Old School Men’s Cologne has really upped its game since the old days of Old Spice, which debuted in 1937.
Though, no matter how many brands of cologne cover the shelves in department stores, none come close to the classics that have stood the test of time.
It is not just the metrosexual man that reaches for a bottle of cologne, but the man that wants to stand out, feel more confident and attract more admirers.
James Bond author, Ian Fleming, wore the cologne Floris No. 89.
Two fragrances that have been attached to James Bond’s character were Guerlain Imperiale and Dunhill Elite.
Let’s begin and embark on a journey of the top 10 old school men’s colognes that have stood the test of time!
Green Irish Tweed by Creed is a unique, classic and elegant “benchmark scent” for mature men who like traditional and old school colognes.
Creed is a niche perfume house that was favored by royalty before they opened their doors to the public in 1970.
Green Irish Tweed came out in 1985, by perfumer Olivier Creed, and is still popular today. It is dubbed “The King of Spring,” for good reason, as it has a fresh spring smell to it that reminds one of lush, green hills.
It is used by celebrities such as Clint Eastwood and the very dapper George Clooney.
The first thing Green Irish Tweed opens up with is bright and enveloping citrus.
Its top notes are really addictive, from both lemon and verbena. In its heart, iris and violet leaf welcome you to sensations of floral scents of spring. The violet stands out more than the iris, but both are noticeable.
Its base notes consist of ambergris, which makes it smell very fresh, and aromatic, as well as Mysore sandalwood.
This is a cologne with good longevity of around 6 to 7 hours, and a projection of up to 2 hours. It is definitely an old men’s cologne that you must have.
But it can work on both classic men and younger generations.
Green Irish Tweed is perfect for weather that is neither too hot, nor too cold, and well suited during the daytime. It does suit nighttime occasions during warmer weather too.
Many men do, however, wear this all year round.
Green Irish Tweed is very suitable as a signature scent.
This is a cologne to wear with a suit and tie, to business meetings or formal events, or even if you just want to make an impression but can work for any occasion as well. If you have a date with your wife or girlfriend, take them on a picnic as this cologne will work perfectly, and they will always ask you to wear it!
Green Irish Tweed is so iconic that in fragrance communities, people call it GIT.
Like a dip in the cool Mediterranean Sea on a hot summer’s day, that is what this classic men’s cologne represents.
Davidoff Cool Water for Men is a sexy fragrance that is both fresh and invigorating. It is a very masculine fragrance, created back in 1988 and still very popular today.
It is an old school fragrance that is beloved by many. The bottle is masculine, straight and rectangular in a crisp shade of light royal blue with a solid black lid.
Celebrities known for wearing this classic scent include Alexander Skarsgård, Clint Eastwood, Pierce Brosnan, Kevin Costner, as well as Sean Bean.
Davidoff Cool Water is known for having a very similar vibe as Green Irish Tweed. It can smell a bit “soapy”, or a bit like standard clean laundry.
No matter what, you will smell fresh and wonderfully clean! It is the perfect cologne for older men to spray on just after stepping out of the shower!
On the other hand, it is very affordable comparing to the bottle from the pricer house of Creed.
The top fragrance review Youtuber – Jeremy Fragrance also mentioned this perfume on one of his recent videos:
Top notes include coriander, lavender, orange blossom, peppermint, and rosemary. Middle notes are sandalwood, geranium, jasmine as well as oakmoss. Base notes consist of a quartet of appealing and seductive scents including musk, sandalwood, amber, and cedar.
The longevity is around 6-7 hours.
For this particular scent, many occasions fair well. Davidoff Cool Water can be worn while doing sports, in a club or out on a date, in the office or any special celebration.
It definitely suits warmer weather and is perfect in the spring and summer. It is suitable for the night in warmer climates.
Coty’s Aspen for Men is an old school fragrance that appeared all the way back in 1989. It has been on the market for 30 years already and is still very popular. Aspen has a sharp herbaceous and woody fragrance.
