Best Of
18 Woody Colognes You'll Love
Givenchy Gentleman Boisee
There are lots of colognes, and most of them are sold along the lines of ‘smell more masculine’ or ‘smell more manly’.
This is not the best thing for most people, as most people aren’t going for the manliest, manly smell.
If we were going to do that, we’d all buy Brut and go home.
No, what most people are looking for is a nice, refreshing fragrance that isn’t too overpowering.
A nice fresh forest smell, that is a mix of wonderful woods, like sandalwood or smoky mesquite.
In fact, most people we know really strive to find these types of cologne when they do go out to top up their bottle.
However, it is not that simple and colognes tend to focus far too often on one set of smells, instead of different, more diverse scents.
So, what are you to do in this scenario?
Well, in this list we hope to bring you a bunch of colognes that could make you smell like a Canadian forest in spring and that are easy to find.
Gentleman Reserve Boisee By Givenchy
Givenchy has a very clean and fresh scent that is very similar to whiskey in its tones.
A light, mature scent that’s easy to find at most department stores. Suits men who want a starter cologne for any occasion without committing to anything specific.
It provides a woody scent with light undertones of fruits, very much like an aged whiskey.
It is also a great option for men who are more affordable and are looking to try their first cologne.
Usher By Usher For Men
Usher is not only one of the most iconic names in the fragrance and music business; the colognes he produces are one of the most popular choices for men.
A clean citrus fragrance suited to spring and summer wear.
It lasts longer than most fresh-citrus colognes, and the scent mixes hints of melon and pineapple with sandalwood and lavender — fits the warmer-weather social-gathering register.
It is a great scent for all ages, including teenagers, who can wear it to give off a more mature, experienced vibe.
Bourbon Amber By The Art Of Shaving
The Art of Shaving has been around for years and is one of the most iconic names in the shaving industry.
The company is known for creating great products and great scents, but Bourbon Amber is where they really take a dive into woody scents.
The scent is directly inspired by the smell of Bourbon whiskey casks, with the base scent of the cologne being amber and sandalwood with a herbal undertone of vanilla, lavender, and saffron laced throughout.
English Leather By Dana
English Leather is one of the most classic timeless men’s scents — affordable and seasonally versatile.
It uses a combination of wood and leather smells with citrus to create this timeless smell, that is sure to invoke imagery of a sophisticated but rural setting, a smell that makes you think of a farrier fitting a horse shoe to a new steed.
Le Labo Santal 33
Santal 33 is the woody cologne everyone has either fallen in love with or gotten sick of in the last decade — sometimes both. The headline note is sandalwood, but cardamom and iris in the heart give it a slightly leathery, animalic edge that’s the actual reason it became a Brooklyn café signature. Projects hard for the first hour, then settles into a quieter skin scent. Worth trying at a counter before committing to a full bottle; you either love how unmistakable it is or you find it too recognizable to wear.
Calvin Klein Eternity
Calvin Klein Eternity is another one that doesn’t play on traditional scents.
Instead, when smelled it gives the imagery of a modern man, a person who is content in their existence as they are. It does this by having strong scents that evokes calmness.
Its base foundation is a kind of ocean breeze smell, being cool and calm, with hints of cucumber, lotus, citrus, lavender, sandalwood, and musk.
These all work subtly to provide a faint but intense smell.
Tobacco Oud Wood By Tom Ford
While the price may stop people from buying it, if you can afford it, then we say go for it.
This cologne is one of the private collections of the Tom Ford range, and you really do get your money’s worth.
You will be hard-pressed to find a cologne that combines earthy musk scents with sweet vanilla and heady amber profiles quite as well as this.
Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace
By the Fireplace pulls off something tricky: it actually smells like wood smoke and roasted chestnuts without going full bonfire. Vanilla, clove, and cashmeran underneath the smoke keep it cozy rather than menacing. It’s a winter scent above all else — wear it in summer and the warmth feels misplaced — but in cold weather it does what no other woody cologne on this list does, which is conjure a specific physical scene the moment you spray it.
