As warm weather withers away for another year in the majority of the United States, we’re looking forward to the changing of the season through reads of reds and yellows, cozy bonfires and fall coffee flavors. As we begin layering our summer tees with comfortable flannels as we get ready in the morning, you might begin to notice that the best cologne you’ve been wearing all summer seems a little… beachy. That’s because when seasons change, so should your scent. And it’s time to incorporate the best fall colognes into your daily routine.
The best fall colognes are the kind that provides a cozy whiff to you and everyone around you. It’s the kind of scent that makes you feel comfortable. Nothing too aggressive. It shouldn’t feel like a breath of fresh air, instead, it should feel like a warm cabin in the middle of the woods lit only by fireplace. It should feel heavier rather than lighter. You get the gist?
When considering the best fall colognes to wear this season, you should take into consideration Oriental scents such as amber, vanilla, musk and spice. Additionally, you can consider woodsy scents such as sandalwood, cedarwood, moss and patchouli.
All in all, what’s most important is that you enjoy what you’re wearing for fall. With that said, we went ahead and found the best fall colognes you can wear all season long. See below for our picks.
1. Ralph Lauren Ralph’s Club Eau de Parfum
BEST OVERALL
Only the most sophisticated of men are spritzing on Ralph Lauren’s Ralph’s Club the second summer ends. It has a medium-to-heavy scent that combines woodiness with freshness in order to create a long lasting fragrance everyone will geek out over. It’s authentically masculine in a way lots of newer colognes are not to help exude your masculinity even further. Expect fresh notes such as lavandin and clary sage further balanced by warmer Virginia cedarwood and luxurious vetive to hone it back down. This is perfect for the kind of guy working with his hands all day who still likes to show his brute side when he dresses up a little.
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2. Aesop Erémia Eau de Parfum
RUNNER UP
April showers bring May flowers, but something we don’t talk about enough? Just how relaxing fall rain is. Think about it: you’re cuddled up on the couch a weekend away with your significant other. You’ve got candles going, coffee roasting and rain is drenching the exterior of your Airbnb. You’ve never felt more at peace. If that scent could be bottled, Aesop did it with Erémia. This has a vibrancy we don’t see too often in autumnal colognes that’s honed down with musk and after-rain concrete. It’s burly yet delicate, wet yet comfortable, like those times you’re watching outdoors from inside. Nothing hits the nail on the head better.
3. Henry Rose Windows Down
BEST TRANSITIONAL
No, we don’t necessarily mean fall transitional. If you’re the type that’s holding onto summer so deeply, we’ve found the perfect cologne to rock that has more of a dog days feel to it. A heat before the cold aesthetic. A transitional feel, but a between summer and fall warmness to it. Henry Rose’s Windows Down epitomizes sunset on the open road. Drives from the beach house you spent all summer into a world back in reality. Sandy slides in the backseat untouched the next summer to come. Beach waves crashing in the distance unheard of until next time around. To capture such a specific moment in time Windows Down uses neroli, grapefruit and bergamot top notes, a middle note of orange flowers and a moss, guaiacwood and musk bottom to finish it off.
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4. Bath & Body Works Teakwood
BEST BUDGET
We know what you’re thinking, “how could one of the best fall colognes be a scent sold by Bath & Body Works?” Well, believe it, baby. Because it’s true. This cologne is like an enchanted walk through the woods. It’s not as overwhelming as you might think since stores like Bath & Body Works are kind of known for that. It’s made with a blend of mahogany, black teakwood and lavender to give a classic fall scent for half the price of traditional fall fragrances.
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5. Maison Margiela ’REPLICA’ By the Fireplace
MOST WARMING
Fall is all about staying cozy in cooler weather, so Maison Margiela created a fragrance that exudes warmth by fire in a way no other fall fragrance can. This bottle puts orange flower, clove oil and chestnut on top of a comforting vanilla scent that ties the whole concoction together. This scent is totally genderless, so you might have to hide it from your partner if they begin liking it a little too much. You wouldn’t want them to steal it for themselves!
6. Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
BEST MODERN
It seems that the majority of the best colognes for men are simultaneously the best perfumes for women. As time goes on, modern scents are becoming more unisex and to be honest, we can’t hate on it at all. With that said, Le Labo’s Santal 33 is one of the best-smelling unisex fall colognes we can think of. It uses cardamom, iris, violet and ambrox crackle that’s formulated alongside a smoking wood including Australian sandalwood, papyrus and cedarwood for a leathery smokiness. It exudes the comfort of a fall fire in crisp air — the kind that bites the second you leave the light.
7. aétai eau de parfum
MOST COMPLEX
In the Algonquian language “aétai” means “both sides”, so just like the last couple of fragrances we’ve included, you can expect this one to be yet another multigender. This one is easily the most eclectic of the bunch, though. It introduces a multiseasonal approach with roots tied to an autumnal forest. It’s got a lush, earthy dampness to it that balances fall-y amber-hued wood and spice notes. It gives coastal transition more than anything. Green brush turning to red for the season sprayed continually with ocean mist. Campfires nearby. Conversation at low volume.
8. Creed Citrus Bigarade
EDITOR’S PICK
While we tend to stay away from citrus a bit more in the fall, our managing editor Barret Wertz is lathering himself up in the stuff. “I have been a fan of the classic Aventus for years, so I was hesitant to try something new for fall, even if it was another Creed creation,” says Wertz, “However, this fragrance manages to capture the summery citrus I love and present it with deeper base notes to make it work perfectly as the temperatures cool down.” As a fragrance combining lemons and mandarins with cool peppermint, vetiver and ginger, we don’t think it can get any more intriguing than Creed Citrus Bigarade during the cooler weather.
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9. Fulton & Roark Kiawah
BEST SOLID
Solid cologne is becoming more and more popular lately, so who said it couldn’t be deemed one of the best fall colognes? Absolutely not us! Fulton & Roark’s Kiawah cologne is one to beat this season. It’s inspired by an island off the coast of South Carolina and exudes chilly ocean-kissed skin, serene fall beaches and chipper air. It doesn’t have a warmth to it the same way the others do, but it still has that fall-centric feel to it.