It promotes outdoor adventure and is a very masculine scent. The color of the bottle is a beautiful emerald with a golden lid and the look is very stylish and classic.
Top notes include lemon, bergamot, galbanum and green notes. Middle notes consist of sweet jasmine, delicious orange blossom, geranium, coriander as well as cyclamen. The base notes consist of a delicious mix of balsam fir, amber, ever-alluring musk, cedar, and oakmoss.
The longevity is between 5 to 8 hours.
Aspen for Men is not overpowering but is very apparent to anyone who comes close – only to their delight, of course!
This cologne works the best during the day in spring and summer. Aspen for Men is the kind of fragrance you can wear on an everyday basis when out with friends, at the gym, going to a BBQ with friends or even at work.
It’s fresh and will make you feel great!
PS Fine Cologne by Paul Sebastian has launched 40 years ago – way back in 1979. It is an American brand and is produced by Elizabeth Arden.
It has an extremely mature aromatic scent – something you would wear into your late 30’s and beyond. It’s an old school classic that has definitely stood the test of time.
Paul Sebastian Cologne is a very well-loved fragrance that stays popular year after year. It comes in a square-shaped bottle with a golden lid and golden liquid inside.
It has an old school classic cologne design.
The top notes are sage, homely nutmeg and lavender. The middle notes consist of spicy cloves, sweet jasmine, ylang-ylang, as well as other spices and rose. The base notes are an alluring mix of patchouli, amber, oakmoss, and musk.
The longevity of this particular fragrance is amazing and can last up to 12 hours. It only needs to be applied in the morning without worry about re-applications throughout the day.
This fragrance is aromatic and best worn at night, although it suits the day as well.
PS Fine Cologne is perfect for cooler climates and fits in perfectly in fall and winter. It is the perfect cologne for family occasions, celebrations, the office as well as romantic dates.
Coty’s Jovan Musk for Men comes in a simple, rectangular bottle with amber liquid and a long silver lid. It contains a woody, floral, musk fragrance specifically for men.
It was originally created way back in 1973 and the nose behind this classic is Murray Moscona.
The top notes of this old school classic include carnation, lime, and pepper as well as gorgeous, fresh, Italian, Amalfi lemon. The middle notes consist of amber, lavender, mint as well as exotic spices. Base notes are made up of woodsy notes as well as its vital ingredient – musk!
The longevity of this cologne is between 4 to 8 hours and you may need to reapply it during the day. It’s a good idea to rub some of the fragrance into the hair.
This cologne is best worn in cold temperatures such as winter and fall due to its warm and comforting scent.
Jovan Musk is also perfectly fine to wear during the spring and summer. It suits the day and night. It is best worn for romantic dates and the office but not necessarily for special celebrations.
Jovan Musk is a great gift for Father’s Day.
This scent is absolutely addictive! 4711 by Muelhens is one of the most classic fragrances to date.
It has been around since the 18th century (the fragrance was created in 1792) and is a traditional German cologne. Napoleon Bonaparte was known for wearing this cologne.
It comes in a beautiful bottle covered in turquoise and gold colors with a gold and red lid. Its look is very ostentatious.
The top notes of this old school classic cologne include orange oil, basil, lemon, bergamot, and peach. Middle notes consist of lily, Bulgarian rose, cyclamen, melon, and jasmine. Base notes are made up of seductive musk, delicious patchouli, Tahitian vetiver, sandalwood, cedar as well as oakmoss.
It does not have strong longevity, so a lot needs to be applied – but it’s worth it. 4711 has lasted this long for a reason.
This is a fragrance best worn during the day in the spring and summer. It’s a refreshing scent and perfect for work and the office.
It is a fragrance that brings old memories to life as it has been around for such a long time. No doubt your grandfather wore this at some stage of his life.
Joop! Homme for Men was advertised as “Real Men Wear Pink!” when it was first marketed. It was introduced in the 80s – a decade of exuberance, glam rock, over the top fashion, big hair and way too much makeup.
