29 Gift-Worthy Colognes That Will Make 2023 Their Best-Smelling Year Yet (2024)

• 1/29

  Aesop

  Gloam Eau de Parfum

  $180

  SSENSE

  Gloam is the fifth installment in Aesop's top-shelf Othertopias collection; it's a spicy scent meant to inspire and provoke your wildest imaginations. Not bad for a bottle of cologne.
• 2/29

  Saint Laurent

  Myslf Eau de Parfum

  $152 $129

  Nordstrom

  YSL's latest Grooming Award winner is a warm, woodsy blend guaranteed to heat things up.

• 3/29

  D.S. & Durga

  Young Dunes Eau de Parfum

  $210

  Todd Snyder

  The fun-loving fragrance provocateurs at D.S.& Durga have done it again, this time linking with Todd Snyder on an exclusive scent inspired by the rush of scaling a sandy coast in the wee hours of the AM.

• 4/29

  Tom Ford

  See Also

  How to Identify & Value Antique Perfume Bottles (Expert's Guide)Dolce & Gabbana Q Eau de Parfum Review25 Prettiest Perfume Bottles That Deserve A Spot On Your Table

  Myrrhe Mystère Eau de Parfum

  $250 $213

  Nordstrom

  Ford's typically sultry cologne mixes notes of myrrhe, sandalwood, and sweet vanilla, a scent that'll leave you feeling like the gift this year.

• 5/29

  Chanel

  Bleu Eau De Toilette

  $105

  Sephora

  Perfect for everyday spritzing but distinct enough to stand out on a special day, Chanel's smash-hit signature fragrance combines notes of grapefruit and citrus accord to make an otherwise heady cologne surprisingly light and refreshing—like a tall drink of fancy bottled water.

• 6/29

  Polo Ralph Lauren

  Polo Eau de Toilette

  $90

  Amazon

  Sure, you could walk around the park barefoot in an effort to "ground" yourself—or you could skip the frostbite and spritz on this earthy, robust scent.

• 7/29

  Acqua di Parma

  Colonia C.L.U.B. Eau de Cologne

  $137 $116

  Nordstrom

  If you're looking for an aromatic wake-up call, look no further. This musky scent is brightened with notes of citrusy bergamot and lemon that'll have your senses buzzing.

• 8/29

  Maison Margiela

  Replica By the Fireplace Eau de Toilette

  $160 $136

  Nordstrom

  This best-seller creates the seasonably-appropriate illusion of getting lightly toasted by the fireplace, minus the CO2 emissions.

• 9/29

  Parfums de Marly

  Oajan Eau de Parfum

  $350 $298

  Nordstrom

  Smells like warm spiced rum served at a swanky ski lodge, looks impeccable on your nightstand.

• 10/29

  Trudon

  Mortel Eau de Parfum

  $260

  Trudon

  The best-smelling—and least depressing—reminder of our mortality we've encountered in a minute.

• 11/29

  Tsu Lange Yor

  Luca Eau de Parfum

  $145

  Tsu Lange Yor

  You don't have to be a Troye Sivan fan to appreciate the stylings of his first line of fragrances, like this slightly floral, Grooming Award-winning scent that's meant to evoke the tactile sensation of linen sheets and heavy denim.

• 12/29

  Byredo

  Mojave Ghost Eau de Parfum

  $205 $174

  Nordstrom

  What's hotter than the desert? You, wearing this musky scent during peak fall.

• 13/29

  Penhaligon's

  Terrible Teddy Eau de Parfum

  $310 $264

  Nordstrom

  Come for the heady mix of pepper, ambroxan, cedarwood, and patchouli, stay for the endearingly kitschy horsehead bottle.

• 14/29

  Jo Malone London

  Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense

  $160 $136

  Nordstrom

  Musky oud and citrusy bergamot, the dream team of the olfactive world. When it ain't broke...

• 15/29

  Krigler

  Villa America Perfume

  $725

  Krigler

  So you forgot to book that plane ticket. All good: let notes of lemon, sandalwood, and amber transport you to Cap d'Antibes, a resort town in the French Riviera frequented by Fitzgerald and Hemingway.

• 16/29

  Killian

  Apple Brandy Eau De Parfum

  $245

  Sephora

  Somehow, Killian managed to bottle the smell of freshly poured liquor on the rocks. One spray and you'll find yourself in the cozy underbelly of your favorite speakeasy, enveloped in the smell of cardamon, bergamot, and, of course, apple brandy.

