The 14 Best Spicy Colognes You Can Buy Right Now

The thing about inexpensive colognes is that they usually smell, well, inexpensive. This wallet-friendly fragrance, however, smells just as complex as anything you’d find in the department store. Black vanilla and tobacco lend it a masculine gravitas, but the addition of cardamom is what really makes it special. It’s a spicy, elegant vibe that sticks around on your skin for hours, making it an even better value.Fragrance FamilySpicy, woodyNotesCardamom, cashmere wood, vanilla, black vetiver, tobaccoSizes3.4 ozLike the other members of the Eros family, this spicier, woodier version captures a party in a bottle. This is a casual, fun scent with fresh notes of mandarin orange, lemon, chinotto, florals like geranium and rose, and woods like sandalwood and Texas cedar. The spice that sets it apart—a double dose of pepper in both the top and heart notes—gives it a spicy edge. The overall vibe is cool, fun, and ready to stay out all night.Fragrance FamilySpicy, woodyNotesMandarin orange, chinotto accord, Madagascan black pepper, lemon, rosemary, pepperwood, geranium, rose, patchouli, Haitian vetiver, vanilla, sandalwood, tonka bean, oakmossSizes1.7 oz, 3.4 oz, 6.7 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowSince it debuted in 2009, this elegant, spicy cologne has quickly entered the pantheon of most popular men’s fragrances—and for good reason. It’s the ultimate masculine nighttime scent, loaded with cardamom in the top note for a smooth opening, tempered with lavender, Virginia cedar, and bergamot at the heart for a masculine vibe, and then finished off with a base of herbal vetiver and spicy coriander. It’s a double hit of spice, but the effect is more sensual than nose prickling and pairs perfectly with a tuxedo.Fragrance FamilySpicy, woody, earthyNotesCardamom, bergamot, cedarwood, lavender, black pepper, coumarin, vetiverSizes2 oz, 3.3 ozYou know what they say: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This refreshing aftershave has been around for almost a century, and the classic scent has gone nearly unchanged. The exact formula is kept under lock and key, but the fresh, spicy vibe is incomparable. It’s instantly recognizable and makes you not only smell fresh but feel fresh too. It’s subtle, and more of an aftershave splash than a spray cologne, but it’s good enough that you don’t need anything else.Fragrance FamilyAmber, spicyNotesCitrus, aldehydes, blood orange, star anise, cinnamon, carnation, pimento, nutmeg, jasmine, vanilla, musk, cedarwood, amber resinSizes4.25 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowAt this point, this iconic cologne probably doesn’t need an introduction. It’s one of Tom Ford’s most popular for a reason—it oozes sex appeal, just like his clothes. The smooth, warm vanilla mixed with the smoky tobacco is a powerful pairing, but what really makes this one of the best colognes out there are the spicy notes at the top that announce each spray with a bang. Mixed with ginger, they amp up the volume of both the tobacco and vanilla and take what could be an overly sweet note into strong, masculine territory.Fragrance FamilySpicyNotesTobacco leaf, ginger, vanilla, cacao, tonka bean, tobacco blossom, dried fruit accord, woody notes, sweet wood sapSizes0.34 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz, 8.4 ozWarm and sensual, this extrait de parfum blends guaiac wood, palo santo, cashmere wood, and Peru balsam resin for a deeply woody, earthy scent. It’s also accented by cozy notes of black tea and spicy nutmeg, and its base is smooth and masculine with leather, vanilla, and milky musk—an example of a spicy fragrance that’s actually quite soft instead of being too sharp.Fragrance FamilyWoody, spicyNotesBergamot, nutmeg, orris, Jamaican pimento, guaiac wood, black tea, palo santo, cashmere wood, leather, vanilla absolute, milky musk, Peru balsamSizes1 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowThis warm blend of woods, spices, and florals is Aesop’s best-selling and most iconic fragrance for a reason: It’s simply unforgettable. Once you smell this alluring scent, you’ll crave it. It has a base of sandalwood and cedarwood and features neroli, jasmine, and rose at the top, but what truly stands out here, and comes through the most, is the spicy cardamom and clove.Fragrance FamilyWoody, spicy, floralNotesBergamot, neroli, jasmine, rose, cardamom, patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood, cloveSizes1.6 oz, 3.3 ozThe inspiration behind Arquiste’s Nanban