The 12 Best Winter Aftershaves Will Earn You Compliments Galore
Think of it this way: You’re not still wearing shorts and tank tops in the depths of winter, are you? The same goes for your fragrance. We’re not saying you have to leave your favorite scent on the shelf to gather dust, but come winter the impulse is to switch things up in favour of something cozier, warmer, and a little more seasonally appropriate.
Nothing gives Vibes with a capital V like fragrance, which is why winter has its own signature scent. Think about roaring fires, crackling logs, warming spices, mulled wine or hot toddies, and the bite of crisp cold when you step outside—you’ll notice that the best winter colognes all take inspiration from the iconic scents of the season. If you’re anything like us, when it’s cold outside we gravitate toward scents with woody notes, spiciness, rich leather, smoky tobacco, and warm amber. They help transport you to a cozy, comfortable headspace and also help you warm up when there’s a chill in the air.
Think of a winter cologne the way you do a cashmere sweater. It may not be required for the season, but man does it make it better. We’ve tested dozens and dozens of winter-appropriate fragrances to find the very best for every vibe. Pick one, or try them all, to keep warm all season long.
Under the Stars Eau de Toilette
Is there anything more wintery than a campfire? The spicy, woody, leathery vibe of this fragrance is inspired by nights spent cozying up beside an outdoor fire. And if there is anything Maison Margiela scents are good at, it’s telling a story. But if you think you’re going to get a cloud of smoke in your face when you spray this, think again. This is more the feeling of sitting around a fire, not a literal interpretation. The oud tends to shine through to give it a sophisticated, earthy vibe, but it’s really about the leather. It’s a bright, warm leather note that’s cozy and homey, not aggressive. It’s a statement scent for sure, but still appropriate for day or night, and you can even wear it to the office without smelling like a bonfire.
Almond Suede
Sweet fragrances can be polarising, but many of them are right at home in the winter because they really bring out the cozy vibes. We love this one because it’s sweet but not too sweet. The bitter almond brings a depth to the accompanying sugar and vanilla that makes it smell more organic and less cloying. Then there’s the suede, which is essential here to lend a smooth, sultry leathery feel that brings out the masculinity. (The pine tar helps give it a slight woody quality as well.) It’s one of the most wearable sweet fragrances we’ve found, and the warm feel makes it perfect for cold weather.
Sacred Wood Eau de Parfum
Really, there’s no better winter vibe when it comes to fragrance than wood. Woods offer a wide range of notes, but what they all have in common is a grounding, warm, and homey quality that can be equally nostalgic and modern—but is always seasonally appropriate. This wood-based fragrance is one of the best out there. It’s incredibly elegant, and while it’s grounded in sandalwood (two kinds) and cedar, there’s a healthy amount of spice that gives it a slight mystical quality. (That’s where the sacred in the name comes from.) Anything but a straightforward wood scent, this is a bold, sophisticated take on the idea—sophisticated but still versatile, though we found it might be a bit too bold for daytime. (But when has that ever stopped us before?)
Hwyl Eau de Parfum
If we’re talking literal interpretations of wood for winter vibes, this is one of the best. It’s not super heavy like some other woody colognes; there’s a crispness to the scent, and the woody notes are light and airy. Instead of deep cedars, you get more of a hinoki vibe, like you’re walking through a Japanese forest. Then there’s the frankincense, oakmoss, and vetiver, all of which add layers of smoke and earthiness that bring the wood to a different level. As it dries on your skin, it smells woodier and woodier. It’s the perfect daytime winter fragrance for when you want seasonal vibes without being too forward.
Oud Rose
Floral notes are very common in men’s fragrances, but you don’t often find rose—at least not this much rose. This is for all intents and purposes a rose-forward scent (there are two types of rose in the formula, after all), but paired with the earthy notes like patchouli and, especially, oud, the rose takes on a darker, more interesting vibe. There is nothing feminine about the pairing, but it does defy expectations about what a masculine fragrance can be. It’s a bold choice, sure to attract attention, but still versatile enough to wear during the day or night.
BOSS Bottled Absolu Parfum Intense
Most of the BOSS Bottled scents have a bit of sweet freshness in the mix before drying down to expose the wood notes. This one, however, does away with freshness in favour of smoky incense and leather, which bring a deep, dark quality to the patchouli and cedarwood that come out as the juice dries on your skin. It’s absolutely a bold choice—the projection and longevity are both intense, as the name implies—but it’s also perfectly suited to winter, when the sun goes down earlier and you want a richer, darker cologne to take you into the night.
