1 6 L’Amoureux by D&G
The package: Understated and plain. D&G doesn’t need gimmicks to sell its brand – it’s D&G, and that’s enough.
The smell: Like a freshly mown lawn. Crisp and no-nonsense.
Best for: Mr Practicality. He likes his space clean, his nails filed and buffed and his bills paid well before the due date.
Dhs229 for 50ml
2 Boss Collector’s Edition by Hugo Boss
The package: Sleek, shiny and silver, like a bullet.
The smell: Sharp and citrusy with a lingering note that’s a bit sickly.
Best for: Wannabe players and aspiring men of mystery. For the man that wears his hair slicked back and dresses better than his girlfriend.
Dhs237 for 50ml
3 Challenge by Lacoste
The package: Preppy chic. We like the chunky rectangular shape, and the single Lacoste alligator gracing the front gives it a sporty edge.
The smell: Musky and saccharine, with medicinal hints.
Best for: The refined older gentlemen (and by older we mean seventies). It’s not a fragrance for the young or young at heart.
Dhs172 for 50ml
4 51.3N by Dunhill
The package: Simple, but far from boring. Various flourishes (a grooved cap and sleek sans-serif font) give the bottle a slightly feminine touch.
The smell: Like a sweet melon. For a man’s scent, it has a lot of fruity undertones.
Best for: Men confident in their metrosexuality, and guys who are unafraid to get manicures and use hair gel.
Dhs216 for 50ml
5 Fahrenheit Absolute by Dior
The package: With its cherry-red bottle, we almost mistook this fragrance for cough syrup. Still, it’s simple and chic, and highlights the cedary undertones of this scent.
The smell: Think an upmarket version of Old Spice. It has the same lingering, cinnamon notes of its cheaper olfactory doppelganger, and the same overall woodiness.
Best for: Those rugged, outdoorsy types who can carry off this manly scent as easily as they might a lumberjack shirt.
Dhs269 for 50ml
6 Kenzo Power Cologne by Kenzo
The package: Cool in a minimalist sort of way. The clean, clear bottle is understated, which we like.
The smell: At first sniff the scent has a floral, musky smell, but the cedar notes soon take over.
Best for: Eccentric flamboyants who are up on the latest trends and never neglect their hair products.
Dhs300 for 50ml
7 F by Ferragamo Black
The package: A simple, solid rectangular square that feels a tad old-fashioned, but in that sexy, nostalgic Mad Men kind of way.
The smell: A subtle scent with floral and spicy undertones. It reminds us of something our dad, or perhaps Don Draper, would wear.
Best for: Dapper 40-year-olds and advertising executives.
Dhs215 for 50ml
