Best Date Night Fragrances for Men

The Scent

The One EPD is basically an intensified version of the original (EDT), which sounds obvious but is not always the case with EDT/EDP versions of fragrances. It opens with grapefruit and spicy-aromatic notes of coriander, ginger, and cardamom.

Once it dries down, it takes on a warm, ambery-tobacco vibe with an undertone of woody cedar notes. The lavender and orange blossom help add freshness to the overall scent, while the basil adds a touch of green spicy-sweetness.

Performance

The original, released in 2008, was loved by the community but plagued by performance complaints. While the EDP does a lot to fix the performance issues, it’s not a performance beast by any stretch.

It never projects very much, not even past an arm’s length, but that’s okay for date fragrances. It does, however, linger in the air for a while and leaves a pleasant scent trail (called a “sillage”), so that’s a nice bonus. The longevity is improved; it’ll last long enough for a night out.

Final Verdict

Overall, The One EDP is a warm, sweet, and spicy-woody scent that’s perfect for fall and winter nights. (For a more year-round option, The One EDT is a brighter, more citrusy-tropical version that’s better for spring.)

It works (and has worked) for men of all ages. This is a masculine scent DNA that’s smooth, refined, and always in style.

Price: $110 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.), $153 for 150 mL (5.0-oz.) — Macy’s Website

The Scent

Released in 2009, La Nuit de L’Homme is a spicier, more sensual version of the original YSL L’Homme. The fragrance opens spicy and sweet, with a touch of powder. Fresh lavender and bergamot notes clash with a potent, spicy cardamom note. Cardamom is a popular ingredient in romantic fragrances, and La Nuit de L’Homme is synonymous with it.

As it dries down, the bergamot fades, leaving the lavender and cardamom to compete with an earthy, grassy vetiver note and cedar. La Nuit de L’Homme is a warm, aromatic and spicy-woody scent that’s easy to love.

Performance

Longtime fans of La Nuit de L’Homme will tell you that reformulations killed the performance of this fragrance. In fairness, the performance isn’t as bad as advertised. Longevity is average, but it’s a soft scent and doesn’t project very much. Great for close encounters, but you’ll want a few extra sprays.

Final Verdict

La Nuit De L’Homme is suitable for all age groups. It’s a mature scent, but not “old” by any stretch.

Price: $90 for 60 mL (2.0-oz.), $110 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.), $165 for 200 mL (6.8-oz.) — YSL Beauty Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Spicebomb Extreme is spicy (as the name would suggest), very sweet, and tobacco-heavy. From first spray you’re hit with a blast of spices — cinnamon, saffron, black pepper, cumin — that’s well balanced by a sweet, persistent “black vanilla” note and some lavender for freshness. There’s also a robust tobacco note, but it’s not overpowering. After the initial opening, it takes on warm ambery notes while retaining the tobacco, vanilla, and spicy cinnamon and peppery notes.

The overall scent is very well balanced. The vanilla does a great job to take the edge off the spices, and the tobacco helps smooth out the vanilla to make it less sugary-sweet and more of a dark, rich vanilla.

Performance

Spicebomb Extreme boasts excellent performance. It projects monstrously and has great longevity. Do NOT overspray!

Final Verdict

Spicebomb Extreme is more youthful than The One EDP or La Nuit De L’Homme, but any age can pull this one off. It’s also not a formal fragrance. This is a casual scent, and great for outdoor events since it projects so much. Save Spicebomb Extreme for colder nights.

Price: $140 for 90 mL (3.0-oz.) — Viktor&Rolf Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Chanel fragrances are typically characterized by a simple, minimalist scent DNA — but very elegant with clean, natural ingredients. Eau Extrême is no exception. It opens fresh with mint, lemon, and mandarin. As the freshness fades, the mint is joined by spicy peppery notes and eventually overtaken by creamy tonka bean, clean white musk, and woody cypress notes.

Performance

While the Allure Homme line is not known for great performance, Eau Extrême has considerably better performance than Allure Homme Sport. The longevity is very good and it projects very well, surrounding you with a seductive scent cloud.

Final Verdict

Eau Extrême can be worn in any season and works great for the spring, summer, and fall. (The scent may get lost in extreme cold.) The scent is versatile enough for any age.

