High Five: Great Summer Colognes

Five Great Colognes for Summer

By Kevin J. Ryan, Chief Enthusiast

Once again eschewing the sweet, nauseating, girly scents you find in most stores, here’s a short list of warm weather fragrances for the Enthusiast male:

1)   Musgo Real Agua de Colonia No. 1- Orange Amber: This unique, fresh, citrusy scent is hard to describe without sounding like a pretentious, wine-swilling fancy-pants, but it gets lots of compliments from the fairer sex. Does anything else matter? The first day I wore it to work, three different women complimented me on it. One of them said it reminded her of the beach. So, buy some and wear it around women who are turned on by beaches. You’re welcome.

2)   Taylor of Old Bond Street No. 74 Victorian Lime: Taylor of Old Bond Street has been making reasonably priced, masculine fragrances and shaving products since 1854. The Victorian Lime variety of their excellent No. 74 is one of their most versatile. A little woody, it’s also the closest thing on the market to the beloved, discontinued English Leather Lime (RIP).

3)   Brut: You’re thinking, “Brut?” Yup. Darn right. It’s perfect for casual dress in the summer. It’s dirt cheap, smells fresh and clean and it’s available everywhere. If it cost a lot more and was available only at high-end retailers, it would probably have a stellar reputation. Like the ad says, it smells like a man. Not just any man- a sensible man. It never goes out of style. It’s the Volkswagen Golf of colognes.

4)   Truefitt & Hill West Indian Limes: It’s tough to beat the scent of lime as a summer men’s fragrance and there are a few of them out there. Slightly sweeter and a little stronger than Taylor of Old Bond Street’s Victorian Lime, this one costs a bit more but lasts a little longer. The matching aftershave balm is superb.

5)   Penhaligon English Fern: Suitable for any season, this old-fashioned classic is a killer. It’s pricey, but by no means outrageous compared to what you’d pay for something far less manly at Macy’s. You can’t go wrong.