Scent of a man

Diesel eau de toilette. Photo / Babiche Martens

Men's colognes, once so reassuringly straightforward are now almost as multi-faceted as women's.

Historically men wore still popular aromas of crisp lavender, citrus and wood, followed by headier, spicy mixes. The fresh, airy, sometimes green unisex scents of Calvin Klein and Issey Miyake dominated from the 1980s. Jean-Paul Gaultier played with floral notes and in the last few years we've been back in warm, amber territory.

It's a merry-go-round, with every known ingredient now finding its way into bottles, the newest of which for men are fruity and food-influenced notes (the so-called gourmand category redolent of chocolate, vanilla, praline, and more). Statement scents such as Juicy Couture's Dirty English contain bold touches of leather.

The men's market is "very scattered," says Smith & Caughey's fragrance manager, Liz Pink, when I ask about any strong trends or preferences among her customers.

She says no one style of fragrance dominates, compared with women's more definite taste and trends.

Big sellers at the store now are warm modern classics: Gucci by Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana's The One, Versace Pour Homme and YSL L'Homme and L'Homme Nuit.

More mature men tend to stick with what they know, says Pink, with younger men noticeably brand conscious, seeing scent as a fashion commodity and a style statement. Advertising and bottle design are also influences on their purchase choice.

"Men are becoming a little more open to trying new things," she says.

Father's Day doesn't deliver retailers anywhere near the same fragrance spike as Mother's Day, but it's a good time to go shopping, because value-added gift sets abound.

We sample a few of the newer scents you'll find in store, all 2009 releases in New Zealand.

1. Calvin Klein Eternity for Men Summer 100ml edt $109

A limited edition retooling of Eternity for summer 2009, this is quite different from the 2008 version. Appealingly crisp and warm (top notes of gin, lime and bergamot, followed by pepper and herbaceous notes, then woods), but lacks staying power.

The pitch: The uplifting vibrancy of a summer's day.
The verdict: Well worth a holiday fling, but not a keeper.

2. Givenchy Play Intense 100ml edt $152

The heritage French brand uses a casually elegant Justin Timberlake as its "face" and this will be its biggest launch for some time. The bottle will appeal to the iPod generation and the range includes body products. Available in two strengths, Play is fresh and mixes citrus with woods, while the Intense version is more distinctive, being warm and sexy.

The pitch: Press play for a modern, multi-sensory experience that pushes emotional buttons like music.
The verdict: Get it on.

3. Hilfiger 50ml edt $95

Tommy Hilfiger's dream of creating a "cool classic with a twist" is not realised. Clean, crisp and masculine, and clearly designed by committee, this fragrance lacks originality. While perfectly pleasant, it would make a better aroma for a shampoo than a cologne.

The pitch: For the man who knows what he wants and how to get it.
The verdict: For the man too scared to put his head above the parapet.

4. Zegna Colonia 125ml edt $145

Think Sicilian orchards and a man in a white linen suit, more The Leopard than The Godfather, suffused in aromas of bergamot, powdery musk and cedar. The range includes after shave lotion, shower gel and deodorant. Stylish rather than sexy, a light corporate choice.

The pitch: Refined sun-kissed la dolce vita.
The verdict: Elegant insouciance for every day.

5. Lacoste Challenge 75ml edt $125

Fresh, clean, a little citrusy, so safe for playing doubles, but won't win any perfume Grand Slams. Like frontperson Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars), this seems to lack killer instinct, but look at what who he grew into. The cute croc and smart yellow and black packaging appeal.

The pitch: "Never resist the call of the game."
The verdict: Anyone for a little light tennis?

6. Zen for Men 50ml edt $95

Shiseido's first male fragrance follows the successful Zen for women and echoes its square-shaped bottle, this time in solid blue glass with a metallic silver top rather than the women's gold. The sophisticated scent opens with spicy and soft fruity notes and mixes in heady florals - love the hint of violet - strongly underpinned with more traditional leather and musk and a little patchouli, all designed to have an aromatherapy-style effect to relax body and mind.

The pitch: Zen in a bottle.
The verdict: Rest easy.

7. DKNY Men 100ml edt $159

Clean and citrusy, but with underlying masculine warmth and spicy touches, this scent manages, like the New York skyline, to be classic and cutting edge at the same time. The weighty grey glass bottle is based on the distinctive diamond-shape of the Flatiron Building. For the upwardly mobile male. (The range includes a body wash, shave gel and deodorant).

The pitch: If you can make it here...
The verdict: You'd make it anywhere.

8. Diesel Only the Brave 75ml eau de toilette $130

Only the Brave, or those with big marketing budgets, launch new fragrances, but every year around 600 new scents come out across the globe - luckily this one smells refreshingly good enough to stick around with leather, lemon, cedar and amber notes. The clenched fist bottle is eye-catching and takes on different meanings (aggressive to sculptural) depending on how it stands. The campaign is fronted by hip-hop artist Common.

The pitch: For a man in all his moods.
The verdict: Stands and delivers, but won't scare the horses.

Stockists: Leading department stores and pharmacies. Givenchy Play Exclusive to Farmers this month, then generally available from October.