10 Best Winter Colognes for Men

When the temperature drops, there is a need for more thick and heavy scents to survive in the harsh weather and ensure a decent projection and longevity. While most fall colognes can also be suitable for Winter, there are other colognes that have more strength and oomph, making them suit the extreme cold better.

There are many fabulous fragrances for Winter on the market today, but choosing a new one is an overwhelming task. In this post, I’ll try to make your life easier by giving you some of the best-proven winter colognes for men to consider purchasing for the wintertime.

Best Winter Colognes for Men

Armani Code Profumo – Giorgio Armani

Armani Code Profumo is one of the best winter colognes from Giorgio Armani. It has the DNA of the original Armani Code but with a much better performance. 

The opening is sweet and creamy from the Amber and Tonka Bean, with some green apple hints in the mix. It has some resemblance to One Million from Paco Rabanne in the opening.

It will retain its initial sweetness when it dries down, but you will also get a dark, leathery, boozy caramel vibe.

What makes Armani Code Profumo shines is the over-the-top performance, with tremendous projection and neverending longevity, making it one of the best Winter’s champions. 

• Top notes: Cardamom, Green Apple and Green Mandarin. 
• Middle Notes: Nutmeg, Lavender, and Orange Blossom.
• Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Amber, and Leather.

L’Homme Ideal Eau de Parfum – Guerlain

L’Homme Idéal Eau de Parfum is an excellent cologne from Guerlain. The whole L’Homme Idéal’s line is unique, but what makes this cologne stands out from the others in the line is the prominent cherry note. 

L’Homme Idéal starts with cherry as the leading player with almonds and some Lavender in the background. When it dries down, the Guerlain’s Signature Vanilla will come to the front with Tonka Bean, which adds a creamy overtone to the spice and leather.

The performance is excellent with moderate projection and relatively long-lasting power. As with the Eau de Toilette version, this cologne will make you stand out and turn heads with its unique and fantastic smell.

• Top Notes: Almond, Spices, Lavender, Bergamot, Thyme, and Rosemary.
• Middle Notes: Cherry, Vanilla, Incense, and Bulgarian Rose.
• Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Leather, and Sandalwood.

Bentley for Men Intense – Bentley

When it comes to the wintertime, you definitely can’t skip Bentley for Men Intense. It’s a rugged and masculine cologne with high quality and affordable prices. 

The rum accord dominates the opening, with some spiciness from the black pepper. The incense and leather with woods and benzoin will join the party later on, which adds depth and complexity to the composition.

Bentley for Men Intense is an excellent performer with the help of all its heavy components. One last thing about this cologne is that you have to try it first before committing yourself to a full bottle because it doesn’t suit all personalities.

• Top notes: Black Pepper, Bay Leaf, and Bergamot.
• Middle Notes: Rum, Woody Notes, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, and African Geranium. 
• Base Notes: are Incense, Leather, Benzoin, Patchouli, and Cedar.

Dior Homme Intense – Dior

Dior Homme Intense is simply a masterpiece. It is somewhat powdery and polarizing, but it is an iconic fragrance that reserves its spot in the hall of fame.

It has the infamous Iris note, which will remind you of a women’s makeup bag. The Iris note dominates the opening, but it becomes a combination of creamy Iris with cocoa and Vanilla after it settles down. However, the Vanilla is not listed as one of the official notes.

The performance is one of the best, with massive projection and sillage, and If you are an iris lover, this fragrance is definitely a must-have. 

• Top Note: Lavender. 
• Middle Notes: Iris, Ambrette (Musk Mallow), and Pear. 
• Base Notes: Virginia Cedar and Vetiver.

24 Gold – ScentStory

24 Gold is one of the heaviest colognes on this list and what puts the house of ScentStory on the map. It has an eastern touch to it. 

The opening is very strong and is consists mainly of Oud and Vanilla. The Oud is dark and earthy, but it doesn’t stay that way. After the first blast calms down, it becomes a Vanilla bomb with Amber and a lot of sweetness. 

24 Gold is definitely a powerful scent and one that can cuts through the cold without breaking a sweat, but it’s also an acquired taste, so make sure to try a sample if you can before buying a full bottle.

• Top Note: Agarwood (Oud), Guaiac Wood, and Jasmine.
• Middle Notes: Sandalwood, Cedar, and Anise.
• Base Notes: Vanilla, Amber, and Ylang-Ylang.

