When it comes to fragrance, spice adds depth. Of that there is no doubt. And mostly you’d find some sort of spice in just about every modern perfume on the market, whether that’s for women, men or a unisex fragrance. To give you a better idea on what a good spicy fragrance is, check out these six gems from brands like Matiere Premiere, Amouage and Montblanc.
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Best Spicy Fragrances For Men
Matiere Premiere ‘Crystal Saffron’
If you want something brand new and very long-lasting then turn your attention toward Matiere Premiere. The famed French perfumer, the creation of Aurélien Guichard, is known for really expressive one-note fragrances and Crystal Saffron plays right into that niche with a very focused, addictive profile.
For this, Greek saffron oil has been extracted from the dried stigmas of crocus flowers sourced from the Kozani region of Greece. It’s considered to be the most qualitative saffron in the world and such a distinction comes across beautifully as Crystal Saffron wastes absolutely no time coming through with a dark, leathery and slightly milky hint of spice that’s well worth the price.
Top notes: Musk habanolide
Middle notes: Saffron, ambroxin
Base notes: Incense
Viktor&Rolf ‘Spicebomb Extreme EDP’
Viktor&Rolf’s Spicebomb is probably the first that springs to mind in any discussion about the best spicy fragrances for men. It’s the most obvious, which means most fragrance aficionados would gleefully overlook this classic.
Overrated? Sure, I guess. But it’s hard to deny Spicebomb its place in fragrance history. The Extreme EDP version is a massive burst of tobacco and vanilla with pepper, saffron and cumin dancing in to spice things up considerably.
Top notes: Caraway, black pepper
Middle notes: Cumin, cinnamon, saffron
Base notes: Tobacco, vanilla, bourbon
Amouage ‘Crimson Rocks’
Complex, ridiculously spicy and super strong. Amouage perfumes are never for the faint-hearted and Crimson Rocks is no exception, not pulling any punches when it comes to transporting you to a nondescript spice market. I included Crimson Rocks in a previous Fragrance Friday about travel-inspired perfumes and I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring it up again here.
While Amouage Crimson Rocks is definitely not something you’d want to wear every day, the divisive long-lasting perfume really nails the brief for those looking to dial up the spice notes with highly concentrated ingredients of pink pepper, rose, cinnamon bark, oakwood and vetiver oil. This impactful, statement-making perfume is one of Amouage’s best in recent years.
Top notes: Pink pepper CO2, cinnamon bark essential
Middle notes: Rose essential, rose ultimate, Jujube honey accord
Base notes: Oakwood CO2, cedarwood atlas oil, vetiver oil
Dior ‘Sauvage Elixir’
What is now the best-selling men’s perfume of our time really validates the whole Amber family as the biggest money-maker in perfumery. Much like Spicebomb above it, Sauvage Elixir is an obvious choice when we’re talking about the best spicy perfumes for men. But it’s also a great one.
The Johnny Depp-backed fragrance has infallible notes of grapefruit, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom in the opening, setting up some bright, spicy groundwork before the deeply masculine base brings in all those creamy woods.
Top notes: Grapefruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom
Middle notes: Lavender, coumarin
Base notes: Haitian vetiver, sandalwood, liquorice, amber, patchouli
Montblanc ‘Starwalker’
As one of the older and often overlooked fragrances in the Montblanc collection, Starwalker is a woody spicy EDT treat worth looking into. Michel Almairac helped build this one for the luxury brand back in 2005, wisely holding back on the spice until the very end when all this ginger comes rushing in with fir resin, nutmeg and amber.
Although before we get to that gloriously spicy base you’ve got a showstopping opener of fresh bamboo, bergamot and mandarin orange bridging through to sandalwood, white musk and cedar. It’s unlike what you’d expect from a modern perfume, which is exactly why you should consider Starwalker the dark horse when it comes to the round-up of the best spicy fragrances for men. It’s also the most affordable, sacrificing a bit of that longevity and volume you’d typically expect from one of Montblanc’s fresher fragrances for a lower price point.
Top notes: Bamboo, bergamot, mandarin orange
Middle notes: Sandalwood, white musk, cedar
Base notes: Ginger, fir resin, nutmeg, amber
Clive Christian ‘E Gourmande Oriental Masculine’
I didn’t include this one in my best gourmand fragrances round-up in last week’s edition of Fragrance Friday because this arresting amber scent is at its best when all that clove and cinnamon comes rushing through in the middle. Clive Christian is always a good idea, and the British luxury brand commands a high price for its perfumes for good reason.
E Gourmande Oriental Masculine is easily one of their best if you skew more towards those spicy perfumes that really layer on those nuances of spice and sweetness to the point where you’re walking around smelling like a Roman bakery. And everyone loves Roman bakeries.
Top notes: Caraway, black pepper
Middle notes: Cumin, cinnamon, saffron
Base notes: Tobacco, vanilla, bourbon