Price: $130 for 50 mL (1.7-oz.), $157 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.), $190 for 150 mL (5.0-oz.) — Chanel Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Layton starts fresh with bergamot and green apple. You get sweet and spicy notes of cardamom and pink pepper with the fresh-citrus notes as well as some aromatic-floral notes, most notably lavender and geranium. The lavender really helps keep the scent fresh.

The vanilla note, which starts strong, gets even stronger through the life of the scent. Vanilla is the main player of Layton, along with the apple and cardamom. But Layton is not just a fresh and spicy-sweet fragrance. There’s an extraordinary depth to this scent, with a rich woody backbone of guaiac wood and patchouli. Overall, Layton is a warm, spicy vanilla scent that’s smells luxuriously sweet.

Performance

Layton has very good performance. The scent lasts a LONG time and radiates off your skin very well. The projection is especially strong in the first two-three hours of spraying, and it never dies down to a point where it’s just a skin scent. This is the kind of performance you expect (and pay for) from a quality niche perfume.

Final Verdict

Layton is not just a great date night scent. It’s such a premium fragrance that it can be worn in any kind of formal or semi-formal occasion; Layton lives up to the hype. It has enough freshness to be worn year-round, but the sweet and spicy notes make Layton ideal for cooler weather and transitional seasons. It can work for any climate, except for extreme heat.

Price: $260 for 75 mL (2.5-oz.), $365 for 125 mL (4.2-oz.), $510 for 200 mL (6.8-oz.) — Parfums de Marly Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Noir Extreme starts warm, spicy, and floral. The blend of spices (cardamom, saffron, nutmeg) and white florals (jasmine, orange blossom) dominate the opening. Then it changes. The scent takes a sweeter, gourmand-like turn with notes of vanilla and a delicious kulfi note. It concludes with warm ambery notes and milky undertones of sandalwood, resulting in a creamy, powdery, resinous, vanillic base. An elegant scent for classy gents.

Performance

While it doesn’t project much, longevity is great. Noir Extreme is best for close encounters and can last a full night.

Final Verdict

This is a formal, refined scent suitable for all ages. While Noir Extreme can be worn from fall until spring, it really shines on cooler nights in the fall.

Price: $155 for 50 mL (1.7-oz.), $235 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.), $275 for 150 mL (5.0-oz.) — Tom Ford Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Naxos blends two notes that work in perfect harmony: honey and tobacco. Both notes are present throughout the life of the scent, but neither overpowers it. In the opening you get citrus notes of lemon and bergamot and a heaping dose of clean lavender to freshen things up.

As it dries down, the bright citrus notes fade (but not entirely) and the sweetness of the honey is emboldened by sweet vanilla and tonka bean. You also get spicy cinnamon notes, which pairs exquisitely with the vanilla and lavender.

The tobacco leaf — which smells more like a green, earthy tobacco rather than a tobacco pipe — helps buffer the sweetness and freshness so the scent never goes too far in any direction. It’s smooth, creamy, bright, aromatic, sweet, warm, and partly gourmand. There are so many highlights that make Naxos a remarkable scent.

Performance

Great. Excellent longevity and it projects very well.

Final Verdict

Naxos is shockingly wearable for a tobacco scent. It appeals to so many people, even those who don’t love tobacco or overly sweet fragrances. It also works great in all seasons. Yes, it’s outstanding in the fall and winter, but it also works well in the spring and summer. Maybe avoid the high heat of midsummer, but summer nights are fine.

Price: $265 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.) — Xerjoff Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Ombré Leather opens partly floral (jasmine) and partly spicy (while not listed in the ingredients, most reviewers believe cardamom is the predominent spice). But make no mistake – the entire scent profile is defined by leather.

Ombré Leather is softer and smoother than other leather fragrances. While there are no sweet notes listed by Tom Ford, there’s a subtle sweetness — possibly due to the jasmine and amber in the base. As it dries, it gets even better. The scent warms and turns faintly smoky from the amber and patchouli, which complements the leather and woody notes in the base perfectly.

Performance

Very good for a date night fragrgance. It’s not supposed to be a loud projector, but it’s certainly enough to get you noticed. Longevity is outstanding. It also leaves a nice sillage.

Final Verdict

One of the best leather fragrances on the market. Clean, refined, masculine. It’s luxurious enough to be worn formally, but feels right at home for a casual night out.

