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The Best Men's Fragrances & Colognes in 2023
While the world of fragrances is constantly changing, many things stay the same. Good scents are always good scents, and many are considered classics for a reason. Today I’ll be walking you through my top five fragrances for 2023!
Mammoth Sex & Cigars Cologne
I had to start it off with Mammoth Beard Co. because they’re not even a fragrance company, but they make one fantastic cologne. Started in Calgary, AB, in 2014, Mammoth beard Co. is Canada’s best and biggest maker of beard-care products. They use all-natural ingredients & essential oils, so you know you’re getting something spectacular.
Sex & Cigars is the embodiment of luxury. Light floral top notes give the sensation of being at a tobacconist, while caramel and earthy tones fill in the body you’d expect from a fine cigar. Fortunately for us, this fragrance doesn’t actually smell like sex, but it is truly intoxicating.
Floris No. 89 Eau de Toilette
Named for Floris’ address on Jermyn st, No. 89 harkens to a past era of English manhood, one of tailored suits and silk ties. Before the establishment of the woody, smoky scents we know today, men’s fragrances were often lighter and more delicate with subtler earthy bases. A favourite of James Bond author Ian Flemming, Floris No. 89 is a blend of fresh, vibrant citrus and warm, woody spice. It starts as a burst of light, but upon each visit, it unveils new depths to be explored.
Castle Forbes Vetiver Eau de Parfum
This scent is easily in my top five fragrances of all time, probably even top three. Castle Forbes makes stunning perfumes, and this is one of their best. Started by English cosmetic chemist and essential oil lover Andrew French, he first started concocting fragrances for his friends, the Lord and Lady Forbes. They requested special potpourri for their bed & breakfast in their Scottish castle, but guests started stealing the delightful creations, so Andrew crafted a line of fragrances that could be sold in their gift shop. The line has since grown, and its focus is now on traditional perfumes.
The essence of a refined Scottish gentleman and worthy of royalty, Vetiver is subtle, smoky, and green. It warms you against the cool bracing highland air like a green cashmere sweater. Initially a limited edition scent, it proved so popular it became a permanent fixture in the Forbes’ lineup. It’s also an Eau de Parfum, which means you need very little, and it lasts all day!
Floris Leather Oud Eau de Parfum
Even the best copywriters have a hard time doing perfume justice (for obvious reasons), but those burdened with capturing the magic of leather oud in writing are damned to fail. Anyways, here I go!
In past centuries, Floris delivered their fragrances to the royal family wrapped in leather. Sort of a proto-gift wrap, if you will. This leather would be reused for deliveries, and inevitably some of their fine fragrances would be spilled and soaked into the leather. A hundred or more years later, someone discovered these ancient leathers in a storehouse. Because leather retains scent more or less forever, it had become a tapestry of scent, telling tales of past generations of perfumers and the long legacy of Floris. Just as this paragraph is an attempt to capture the essence of Leather Oud in writing, Leather Oud was an attempt to capture the essence of this perfumed leather in a bottle. Lucky for us, the perfumes at Floris are much better at their job than I am!
When you smell Leather Oud, it changes your brain chemistry. It permeates your very soul with centuries of history and the rich, luxurious quality of leather. Thanks to a magical oil from the middle east known as Oud, this scent has an otherwordly richness that one cannot fully grasp. If you’re looking for a head-turned, look no further.
Let’s end on a light note, with a super well-priced scent that represents the future of fragrances: D.R. Harris No. 14. No. 14 embraces the duality of men’s fragrances, both the classic light citrus notes and the modern, woody scents, and combines them into something greater than the sum of its parts. This incredibly simple recipe of vetiver and lemon is simple yet complex, herbal, woody, and refreshing all at once. Look no further if you need an affordable fragrance for any season, occasion, or time of day.
If any of these tickle your fancy and you’d like to learn more, or you need more suggestions, pay us a visit or get in touch online and we’ll be happy to help!