Smell Like A Gentleman With These Forgotten Fragrances Of Yesteryear

The secret to smelling better than everyone else? Wear something nobody else is wearing. The only sense to enter the brain from the frontal cortex, scent has a significant impact on our memories and emotions and can play a key role in the formation of long-term memories. While spritzing on something like Dior Sauvage, Bleu de Chanel, or Calvin Klein Eternity for Men is a safe bet to have you smelling good, you’ll be amongst a whole horde of similarly decent smelling men. And you want to smell better than the rest. Besides, do you really want to be olfactorily lumped in with the masses?

With designers often dropping upwards of six fragrances a year, it can be easy to get caught up in finding the next must-have cologne. However, there’s something to be said about looking to the past to inspire the future. That’s where the old school fragrances and colognes of yesteryear come in. Simultaneously unique yet familiar (many fragrance designers derive inspiration for modern scents from their predecessors), these forgotten fragrances exude classic masculinity, setting you apart from the rest while showing you have a true appreciation for the art of perfumery. An added bonus? Being less sought after than their newer counterparts, classic colognes and fragrances are often a fraction of the price of the blockbuster scents lining department store shelves.

On that note, here are 14 forgotten fragrances that deserve a look in. 

1. Christian Dior Eau Sauvage

When Kanye West said “Awesome, the Christian in Christian Dior / Damn, they don’t make ’em like this anymore,” we’d like to think he was talking about Christian Dior Eau Sauvage. While the Sauvage name has remained in the Dior fragrance lineup to this day, Eau Sauvage (meaning ‘wild water’) is a scent in its own class. Subtle and refreshing, it boasts notes of lemon, bergamot, rosemary, and basil with a woody base of oakmoss and amber, while vetiver lends a refined, verdant note. Potent without being overpowering, it has surprisingly good staying power for an EDT, making it a timeless favourite since its inception in 1966.

Brand: Christian Dior
Launch year: 1966
Scent notes: lemon, bergamot, basil, rosemary, caraway, jasmine, coriander, carnation, patchouli, orris root, sandalwood, rose, lavender, hedione, oakmoss, vetiver, musk, amber

2. Aramis 

Another fragrance originating in 1966, Aramis is a quintessentially old-world masculine scent. Characterised by a combination of woods, mosses, and spices, Aramis is a chypre fragrance. A warming scent for the cooler months, Aramis balances out bold notes of cedar, sandalwood, and leather with gentle notes of vetiver, tree moss, bergamot, and gardenia. One of the few fragrances to have a strong, easily identifiable leather note, Aramis is the epitome of old school ideals of masculinity. 

Brand: Aramis
Launch year: 1966
Scent notes: aldehydes, myrrh, artemisia, clover, thyme, bergamot, gardenia, patchouli, sage, jasmine, cardamom, orris root, leather, oakmoss, musk, vetiver, sandalwood, amber, coconut

3. Mülhens 4711

Want to know a secret? This is almost a dupe for Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino, with the latter being a heavier, more intense version of 4711. Produced in Cologne, Germany since 1792, Mülhens 4711 has retained the same formula for over two centuries. A zesty blend of bergamot, lemon, orange, petitgrain and neroli with hints of lavender and rosemary, 4711 has formed the basis for many cologne fragrances of today. A true eau de cologne, 4711 is light and watery, staying on the skin for just a couple of hours. However, that’s what makes it the ideal summertime scent. Plus, it’s ridiculously inexpensive and comes in a generously sized bottle, so you can reapply without remorse. 

Brand: Mülhens
Launch year: 1792
Scent notes: lemon, bergamot, orange, lavender, rosemary, neroli, petitgrain

4. Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet 

5. Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel

Deriving its name from the eponymous designer’s favourite material, Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel opens with fresh, crisp, verdant notes courtesy of lemon, petitgrain, and neroli, before drying down into a warm, woodsy scent. Distinguished by its strong note of violet, Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel is faintly dusty and powdery, in a way that’s comforting rather than staid.

Brand: Geoffrey Beene
Launch year: 1975
Scent notes: bergamot, lemon, orange, neroli, galbanum, violet leaves, sage, iris, jasmine, mimosa, rose, violet, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, clove, sandalwood, oakmoss, musk

6. Acqua Di Parma Colonia

7. Floris Elite

8. Old Spice Aftershave

We know what you’re thinking, but hear us out. Before the plethora of heavily-memed ads, the original Old Spice aftershave – born in 1937 – was known as the archetypal American scent. An initial olfactory hit of spicy nutmeg, cinnamon, star anise, and orange peel settles down to reveal a warm base of cedarwood, musk, tonka bean, and vanilla. Comfortable and familiar, yet subtly sexy.