Price: $155 for 50 mL (1.7-oz.), $225 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.), $250 for 150 mL (5.0-oz.) — Tom Ford Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Herod is a tobacco scent and makes no bones about it. It starts spicy-sweet (mainly from the cinnamon) and fruity (likely from the osmanthus, since there are no fruity ingredients listed). The tobacco leaf and incense creates a smoky, burnt-pipe tobacco vibe that lasts throughout the fragrance life.

The vanilla grows stronger as the scent progresses. It never gets too sweet or overpowering, and actually begins to take on facets from the other notes. The cinnamon and pepper add a spicy edge, while the incense gives it a mild smokiness. And the sweet vanilla balances the green, leafy tobacco wonderfully. Herod manages to be vanilla-forward without being too cloying.

Performance

Excellent. Very long-lasting and projects heavy (beyond your personal space).

Final Verdict

Herod is an approachable, easy-to-love tobacco-vanilla scent that’ll impress any fragrance newcomer or fanatic. A superb fragrance for any romantic encounter, but should be reserved for cooler months.

Price: $260 for 75 mL (2.5-oz.), $365 for 125 mL (4.2-oz.) — Parfums de Marly Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Luna Rossa Black is a sweet fragrance from open to finish, but it’s not an overpowering bubblegum sweetness like Paco Rabanne 1 Million. The coumarin (tonka bean) lends touches of powder and creaminess, and a prominent vanilla note. As it dries down, the sweetness subdues (somewhat) and gives way to musky and warm ambery tones. The scent is sweet and rounded – no sharpness at all.

Performance

Moderate projection and good longevity. It turns to a skin scent after a few hours.

Final Verdict

Luna Rossa Black balances being a unique scent AND a safe scent magnificently. It’s a great pick for any age. Probably better for evening wear, but not an inappropriate daytime fragrance at all. Best worn during cooler months: fall, winter, and early spring.

Price: $115 for 50 mL (1.7-oz.), $140 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.) — Prada Official Site (USA)

The Scent

As mentioned, Elixir goes in an entirely different direction than the original. Sauvage EDT is all about bright citrus, spicy pepper and ambroxan. Sauvage Elixir opens with lavender and warm spicy notes (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom). There’s no prominent citrus note at all. The lavender and spices last into the heart of the fragrance, blending fresh and green-aromatic notes (almost fougère-like) with the patchouli and smoky vetiver in the base.

Deeper into the dry-down you get warm ambery notes, woods, and maybe a hint of ambroxan. This is the spiciest version of Sauvage, but from sweeter spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, not sharp spices like black pepper.

Performance

Strong! Sauvage Elixir projects monstrously and lasts forever on skin. Do not overspray! Two-to-three sprays max.

Final Verdict

This is a cold weather scent, best for fall and winter. Numerous reviewers mentioned that Sauvage Elixir reminded them of powerhouse fragrances from the ’70s and ’80s, so perhaps it may appeal more to an older crowd. That said, Elixir doesn’t smell the least bit dated and should be appropriate for anyone beyond college years.

Price: $180 for 60 mL (2.0-oz.), $250 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.) — Dior Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Jazz Club is smooth and sweet. Its scent is built on three primary ingredients: vanilla, tobacco, and a rum accord. It opens with sweet vanilla and subtle spice from the pink pepper. As the scent opens further, the boozy-tobacco notes emerge.

Reviewers are split on how smoky or boozy they find Jazz Club. Some say the tobacco and rum notes stand out distinctly. Others say it’s more of a hint of boziness, or more of a green tobacco leaf scent than a cigar. But everyone agrees the scent works. The vanilla, tobacco, and rum all work in tandem; there’s no note that overpowers the others.

Performance

Jazz Club is compared to D&G’s The One EDP (more on that later). And like The One EDP, people wish it performed better. Projection falls between soft and moderate; longevity is above average.

Final Verdict

Most reviewers say to reserve Jazz Club for the cooler months, but a little heat may help push this one off the skin. Save Jazz Club for evening and nighttime wear.

Price: $85 for 30 mL (1.0-oz.), $160 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.), $35 for 10 mL (0.3-oz.) — Maison Margiela Official Site (USA)

The Scent

Moustache EDP is defined by two prominent notes: vanilla and benzoin. From the start, the scent is seductive, spicy, sweet (but not overly sweet), a little boozy and slightly powdery. The pink pepper adds a lasting spicy note and the benzoin-vanilla combo adds warmth and sweetness. The patchouli and creamy cedar base comes through in the drydown. Though rose is listed as an ingredient, it never makes much of an impact on the overall scent.

