Our Best Colognes for Summer 2015
Taking care of my car today, so I’m actually writing this post from the waiting room of my local VW dealership. I guess it’s fortunate that the flat tire came at the same time as my inspection due date. Thankfully, I just found out there’s no wheel damage. You should see this. I’ve got my whole writing set up spread out on my chair with my laptop, notebook, phone streaming the Classical Essentials playlist on Spotify. I don’t normally listen to classical music, but I have found recently that it helps me block out any distractions while writing.
As you might know, I’m not a big fan of the idea of a “signature scent”. I think that as your mood or the weather changes, you should have some cologne options to play around with. Of course the main issue with locking yourself into one cologne is the change in seasons. A cologne that could smell sensational in the winter will most likely be way too overpowering in the summer. What I do suggest is picking a few for each season and rotate through them. I also would recommend picking a few that could overlap seasons. A great summer cologne will most likely work in the later half of spring and the beginning of fall. I love experimenting with different fragrances. It’s probably why I love food and wine so much too. Experiencing different flavors and smells is incredibly exciting to me. However, in the interest of simplicity I’ve been trying to pare down my selections a bit. So I’m trying to narrow down my colognes to just two or three for each time of year. I’ve been working my way through the sample offerings from Penhaligon’s and I’m going to move on to the these testers from Floris next.
I think one of the biggest troubles with choosing cologne is avoiding those fragrances that everyone seems to be wearing. What I’ve done with our list below is pick out a few less mainstream fragrances and mixed them up with a few classics. Additionally, I think the citrus is the key note in any summer fragrance, but I like to back that citrus up with a little something extra. These colognes are wonderful summer scents, but they will also stand out as originals and be noticed.
5. Truefitt & Hill “West Indian Limes”
British lime colognes are a summer staple. These fabulously refreshing scents are the backbone of any summer cologne collection, and Truefitt & Hill makes one of the best. Another feature I really like about T&H is their bottle design. The labels are eye-catching and the each spray from the diffuser offers an appropriate amount to wear; no guessing on how many sprays you should be using.
4. D. R. Harris “Arlington”
D. R. Harris is one of my favorite brands for several reasons. Their products are exceptional, they are less widely known than some other brands (I like being an original sometimes), and their prices are very reasonable considering the quality. Arlington is primarily a citrus fragrance, but with a base of fern it adds an extra layer that helps this cologne stand out.
3. Creed “Erolfa”
This incredible fragrance is meant to evoke sailing on the Mediterranean, a favorite vacation spot for the Creed family. Predominantly citrus, but blended with spices and sandalwood, this is the most complex cologne on our list. If you want to wear a summer scent that is a little more extravagant, this is the one for you.
2. Hermès Eau de Pamplemousse Rose
This was my go-to summer cologne for years, and I’ve probably received more compliments wearing this scent than any other. The Hermès Eau de Pamplemousse Rose screams summer, but in such a unique manner that it can’t be ignored. With grapefruit notes and a rose base, this will surely be noticed and appreciated.
1. Penhaligon’s “Blenheim Bouquet”
I’m obviously on a huge Penhaligon’s kick lately. In fact, I almost included the Juniper Sling on this list too, but I wanted to mix up the houses a bit more. Blenheim Bouquet has been around for over a hundred years, and is still the quintessentially classic summer cologne. The beauty of this cologne lies in its simplicity. There are no middle note, only top and base. With a blend of citrus, wood, and pepper, and supposedly worn by Sir Winston Churchill, it will serve you well too.
At a time when men’s fragrances seem to be overrun by dark, heavy, spicy scents, these summer colognes are the perfect way to embrace the lighter side of masculinity and stand out from the crowd. I know which ones I’ll be wearing all summer long, do you?
Regards,