EDP is quite fascinating; the fragrance is based on the ancient commercial trade between Asia, Europe, and the Americas in the early 17th century. How can a cologne represent three different continents and their shared history, you ask? Nanban does it incredibly well. It starts with a spicy opening of Malabar black pepper, Persian saffron, black tea, and Chinese osmanthus (blooms from small Eastern Asian trees), then journeys to a heart of coffee, leather, sandalwood, and myrrh. Finally, it lands on a warm, smoky, resinous base that ties it all together.Fragrance FamilyAmber, spicyNotesMalabar black pepper, Persian saffron, black tea accord, Chinese osmanthus, coffee absolute, Spanish leather, sandalwood, myrrh, frankincense, styrax, copaiba balsam, cadeSizes1 oz, 3.4 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowSpicy fragrances can bring the heat for sure, but sometimes they can be more lightweight. D’Orsay’s Tonka Hysteria extrait is a great example of a spicy cologne that has a subtle heat to it but is also quite smooth, thanks to juicy mandarin, iris, and sweet tonka bean and vanilla.Fragrance FamilyAmber, spicyNotesMandarin, pink pepper, olibanum, cinnamon, iris butter, iris resin, lily of the valley, tonka bean, benzoin, vanillaSizes1.7 oz, 3 ozWhen you think of spicy fragrances, you don’t automatically think of florals and amber, but that’s exactly what this unexpectedly spicy scent delivers. It’s heavy on the flowers (jasmine, geranium, rose, orange blossom) but warmed and smoothed by vanilla, tonka bean, and patchouli at the base. What makes it spicy, though, is the crisp top note that features coriander, a sultry spice that lingers on your skin, adding warmth and depth.Fragrance FamilyAmber, woody, floralNotesMandarine, bergamot, coriander, orange, jasmine sambac, geranium, rose, saffron, orange blossom, vaniglia, tonka bean, patchouliSizes6 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowIf the name didn’t tip you off, this cologne is all about the spice, especially the Extreme version. There’s a hit of black pepper on the top note to open it up and a double helping of spice in the heart thanks to cinnamon and cumin that mingle with a base of tobacco, woody amber, and black vanilla. This sort of ultra-spicy scent isn’t for every day but is ideal for a date—the hotter the better.Fragrance FamilyAmber, spicyNotesGrapefruit, pimento berries, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, saffron, tobacco accord, woody amber, black vanilla, cistusSizes1.7 oz, 3.04 ozThere are a lot of reasons to love Sauvage, another of the most popular and iconic men’s fragrances out there, but this more concentrated Elixir version builds on the original by dialing up the spice. Top notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom give teeth to the first spray and blend with the other notes, like lavender, sandalwood, amber, and patchouli, to give it an arresting yet still wearable vibe. It’s appropriate for every day but especially if you’re heading to a rock concert after work.Fragrance FamilySpicy, fresh, woodyNotesNutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, grapefruit, lavender, licorice, sandalwood, amber, patchouli, Haitian vetiverSizes2 oz, 3.4 oz, 5 ozAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowAlthough there aren’t any specific spices listed in the notes of this fragrance, the sharp pine needles and the smoky incense are what give it its bite. The base of this is a trifecta of woods (atlas cedar, Himalayan cedar, and Virginia cedar) that gives this a crisp, woody presence that is unabashedly masculine, then punched up with the incense and pine. Without any actual spices in the formula, it’s still pretty damn spicy—but not in a “I just raided the spice cabinet” way.Fragrance FamilyWoody, earthyNotesPine needles, olibanum, benzoin, incense, cedarwood oilsSizes0.33 oz, 1.6 oz, 3.3 ozSure, this fragrance is smoky—how could it not be with the notes of Kentucky tobacco absolute?—and a little sweet from the notes of apple hookah and a double hit of bourbon vanilla and pure jungle essence vanilla. But it’s the cinnamon bark that sets this sexy scent apart. It’s strong but comes off more like cinnamon candy (think Red Hots) than aggressive. It’s the kind of scent that’s familiar and mysterious all at once and will definitely stop people in their tracks.Fragrance FamilyAmber, spicyNotesRound apple hookah/shisha flavor, smoke, cinnamon bark, Kentucky tobacco absolute, oakmoss, resinoid, Bourbon vanilla, orcanox, balsamic tonalitiesSizes1.7 oz