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When putting together a list of the best colognes of the year, there’s always that inclination to spotlight a fragrance simply because it’s new. Folks love a shiny new bottle. This is only compounded by the fact that 2025 delivered no shortage of major launches. Some were exceptional, some were great, others were forgettable.
But even when a fragrance falls outside my preferred wheelhouse or comes from a house I don’t usually gravitate toward, I can still appreciate a well-made composition that’s likely to resonate with others. I also make a point of separating the hype from the fragrance itself, wearing each throughout the day to see how it evolves. That’s part of the beauty of fragrance: it’s deeply personal, and body chemistry can subtly shift how a scent wears.
Fragrance 101: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Cologne
Two renowned fragrance developers on application, longevity, storage and choosing a signature scentIn 2025, fragrance families ran the gamut, from woods to citrus, with nuance and restraint often taking precedence over beast-mode projection. We saw layered scent pyramids anchored by rich woods, classic fougères thoughtfully modernized, oud (still) and amber everywhere, and florals with a moodier edge. Extraits also had a powerful showing this year, with their concentrated, high-quality (and higher-price) construction resonating with the niche luxury crowd that values both projection and craftsmanship.
All told, olfactory creativity shows no signs of slowing down. Folks want to smell as distinctive as they present themselves, and we are very much here for it. Below, I’ve compiled an expanded version of our earlier mid-year list, updated to 16 of the best colognes of 2025.
The Best New Colognes of the Year, According to InsideHook
- The Subtle Signature in a Bottle: Perfumehead 1272 Coltrait, $235
- The Exceptional Extrait for Depth and Longevity: Amouage Purpose 50, $550
- The Celebration in a Bottle: The Maker Revel, $42-$175
- The Polished Daily Driver: Horace Vetiver Primavera, $82-$116
- The Floral with Edge: Aesop Aurner, $200
- The Mainstream Curveball: Prada Paradigme, $37-$195
- The Solar Citrus Revival: Louis Vuitton Sun Song, $350
- The Modern Luxury Fougère: Parfums de Marly Valero, $550
- The Reinvented Skin Scent: Dior Bois d’Argent Esprit, $470
- The Classic Cologne Reinvention: D.S. & Durga Rum Bay Rum, $210
- The Fresh Fougère with Gravitas: Penhaligon’s Fortuitous Finley, $345
- The Opulent Oud for Evening Soirees: Creed Oud Zarian, $470
- The Non-Basic Beach Vacation: Arquiste Tropical, $225
- The Verdant Meditation: Le Labo Eucalyptus 20, $110-$1,125
- The Minimalist Statement Scent: Burberry Hero Parfum Intense, $171-$250
- The Provocative Floral Oud: Tom Ford Oud Voyager, $300-$445
The Subtle Signature in a Bottle: Perfumehead 1272 Coltrait
Perfumehead is easily one of the coolest and most exciting fragrance houses around (just read our profile). New this year, the IYKYK brand returns with 1272, a coltrait, which is a riff on a cologne-extrait hybrid, made with a high concentration of perfume oil and luxe ingredients. Inspired by Palm Springs and the iconic Wexler House, it exudes a fresh, citrus-chic vibe. The scent opens with a radiant burst of orange flowers — breezy and bright — layered over woods that nod to the architectural beams of the house. Cistus absolute (an intense citrus note) mingles with verdant greens and creamy sandalwood to capture the spirit of desert modernism. To my nose, it’s clean, fresh and refined, perfect for anyone who loves that classic cologne vibe but wants something more dimensional and with lasting power. Crisp, elevated and irresistible, like a freshly pressed shirt, 1272 should be a new signature this summer.
Fragrance Family: Coltrait | Key Notes: Orange flower, verbena, cistus absolute, sandalwood | Size: 1.6 oz.
The Exceptional Extrait for Depth and Longevity: Amouage Purpose 50
Amouage is one of my favorite fragrance houses at the moment. Long revered across Europe and the Middle East, the Oman-based brand is finally receiving the recognition it deserves among scent enthusiasts in the United States. Known for crafting rich, intoxicating and regal compositions, Amouage creates many special-occasion colognes, as well as those for when you simply want to smell downright opulent. Purpose 50 is a perfect example. A more intense evolution of the original Purpose, this “Exceptional Extrait” features a whopping 50% oil concentration, dialing up the OG’s signature creamy, woody warmth to luxe cnew levels. Frankincense still takes center stage, but here it’s reimagined with vetiver, papyrus, vanillin and sandalwood for a deeply layered, long-lasting experience. It smells ancient yet modern, mysterious but refined — and damn good. Yes, the price reflects the quality, but just one spritz (maybe two if you’re feeling bold) is enough to carry you from daytime to the evening soiree.
