YOU SMELL AMAZING, DARLING. Hot, Classy and Sexy Fragrances for Men.

One of my passions has always been perfume. As a teenager I wouldn’t go anywhere (apart from school) without a spray of Aramis, Calvin Klein’s Obsession or Dior’s Eau Sauvage. All essentially masculine and very popular and well-known in the Seventies. (They’ve been making a comeback). I was drawn to masculine fragrances… but what does that really mean?

One word: LEATHER. This is the basis of a proper CUIR fragrance, which is the French word for leather. Rich, Animalic, Smoky. A battered leather jacket, preferably black, worn by a gentleman with bohemian tendencies, but who is also no stranger to the barber shop, a sports car and/or a motorbike. 

Another word: OUD. A complex oil named after the Arabic word for ‘Wood’ derived from tree-resin that is rare, expensive but when blended correctly produces fantastic dry-downs which last and have great projection and sillage (the trail you leave behind you.) A woody smokiness is the base note. Think woodland campfires, wood-burners, cigars, pipes, beer, warm brandy.

And Another: GOURMAND. Chocolate, coffee, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, molasses, for those men with a sweeter tooth. Think rich fruit, like Raspberry, Blackcurrant, Black Mulberry, Pomegranate, Dates. Not a great fan of sweeter frags, but when blended well they can be very alluring. It sits adjacent to citrus, especially lemon, which is the classic base of many a cologne and works brilliantly if blended with something soft to balance the zest like sandalwood, musk and bergamot.

Last but not least.. FOUGERES. French for ‘Fern’ this is the oakmoss, earthy, damp, humid forest, freshly dug soil, dirt under the fingernails base. This is the classic barbershop frag, as old as the hills but marvellous and exciting if given a new twist.

Here are some of my favourites that exemplify aspects of the above…in my opinion. Just a word on that. Fragrances are a very personal thing. Different frags sit differently on different men. One man’s meat is another’s poison. Some frags do not project well on my skin for instance. The best ones often start out with a ‘whoa!’ but then dry down into something gorgeous and sexy. Some are very strong and only two quick spritzes are enough if you don’t want to be anti-social and stink the joint out.

Christian Dior. Leather Oud.

Oh, how much do I love thee. (So does my partner, the bad boy, given how much it costs). This is such a blast with the absolute best dry down ever. Warm, sexy, addictive. A triumph.

Tom Ford. Tuscan Leather.

The best Tom Ford in my opinion. It has a stupendous opening note of raspberry that is then complimented by saffron, olibanum and black suede. The leather effect is subtle yet voluptuous at the same time. Layers brilliantly with Ford’s Oud Wood and Tobacco Oud. Doing this is the height of indulgence, and why the hell not?

Knize Ten.

This is in the ‘woah!’ category. At first, it smells like a sweaty garage mechanic. Ultra masculine, animalic. Castor-oil, engine oil, petrol fumes, worn, oil-smeared leather seats. But then something miraculous happens and it turns into a musty, leathery masterpiece. Obviously not for the faint-hearted but an old-skool classic that you won’t regret acquiring.

Eucris. Geo F Trumper.

Another classic. The quintessential barbershop fragrance from the original English barbershop emporium. This time the top note is blackcurrant, but this is not sweet, just wild and woody. It is the go-to for any self-respecting English gentleman and is perfect for a suited and booted occasion.  It was the cologne worn by James Bond in the Fleming novels. It has something of the night about it. Nuff said.

Coeur de Noir. House of Beaufort.

A new fragrance house specialising in fresh takes on the classic English cologne with a nautical and alcohol twist. The top note is black ink, the type used by the captain of a ship with a Quill pen, parchment paper and a glass of dark rum. This quickly settles into a smoky, woody, leathery treat. Another ‘woah!’ But well worth the effort.

Blacks Club Leather. Shay and Blue.

The keynote here is VSOP brandy, and plenty of it. A gentleman’s club with leather chesterfields and mahogany furniture, freshly beeswaxed. A sumptuous addition to any man’s collection. Classy, timeless, yet with a modern take that will appeal to young and old.

Sartorial. Penhaligon.

As the name suggests this is meant for smart wear. A perfect Fougere that smells divinely sophisticated. Cardamom meets soft leather and lavender. Think Savile Row tailors, a sharp suit, crisp shirt and tie. The discerning man about town.

B683. Marc Antoine Barrois.

A newish house and a great one. This is his signature fragrance, and it is awesome. A warm spicy top layered with a fruity oud that has a big, can’t stop sniffing, appeal. The leather that emerges out of it is part patchouli and part violet, which is perfectly in accord. A frag that wears you rather than you wearing it.

Ganymede. Marc Antione Barrois.

It is very futuristic, like how a man from the 22nd Century might smell. That mix of Buckminster-Fuller steel and Ozone salts is just brilliant and very original. The leather is there as well but is subtle and understated at first but increases on my skin after a dry down and becomes very sexy. Don't be put off by the initial mineral hit, which is pronounced, because this does what all masterpieces do and just gets better even after a great start. Be warned. It is addictive and you will embarrass yourself by whiffing it a lot wherever you sprayed it. It is one for us gentlemen, not unisex in my opinion, but women are bound to love it on you, and I'm saying that as a gay man!

Encelade. Marc Antoine Barrois.

I know, I know, I’m banging this houses drum, but they are a revelation, deserving of the accolades heaped upon them with the original ‘nose’ of Quentin Bisch. This is very strong and has an intensely powerful woody, earthy mix of rhubarb, smoke and leather. This projects like a beast, so be sparing. You walk into a room with this on and everyone knows about it.

Acqua di Genova. S. Frecceri.

My favourite Italian citrus. Strident and dry as a bone at first, makes its presence felt, but then envelopes you in a warm, sultry smelter of Sicilian lemon and bitter orange. Think a stroll past an Italian fruit market in the late afternoon.

I’ll end on a few top tips. Don’t blind buy. The perfume counter at a good department store is your friend. So are samples. A fiver for a sample that you then don’t want to buy a full bottle of is better than wasting a hundred, or more. Don’t just go on trust. My descriptions are my olfactory impressions, personal to me. Others may smell them very differently.

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Gary McGhee is an ex-youth worker, and a screenwriter and novelist who spent too much of his youth hanging out with reprobates in Soho, London, but is now settled in the countryside with his partner. He has a taste for the finer things in life, if only he could afford them.