Performance

Moustache EDP has good performance. It has good longevity, and while it doesn’t project too much the scent does hang in the air nicely. While the fragrance can be worn year-round (barring intense heat), it’s ideal for cooler fall weather.

Final Verdict

A few things set Moustache EDP apart from previous entries on this list. First, this is a formal fragrance. It should be worn dressed up. Second, this scent will not appeal to a younger crowd. This is a gentlemen’s fragrance. Third, this is a unisex fragrance. It’s is a softer scent and lacks any of the traditionally masculine notes (e.g. leather, tobacco, musk, heavy spices) that you get in other men’s fragrances.

NOTE: Moustache EDP is a much different fragrance than the EDT version. Be aware when buying.

Price: It’s very difficult to find and price fluctuates, but many reviewers said they paid under $50 for a 75 mL (2.5-oz.) bottle at discount sites. If you find it, buy it.

Alternative: Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo

If you’re one of the many who aren’t able to find Moustache in stores or online, you can opt for the more expensive alternative: YSL Tuxedo. Every fragrance reviewer noted that Moustache EDP is a clone of (the much beloved) Tuxedo, and it’s readily available online.

The Scent

As mentioned, the main note is iris. Iris is a common ingredient in women’s cosmetics, which is why the scent reminds so many people of lipstick or other beauty products. (FYI, the scent of iris in perfumery is extracted from the root, not from the flower.) Historically, iris has been a tough sell in men’s fragrance; some think it’s too feminine. So Le Male Le Parfum’s popularity should tell you how good it really is. Dior Homme, once a powerhouse iris fragrance for men, reformulated in 2020 and removed the iris.

Le Male Le Parfum can be described as powdery and sweet, with creamy vanilla notes and spicy top notes of cardamom. Le Parfum retains the lavender and vanilla from the original Le Male, but drops the mint in favor of iris. The scent starts fresh and sweet and dries down to a warmer, spicier base, but the milky-sweet vanilla and powdery iris last through the heart of the fragrance. It’s not overly sweet, but less aromatic than previous Le Male flankers.

Performance

Just average. Projection is OK, but longevity is good. Truthfully, many longtime fans of the original Le Male have complained of weakened performance for years.

When first released in 1995, Le Male’s performance was legendary. Ever since a controlling stake of JPG’s fragrances was sold to a Spanish conglomerate, performance complaints have ensued. It’s a recurring issue with the brand.

Final Verdict

This is the most upscale offering from the Le Male series. It’s classy, mature, and versatile. It can be worn dressed up or down, in any season. (But not hot summer days.) A fashionable choice for any night out.

One final thought…

While iris may be a controversial ingredient, the original Le Male was counter-cultural in its own way. It was a sweet vanilla and lavender-heavy floral fragrance in a market where most men’s fragrances were sportier or more traditional men’s colognes: earthy and green, aggressively spicy, or deep woodsy scents. Even Le Male’s iconic bottle was risky for a fragrance marketed to men in the ’90s.

Le Male Le Parfum follows the JPG tradition of going against the grain.

Price: $106 for 75 mL (2.5-oz.), $135 for 125 mL (4.2-oz.), $170 for 200 mL (6.7-oz.) — Macy’s Website

The Scent

The original L’Homme Idéal was highlighted by its “amaretto” accord — which gave it a prominent boozy, bitter almond note — and leather in the base. Idéal Eau de Parfum keeps the bitter almond, but it’s balanced with sweet notes of cherry and vanilla (tonka bean). There’s a hint of spices and incense, and a subtle leathery undertone.

The cherry is the standout note. Combined with the amaretto accord and vanilla, you get sweet, boozy, and sour notes throughout the scent. The tonka bean and sandalwood in the base gives a persistent creaminess that adds depth and richness to the sweet cherry and vanilla.

As is common in French perfumery, the lavender gives Idéal Eau de Parfum fresh and distinctly powdery touches.

Performance

Like many French colognes, Idéal Eau de Parfum is a bit understated, but certainly not weak. Projection is moderate, while longevity is pretty good. Very appropriate for more intimate occasions.

Final Verdict

Idéal Eau de Parfum is best worn during fall or winter nights, but it’s not exclusively a cold-weather fragrance. Great for casual or more formal wear.

Price: Not currently available in the United States. Retails for 125,00 € for a 100 mL bottle on Guerlain’s French website.