Ombré Leather – Tom Ford

Ombré Leather is a fantastic leather-based cologne from Tom Ford. It was first released as part of the Private Blend under the name  Ombré Leather (2016). It was added to the Signature Collection in 2018.

Ombré Leather is also very similar to Tuscan Leather from the Private Blend. However, This cologne is a more wearable version. The leather note has been toned down to be more suitable as a designer release.

Ombré Leather has an authentic leather smell, with the added Jasmin note. The scent is sweet and sexy, making it a perfect fit for a night out or an intimate date.

The performance is also outstanding, and it lasts for many hours before it dies down.

• Top Note: Cardamom. 
• Middle Notes: Leather and Jasmine Sambac. 
• Base Notes: Amber, Moss, and Patchouli.

Jaïpur Homme [EDP] – Boucheron

This cologne from Boucheron is one of my favorite scents of all time. It is oriental-spicy with an old-school touch to it. 

The opening of Jaipur Homme has spicy notes accompanied by some citruses. When it reaches the dry-down, it becomes a more complex scent with Cinnamon, Vanilla, Nutmeg, and Woodsy Notes that, when combining, give a powdery and warm vibe. 

The performance is top-notch with great quality and an unbeatable price.

Important Note: This review is for the  Eau de Parfum version. There is an Eau de Toilette version that is basically the same scent but with a little bit lighter composition, so keep that in mind.

• Top Notes: Lemon Verbena and Lemon.
• Middle Notes: Cinnamon and Nutmeg.
• Base Notes: Vanilla and Woodsy Notes.

Bogart Pour Homme – Jacques Bogart

Bogart Pour Homme is a modern-day powerhouse and one of the best winter colognes for men. The opening is centered around the Lavender, and Cherry Tobacco notes with some freshness. 

However, there is no Cherry or Tobacco on the official note breakdown. After it dries down, the cologne becomes a Tonka Bean bomb with the Lavender, spices, and Vanilla as supporting notes.

The performance is enormous, and considering its price tag, it’s one of the best bang for your buck colognes in the market.

• Top Notes: Lavender and Bergamot.
• Middle Notes: Orange Blossom, Rose, and Lily-of-the-Valley.
• Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Cedar, Oakmoss, and Musk.

Ultra Male – Jean Paul Gaultier

Ultra Male is the clubbing king, as it’s often described. It’s more suited towards the younger crowd due to its sweetness. And although this cologne is a flanker to the original Le Male, the similarities between the two are minimal.

What you mainly get from Ultra Male is a prominent pear note with Vanilla and a lot of sweetness, and it remains that way to the end of its life on the skin. This cologne’s obvious intention is to get you noticed whenever you go, and it succeeded tremendously without any doubt. 

Some may consider this cologne metrosexual or even feminine, so for that reason, this scent is not for everyone. One of the biggest advantages of this cologne is the performance, which is out of this world with hours and hours of projection.

• Top Notes: Pear, Lavender, Mint, Bergamot, and Lemon.
• Middle Notes: Cinnamon, Caraway, and Clary Sage. 
• Base Notes: Black Vanilla Husk, Amber, Patchouli, and Cedar.

Prada L’Homme Intense – Prada

Prada L’Homme Intense is one of the best from this line for the colder months. If you want a clean and classy fragrance for the wintertime, look no further. 

It is so similar to the original Prada L’Homme with the combination of Amber, Patchouli, and Iris. The difference between this version and the original is that the added patchouli and leather make it darker without losing its clean vibe.

Prada L’Homme Intense is more potent than the original, making it perfect for the winter months. And even if you are not a fan of other Iris scents, there is a good chance that you may like this one.

• Top note: Iris. 
• Middle Notes: Amber and Patchouli.
• Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Leather, and Sandalwood.

Final Thoughts on Winter Colognes

Winter is different from region to region. And this list is more suited towards the extreme Winter cold. If you live in a place with moderate temperature in the Winter, you may consider checking out the Fall list instead.

However, as I always say, there are no actual rules on how and where to put on a particular fragrance. It’s all just general guidelines to help you with your decision.

The real purpose of the seasonal lists is to help you enjoy your fragrances in the best way possible, nothing more, nothing less, so keep that in mind.