Joop! Homme’s bottle is translucent with an unashamedly pink liquid. It’s for the man with enough confidence to wear pink and own it! It possesses a very sensual, sexy, oriental fragrance that really appeals to the senses.
Be aware: this old school cologne is known for its strong scents. Don’t overspray!
Joop! Homme has top notes of bergamot, orange blossom, lemon, and mandarin. The middle notes include lily of the valley, cinnamon, heliotrope, and jasmine. Don’t we all love things exotic? Well, the base notes of this fragrance include tonka bean, patchouli, vanilla, and sandalwood.
This fragrance’s longevity is simply outstanding, often lasting up to 12 hours. It is a fragrance that is going to last and doesn’t need to be constantly applied throughout the day – so it’s also a great buy!
This is a very sensual and sexy perfume you want to wear to attract others. It’s perfect for the night to wear at bars, clubs, and romantic encounters.
It works perfectly for winter and will make you feel warmed up during chilly climates. This may have been created in 1989 but it is a continuously progressive fragrance!
There are, however, two modern alternatives to this old men’s cologne that smells like Joop! Homme. They are Individuel by Mont Blanc and Creed Original Santal.
Individuel by Mont Blanc is a cologne that was released in 2003, and smells like Joop! Homme, but is different thanks to its juniper berry note.
Individuel is also very similar to Creed Original Santal but is much more affordable. Its perfumer is the very famous Pierre Bourdon, who is a famous perfumer of many a cologne for older men.
Its top notes are spicy cardamom and coriander, rosemary, cinnamon, pineapple, lavender, bergamot, juniper berries, and mint.
In its heart, you will find geranium, orange blossom, jasmine, and violet.
Its base notes seduce you with dark chocolate, amber, vanilla, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, raspberry, oakmoss, and vetiver.
It has good longevity of 6-8 hours with a projection of around 2 hours.
Individuel is the perfect modern alternative to cologne for older men that smells like Joop! Homme and is one of the best sandalwood colognes.
Original Santal has a very similar vibe to Mont Blanc Individuel.
Along with its cheaper price, Mont Blanc Individuel is often considered a clone of Creed’s Santal. However, Creed Original Santal was released to the public in 2005. This was later than Individuel.
It is a woody oriental fragrance for men due to the sandalwood (santal in French) note and the spices, but we’ll get to that shortly.
It smells like Joop! Homme for Men, but is more similar to Mont Blanc Individuel because it is smoother and not as sweet and loud as Joop! Homme. That said, it still is unique in its own way, even though it’s a more modern alternative to cologne for older men.
Creed Original Santal is one of the best Sandalwood colognes based around its sandalwood note. The sandalwood used in this composition is Mysore sandalwood, which is one of the most precious ingredients, and pricey due to the fact that it is so scarce.
The top notes are coriander, cinnamon, and juniper berry. Coriander adds sharpness to the fragrance but disappears after 25-30 minutes. Its heart is warm with rosemary, Mysore sandalwood, which adds a smooth and creamy texture to this composition, a very well blended lavender that smells very natural, orange tree absolute, and very faint ginger. Its base notes consist of tonka bean and vanilla, yet the tonka bean scent is much stronger than the vanilla.
The longevity of this modern alternative to old men’s cologne is between 6 and 7 hours, and it has a great projection of 1 to 1.5 hours of around 5 feet.
It’s best worn in colder temperatures, in winter and fall, and cold spring, and summer evenings, and suits romantic encounters, as well as occasions where a lot of fun is to be had, such as parties, clubs, bars, and get-togethers with friends.
Ralph Lauren’s Polo comes in a beautiful moss green bottle with a solid, round, golden lid. Etched on the front, in gold, is a man on a horse playing polo.
Polo is not your average game and left for those of a more sophisticated class and that is what this heavily masculine, old school cologne is – all man, all sophistication.
Polo is a fragrance that has been around for a long time as it launched in 1978. Several famous gentlemen wear this perfume, including Bradley Cooper and 50 cents.
