Best Men’s Designer Fragrance in the Last 10 Years?

[Diddy]

Borrowed from another thread - Aramis Tobacco Reserve

Forgot about that one. If I spray 1 too many sprays, my wife starts making negative comments… which only solidifies in my mind how great it is! 🤣😂 While not my favorite tobacco of all time, I do feel Tobacco Reserve is an often overlooked gem.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

I don't care for any of the designer fragrances I've smelled that have come out in the past 10 years. I do however, very much like Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme by Chanel from 2012, making it the most recent that I enjoy--and own.

My trips to the department store to try current mainstream fragrances have long ceased, as I find today's designer offerings too generic and or too popular for my taste.

I tend to share your views on this. I think for me the designer scents that did appeal to me or at least somewhat tapered off after the late 2000s releases.

 

[Diddy]

Of the last 10 years would leave that one out of the running, but certainly Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum or Parfum could substitute for it if you wanted it to, as they're all within six degrees of each other anyway.

For me:

Acqua di Gio Profumo
Terre d'Hermes Eau Intense Vetiver
Prada Luna Rossa Carbon
Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme Ultime
Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Homme
Montblanc Explorer
Azzaro Wanted
Moschino Toy Boy
Cartier Pasha Parfum
Krizia pour Homme
Dunhill Icon
Calvin Klein Reveal Man



The fact so many of these are discontinued already and so many more of them are but flankers to older ranges (and some with sub-flankers even) is a damning indictment to the warp-speed war of attrition-on-the-senses, bang-em-out-by-Friday-and-let-God-sort-them-out nature of our hyper-consumerist hegemonistic corporate-greed driven nightmare world.

Blink and you'll miss it; but don't worry, it'll have 4 more nearly-identical limited flankers you also missed in that same time frame, and you can always buy the DUA clone for $70 an ounce if you don't want to pay some basement redditor hoarder scalper (using bots and stolen credit cards) $400 for a bottle of a fragrance that launched last week and was discontinued the week before.

I never did nose Gucci Guilty Absolute Poor Homie. Not sure why. I’m assuming that’s one that will start shooting up in price higher than a giraffe’s ass, since I haven’t nosed it.

I haven’t felt good about the DUA value proposition just yet.

Side note, thinking of value…. Ironically, I was just having a discussion with someone recently about fragrances and all of what I have. I could literally pull 1 Creed and have all of my fragrance needs covered… or 1 Avon, for that matter. Vintage Eternity for men is something that can be had for $30usd or less, and get me by for every situation. Reads kinda like I need to do a liquidation sale! 🤣😂

 

[StylinLA]

I'd definitely second this, though I think it's slightly outside the time-frame.

Paul Smith Portrait (2013) was a very good designer release that got hardly any attention.

Yeah...know Amber Pour Homme Intense was technically 2011...

I think some of us decided 2010 or 2011 was "about ten years ago."

 

[Varanis Ridari]

I never did nose Gucci Guilty Absolute Poor Homie. Not sure why. I’m assuming that’s one that will start shooting up in price higher than a giraffe’s ass, since I haven’t nosed it.

I haven’t felt good about the DUA value proposition just yet.

Side note, thinking of value…. Ironically, I was just having a discussion with someone recently about fragrances and all of what I have. I could literally pull 1 Creed and have all of my fragrance needs covered… or 1 Avon, for that matter. Vintage Eternity for men is something that can be had for $30usd or less, and get me by for every situation. Reads kinda like I need to do a liquidation sale! 🤣😂

Keep me in the loop. I'd love to get some things otherwise beyond my income level because scalpers got to them first.

 

[Diddy]

Keep me in the loop. I'd love to get some things otherwise beyond my income level because scalpers got to them first.

You already know…

 

[wilfred]

i believe Herault (like Bourdon before him) is the master of the designer realm

Azzaro Chome Aqua
D&G The One Luminous Night

more recently

Lacoste Match Point Cologne
Lacoste L.12.12. Blanc Eau Intense

 

[Zenwannabee]

Prada Luna Rossa Carbon

So glad to see this get some love. As a flanker, I think it’s often overlooked.

