Part Two of our “Best Date Night Fragrances for Men” list. In Part One, we covered our top 15 men’s date night fragrances period. In Part Two, we’ll cover the best luxury date night fragraces, best affordable date night options, some great (has-been) date night options, and a popular men’s fragrance that we think is terrible.
For those willing to spend lavishly on exquisite fragrances, we present you the very finest date night scents. These lavish fragrances are all expertly crafted with the most prized and sought-after ingredients in perfumery.
Roja Parfums Enigma Pour Homme
It can be difficult to execute a tobacco-heavy fragrance in an elegant way, but Roja’s Enigma (sold as “Creation-E” in some markets) does this to perfection.
Enigma comes strong with boozy cognac, smoky tobacco, and sweet benzoin and vanilla. It’s a heavy fragrance, largely from the tobacco and cognac, that’s surprisingly fresh, likely from the citrus and floral ingredients. It also has somewhat of a trademark “cola” vibe that almost every reviewer says reminds them of Coca-Cola or root beer (or boozy Dr. Pepper). Reviewer Joy Amin believes this could be a mixture of the cardamom, spicy notes of ginger and pepper, and sweet vanilla. (The bottle color even looks like soda in a glass.)
The Scent
As noted, there is a bit of pop from the citrus (bergamot, lemon, mandarin) and faint floral notes, but this does not define the scent. Enigma starts sweet (the fizzy “cola” plus the benzoin/vanilla combo) and boozy (cognac) then plunges into smoky tobacco.
While the benzoin and vanilla last throughout the lifespan of the scent, the cola vibe fades. And the boozy cognac gets overtaken by vanilla-tobacco notes as the scent matures. There’s also a touch of powder in the base, so be aware if you hate powdery notes.
Performance
Final Verdict
Enigma is better suited for colder weather. While parfum cologne was meant to be a fresher, more versatile version of the parfum, it’s a bit heavy for warmer weather. It’s also a scent meant to be worn dressed up; do not wear this to the gym or in casual situations.
While the parfum version is a darling in the fragrance world, the parfum cologne (an eau de parfum concentration) smells very similar to the parfum for a fraction of the cost. Under closer inspection, the parfum version leans heavier on the cognac and tobacco while the parfum cologne leans more into the benzoin and vanilla. And perhaps the parfum lasts longer and projects a bit more, but performance is not an issue for the parfum cologne.
African Leather is a spicy leather scent that’s luxuriously smooth. It has a host of Middle Eastern spices, namely cardamom and saffron, a hint of oud, and a dense, heavy drydown of earthy vetiver and patchouli.
The Scent
You get leather right away, but this isn’t just a leather fragrance. It’s as much — or more — about the spices. The most prominent is cardamom, which remains through the entirety of the scent. You also get saffron, cumin, and some mellow floral notes of geranium.
You also get oud in the base of the scent, but it’s not overbearing (as oud can sometimes be). It’s more benign and complementary of the other notes.
The base of African Leather is green, earthy, and musky, with notes of patchouli and mildly-smoky vetiver. It never loses its spicy-leathery touch, but it becomes a much heavier scent as it dries.
Performance
Outstanding. Very long-lasting and projects well.
Final Verdict
An exotic but very refined leather scent that’s warm and spicy with floral and aromatic edges. You couldn’t find a better evening scent for cooler fall and winter nights.
Kilian has put out so many rockstars in the niche perfumery world that it seemed obligatory to have them represented on our list. Angels’ Share is probably the house’s most popular offering, but Black Phantom gets the nod as the best masculine gourmand fragrance on the list. It’s dark, rich, and potent. A must-try for anyone looking for a sweet fragrance with deeper tones.
The Scent
Black Phantom hits a number of gourmand high notes (coffee, caramel, and dark chocolate all stand out). It starts as a coffee bomb and melds into a coffee-caramel-chocolate fragrance. It’s a dark scent — almost equal parts bitter and sweet.