Brand: Old Spice
Launch year: 1930
Scent notes: nutmeg, star anise, aldehydes, orange, lemon, cinnamon, carnation, pimento, geranium, heliotrope, jasmine, benzoin, vanilla, musk, tonka bean, cedar, ambergris

9. D.R.Harris Old English Lavender Water

10. Givenchy Gentleman 

The embodiment of a gentlemanly scent, the aptly named Givenchy Gentleman finds the right balance between earthy, aromatic, and woodsy notes. Fresh notes of lemon, bergamot, and warm honey quickly make way for the earthiness of patchouli, tarragon, and vetiver. Base notes of leather, woods, oakmoss, and amber linger on the skin, making for a warm, masculine scent. Not an everyday fragrance, Givenchy Gentleman is best paired with a sharp suit and a smooth whisky. 

Brand: Givenchy
Launch year: 1974
Scent notes: honey, cinnamon, rose, tarragon, bergamot, lemon, patchouli, cedar, orris root, jasmine, patchouli, leather, civet, oakmoss, vetiver, musk, amber, vanilla

11. Guerlain Vetiver

First bottled over half a century ago and relaunched in 2000, Guerlain Vetiver was instrumental in cementing vetiver as a fragrance note to watch (or smell). A hit of clean citrus is tempered with spiciness from pepper and nutmeg, drying down into its namesake vetiver, tobacco, and tonka bean. A harmonious balance of fresh and warm notes, Guerlain Vetiver is the olfactory equivalent of a refined pipe-smoking, nature-loving old-world gentleman. A decidedly classic fragrance, it’s one that’s sure to set you apart from the deluge of Dior Sauvage and Santal 33 wearing guys.

Brand: Guerlain
Launch year: 1961
Scent notes: orange, bergamot, nutmeg, pepper, vetiver, tobacco, tonka bean

12. Caron Pour un Homme

While it was the first fragrance specifically marketed towards men, Caron Pour un Homme is masculine in a thoughtful, tender way. Fresh, aromatic notes of lavender, rosemary, bergamot are balanced with smooth, creamy vanilla. While the fougère fragrance profile is a recognisable one today, it was novel upon its release in 1934 and went on to inspire several iconic fragrances including Dior Homme. The lavender in Caron Pour un Homme is cool and slightly medicinal, while the vanilla is more raw and clean than sweet and gourmand, making it an ideal scent for the contemporary minimalist.

Brand: Caron
Launch year: 1934
Scent notes: lavender, rosemary, bergamot, vanilla, clary sage, sandalwood, oak moss, tonka bean, musk

13. Giorgio Beverly Hills Pour Homme

An olfactory ticket to 1980s California, Giorgio Beverly Hills is a classic chypre fragrance defined by its notes of bergamot, rose, honey, patchouli, and oak moss, it’s strong and punchy while being earthy and sensual. Honey is a relatively rare note in men’s fragrances, bestowing Giorgio Beverly Hills with a uniquely seductive quality when paired with grounding patchouli. Reflective of the hedonistic lifestyle of the ‘80s, a little goes a long way.

Brand: Giorgio Armani
Launch year: 1984
Scent notes: aldehydes, orange, bergamot, patchouli, rose, cinnamon, sandalwood, cedar, iris, honey, oak moss, benzoin, amber, vanilla, musk, tonka bean

14. Halston Z-14

A heady aromatic, Halston Z-14 sees a crisp, fresh opening of citrus and verdant notes underscored by an intoxicatingly masculine base of leather, oak moss, patchouli, and tonka bean. Released following the success of the eponymous designer’s debut female fragrance, Halston Z-14 became a hit in its own right thanks to its overtly masculine green scent profile. While reformulated versions are a tad heavy on the cinnamon, vintage bottles of Halston Z-14 boast the lush forestial notes that made it a success.

Brand: Halston
Launch year: 1974
Scent notes: cypress, lemon, bergamot, green notes, basil, gardenia, cinnamon, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, coriander, geranium, jasmine, leather, oak moss, benzoin, amber, musk, tonka bean

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Words by John Deckard