The 10 Best Leather Colognes for Men

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Think of all the reasons you wear a leather jacket. No other garment lends instant swagger like it does, especially if it’s worn-in, roughed-up, and fits your body perfectly. Leather jackets of all styles have been a cornerstone of every stylish man’s wardrobe for generations because they’re just so damn cool. The timeless cool factor will never go away, which is why every guy should have a leather jacket—and a leather cologne.

Leather colognes are a mainstay in men’s perfumery for the exact reasons we love to throw on leather jackets. They’re sophisticated, masculine, and have an inherent cool factor that very few other notes (or materials) have. And as it turns out, leather is incredibly versatile when it comes to scent.

What’s interesting about leather is that, unlike natural ingredients like florals, spices, and woods, you can’t actually extract scent from the leather itself. Perfumers use either synthetic molecules or a combination of natural molecules (called an accord) to mimic the smell. This provides not only a wide variety of interpretations, but the ability to get super specific. You’ll see notes of “black leather,” “white suede,” or something else entirely. It all depends on the effect the perfumer was going for.

Leather jackets are not one size fits all and neither are leather colognes. But once you figure out what vibe you’re going for, there really is a leather cologne out there for you. Start with this list of the best to find the right one.

Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum

There’s no mistaking the leather in this cologne—it permeates the entire package—but instead of being aggressive, it comes across sophisticated. It’s a gentlemanly scent that’s surprisingly wearable for both day and night, thanks to the amber and patchouli at the base that give it a warm, herbal vibe. Think of it as less “cowboy” and more “oil baron.”

Tuscan Leather Eau de Parfum

If Ombre Leather is Tom Ford’s easy, toned-down version of leather, Tuscan Leather is the aggressive, literal version. The leather almost overpowers everything else—almost—but the sweeter top notes allow for a delicious opening that adds smoothness to the leather and the warm, woody dry down lends a layered elegance. The leather here is top quality. Not new car smell, but perfectly worn-in bespoke shoes or the seats of a vintage Ferrari.

Cosmic Cowboy Extrait de Parfum

Perfumehead’s scents, like all the best fragrances, tell stories and paint pictures. This boozy, smoky juice is inspired by the cowboy-filled honky-tonks of the 1970s Sunset Strip and one whiff is more than enough to take you there. The final effect of the fragrance isn’t especially Western or aggressive, but more cozy and sensual, like finding a vintage leather jacket that miraculously fits you like a glove.

Leatherize Eau de Parfum

Designed as an enhancer—a lighter fragrance to layer with others to change the vibe—this interpretation of leather smells almost exactly like the real thing. It’s slick, smooth, and warm, with a sharp edge that’s masculine in a ’70s Camaro kind of way. Sure, you can wear it as it was meant (that is, with another cologne) but we say try it by itself to really drive that leather home.

Nuit de Feu

This deceptively simple formula is all about unexpected luxury. It’s very incense-forward, which gives it a spooky, smoky, otherworldly aura that hits you right away. Soon the smoke parts to reveal smooth leather before the fragrance grounds itself in musk and oud, giving it a seductive sweaty skin feeling, without losing the mysteriousness of the incense. It’s a completely unique scent that is transporting and alluring for both yourself and everyone around you.

African Leather Eau de Parfum

Instead of peppery, the spices in this fragrance are warm and smooth to perfectly complement the distinctive leather note. The overall result is a cologne that’s bold enough to last for hours but doesn’t take over. The spices add texture to the smooth leather and give it bright, sunny vibe that’s enhanced with a touch of earthy and green herbs.

by Matthew Zink Eau de Parfum

There’s something very nostalgic about this fragrance but it doesn’t smell old fashioned. Instead, it calls to mind dark rooms, hot rendezvous, sweaty nights, and skin tight jeans. It’s smoky and spicy, but layered with musk and pungent black leather for an über masculine vibe that’s impossible to ignore. When you wear it, expect to be noticed—and for the compliments to come nonstop.

Bibliotheque Eau de Parfum

At first spray, the fruity peach and plum top notes take over, but pretty soon they give way to a deeper, more layered fragrance that really does call to mind the stacks of an old library. The sweetness doesn’t entirely go away, but as the florals and leather appear, like pages turning in a book, more depth is revealed.

Intense Leather Eau de Parfum

Most leather colognes lean on warmth, sweetness and spice to compliment the leather notes (which is partly why you often see a shift toward leather colognes in the winter), but this one does things a bit differently. Yes, there’s spice in the opening, but there’s also citrus that moves on to florals in the middle before drying down to earthy, musky notes. The leather is apparent all the way through, but it feels lighter and fresher than many others on this list.

Les Exclusifs de Chanel Cuir de Russie

This isn’t an ultra-masculine or aggressive leather cologne, but instead a subtler, drier take on the fragrance. Inspired by Coco Chanel’s brief affair with Russian Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich in the 1920s—and also her love of the Russian ballet—it has a distinct slavic influence in addition to a bouquet of fresh, clean florals that’s the perfect complement to a snowy day.

What To Look For

We know that choosing a fragrance is always a personal decision and often requires lots of testing and trying new scents. However, there are always a few things to keep in mind. First, the categories of fragrances are good clues to a couple of things—namely to how long they’ll last. Parfums and Eau de Parfums have the highest concentration of fragrance, which means they’ll usually last on your skin longer than others (they can also be more expensive because of the higher concentration). On the other end of the spectrum, Eau de Toilettes will last the shortest amount of time—usually only about 2-3 hours. If you’re concerned about longevity, then keep concentration in mind.

It’s also worth considering the overall olfactory pyramid for a fragrance. Even if you know you want a leather-forward fragrance, the other notes that are in the scent will determine how a single note comes across, even a strong note like leather. You’ll often see specific kinds of leather listed. Suede, for instance, is a smoother, more subtle version of leather (just like the texture of real suede). Also consider where in the pyramid your target note sits. Mostly you’ll find leather in the base, which means it’s going to linger on the skin longer, though sometimes you’ll find it in the middle notes, which means it may be more fleeting. Even if you can’t smell a scent, understanding the other notes in the concoction may give you a general idea of the vibe of the overall finished product.

Why Trust Us

We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.

When it comes to fragrance, one of the most important grooming items a man can have, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting scents that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved. Our grooming editor Garrett Munce, along with the rest of the style team, has spent years spritzing, spraying, wearing, and test driving hundreds (thousands!) of colognes and we are confident that these are the best.

Every pick on this list (and our other lists) comes from these years of testing. We know that no two tastes are the same, no two men are the same, and how you want to smell may vary from someone else. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who and care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.

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