A Definitive List of the Best-Smelling Colognes of All Time

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Scent is visceral, evocative. It's a subtle percept that shapes the blurry edges of social interaction and personal affect. The choice of signature scent can define yourself in the minds of others, and for us men can be among the most impactful means by which we control our presentation. While many men use deodorant as their standalone personal scent, cologne can give that extra flair for the right occasion, leaving people wondering, "What smells so good?" That said, with the massive assemblage of colognes for men on the market, choosing the right fragrance can feel like an iron cage of ceaseless options, and even knowing where to start can feel insurmountable.

That's why we've researched, gotten hands-on with and selected some of the best scents for every man, and every situation. Whether you want to create an air of mystique with a brooding, aquatic scent or subtly cloak yourself in a soothing attar, we've rounded up a wide variety of some of the best colognes to walk you through your personal fragrance journey.

Our top picks:

Whether you're looking for your own new signature fragrance or shopping for a gift he'll love, scroll on to find your perfect cologne.

L'Eau d'Issey Eau & Cèdre Eau de Toilette Intense Spray

Issey Miyake's cedar variation on their signature scent carefully treads the line between fresh and musky in a way that makes it favorable to many: In a small internal survey of GH consumer testers of 10 top-selling colognes it was selected as the overall best scent by over 40% of the survey group.

Spice and Black Vanilla

There's a reason this cologne has a 4.5-star rating on Walmart and over 450 online customer reviews: its complex, sweet-yet-mature scent is evocative of much more expensive fragrances.

Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

Santal 33's unique mixture of organic notes like violet, iris and leather makes for a scent that has become synonymous with New York Fashion Week parties and candlelit downtown bars.

Opus VII Reckless Leather Eau de Parfum

Amouage's distinctive, sometimes unorthodox blends separate them from other fragrance houses, and Opus VII represents their unique taste exactingly with a blend of pink pepper, leather and frankincense. The bottle design compliments its uniqueness by being both modern and antique, like a lost piece of secret ancient technology housing a stately, alluring scent.

Terre d’Hermès Pure Perfume

The name "Hermès" is practically interchangeable with opulence, and this cologne showcases the brand's refined palate. Eliciting images of a foreign wilderness with uncommon blends of shiso, benzoin and cedar, it calls to men who are adventurous and refined.

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce Perfume

The unmistakably daring scent of Fierce has given it a divisive reputation — its potent blend of woody base notes and aromatic accords isn't for the faint of heart.

Custom Scent

Whereas many custom fragrance services have you take abstract quizzes to try to guess what you'll like, Olfactory NYC works with you to create a custom blend. You can order sample sets of their scents, created by some of the fragrance industry's biggest names and additional tinkerer sets wherein you choose additional accords to customize your fragrance. Once you've settled on a scent from their wide permutation of accord and base combinations, ordering and reordering your scent is a breeze, and you can even get your scent in diffusers and body products.

Angels' Share Eau De Parfum

Kilian's cognac-infused fragrance manages a paradox — to be light yet decadent — by incorporating oak, cinnamon and praline.

You

The sparkling pink pepper top notes of Glossier's signature fragrance fuse with floral accords and cozy ambrox for a sheer, inviting scent that is fresh yet intimate.

Sauvage Eau de Toilette

Where fresh bergamot meets with a dangerous hint of pepper, this Dior cologne has rightfully assumed a spot in the pantheon of men's fragrance for its sharp and sophisticated masculinity.

REPLICA By the Fireplace

The beckoning warmth of chestnut and clove in this cologne serves as the perfect compliment to colder days and intimate gatherings.

Rain

An incredibly faithful recreation of the most desirable aspects of petrichor (the sweet scent of rain on dry soil), Rain fuses crisp cucumber with earthy vetiver and patchouli for a sophisticated and seductive nighttime scent.

Guilty Pour Homme

In signature fashion of Alessandro Michele's Gucci, Guilty Pour Homme subverts the standard warm cologne by bringing in citrusy, floral notes atop its spice-laden base.

BLEU DE CHANEL Eau de Toilette

Chanel's fragrances are renowned for their sophistication and singularity, and this scent is no different. It offsets arboraceous cedar and sandalwood with unexpected citrus notes for a professional yet approachable finish.

Ck One

Equipoising playful notes of papaya and pineapple with green, floral accords, Calvin Klein's much-hyped Ck One evokes jovial fruitiness without being too saccharine.

Skin

Barely there yet unmistakably present, Skin gently cloaks you in a veil of fresh musk and warm vanilla that smells like a your-scent-but-better revelation.

Acqua di Gio Eau de Toilette Pour Homme

Acqua di Gio's crisp citrus accords of lemon, lime and mandarin oranges, along with its sultry undertones of white musk and patchouli, pair perfectly with balmy days and beach getaways.

RELATED: 30 Best Summer Perfumes to Make Your Signature Scent

Tobacco Vanille

Crafted with notes of tobacco leaf, dry fruit and wood sap, Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille packs indulgent sweetness in a suave, cultivated scent.

The Most Wanted Parfum

The gun barrel-shaped bottle of this cologne serves as a foreword to this intensely warm fragrance. Spicy red ginger is offset by toffee and bourbon vanilla, creating a scent that exists between fiery and friendly.

Eros Eau de Toilette

From the bottle to the eclectic notes of mint, green apple and vetiver, Eros is an ostentatious, fresh-yet-spicy cologne that calls to glittering new year's parties and sharply dressed formals.

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