Deeper into the drydown you get boozy rum and vanilla. Woody notes of vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, and cedarwood form the backbone of the scent, but most will pick up touches of smoky vetiver or smooth, creamy sandalwood.
Performance
Disappointing. The scent is thick and rich, but that doesn’t mean it projects a ton or lasts forever. The projection is appropriate for a date night scent. Perfect for close encounters, it’ll make an impression on those near you. The longevity is a bigger issue. Not terrible, but don’t expect it to put in overtime.
Final Verdict
An evening scent for cooler nights. Obviously avoid this fragrance if you don’t like coffee or chocolate, otherwise Black Phantom is a complex, seductive scent that deserves at least one wear.
This fragrance is all about cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and (as the name would suggest) musk. Musc Ravageur was made famous by its wild, animalic-musky notes. (Which has been somewhat tamed in newer iterations.)
This is not just an everyday scent; this is strictly for trying to win over someone’s affection. Musc Ravageur is totally unique scent that sounds weird but works exceptionally well.
The Scent
Musc Ravageur opens slightly fresh with notes of lavender and subtle citrus notes of bergamot and mandarin. The fresh citrus notes fade quickly, giving way to spicy notes of clove and cinnamon — which both last through the duration of the scent — and lavender in the background. As it dries, the cinnamon melds with the vanilla and creamy sandalwood in the base, giving the scent a gourmand-ish feel. And of course, musk plays a huge role in the dry-down.
While many modern fragrances use clean white musks, Musc Ravageur uses musks that smell more like traditional musk. (i.e. deer pheromones) It’s dirty, raw, and primal. (And powdery, too.) Hell, it’s carnal. Combined with the warm ambery touches in the base — this fragrance is a knockout.
NOTE: Frédéric Malle’s fragrances were acquired by Estée Lauder in 2015, and some reviewers have accused the conglomerate of reformulating Musc Ravageur’s original 2000 formulation. Specifically, weakening the clove note (clove and cinnamon are no longer listed ingredients on the Frédéric Malle website) and reining in the animalic-musky notes. While a reformulation is certainly possible, Musc Ravageur remains a staple in the fragrance community and most reviewers don’t notice any dramatic differences.
Performance
Excellent. Projects heavy for the first few hours and creates a nice scent bubble, and it lasts all day on skin. No complaints here.
Final Verdict
Musc Ravageur is not for everyone. Some people will be put off by the clove or musky notes. Regardless, this is a fragrance everyone should experience at least once. Best worn in cooler months in the fall and winter, perhaps also during spring nights after the temperature drops. This is a mature, masculine scent — befitting for an older crowd.
The best date night fragrances on a budget. While none of these fragrances are cheap, the value is there and the scents are magnificent.
Valentino Uomo Intense
The entire Valentino Uomo line is exceptional, but Uomo Intense is the most seductive offering from the house. Uomo Intense is another iris fragrance, but it’s much more than just a “lipsticky” scent. There are dark notes and a leather accord that add depth, warmth, and sophistication. You’ll want to avoid if you don’t like powdery fragrances, but it’s an incredible scent if you do.
The Scent
Uomo Intense is heavy on the iris from the start. It’s smooth, very powdery and does have a “lipsticky” vibe (see our spiel on iris in the Le Male Le Parfum description). Eventually the iris is met with a vanilla bean-tonka bean combo that creates powdery-sweetness, and in the base is a leather accord to balance everything out. Uomo Intense could be considered a unisex fragrance, but the leather offers some richer, darker nuances that give it a more masculine edge.
Powdery perfection. The iris is stunning. Valentino managed to create something that’s sexy and elegant at the same time. Women love this on me — Enough said.
Above average. The scent projects well and has good longevity.
Final Verdict
Uomo Intense is elegant and surprisingly versatile for a scent that goes pretty hard on the iris and leather. (Both polarizing notes in perfumery.) In fairness, it’s not a leather-dominant fragrance and the iris (while very powdery) is not totally reminiscent of a makeup bag. It’s careful not to go too far in either direction.