Fragrance Family: Woody Spicy | Key Notes: Frakincense, vetiver, papyrus, vanillin, sandalwood | Size: 3.4 oz.
The Celebration in a Bottle: The Maker Revel
Stag by the Maker is one of my all-time favorite colognes. I reach for its ethereal, palo santo-inspired vibe every winter without fail. Now, Maker is back with a brand-new composition that’s tailor-made for fans of solar scents. This one is bright, warm and uplifting, led by citrus and softened with florals, aquatics and a radiant, sun-drenched vibe. It opens with a sparkling burst of pineapple, rosewater, frangipani and gardenia, all grounded by a creamy base of sandalwood and velvet musk. The result is a citrusy, aquatic, fruit-forward scent that evokes the sensation of bottled sunshine. It’s the kind of fragrance you wear when you’re celebrating or simply want to revel in the season.
Fragrance Family: Floral | Key Notes: Pineapple, lychee, frangipani flower, musk | Size: 0.33 oz. to 1.69 oz.
The Polished Daily Driver: Horace Vetiver Primavera
I’m sometimes wary when men’s grooming brands venture into fragrance — not out of pretense, but because the results often lean a bit, well, uninspired. That’s not the case with Horace, easily one of the best grooming brands out there. The buzzy French company already has some stellar colognes in its lineup, and fresh off the press is Vetiver Primavera. Noses know this is a very wearable everyday scent, a fantastic daily driver. It opens with a bright, citrusy burst of lemon, yuzu and mandarin, then settles into a clean, woody base grounded in verdant vetiver. It’s equal parts citrus, green and wood, ideal for those days when you want to smell great without overthinking it.
Fragrance Family: Vetiver | Key Notes: Lemon, yuzu, vetiver | Size: 1.69 oz. to 3.38 oz.
The Floral With Edge: Aesop Aurner
Another season, another stellar Aesop cologne. Aurner is a sophisticated floral composition that unfolds beautifully. It opens bright and sharp, with a burst of pink pepper and cardamom, giving it a fresh and spicy lift. As it settles, the scent becomes greener and more floral, with magnolia leaf, chamomile and geranium creating a soft, almost dewy heart. The drydown is warm, with sandalwood and cedar adding a grounding, soft woodiness. The result is floral, a little spicy and luminous, with just a trace of autumnal depth. And naturally, it carries that distinct herbal-botanical Aesop DNA that fans know and love.
Fragrance Family: Floral | Key Notes: Magnolia leaf, chamomile | Size: 1.6 oz.
The Mainstream Curveball: Prada Paradigme
Paradigme was a divisive release, but for me, it’s one of Prada’s most intriguing fragrances in quite some time. The scent lives up to its paradoxical name. It opens fresh with bergamot, then moves into a floral, slightly boozy heart built around bourbon and rose geranium. The base settles into rich benzoin, sweet Peru balsam, and smoky guaiac wood, creating an amber-tinged backbone. It leans spicy and citrusy up top, glows through the floral mid and ultimately dries down into a soft woodiness. For the price point, it’s a multi-genre blend with mass appeal, finished in a handsome green bottle that will complement any medicine cabinet.
Fragrance Family: Woody Citrus Floral Amber | Key Notes: Calabrian bergamot, musk, bourbon geranium, benzoin, Peru balsam and guaiac wood | Size: 0.33 oz. to 5.07 oz.
The Solar Citrus Revival: Louis Vuitton Sun Song
If a top-tier, sunlit citrus is your lane, Sun Song will sing to you. The reformulated 2025 version turns up the solar brightness of its more floral 2019 predecessor, landing as a luminous, luxe fragrance that wears its citrus heart on its sleeve. It smells like a beautifully curated citrus basket, led by orange blossom and neroli, lifted by crisp lemon and a touch of petitgrain, with soft musk adding a subtle skin-scent warmth. While citrus can often be fleeting, the longevity here is impressive, making for a polished, luxurious take on the genre.
Fragrance Family: Solar Citrus | Key Notes: Lemon, petitgrain, orange blossom, neroli, musk | Size: 3.38 oz.
