These will have you moving differently this summer.
When it comes to cooking the perfect dish, the use of spices can make all the difference. And honestly, the same can be said of fragrance. Spices of all kinds have been used in fragrance creation for centuries because of their ability to instantly change the feel of other notes. Take vanilla, for instance. On its own, it can be cloyingly sweet, but add a dash of cinnamon or cardamom? It’s transformed into something layered and much more interesting.
Spicy colognes are a mainstay in men’s fragrance, but just because a scent contains spices doesn’t automatically make it great. Like the Spice Girls, there are all types of spicy scents: posh ones, sporty ones, and, yes, lots of scary ones. The good news, however, is that no matter your vibe, there is a spicy cologne out there for you. Whether you favor fresh, earthy, sweet, or floral scents, choosing one with a dose of spice adds dimension—and often versatility—to your fragrance. These are the best spicy colognes out there for all tastes. It’s time to follow those aforementioned girls’ advice and spice up your life.
Best Inexpensive Spicy Cologne
Cremo Spice & Black Vanilla Cologne Spray
$32 $23 at Walmart$23 at Target
The thing about inexpensive colognes is that they usually smell, well, inexpensive. This wallet-friendly fragrance, however, smells just as complex as anything you’d find in the department store. Black vanilla and tobacco lend it a masculine gravitas, but the addition of cardamom is what really makes it special. It’s a spicy, elegant vibe that sticks around on your skin for hours, making it an even better value.
Best Old School Spicy Cologne
Old Spice Old Spice Classic
$14 at fragrancex.com$20 at fragrancenet.com
You know what they say: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This refreshing aftershave has been around for almost a century, and the classic scent has gone nearly unchanged. The exact formula is kept under lock and key, but the fresh, spicy vibe is incomparable. It’s instantly recognizable and makes you not only smell fresh but feel fresh too. It’s subtle, and more of an aftershave splash than a spray cologne, but it’s good enough that you don’t need anything else.
Best Fresh Spicy Cologne
Versace Eros Flame Eau de Parfum
$115 at Nordstrom$102 $58 at Walmart
Like the other members of the Eros family, this spicier, woodier version captures a party in a bottle. This is a casual, fun scent with fresh notes of mandarin orange, lemon, chinotto, florals like geranium and rose, and woods like sandalwood and Texas cedar. The spice that sets it apart—a double dose of pepper in both the top and heart notes—gives it a spicy edge. The overall vibe is cool, fun, and ready to stay out all night.
Best Classic Spicy Cologne
Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’Homme
$97 at Nordstrom$76 $60 at Walmart
Since it debuted in 2009, this elegant, spicy cologne has quickly entered the pantheon of most popular men’s fragrances—and for good reason. It’s the ultimate masculine nighttime scent, loaded with cardamom in the top note for a smooth opening, tempered with lavender, Virginia cedar, and bergamot at the heart for a masculine vibe, and then finished off with a base of herbal vetiver and spicy coriander. It’s a double hit of spice, but the effect is more sensual than nose prickling and pairs perfectly with a tuxedo.
Best Designer Spicy Cologne
Dior Sauvage Elixir
There are a lot of reasons to love Sauvage, another of the most popular and iconic men’s fragrances out there, but this more concentrated Elixir version builds on the original by dialing up the spice. Top notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom give teeth to the first spray and blend with the other notes, like lavender, sandalwood, amber, and patchouli, to give it an arresting yet still wearable vibe. It’s appropriate for every day but especially if you’re heading to a rock concert after work.
Best Woody Spicy Cologne
Burberry Hero Eau de Parfum
Although there aren’t any specific spices listed in the notes of this fragrance, the sharp pine needles and the smoky incense are what give it its bite. The base of this is a trifecta of woods (atlas cedar, Himalayan cedar, and Virginia cedar) that gives this a crisp, woody presence that is unabashedly masculine then punched up with the incense and pine. Without any actual spices in the formula, it’s still pretty damn spicy—but not in a “I just raided the spice cabinet” way.
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Best Smoky Spicy Cologne
Kilian Smoking Hot Eau de Parfum
Sure, this fragrance is smoky—how could it not be with the notes of Kentucky tobacco absolute?—and a little sweet from the notes of apple hookah and a double hit of bourbon vanilla and pure jungle essence vanilla. But it’s the cinnamon bark that sets this sexy scent apart. It’s strong but comes off more like cinnamon candy (think Red Hots) than aggressive. It’s the kind of scent that’s familiar and mysterious all at once and will definitely stop people in their tracks.
Best Floral Spicy Cologne
Acqua di Parma Signatures of the Sun Zafferano Eau de Parfum
Now 51% Off
$155 at Nordstrom$155 at Macy’s
When you think of spicy fragrances, you don’t automatically think of florals and amber, but that’s exactly what this unexpectedly spicy scent delivers. It’s heavy on the flowers (jasmine, geranium, rose, orange blossom) but warmed and smoothed by vanilla, tonka bean, and patchouli at the base. What makes it spicy, though, is the crisp top note that features coriander, a sultry spice that lingers on your skin, adding warmth and depth.
Best Vanilla Spicy Cologne
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum
$195 at Nordstrom$425 $299 at Walmart
At this point, this iconic cologne probably doesn’t need an introduction. It’s one of Tom Ford’s most popular for a reason—it oozes sex appeal, just like his clothes. The smooth, warm vanilla mixed with the smoky tobacco is a powerful pairing, but what really makes this one of the best colognes out there are the spicy notes at the top that announce each spray with a bang. Mixed with a ginger, they amp up the volume of both the tobacco and vanilla and take what could be an overly sweet note into strong, masculine territory.
Best Smooth Spicy Cologne
Astier de Villatte Le Dieu Bleu Eau de Parfum
This ultra-niche fragrance not only has an IYKYK vibe to it but also is supposed to be a re-creation of the oldest perfume in the world from Ancient Egypt—circa 4,000 years ago. The notes are appropriately esoteric—myrrh, lentisk, calamus—but the effect is sunny, warm, herbal, and, yes, spicy. A single sniff really does call to mind sunbaked temples, ruins shrouded in sand, and wild plants. The spice isn’t overpowering but gives it a humming undertone of worldliness.
Best Literal Spicy Cologne
Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb Extreme Eau de Parfum
$155 at Nordstrom$140 at Ulta Beauty
If the name didn’t tip you off, this cologne is all about the spice, especially the Extreme version. There’s a hit of black pepper on the top note to open it up and a double helping of spice in the heart thanks to cinnamon and cumin that mingle with a base of tobacco, woody amber, and black vanilla. This sort of ultra-spicy scent isn’t for every day but is ideal for a date—the hotter the better.