The original Valentino Uomo (2014) and the original Dior Homme (2005) were both perfumed by Olivier Polge. Uomo took inspiration from Dior Homme, and Uomo Intense stays true to the Uomo DNA. Thus, the comparison of Uomo Intense to the 2011 release of Homme Intense is a given since they’re crafted in a similar way.
Both fragrances are built around the note of iris, but there are differences. Homme Intense is more powdery and leans even heavier into the lipsticky-iris vibe than Uomo Intense. In fact, the “lipstick” note is the hallmark of the pre-2020 Dior Homme and Dior Homme Intense. (They were both reformulated in 2020 and 2021.) The leather sets Uomo Intense apart from Homme Intense. Uomo Intense has persistent vanillac notes from the vanilla bean and tonka bean blend, whereas Homme Intense makes use of lavender to complement the iris, ambrette for musky notes, and a woodsy base of cedar and vetiver.
Uomo Intense will appeal to a broader range of people because it dials back the powdery-lipsticky iris notes you get from Homme Intense. The Dior Homme series has a dedicated group of diehard fans, but it’s not for everyone.
Azzaro The Most Wanted (Eau de Parfum Intense)
The Most Wanted is the antepenultimate (third most recent) release in Azzaro’s “Wanted” line, and many believe it’s the strongest offering from the brand yet. The Most Wanted builds on the success of the line’s previous iteration, Wanted By Night, and adds a gourmand-like caramel note. The Most Wanted turns down the spicy heat and tobacco from Wanted By Night and turns up the sweetness.
The Scent
While The Most Wanted isn’t fully gourmand, caramel is the dominant note. The scent opens with sweet caramel and spicy cardamom. As it dries, the bourbon vanilla accord and amberwood melds with the caramel to create notes of burnt sugar and vanillac sweetness. The scent gets warmer, thicker, and sweeter over time. Vetiver (one of the few listed notes) doesn’t make a huge impact on the scent, but it likely helps prevent the scent from becoming too sweet and gives some smokiness to the burnt sugar notes.
Performance
Above average. Since it doesn’t have any top notes that jump out right away, the projection is never massive, but it pushes off the skin well for such a heavy scent. Longevity is very good.
Final Verdict
We were close to putting Wanted By Night in this spot, but we found The Most Wanted gets more love from the fragrance community. This is a great option for winter, but it works well in mild-to-cold weather.
Price: $98 for 50 mL (1.7-oz.), $114 for 100 mL (3.4-oz.) — Macy’s Website
Emporio Armani Stronger With You Intensely
Stronger With You Intensely builds on the popular scent profile of the original, but drops the chestnut note in favor of toffee. “Intensely” is another sweet fragrance and an exceptional gourmand for the price.
If you enjoy sugary-sweet fragrances, then this is right up your alley.
The Scent
As mentioned, Intensely is mostly a fortified version of the original, but it’s sweeter. The scent opens with spicy cinnamon and pink pepper notes that meld nicely with its overall sweetness. As it dries down, the scent’s dominant toffee accord comes through, along with the vanilla and tonka bean. The sweetness is dulled (marginally) by fresh aromatic lavender and warm ambery tones in the base.
Performance
As the name suggests, Intensely is a STRONG performer! The scent projects very well and lasts a full day (and night).
Final Verdict
The scent is easy to love but does lean a bit more youthful. Wear this one in fall and winter evenings.
NOTE: If you’re unable to get your hands on anything from the Stronger With You line, Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million Elixir is more widely available and often compared to Stronger With You. You could aslo try another fragrance on our list, Azzaro’s The Most Wanted (Eau de Parfum Intense).
Azzaro The Most Wantedvs. Armani Stronger With You Intensely
Given the caramel note, it’s not surprising that The Most Wanted is compared to Armani’s Stronger With You Intensely. They’re undeniably similar.
Stronger With You Intensely uses spices like cinnamon and pink pepper to add sweet heat; The Most Wanted uses cardamom, which is more aromatic.
