Best Fall Fragrances for Men
27 Seasonal Scents That Perfectly Evoke the Spookiest Time of the Year
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Summer is gone, the leaves are changing, and it’s time to put away your warm weather fragrances. Just like your fashion wardrobe, your fragrance wardrobe needs an overhaul for fall to prepare for a season of cozy sweaters, crisp air, and rich grounding experiences. If you keep wearing those airy or fresh aquatic scents you wore all summer, be prepared to fade into the background, as your scent will feel completely out of place. The good news is fall is the time to reach for fragrances known for their depth and complexities.
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As the air cools and becomes drier, you’ll need a scent with enough power and presence to anchor itself in the crisper weather. For the fall season, you’ll want to seek out fragrances that are warm, spicy, woody, earthy, and sweet. Sweet is in. Very in. Gourmands are the peak fragrance trend right now and that will be very apparent as you read this list, but if gourmands aren’t for you, there are plenty of other options to choose from. This list has the best of the best fall fragrances in a wide variety of categories making sure there’s something for everyone.
Angels’ Share On the Rocks by Kilian
Following in the footsteps of the iconic original, Angels’ Share On the Rocks provides a fresher take perfect for fall temperatures. Cognac, tonka bean, and myrrh, bring out the familiar story of Angels’ Share past but then throw in Kilian’s famous On the Rocks accord and elevate the scent with zest appeal. As often as the original has been cited as the perfect winter fragrance, the new On the Rocks sequel fulfills the fall space effortlessly, bringing its smooth seductive appeal to a brand new season.
BOSS Bottled Beyond by BOSS
Since the late 90s, BOSS Bottled has been an iconic franchise for BOSS. While many fragrances claim to evoke confidence, few truly achieved that at the impact than the original BOSS Bottled. It’s no wonder so many sequels have been released. This year, BOSS leveled up. It’s woody, it’s spicy, and it conjures images of being dressed your best and strolling down the street with confidence as brown leaves fall around you.
Xanat by Tomavicci
Take vanilla and drench it in dark chocolate and coffee, then pour black sugar all over it for a sweet, dark, mysteriously alluring fragrance perfect for a date night this season.
Sticky Popcorn by Jousset
The sweet, salty, and buttery scent is pretty much what you would expect from a scent named Sticky Popcorn and it’s an absolutely delicious scent for the fall. Jousset touts themselves as a house of ultra-gourmands, so don’t think of this fragrance as a trip to the fair, think of it as being in the popcorn factory with freshly popped popcorn soaked in butter being drenched in caramel.
Signature EXTRÊME by Zaharoff
Taking the iconic original Signature Pour Homme scent from the house of Zaharoff and transforming it from a classy scent a CEO would wear to the intense scent the same CEO would wear for a night on the town. Signature Extreme is a spicy, resinous, audacious depth defying scent that is ideal for the sophisticated man who knows how to let loose.
Accident A’La Vanille by Jousset
Some say vanilla in fragrance is being overdone. Those people are not Jousset, as they took the iconic note and amplified it. This is vanilla, vanilla, and more vanilla, but there’s nothing basic about it. There’s depth and darkness. There’s creamy butter, textured woods, and subtle smokiness that will make you look at vanilla differently.
Ma Lon: Ghost in the Can by D.grayi
In testing all the fragrances on this list, at some points a lot of fragrances were wafting in the air. At that point, one fragrance stuck out above all. Ma Lon: Ghost in the Can is a pronounced scent that steals the scene no matter how many other fragrances surround it. There is perhaps one note that is lending a hand to this scene stealing spotlight and that is cadaverine. As its name suggests, cadaverine is said to evoke the scent of rotting flesh. But that’s not what’s happening here. Chili salt, incense smoke, Vietnamese oud, and tamarind candy blend together effortlessly with cadaverine to create a powerful and inviting earthy scent that brings to mind a late night walk on Halloween night. Most of the people have gone back home and yet the spirit of the holiday floats around like ghosts.
Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense by Jo Malone London
For those who want to challenge expectations, dark oud and bright bergamot clash in a beautiful symphony of the senses. Despite it working so well together, it is a clash. The light airiness of bergamot and the dark intensity of oud seem to constantly be seesawing back and forth and it’s an experience that needs to be smelled to really appreciate. There have been other fragrances that have included both of these notes, but never in such a prominent way. If you like fresh scents but feel like you can’t get away with them in fall, Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense is your answer.
Fulton by Fulton & Roark
The hitmakers, Fulton & Roark, have come out with yet another hit just in time for fall. Fulton is sure to become part of my fall favorites rotation for years to come. With notes of mandarin rind, saffron, and lily of the valley, incense, all before drying down with amber resin, guaiacwood, and vanilla orchid, every facet of this scent screams fall. It was meant to be.
Oud Zarian by Creed
With Oud Zarian, Creed has released a bonafide masterpiece perfect for fall and even into the winter season. With spices, rose, oud, patchouli, and a uniquely sophisticated twist of licorice in the dry down, Creed’s Oud Zarian hits all the right notes for a fall fragrance with style and class.
Rice Cake by KST Scent
White musk, fig leaves, amber, and rice cake blend together in this fragrance inspired by Korean traditions. Sweater weather has never been better when you wear this warm and airy scent with your favorite sweater.
Sahara Song by ROAN
If your fall aesthetic is clean, look no further than Sahara Song. A twist on the clean scent with mint tea and dash of rose. There’s creamy coconut milk and plum spiced with cardamom. Even though it’s fall, the sun still shines bright in the day and Sahara Song will be an easy reach for Autumn days.