I'd definitely second this, though I think it's slightly outside the time-frame.

Paul Smith Portrait (2013) was a very good designer release that got hardly any attention.

Have not tried PS Portrait. I need to…

So would TF's Beau de Jour, despite being so derivative.

I agree, but it just smells so darned good! Addictive, really. 🙂

I think the niche-arena made the most impressive original scents. Aventus and Baccarat Rouge 540 literally stormed the fragrance world in the last decade and people are shelling out big bucks for these and it's undeniable that they are elite fragrances. Fragheads love to punch at these and when I see fragheads talk down about a popular fragrance then I know it's "made it" as a dominant fragrance among the masses.

This is very well-said. I just need to win the lottery to buy those. 🤣

The fact so many of these are discontinued already and so many more of them are but flankers to older ranges (and some with sub-flankers even) is a damning indictment of the warp-speed war of attrition-on-the-senses, bang-em-out-by-Friday-and-let-God-sort-them-out nature of our hyper-consumerist hegemonistic corporate-greed driven nightmare world.

Blink and you'll miss it; but don't worry, it'll have 4 more nearly-identical limited flankers you also missed in that same time frame, and you can always buy the DUA clone for $70 an ounce if you don't want to pay some basement redditor hoarder scalper (using bots and stolen credit cards) $400 for a bottle of a fragrance that launched last week and was discontinued the week before that.

Amen to that…

.

My trips to the department store to try current mainstream fragrances have long ceased, as I find today's designer offerings too generic and or too popular for my taste.

On the whole, I agree. Sad but true.

Hermes Equipage Geranium
Hermes Bel Ami Vetiver

These are two of my favorites as well.

 

[AndyL]

Tons of great fragrances mentioned, wow! Here's a top-shelf designer group within the last 10 years.

• Habit Rouge Rouge Privé - Guerlain (2023)
• Le Lion de Chanel - Chanel (2020)
• Dior Homme Parfum - Dior (2014 - mentioned several times already)

 

[UESNYC]

Being in NYC, designer fragrances remind me of kids between 25-35 that make a lot of noise at bars and restaurants often visibly drunk or high. I could go on and on.

 

[Zenwannabee]

So many great lists already. I tried to set this slightly ahead of 2010, as there were several amazing releases around then (Aventus, M7 Oud Absolu, BdC EDT, the list goes on). Of those not mentioned yet here, I still make a strong case for both Valentino Uomo and Uomo Intense as overlooked gems from this era. And I agree that Sauvage Elixir is also a contender.

As has been said, I think it is a bit dismaying that the spirit seems to have departed the mainstream designer fragrance world. And scents of a quality that was once attainable for about a Benjamin are now part of signature lines that are stratospherically expensive (though often admittedly of fabulous quality). This is a big bummer, as fragrance wearing or collecting shouldn’t be only about affording those prices and pay-to-play. 🤔

 

[otterlake]

Cartier L'Envol Eau de Parfum would be my pick for an original, non-flanker release. (I'll give Dunhill Icon, Lalique Ombre Noire, and Tom Ford Noir Anthracite honorable mentions.)

If we include flankers, Hermès Equipage Geranium is a phenomenal update of a classic, as is Caron Pour un Homme Sport.

 

[StylinLA]

So many great lists already. I tried to set this slightly ahead of 2010, as there were several amazing releases around then (Aventus, M7 Oud Absolu, BdC EDT, the list goes on). Of those not mentioned yet here, I still make a strong case for both Valentino Uomo and Uomo Intense as overlooked gems from this era. And I agree that Sauvage Elixir is also a contender.

Well, we vary a bit in our interpretation of the thread title "last 10 years." Technically, that would mean since 2013- which throws BdC EdT, Aventus and some others off the potentials to list. If title was "last ten or so years," would have probably been some different responses.

I almost listed Valentino Uomo which is quite good, but I've kind of backed off of sweet scents. It does merit a mention.

 

[Effortless]

Here's a top-shelf designer group within the last 10 years.