Stronger With You Intensely has powdery notes from the tonka bean that The Most Wanted doesn’t have; The Most Wanted has warmer, almost charred-like ambery-woody tones in the base.
Both fragrances are sweet, and both derive their sweetness from caramel/toffee notes. Stronger With You Intensely performs better and may lean to a younger audience.
Armani Stronger With You Intensely
Mercedes-Benz Club Black
AZZARO The Most Wanted
Versace Eros Flame
The orignal Versace Eros achieved widespread acclaim in the larger fragrance community as a super sweet, beastly performing, sexy clubbing scent. It’s one of the best-selling men’s fragraces today.
Eros Flame is the freshest offering of the Eros line. It adds spicy citrus and florals to help dull the ultra-sharp sweetness and make it more appropriate for year-round use. The spirit of the original is still there, but it’s been changed for the better.
The Scent
The original Eros was all about the mint, green apple, and vanilla and tonka bean in the drydown. (And lots of ambroxan.) The opening was green and fresh; the drydown was saccharine vanilla. Eros Flame drops the mint and green apple in favor of spicy citrus and florals.
Eros Flame is fresher than the original. You get tart, bitter citrus notes — from the chinotto (orange) and lemon — and spicy black pepper for a more lively opening. The citrus doesn’t last long, but the spicy pepper begins to meld with green-aromatic notes of rosemary and floral notes of rose and geranium.
The drydown of Eros Flame matches the drydown of the original; it’s all about the sweet vanilla and tonka bean. Flame tries to subdue the sweetness with woods (sandalwood) and earthier notes (patchouli, oakmoss), so you could consider Flame a (slightly) more mature vanilla scent. Still sweet, but more fresh and aromatic, and a bit powdery.
Performance
Eros Flame performs very well. It lasts a long time and while it doesn’t project quite as much as the original Eros (which was a heavy projector), it’s still above average.
Final Verdict
Eros Flame preserves the identity of the Eros line while offering a spicier, fresher take on the original. Flame is more appropriate for daytime wear or non-winter usage. Eros was always a more youthful fragrance, and Eros Flame is still youthful, but Flame’s more tempered sweetness make it better suited for all ages.
Pi gets overshadowed by Givenchy’s newer offerings, particularly the Gentlemen series, but Pi has built a cult following since its debut in 1999. Pi goes heavy on the benzoin, offering warm and sweet ambery and vanilla tones.
The Scent
The benzoin takes over the scent from opening to close. It’s sweet, vanillic, and powdery, with touches of amber and an almond accord. (To be clear, neither amber nor almond are listed in Givenchy’s note breakdown, but every reviewer remarked on the almond and ambery notes.)
There’s a brief introduction of fresh citrus (mandarin) and aromatic notes (Givenchy formerly listed tarragon, basil, and rosemary as ingredients), but they fade almost instantly. It quickly becomes a vanilla scent from first spray. Very sweet, but stops just short of being cloying.
Performance
While some of the fragrance community complains of poor performance, most reviewers say the performance isn’t as bad as advertised. Projection and longevity are about average.
Final Verdict
While marketed as a men’s fragrance, Pi toes the line as a unisex fragrance: sweet and gourmand-ish but complemented with more masculine edges. Pi can be worn dressed up or down, but should be reserved for cooler (or at least non-summer) months.
We promise there’s no bias for vanilla-based scents, but they’re popular for a reason. Club Black is (pleasantly) surprising for two reasons. First, it smells very refined and upscale for such an afforable fragrance. Second, no one expected something this good from an automotive company. If you love cars and good fragrances — this is the scent for you!
The Scent
As mentioned, the prominent note is vanilla, but it’s not just a vanilla scent. The incense helps create a smoky vanilla accord with some added boozy and soft gourmand notes. There’s an overall freshness, possibly from the bergamot and ambroxan, and woody notes in the base. Sweet and elegant, and not at all synthetic smelling, heavy, or cloying.
Performance
Surprisingly good! It has good staying power on your skin and above average projection. Club Black will create a nice scent bubble.