Royal Oud By Creed
If we were judging colognes based on intense and diverse scent profiles, then Royal oud would definitely be competing for the top spot on this list.
It lays a woody foundation of scents that are overlaid with copious amounts of fresh grass, smoke, sweet citrus, and tangy spice, that create a scent that announces your presence in a room.
While it is quite strong, it is designed to be lightly sprayed for casual events, so you don’t overwhelm your company.
Bath And Body Works
Bath and Body Works goes hard on the woody smell, with this rich fragrance having a foundational scent of mahogany and black teak wood.
This combined with the light touch of lavender creates a powerful perfume that really makes you feel like you are standing at the edge of a vast forest and breathing in the air.
Guilty By Gucci
Guilty by Gucci is a top-selling cologne and honestly, it is easy to see why.
The fragrance is a bold, woody scent of cedar and vanilla that employs an undertone of a very seductive lemony scent that just touches the nose at the end of the smell.
Tru Fragrance And Beauty Outlaw
This cologne, unlike guilty by Gucci, has a subtle smell of wood underneath everything, but relies mostly on its refreshing essential oils to create a fresh, spring smell without being overwhelming.
It uses bergamot and lavender as the top layer, fir as the middle layer, and mahogany as the base to create a multi-layered and beautiful scent.
Splendid Wood By Yves Saint Laurent
Splendid Wood is a woody, strong fragrance from the house of Yves Saint Laurent.
The smell of this cologne is amazing and combines earthy smells with heavy wood and tangy spices to create a scent profile that is soft, but firm in its depiction.
St James Of London
St James is made and designed to be sophisticated.
The fragrance gives off a classic smell that is rich in its complexity and makes people think of high society clubs with leather chairs and smoking rooms.
Its elegance is crafted from sandalwood and bergamot, making a soft smell that tickles the nostrils.
Another bonus of this fragrance is that it doesn’t use chemicals which can harm the skin.
Armani Eau D’Aromes By Giorgio Armani
A favorite amongst many men and for good reason, eau d’aromes is a cologne that employs powerful scents like ginger, sage, and cardamon and tempers them with orange and bergamot to create a sinfully delightful scent, that is at home out on a club night and at a casual meetup with friends or acquaintances.
Essence By David Beckham
Essence uses wood as the forefront and main tone of the scent it produces.
A mix of cashmere wood, patchouli, and Tonka, creates an incredibly rich, woody base that combines notes of grapefruit and lavender to soften the overall scent into a delightful and charismatic cologne.
Fan Di Fendi Pour Homme Assoluto By Fendi
This is probably one of the strongest colognes on this list.
When sprayed, this little fire pot turns the room from an odorless waste to a cauldron of spicy cardamom and pepper that stings the nose before giving way to an earthy oud wood and fresh grassy smell.
Everything about this scent is extreme from its delivery to its lingering nature and for many that is why they love it.
Diptyque Tam Dao
Tam Dao is the cleanest sandalwood cologne on this list — austere, woody, almost incense-adjacent without ever burning. There’s a thin cypress-and-rosewood breeze through the heart that keeps the sandalwood from feeling heavy or perfumey. Office-friendly without being boring, and it pairs especially well with linen and warm-weather suiting where heavier woods feel out of place. Closer to a meditation cushion than a saloon.
Table of Contents
- Gentleman Reserve Boisee By Givenchy
- Usher By Usher For Men
- Bourbon Amber By The Art Of Shaving
- English Leather By Dana
- Le Labo Santal 33
- Calvin Klein Eternity
- Tobacco Oud Wood By Tom Ford
- Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace
- Royal Oud By Creed
- Bath And Body Works
- Guilty By Gucci
- Tru Fragrance And Beauty Outlaw
- Splendid Wood By Yves Saint Laurent
- St James Of London
- Armani Eau D’Aromes By Giorgio Armani
- Essence By David Beckham
- Fan Di Fendi Pour Homme Assoluto By Fendi
- Diptyque Tam Dao
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