Even if you're an amateur in the world of fragrances, you've probably heard the term musk before. Musk is an ingredient secreted from male deer specifically used in perfume making, but more than that it's become a larger, broader term to describe scents that are quite warm and woody, often with hints of florals or citrus. It also smells fuckin' delicious.
Unlike most other perfume scents—fruity, floral, spicy, earthy—that are essentially made up of the same handful of popular ingredients layered with different notes, musky colognes encompass an expansive breadth of scents. There are musky colognes bottled with lavender and musky colognes bottled with leather; a musky cologne that smells of sweet summer fruit and a musky cologne that smells of dark, spicy rum. Really it's a strong and sweet odor (how else would male deer attract female deer?) that blends perfectly with many other ingredients to make a sophisticated, intoxicatingly delicious scent. Mmm.
So really it doesn't quite matter what your taste in fragrances is, as long as you like to smell amazing. If that sounds like you, then there's a whole variety of different types of musky scents to choose from, and 15 of the best ones are right here.
Pros
- Sophisticated yet wearable
- Good for every day
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Some may find it too strong
A no-nonsense musk, this scent perfectly balances the light and the dark with a floral fragrance that still manages to be masculine thanks to notes of black leather and cedarwood alongside violet leaf.
Fragrance Family | Leather, spicy |
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Notes | Cardamom, leather, jasmine sambac, amber, moss, patchouli |
Pros
- Versatile for day and night
- Smells more expensive than it is
- Very affordable
Cons
- Doesn't last very long
A uniquely fresh musk, this one layers bergamot, rose, oakmoss, and patchouli for a deliciously clean scent.
Fragrance Family | Fresh |
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Notes | Apple, pineapple, bergamot, rose, birch leaf, patchouli, musk, oakmoss, amber |
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Pros
- Classic and wearable
- Long-lasting
- Very affordable
Cons
- Some may find it overpowering
Kiehl's keeps it classic with a musk that gets the job done for under $50. Warm tonka nut, musk, and white patchouli blend with fresh florals and citruses for a captivating fragrance that's sweet around the edges.
Fragrance Family | Woody, floral |
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Notes | Orange blossom, bergamot, ylang-ylang, neroli, lily, rose, musk, tonka bean, patchouli |
Pros
- Good for every day
- Long-lasting
- Very affordable
Cons
- Some may find it smells synthetic
Spice and black vanilla—does that not sound delicious? Dip your toe in the world of musk with this affordable fragrance that won't cost a pretty penny.
Fragrance Family | Wood |
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Notes | Cardamom, cashmere wood, bourbon, vanilla, vetiver |
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Pros
- Elegant
- Good for formal occasions
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Lots of people wear it
Sophisticated and elegant, this is a very nuanced scent that has notes of bergamot, lavender, and pineapple leaves on top, with dry amber, oakmoss, sandalwood, and tonka bean at the base.
Fragrance Family | Fresh |
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Notes | Lavender, pineapple, bergamot, lemon verbena, red apple, dried fruits, oakmoss, geranium, coumarin, rose, tonka bean, sandalwood |
Pros
- Sophisticated
- Good for day and night
- Unique but not aggressive
Cons
- Expensive
If any perfumer knows how to do a regal scent, it's Penhaligon (the go-to brand of Princess Diana). This masculine fragrance, aside from it's insanely cool bottle, smells warm and sharp, with notes of lavender, rum, and tonka bean atop cedarwood, ambrox, and vetiver.
Fragrance Family | Woody, spicy |
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Notes | Woody notes, brandy, amber, tonka bean |
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Pros
- Fresh and bright
- Good for summer
- Unique
Cons
- Doesn't last a long time
In this cologne that draws on rhubarb, the musk is earthy and poignant. Lantana and musk merge with vegetal notes to create an exotic and bold scent.
Fragrance Family | Fresh |
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Notes | Rhubarb, red berries, lantana, white musk |
Pros
- Fresh and natural smelling
- Great for warm weather
- Good for every day
Inspired by a slow Texan lifestyle, this is the southern cologne that's sweet as molasses and sharp as a cactus. Top notes of green coyote chola, desert pepper, and neroli balance out orange flower, incense, and water musk in the base.