Final Verdict
An excellent date night fragrance for a great price. The vanilla is elevated by smoky incense and boozy notes. Club Black can be worn by any age, casually or formally.
We’re not sure where to place Moschino’s Toy Boy, so we’ve dubbed it the “court jester.”
Is Toy Boy nothing more than a dancing fool (a silly fragrance that’s mildly amusing but not to be taken seriously) or a Shakespearean fool (a wise commoner that’s underestimated by the nobility)? That’s for you to decide.
Moschino Toy Boy
Toy Boy has two things working against it: the bottle design and the primary ingredient (rose).
While the bottle certainly stands out from the crowd (not necessarily a good thing), it looks juvenile and unserious. You’d never guess Toy Boy is an elegant fragrance by the bottle.
The second issue is that Toy Boy is a rose-based scent. The number of floral fragrances marketed to men is limited; the number of (mainstream) men’s rose fragrances is almost nonexistent.
If you can overlook the goofy bottle and are open to a rose fragrance, you may find an affordable gem in Toy Boy.
The Scent
In one sentence: Toy Boy is a spicy rose fragrance with some woody and musky notes in the base. The rose note lasts throughout the life of the scent, but it’s never just a rose fragrance. The rose is amped by spicy, sweet, and musky notes. It’s also not an overly sweet or feminine rose scent; it’s a very fresh, clean-smelling rose.
The scent opens with rose and a burst of spicy pink pepper and fruity pear. The pear note is potent and adds freshness to the opening.
For once-great fragrances whose days have passed. These fragrances have been banished from our list and now live in exile.
Dior Homme Intense
For fragrance aficionados, putting Dior Homme Intense in exile is blasphemy. Many in the fragrance community consider the 2011 version of Dior Homme Intense to be one of the best releases from Dior this century. Dior Homme Parfum (also unavailable) was considered a great release as well, but Dior Homme Intense (2011) put the Dior Homme line on the map.
Let’s be clear: this is a pre-emptive exile. After being relaunched in 2020, Dior Homme Intense isn’t even available online (other than secondary reseller sites) in the U.S. We don’t know what the future Dior Homme Intense will look (smell) like.
A lot is going on at Dior right now. Dior Homme Sport has been relaunched twice in the last five years (in 2017 and again 2021 after the awful reception of the 2017 version). Dior Homme was relaunched in 2020 to very mixed reviews. So much so that they launched Dior Homme Original in 2021, which was the much-beloved Dior Homme 2011 version. But now Dior Homme Original is no longer available. And Dior’s longtime in-house perfumer François Demachy retired in 2021 and has been succeeded by Francis Kurkdjian. It’s likely that much of Dior’s Homme line will be remade by Kurkdjian. What that means for Dior Homme and its flankers going forward… is unknown.
Paco Rabanne 1 Million
Due to the sheer popularity of 1 Million, it seemed obligatory we include it on this list. While it’s still HUGELY popular (one of the best-selling men’s fragrances in the world), it’s a bit too youthful and overly synthetic/bubblegum-sweet to make a “best date night” list. We considered 1 Million Privé, bit it was discontinued.
Dior Fahrenheit
A staple of the late ’80s and ’90s, Fahrenheit was game-changing for Dior and revolutionary for men’s perfumery. It’s hard to overstate how impactful it was in the fragrance community; the scent wasn’t just unique, it was unmistakable. The scent was created to resemble a muscle car.
Carolina Herrera Bad Boy
Ralph Lauren Polo Red
Sentenced to Death
This section is reserved for fragrances that have committed unspeakable atrocities against perfumery. For them, there is no redemption and no forgiveness.
JOOP! Homme
Legend has it that JOOP! Homme was sent to hell — and hell sent it back! If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing the scent from this pink bottle of horrors, then consider yourself lucky.
The Scent
It’s unconscionable that some find this fragrance sexy.
Performance
Final Verdict
The Community Speaks
Don’t take our word for it. See what the fragrance experts have to say.