Octave Aurum 25 by Krigler
A versatile fragrance that is at times bright then dark, light then heavy, Octave Aurum 25 radiates well in all seasons, but if we had to choose one, fall is where this fragrance by Krigler really gets to exemplify the duality present in its scent. With bergamot, black pepper, lavender, iris, coffee, tonka bean, patchouli, cedarwood, and oud all dancing together. No other season brings out this exchange of places in the spotlight than Octave Aurum 25 does in the fall.
Drunk Saffron by BORNTOSTANDOUT
You’ve never had a saffron scent quite like Drunk Saffron from BORNTOSTANDOUT. While saffron plays a prominent role, it’s the plum, brandy, and vanilla that amplifies this experience far beyond saffron.
Blood Cedar by Heretic
Cedar lovers will find a lot to love with this fragrance. It is a very cedar forward fragrance that’s surrounded by the scent of being deep in the woods with cypress, spruce, and Siberian fir. Despite its name, there’s nothing bloody about this scent, however, it does conjure images of casting spells in the woods making for a bewitching spooky season scent.
Intoxicated by Kilian
Put down the pumpkin spiced latte and pick up Kilian’s own spiced coffee concoction. Green cardamom, cinnamon, and caramelized sugar blend seamlessly to create your new seasonal favorite coffee. While you can’t drink this one, you can enjoy the aptly named intoxicating scent.
Dans Ces Jeans by Pink MahogHany
It might be surprising that a scent based around jeans could smell so good, but not only does it smell amazing, it smells seductive. Imagine the texture of denim coming to life in the form of scent and then layer it with a sweet sugary glaze. This is Dans Ces Jeans and it’s the fall fragrance you didn’t know you needed.
Primal Yell by Amphora Parfum
I can confidently say while there are a lot of cherry fragrances out there, none are like Primal Yell. This is cherries on fire. There’s notes of patchouli, vetiver, and bitter almond and then it takes it further. It’s like being in a foundry and while the metal is melting and scorching under the fire, some of it drips over cherries. That unforgettable image is an even more unforgettable scent.
Cognac Reign by DS&Durga
If you want to smell fancy this fall, Cognac Reign is what you’re looking for. Caramelized bergamot, orris, antique woods, tonka limousine oak, and the essence of cognac all work together masterfully. This is stumbling into a party thrown by “old money” and being utterly nonchalant about it. All eyes on you, Cognac Reign is living your best life, becoming the life of every party.
Built Different by High Key
With notes of cinnamon, cardamom, praline, musk, amber, tonka, and amber, Built Different is intense from top to bottom. This is a night out scent that commands attention no matter where you wear it.
Sweet Cinnamon Chai Latte by Elysian
A casual comforting scent to wear when you just want to relax and smell good while relaxing. Cinnamon, creamy milk, black tea, nutmeg, and clove make for an optimal cozy scent experience.
Ideal One by Maison Margiela
The bottle of Maison Margiela’s Ideal One describes this scent as skin musks and lavender and that pretty much sums this scent up. This is a sexy, sexy scent that seems to enhance your own natural pheromones with a subtle sweetness that beckons those close to you even closer. Pheromones in fragrance aren’t a real thing and the science of pheromones in humans are far from conclusive at this point, but Ideal One fulfills our stereotype of human pheromones and this is the rare case where the science doesn’t matter, because it’s all about what the scent is doing for us.
$230 at MaisonMargieala-Fragrances.us
Rumor by Damaskhaus
Sweet ripe cherry pulp drenched in rum is wrapped in soft ivory suede and vanilla extract. There’s a duality of brightness and darkness that challenges your expectations and pulls you in for more. The rumors are true Damaskhaus is the fragrance house you need to keep an eye on as Rumor is proof of that.
Wanted Elixir by Azzaro
While standing in a big line, there was a really incredible perfume emanating from someone. Everyone in line was talking about it. After some searching it was determined that the amazing fragrance was coming from me and I was wearing Wanted Elixir. Azzaro’s original Wanted was so beloved many attempted imitators followed. While others were busy trying and failing to match Wanted’s bright intense fruity grounded scent, Azzaro would go on to make sequels that would evolve the beloved original in exciting new directions. Wanted Elixir is the epitome of that evolution. Bursting with bright cardamom infused raspberries surrounded by smooth woods, Wanted Elixir is this season’s head-turner.
Ralph’s Club New York by Ralph Lauren
With Ralph’s Club New York, Ralph Lauren continues to do what the Ralph’s Club franchise always does — provide an attention grabbing, crowd pleasing scent, you’ll want to spray on night after night. We simply cannot get enough of this black currant, vanilla, and sandalwood mix.
Nanatopia by BORNTOSTANDOUT
Banana lovers will not want to miss this scent from Borntostandout. With bananas, melted caramel, and cinnamon, Nanatopia is an indulgence that is a fun-filled good time in the fall season. For those times you just want to be casual and smell amazing, Nanatopia has you covered.
Opera Mate by Mind Games
As mentioned at the top, after years of growing popularity gourmands are finally trending and we are seeing every angle of the category being explored. As per usual, Mind Games dares to be different, by taking the gourmand category and making it something beyond gourmand. Opera Mate takes roasted chestnut, creme brulee, and caramel then twists expectations with grapefruit zest, davana, suede, and santal. It opens up very gourmand before drying down into something different. All of it is a scent worthy of fall.
Fall is here and it’s never smelled better. There’s something for everyone on this list and each fragrance will make your fall scent rotation second to none.
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