The Modern Luxury Fougère: Parfums de Marly Valero
Parfums de Marly’s Castley made our prior list and remains a modern fougère classic. Here, I wanted to spotlight another take on the genre from the Parisian powerhouse, this one from their new extrait line. Valero reimagines the fougère tradition of crisp, herbaceous, citrusy aromatics in a potent, layered and decidedly regal manner. It opens with a bright bergamot, moves into herbaceous lavender with a subtle musky edge, and builds through a rich heart of bourbon geranium, cypress and nutmeg. Patchouli and sandalwood anchor the base for warmth and an amber-like finish. The presentation is next level, with a box that nearly justifies the cost on its own. But it’s the high-quality extrait concentration (freshness, muskiness and woods) that gives Valero its uniquely elevated profile.
Fragrance Family: Woody Fougère | Key Notes: Bergamot, cédrat, juniper, lavender, bourbon geranium, cypress, nutmeg, patchouli coeur, sandalwood, ambrox | Size: 3.4 oz.
The Reinvented Skin Scent: Dior Bois d’Argent Esprit
Dior had a strong year, and while I loved the mass-appeal woody floral Dior Homme Intense Parfum, I wanted to spotlight the slightly lesser-known Bois d’Argent Esprit. The Esprit line is all about amplification: higher concentration, deeper notes and a more sensual overall feel. Bois d’Argent Esprit builds on the original Bois d’Argent’s woods and florals, adding a richer, smokier edge. Powdery Tuscan iris anchors the composition, wrapped in frankincense, honeyed sweetness and a smooth vanilla warmth. The DNA is unmistakable, but the mood is darker and more decadent, a woody-incense skin scent that lingers beautifully from opening to drydown.
Fragrance Family: Floral Woody Musk | Key Notes: Tuscan iris, frankincense, honey, vanilla, woody notes | Size: 2.7 oz.
The Classic Cologne Reinvention: D.S. & Durga Rum Bay Rum
D.S. & Durga was on a hot streak this year, but one scent that warrants specific attention is Rum Bay Rum, one of three releases in the house’s “Colognes” lineup. Each nod to a classic archetype, and Rum Bay Rum is filtered through a modern lens while retaining its old-world coastal charm. Think a vintage apothecary aftershave pulled from a medicine cabinet, then reworked with more depth, polish and a distinctly D.S. & Durga artisanal sensibility. It opens crisp and breezy with a clean hit of linen and lime, before softening into a delicately spiced heart of clove, berries and rose, grounded by linden flower and creamy sandalwood. Rock this spicy, woody, floral blend on a breezy evening for retro schooner-at-sunset energy.
Fragrance Family: Woody Spicy | Key Notes: West Indian bay, lime, linden flower, sandalwood, clove, neroli, rose, juniper berry | Size: 1.7 oz.
The Fresh Fougère With Gravitas: Penhaligon’s Fortuitous Finley
There was no shortage of exemplary fougères in 2025, and this release from British luxury stalwart Penhaligon’s is straight-up intoxicating. (Fun aside: on a recent boutique visit, I learned that Churchill famously wore the house’s Blenheim Bouquet.) Fortuitous Finley opens with a slightly nutty, pistachio-tinged sweetness, layered with leather, violets, patchouli and matcha, all coming together in a chef’s kiss mix of freshness, spices and a subtle creamy undercurrent. It’s a stellar daytime spritzer, yet it works just as well for more dressed-up moments, buoyed by the kind of confident sophistication Penhaligon’s has in spades.
Fragrance Family: Woody Spicy | Key Notes: Cardamom, star anise, black pepper, salt, pistachio, matcha tea, violet leaf, leather, patchouli | Size: 2.5 oz.
The Opulent Oud for Evening Soirees: Creed Oud Zarian
Parisian luxury benchmark Creed dropped its much-anticipated Oud Zarian this year, instantly lighting up fragrance forums. Where the house’s Royal Oud skewed fresher and more stately, Oud Zarian leans into wood and spice while remaining unmistakably Creed in its refinement. A bright flash of bergamot and ginger opens the scent, giving way to a lush rose heart before settling into a rich drydown of 80-year-old aged oud, patchouli, sandalwood and myrrh. It’s an opulent, layered, spicy oud, tailor-made for black-tie evenings and moments that call for panache. The price is lofty, but between the quality of the juice and Creed’s impeccable presentation, this is an investment fragrance that wears well earned.
Fragrance Family: Woody Spicy Oud | Key Notes: Bergamot, frankincense, ginger, spice accord, rose centifolia, 80-year-aged oud, patchouli, sandalwood, myrrh | Size: 1.7 oz.