• Habit Rouge Rouge Privé - Guerlain (2023)
• Dior Homme Parfum - Dior (2014 - mentioned several times already)

Nice, that certainly says something if you're putting Rouge Privé alongside the likes of DHP already. Might have to pick it up after all.
Sounds like it's just too good of a release to ignore, even if Habit Rouge isn't exactly my style.

 

[ShawnS]

Nice, that certainly says something if you're putting Rouge Privé alongside the likes of DHP already. Might have to pick it up after all.
Sounds like it's just too good of a release to ignore, even if Habit Rouge isn't exactly my style.

Agree I read nothing but excellent feedback on this one I would like to get some myself soon.

 

[MattJP]

Tom Ford Noir Anthracite

 

[otterlake]

Tom Ford Noir Anthracite

Oh, yeah. I don't know why this slipped my mind.

 

[Foxsbiscuits]

Guerlain Ideal Cologne (Or Platine Prive now)
Guerlain Habit Rouge Prive
AdP Colonia Futura

 

[AndyL]

Nice, that certainly says something if you're putting Rouge Privé alongside the likes of DHP already. Might have to pick it up after all.
Sounds like it's just too good of a release to ignore, even if Habit Rouge isn't exactly my style.

I am indeed very pleased with HRP. I’m still giving it some time, bottles can open up over time and change some… always for the better. It shares some resemblance to Le Lion de Chanel.

Speaking on Dior Homme Parfum, isn’t it just remarkable 🤯

 

[NettyYeti]

If I had to pick only one, it would be Equipage Geranium (2015). It’s easily in my top 10 all-time.

Runner-up would be Hermes H24 (2021). It took me a long time to come around to it. For all the talk of boring or unoriginal designer fragrances the last 10 years, there are still a few brands doing great things.

Second runner-up would be Mugler Aura (2018). My wife rarely wears fragrances; if only she knew the spell she could put me under. I could have also gone with Alien Man (2018) here for its quirky versatility.

Honorable mentions:

• Moschino Toy Boy (2019) and Brioni Eau de Parfum (2021) buck a lot of trends while still keeping stride with modern tastes (I’m also a sucker for violet).
• Tom Ford Beau de Jour (2019), meanwhile, is an all-time great throwback. Another top-ten for me.
• My wife loves Aramis Tobacco Reserve (2018). Glad it’s getting some love. The next year’s Special Blend is also very good, especially considering the general dearth of quality mid-range designer fragrances available at rack stores nowadays.
• Lalique hasn’t sat on its laurels, though it flies under the radar. Hommage a L’Homme Voyageur (2014) is an excellent patchouli and vetiver blend, while L’Insoumis (2016) is quite unique (despite what reviews would lead you to believe).
• Polo Cologne Intense (2021) is another that is sometimes derided as phoned-in, but I’m happy to own a bottle (which I can’t say of most modern releases).
• Speaking of modern updates to classics, Caron Pour un Homme Sport (2015) is an excellent rendition.
• D&G’s The One rightly gets love, but for me, Azzaro Pour Homme Intense (2015) is my “date night” fragrance of choice.
• Banana Republic had a string of really nice affordable fragrances in 2017 with Leather Reserve, Oud Mosaic, and Vintage Green (2018’s Neroli Woods is also highly regarded, but I’m not big on neroli).
• Speaking of cheapies, Bogart One Man Show Oud Edition (2014) packs a punch. Perhaps not elite, but in terms of value, it’s right up there.
• Though not an all-time great, I would call Viktor & Rolf’s Spicebomb Infrared (2021) a guilty pleasure.
• Chanel Sycomore Eau de Parfum (2016) feels like cheating, but I prefer it to EN a l’Extreme. Terre d’Hermes Alcohol Free Body Spray (2021) is absolutely cheating, but for anyone who just couldn’t leave TdH off their list, you can thank me later. Now if I could just find a way to cheat JPG’s Kokorico (2011) onto my list…
• Finally, Coach Open Road (2022) isn’t anything world-shattering, but of all the post-modern fragrances to follow in the wake of DH2020, it’s my favorite.