Gris Charnel Extrait Eau de parfum
This woody, spicy, slightly sweet fragrance is somehow both traditional and modern-smelling at the same time. There is a nostalgic element to the mix of woods, patchouli, and spice, but a warmth from cardamom and a slight sweetness that brings it into the modern moment. (It’s the vanilla.) The warmth and subtle spice are perfect for winter, when you want something soft and cozy instead of aggressive, and it’s subtle enough that it won’t overpower a room when you walk in. (Even though it’s an extrait.) In fact, we find it perfect for daytime, especially the office.
Spicebomb Extreme
Spices are great this time of year because they add warmth and punch to fragrance, just like they do to your holiday desserts. But spices can be overwhelming if they’re not tempered with something else. In the case of this perfectly balanced spice-forward scent, it’s vanilla. The play of sweet and spicy is livened up with a dash of whiskey, giving this a very warm, comforting, festive feel. It’s not, like, literally festive, though; you can still wear it way past holiday party season.
Private Blend Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum
This iconic cologne hits all the boxes you want for a winter cologne. There’s plenty of spice, sweetness, and smoke all wrapped up in a sophisticated and wearable package. It’s one of the most popular Tom Ford fragrances for a reason. Even though it’s obviously a vanilla scent, the sweetness isn’t overpowering when mixed with the tobacco and tobacco leaf—which both give different kinds of earthiness to the concoction—and then a very healthy dose of spice to liven things up. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser and a guaranteed attention-grabber, but it’s still versatile enough to wear both day and night, which is the final piece of the winter cologne puzzle.
HOPE Eau de Parfum
This warm, spicy cologne smells incredibly rich and sophisticated, which is why it’s one of our year-round favourites. But it’s especially great during the winter. Inspired by Middle Eastern perfume traditions, this concoction leads with a spiciness that quickly reveals an intoxicating aroma of oud, smoke, leather, and amber. It’s incredibly elegant, but also mysterious and deeply sensual. This is the type of scent that stops people in their tracks, and even though the spiciness eventually fades, it sticks on your skin for hours and only gets better and better.
Oud for Greatness Eau De Parfum
Not every winter cologne needs to be so heavy on the woods and spice. It’s more about the vibe, and this fragrance is a vibe in a bottle. It’s a powerful, luxurious, and confident scent that’s anything but subtle. This is very, very much about the oud, which shines through from start to finish. It’s slightly tempered with spices like saffron and nutmeg and a touch of floral lavender, but overall, this is almost pure oud. Wear it sparingly, as it tends to be overpowering with too many sprays. Just a spritz or two is enough to warm up your vibe in a regal, sophisticated way.
Esquire Editor in Chief
This office-friendly cologne is like a checklist of what you want in a winter cologne. There are plenty of woods (sandalwood, cashmere woods, cedarwood, birchwood), a healthy dose of spices (clove and cinnamon), and a base of smooth warmth from vanilla and tonka bean. Add in some earthy patchouli and herbaceous vetiver and you have a winning winter combo. It’s a bold, confident scent that draws attention, but it’s not so overwhelming that it overpowers everything. Wear it to the office when you have a big meeting or need to close a deal.
What to Consider
When choosing a winter cologne, obviously you want to know it smells good. Apart from that, it’s worth considering the concentration (eau de toilette, eau de parfum, etc.) to give a good idea of the longevity and projection. Typically, more concentrated fragrances like parfums and extraits will last longer and have a wider projection due to the higher amount of fragrance in the mixture. You can also consider what notes are listed, like woods, florals, and spices, to give you an idea of what it may smell like, but keep in mind that even the same note might smell different from cologne to cologne, so don’t take them too literally until you actually smell it.
How We Chose
Fragrance, like many things, is very subjective, and we know not everyone is going to like every fragrance. (We sure don’t!) When choosing our list of best winter colognes, we not only smelled them but considered all sorts of categories and vibes as well as price points, ingredients, size, concentration, and more. We are confident that these colognes cover a wide range and that there’s something for everyone on this list.
Why Trust Us
We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every product in Esquire’s roundups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.
When it comes to fragrance, one of the most important grooming items a man can have, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting scents that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved. Our grooming editor, Garrett Munce, along with the rest of the style team, has spent years spritzing, spraying, wearing, and test-driving hundreds (thousands!) of colognes, and we are confident that these are the best.
Every pick on this list (and our other lists) comes from these years of testing. We know that no two tastes are the same, no two men are the same, and how you want to smell may vary from someone else. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.
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