• 17/29

  Dior

  Cologne Blanche Eau De Parfum

  $150

  Dior

  Dior's Grooming Award-winning "skin scent"—concocted by legendary perfumer Francis Kurkdjian—is designed to amplify your own natural musk with a fresh, airy twist.

• 18/29

  Maison Francis Kurkdjian

  Gentle Fluidity Silver Eau De Parfum

  $240 $204

  Nordstrom

  A sleek and sexy fragrance—imbued with notes of nutmeg, ambery woods, and juniper berry—wrapped in an equally sleek and sexy bottle.

• 19/29

  Bond No.9 New York

  Wall Street Eau De Parfum

  $440

  Neiman Marcus

  Thanks to notes of lavender musk-vetiver, Bond's warm and spicy scent perks up over wear, yielding a seductively bright citrus heart. It's an olfactory journey wrapped in glitzy packaging, and a favorite of New Yorkers (and wannabe New Yorkers) for that exact reason.

• 20/29

  Creed

  Aventus Eau De Parfum

  $365

  Saks Fifth Ave

  You may not be an emperor charging through life on horseback, but at least you can smell like one.

• 21/29

  Nishane

  Nefs Extrait De Parfum

  $650

  Bloomingdales

  Florals and musks usually find themselves on opposite ends of the fragrance spectrum. But Nefs brings together notes of rose and oud, topped off with a hint of honey, to create a deliciously rich fragrance that will hold its weight throughout the day.

• 22/29

  Calvin Klein

  CK Everyone

  $70 $58

  Amazon

  Calvin Klein Everyone is a clean, ethereal fragrance that sort of smells like a whiff of fresh air. Like the brand's underwear, this could be worn by anyone on your shopping list for a hit of gender-neutral sex appeal.

• 23/29

  Dior

  Homme Eau De Toilette

  $95

  Sephora

  The fragrance category known as the "classic masculine" has lately been synonymous with "tired"—much like the very concept of "classic masculinity" itself. Luckily, Dior came up with a solution: Lighten up their iconic men's fragrance with cleaner, more herbaceous notes like cedar and vetiver, then deliver the signature punch with patchouli.

• 24/29

  Issey Miyake

  L'eau D'Issey Pour Homme

  $79 $72

  Nordstrom

  L’eau D’Issey Pour Homme is fresh, crisp, lightly spicy, and one of our all-time favorite classic colognes for those reasons. On top of all that, it's a damn steal.

• 25/29

  Diptyque

  Eau de Minthé

  $220 $187

  Nordstrom

  Inspired by a Greek myth, Diptyque's masterpiece is minty fresh, but also nuanced with spicy nutmeg, uplifting lavender, and soothing patchouli.

• 26/29

  Malin+Goetz

  Dark Rum

  $96 $82

  Amazon

  If the recipient of this gift already digs everything else in the brand's repertoire, chances are he'll like its signature scent, too. This one tweaks a typically spicy aroma by infusing it with hints of plum and bergamot along with notes of creamy milk for a lighter—but no less potent—effect.

• 27/29

  Arquiste

  Parfumeur Peau

  $205

  Dermstore

  Peau—with its ethereal, resinous, muskiness—feels like an eternal embrace from life's truest love. Giving it to him is like gifting it to yourself.

• 28/29

  Le Labo

  Baie 19

  $230

  Nordstrom

  Le Labo is best known for its Santal 33 fragrance, a sandalwood crowd-pleaser that's so crowd-pleasing it verges on ubiquity. Which makes it all the more impressive that Le Labo wold follow it up with such a lovely curveball, this mix of medicinal notes and petrichor (the aroma of rain hitting dry soil). Just think: what Icy Hot smells like on Mount Olympus.

• 29/29

  Hermès

  Terre d'Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver

  $112

  Nordstrom

  Hermès’ classic and crisp Terre d'Hermès is always a winner. This turned-up vetiver version of the original swaps orange in favor of bergamot, then shifts the balance in favor of woody vetiver. This creates a year-round favorite that wears well at work and on weekends. It’s unfair to call it a safe bet, but that’s exactly what it is—a people pleaser in the best sense.

Michella Oré is GQ's commerce writer covering all things style and grooming. Her writing has been published in Vogue, Allure, i-D, 10 Magazine, Barron's, and WWD. Michella holds a B.A. in political science from Williams College and an M.A. in fashion journalism from Central Saint Martins.

Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and forGQsince 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launchingBlue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read more