The transition from spring into summer is arguably the most fragrant time of year. Blossoms in full bloom, the scent of freshly cut grass, the waft of a BBQ - these are just some of the smells that we instinctively associate with warm days, long evenings, time spent outdoors in the open air.
It is also a time of year when we are inspired to get out and do more. Like the world around us, we feel alive with a buzz of fresh energy. It’s a time for occasions and gatherings, meeting and mingling. It’s a time to look our best and, like everything else seems to, smell our best, too.
There’s never a better time to pick through your collection of colognes and aftershaves and see what you have. Perhaps it’s time for something new. Our tastes change, and a reliable favourite from years gone by can start to feel a little stale and same-same. A new fragrance is another way to boost our energy and confidence, finding a new expression of ourselves.
Here are five fantastic fragrances for men to start your search for your next favourite. Or why not sample all of them before you decide? Buying men’s aftershave samples is a great hack for expanding your horizons and trying fragrances you might otherwise miss out on. Fragrance samples are affordable, easy to buy online, and it gives you more choice and variety in your collection.
All of the fragrances below are available to buy in low-cost sample sizes. Have a shop around and see what others you can find while you browse.
Creed Aventus
There are a number of fragrance brands which started out way back in history doing something completely different. Luis Vitton made bespoke luggage in mid-19th century Paris. Penhaglion was a barber’s shop in London. And Creed was a tailors, also in London, dating back to the 1700s.
Aventus is Creed’s signature scent for men. What makes it stand out from the crowd is the perfect balance it achieves between sweet, fruity notes and more conventionally ‘masculine’ woody, smoky undertones. At first whiff, you get a heady whiff of pineapple, blackcurrant and apple, with touches of rose and jasmine. But holding them all together you get patchouli, musk, sandalwood and ambergris.
Just as any confident modern man is comfortable with and indeed proud of his gentler side, Aventus is a rounded blend of supposed opposites which, when you put them together, turn out not to be opposites at all.
Tom Ford Private Blend Oud Wood
Oud is one of the most evocative of all scents. Derived from the powerfully fragrant protective resin produced by the aquilaria genus of trees (more commonly known as agarwood), oud is deeply associated with Middle Eastern culture. Its rich, intense, spicy yet delicately sweet aroma has started to gain traction with some of the biggest western perfume houses. Leading the pack is this classic from Tom Ford.
This a real barnstormer of a fragrance - deep, brooding, warm, smoky and sensual. There are flourishes of sandalwood, vanilla and rosewood to balance out the considerable punch packed by the oud. This is a scent that oozes confidence, class and complexity.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540
Unisex fragrances are a hot trend right now, a very obvious cultural manifestation of the way that fixed gender binaries are being questioned and made more flexible. Baccarat Rouge 540 is at first glance a highly exclusive perfume created by one of the most famous parfumiers in France.
There is a very definite floral jasmine note to Baccarat Rouge 540. But after that, it’s all about fresh, resiny, woody notes of pine, cedar and ambergris, with a little citrus and sage to sharpen the senses. It’s a scent that manages to make floral aromas masculine and earthier, woodier aromas feminine.
Hermes H24
A recent addition to the scene, and the first men’s fragrance from Hermes in 15 years, the most distinctive thing about this groundbreaking scent is its lingering metallic scent. That’s thanks to the use of a synthetic molecule called sclarene which, according to the scent’s creator Christine Hagel, evokes “the smell of hot irons.”
Alongside this innovation in fragrance technology, H24 also makes use of the strong, richly herbaceous scent of narcissus oil, a derivative of daffodil plants. Along with the sweet, tobacco-like tones of clary sage, this makes for a unique fragrance that balances the metallic edge with richly aromatic, softly spicy and floral notes.
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