The Best Oud Colognes to Wear This Winter
Deep, smoky, sweet or fresh, oud blends are complex without stifling the room. Here are eight to consider.The Non-Basic Beach Vacation: Arquiste Tropical
When Arquiste drops a new fragrance, there’s about a 10/10 chance it’s going to be beautifully composed and interesting — and Tropical is no exception. On paper (and yes, from the name), it’s tropical: lush greens, juicy fruits and a floral touch. But Arquiste is more storytelling than surface level. This cologne is inspired by New Year’s Eve in Mérida, Yucatán, and to my nose, it’s a unique, sexy take on the tropical genre. It opens with a lush, floral accord of champaca orchids that’s creamy and slightly spicy. Ripe guava and ginger step in with soft fruit and a bit of zest. It all rests on a base of vanilla and mahogany, which gives the scent its warm and complex appeal. Fruit, spice, flowers and woods all play their part here, and the result is layered with twists and turns. Be the best-smelling guy in the cabana with this sultry stunner.
Fragrance Family: Tropical | Key Notes: Ripe guava, ginger, vanilla, mahogany | Size: 3.38 oz.
The Verdant Meditation: Le Labo Eucalyptus 20
On paper, Eucalyptus 20 had me bracing for something overtly herbaceous or medicinal, but Le Labo has a knack for taking a familiar note and quietly twisting it into something unexpected. While this fragrance nods to the plant, eucalyptus isn’t really the star here. Instead, it leans into heady galbanum and crisp cedarwood, for a smooth, church-like, meditative vibe that carries winter’s resinous depth year-round. A subtle green edge keeps things verdant and fresh, balancing an otherwise gorgeous, smoky aura that will especially resonate with incense fans.
Fragrance Family: Woody Green Aromatic | Key Notes: Eucalyptus, cedarwood, galbanum, frankincense | Size: 0.5 oz. to 16.9 oz.
The Minimalist Statement Scent: Burberry Hero Parfum Intense
Plenty of fragrance houses riff on a hit, dropping elixirs, concentrations or retooled versions to ride the momentum. But Burberry Hero Parfum Intense is a case where the remix is warranted, and the scent is much more refined than its price tag suggests. Fans of leather and dry woods, take note. This leans minimalist in the best way. It opens with rich cedarwood oils, flows into a spicy black pepper heart and dries down to a smooth leather base. The overall effect is warm and woodsy, with a rugged elegance that is both crowd-pleasing and offbeat enough to stand out. And with Adam Driver fronting the campaign, it checks out — he’s an interesting leading man, and this isn’t your typical department store cologne.
Fragrance Family: Woody Spicy | Key Notes: Cedarwood, black pepper, leather | Size: 1.6 oz. to 6.7 oz.
The Provocative Floral Oud: Tom Ford Oud Voyager
Oud is ubiquitous in 2025, but its profile is endlessly versatile. It’s fitting that Tom Ford, the house that helped make oud palatable to the masses with Oud Wood, flips the script with Oud Voyager. Instead of going darker or heavier, this composition leans fresh and floral (yet still potent), pairing an oud base with geranium and peony, spicy saffron and cardamom, then anchoring it with patchouli and vetiver. This isn’t your standard oud playbook. Floral, aromatic and woody, with oud’s subtle musk humming beneath it all, Oud Voyager wears polished and unmistakably Tom Ford.
Fragrance Family: Oud Floral Spicy | Key Notes: Oud, geranium, peony, saffron, cardamom, patchouli, vetiver | Size: 1.7 oz. to 3.4 oz.
The Tom Ford Scents That Defined an Era
How he blurred the lines between designer and niche — and made fragrance exciting againHow We Made These Picks
We selected the above colognes based on cultural relevance, varying tastes, how each fragrance interprets and elevates, and just how darn good they smell. Our picks also reflect firsthand experience with these scents and the variety of ways notes can intermingle to suit different moods and occasions. As fragrance experts who’ve collectively spent decades testing hundreds of colognes across brands, we’ve drawn on both expertise and immersion in the olfactory world to curate what we consider some of the best colognes of the year.
Why You Should Trust Us
InsideHook is committed to the highest standard of independent, unbiased and trustworthy product journalism. With a team of field experts and industry veterans who routinely research and test new products, we offer in-depth and cutting-edge coverage, with the specific intention of delivering accurate, relevant and honest reviews of products we endorse and often personally use. We may earn a small affiliate commission when you purchase products through our links, but items featured are always independently selected.
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