Fragrance Family | Woody, floral |
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Notes | Cactus, incense, fig, creosote bush, orange blossom, Texas cedar, pepper, neroli, musk |
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Pros
- Sophisticated
- Good for every day
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Expensive
Incredibly luxe and wildly sophisticated, Parfums De Marly draws on the tradition of musk cologne to make a fragrance packed with all the must-have ingredients, like bergamot, lavender, saffron, cedarwood, vetiver, leather, and musk.
Fragrance Family | Woody, fresh |
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Notes | Clary sage, lavender, bergamot, saffron, praline, oud, cedar |
Pros
- Distinctive yet wearable
- Good for cold weather
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Expensive
Less inspired by the animal itself than the idea of a lion (you know: powerful, regal, proud), this warm spicy fragrance isn't necessarily musk forward but contains a healthy dose of the note in the base to give it an animalic quality. There’s also amber, patchouli, bergamot, and sandalwood to give it a powerful, can't-tear-your-nose-away presence.
Fragrance Family | Woody, spicy |
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Notes | Bergamot, lemon, labdanum, amber, patchouli, Madagascar vanilla, musk, sandalwood |
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Pros
- Subtle but distinctive
- Great for daytime wear
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Expensive
No scent inspired by the sweaty, smoky cowboy bars of 1970's-era Sunset Strip would be complete without musk, which gives a skin-on-skin quality to this sexy cologne. The base note includes black musk, as well as amber, suede, and cacao, which gives it a grounded sensuality.
Fragrance Family | Woody, spicy |
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Notes | Cinnamon, galbanum, orris root, whiskey, angelica root, tobacco leaf, amber, suede, black musk, cacao |
Pros
- Designed to mix with your skin's natural scent
- Refillable
- Great for everyday wear
Cons
- Ships from the UK
Not only does this new sustainable fragrance brand make all of its bottles refillable, but the fragrances themselves are vegan and eco-friendly. Think of this version as exactly what the name suggests: the smell of skin but better. A blend of white musks and "secret" botanical extracts is subtle but serves to enhance your skin's natural smell—in a good way.
Fragrance Family | Woody |
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Notes | Musk |
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Pros
- Iconic and distinctive
- Versatile
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Some may find it overpowering
There's a double helping of musk in this ultra-sexy scent (it's in the middle and base notes), but there's more to it than just that. Combined with amber, sandalwood and vanilla, this deep, rich, very sensual fragrance is one of the most distinctive musk scents of all time.
Fragrance Family | Spicy |
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Notes | Lavender, tangerine, bergamot, coriander, neroli, cinnamon, cloves, orris root, rose, osmanthus, musk, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, sandalwood, guaiac wood, cedar, animal notes, patchouli |
Pros
- Subtle but distinctive
- Mixes well with the scent of your skin
- Long-lasting
Cons
- May be too musky for some
In perfumery, musk has traditionally been used to evoke the sexiness of skin—especially skin-on-skin activities. It's a potent, pungent note that can be overpowering, but this is subtle yet still carnal. Even though it's inspired by the skin of a lover, it's not overbearing, and because the musk notes are combined with ambergris, clary sage, white pepper, and okoume wood, it’s shockingly complex.
Fragrance Family | Woody |
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Notes | Musk, ambergris, clary sage, white pepper, coriander, woody notes, amber, labdanum |
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Pros
- Very luxurious
- Conversation starter
- Great for dates or formal occasions
Cons
- Expensive
Not all musky colognes have to be subtle. This bold fragrance (developed for royalty) announces itself in the best way with a strong punch of florals at the top that dries down to an elegant mix of myrrh, jasmine, sandalwood, ambergris, and, of course, white musks. It's the scent of power and best reserved for special occasions.
Fragrance Family | Woody, floral |
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Notes | Lily-of-the-valley, rose hip, incense, jasmine, orris root, myrrh, civet, musk, oakmoss, amber, sandalwood, patchouli, cedar |
Why Trust Us
We're not going to say something is great unless it's actually great. Every product in Esquire's roundups 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 the way you want to smell may vary from someone else's. But if you're looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.