the otherwise woody and slightly-animalic base notes to create something that feels like the fragrance version of quiet luxury. I've also found it great for layering on top of other colognes, adding a little je ne sais quoi to whatever scent you pair it with.

Hawthorne's abstract compositions give much-needed respite from the oversaturated world of ouds, leathers, and the like. Frozen Flame, which took the top spot in my best affordable colognes roundup, has become my go-to for smelling like nobody else on nights out thanks to its unique inclusion of metallic notes balanced by vanilla and cedar.

This bergamot-centric scent is my go-to "I need to smell clean and well-groomed" cologne. The citrusy top notes of bergamot and mandarin are married perfectly with base notes of suede, frankincense, and leather for a not-too-sweet take on citrus cologne. I'd be remiss to not mention that the bottle doesn't feature a sprayer but rather relies on you dripping it out and applying by hand, which takes some getting used to, but this scent is worth the trouble.

Bold Instinct smells dangerous and playful at the same time, with warm and spicy notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ambergris underpinning fresh pineapple and bay leaf. It's the kind of cologne I put on when I want to feel sexy but not self-serious, and at $35 a bottle, this cologne's spicy scent profile punches way above its weight.

Cathedral of Ruins’ name is apt—it smells like a dry, dilapidated church in the best way. It has notes of black peppercorn, Peru balsam, and frankincense blended atop a woody base, coming together for a perfect-for-fall scent that is distinctive compared to other woody colognes.

My signature scent during my college years, to this day it holds a special place in my heart. Aquatic scents are flattering because of their "fresh-from-the-shower" effect, and this one's use of patchouli adds an extra bit of earthiness that smells more natural and less sterile than others. "Petrichor" is an often overused word when it comes to these kinds of scents, but it's well-applied here.

A recent release from fine'ry, a fragrance house noted for crafting dupes of luxury fragrances, Maximus is a slightly more subtle take on the same suave aromatic composition of Valentino's Born in Roma Uomo. Its mixture of clary sage, violet, and vetiver convey a sense of refinement that's difficult to find at its price point.

Some colognes are faithful recreations of the real world scents we covet. Ombré Leather is one of those scents, with a straight forward leather-centric composition that shocked me in its realism the first time I smelled it. Notes like violet, jasmine, and patchouli play a supportive role here, heightening the veracity of the strong leather notes to a magically real admixture.

For those whose palettes have expanded beyond the mainstream or need to ensure they smell like no other, Olfactory NYC's custom scents are the perfect way to express your individuality. Instead of relying on abstract quizzes to craft your custom fragrance, you order sample sets of their wide array of base and top notes to craft a combination you can uniquely call your own. Once you've narrowed down the composition, you can order your scent as a full-sized cologne or even in other personal care products like body wash and lotion.