It is a cologne that would fit in well in any of the older James Bond movies – especially ones starring the ever-so-dashing and suave Sean Connery.
The top notes of this winner are grassy notes of artemisia, thyme, bergamot, pine, green notes, lavender, as well as basil and spicy cumin. The middle notes consist of coriander, rose, thyme, marjoram, sweet jasmine, carnation, and rose. Base notes include frankincense, oakmoss, leather, patchouli, amber, musk, cedar, and tobacco.
There’s no denying this fragrance belongs to a man. It possesses strong longevity of between 10 to 12 hours.
Ralph Lauren’s Polo is a cologne that works best for men in their mid-30’s and above. It is great for romantic dates and going out at night to pubs.
It suits the winter climate best as well as fall but can also be worn during the day. There is also no problem with wearing this to the office.
Calvin Klein’s Eternity for men is very much a classic old school men’s cologne that symbolizes love and relationships.
It was originally advertised with supermodels Christy Turlington and Mark Vanderloo back in the ’90s and later with A-list actor Jake Gyllenhaal, model Liya Kebede and 4-year-old actress Leila.
The fragrance symbolizes true love and relationships, as well as family. It is forever – in eternity. Eternity comes in a beautiful, yet simple bottle with a silver lid and the words “Eternity for Men” spread across the front.
It has an aromatic, woody, sharp scent that brushes on sweetness. The perfume went public in 1990.
The top notes consist of mandarin orange, lavender, as well as bergamot and lemon. Middle notes include juniper berries, geranium, coriander, orange blossom, sweet jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, basil as well as lily. Base notes consist of Brazilian rosewood, amber, sandalwood, vetiver, and musk.
Its longevity is between 4 to 6 hours.
This fragrance works best during the day in spring and summer. Eternity is perfect for special celebrations during the day and worn with your loved one. It’s even great to wear at work.
Eternity for men is not the scent you wear to pubs and clubs or when partying but perfect for any kind of use during the day.
There is also a modern alternative to Eternity for Men and it is called Eternity Now, which was released in 2015, a whole 27 years since the original.
Eternity Now contains a stunning old men’s cologne scent that works for younger generations too. It has top notes of ginger and tropical coconut nectar, as well as star anise. The middle notes consist of star fruit, cedarwood, and patchouli. In its base, you will find warm Madagascar vanilla, atlas cedarwood, and tonka bean.
It is a stunning tropical, coconut fragrance that needs to be sprayed on every few hours, and is great to wear in any season, day or night but does not suit formal events of any kind.
Eternity Now is a fun fragrance that will remind you of days spent on tropical beaches sipping on Piña Coladas.
Versace was one of the biggest fashion designers the world had ever seen, and The Dreamer by Versace captures all that was him – a creative dreamer that propelled himself into the design stratosphere and excelled beyond his wildest dreams.
This gorgeous and well-loved fragrance was created back in 1996 and was made for the romantic soul – how Italian!
The bottle is reminiscent of the creation of the renaissance period with a beautiful long structure to it, the Versace design on the front and a beautiful top. It’s a bottle of beauty with a light pastel pink liquid which obviously was designed with a lot of thought.
The Dreamer is a fragrance worn by old school rocker Axl Rose, among others.
The top notes are that of clary sage, mandarin, and lavender. Right in the middle are tobacco, rose, as well as geranium. The base notes consist of cedar and tonka bean. The longevity of this fragrance is anywhere between 5 to 10 hours depending on your skin.
It’s best to apply a generous amount of it in the morning.
The Dreamer by Versace is perfect for special occasions as well as celebrations, parties, clubs and the pub.
It’s great for semi-formal events as well, not forgetting romantic dates with your loved one.
The Dreamer suits the night and colder seasons, winter and fall, best. It is the perfect old school cologne when you want to treat yourself!
We hope you like this eclectic mix of cologne with scents that range from musk to spice and everything in between.
They’re old school, they’re classic, and they’re here to last forever!
If you have other classic, old school men’s cologne that you think should be on this list, leave a comment below.
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