You’re in a smoky jazz bar, sunk into a worn leather banquette. A saxophone whines while, and someone at the next table slowly puffs a cigar. Or, maybe you prefer something softer and more meditative, incense burning in a quiet room.
Smoky colognes seek to bottle up those scents. What makes a fragrance smell smoky in a good way, though? After all, you’re not trying to smell like you just smoked a pack of cigarettes; unless, well, that’s your vibe.
Perfumers use notes like olibanum (frankincense) and myrrh, birch tar and cade oil, dark woods, tobacco, and leather to conjure everything from glowing embers to roaring fires. Smoke can form the deep, smoldering base of a fragrance, or it can appear as a light accent in something sweet, earthy, or citrusy. Whatever your preference, there’s a smoky scent here you’ll love—even if you’re convinced smoky scents aren’t for you, one of these will change your mind.
If you know us, you know we’re absolutely obsessed with Maison Margiela’s Jazz Club from the brand’s Replica fragrance line. Remember that scene in the smoky jazz bar you just read about? With some light citrus notes at the top, smoky tobacco, a bit of boozy rum, and some sweet vanilla bean at its base, it’s the perfect mix of sweet, spicy, and smoky.
Leave it to D.S. & Durga to create a unique, addictive new scent you’ve never smelled before. We can assure you Cowboy Grass—the fragrance that put the brand on the map—is one of the most interesting fragrances you’ll smell thanks to an intriguing blend of fresh, herbaceous, woody, and dusty notes. The smoke here isn’t a heavy campfire smoke but a crisp, dry smokiness from smoky herbs and vetiver.
Fulton & Roark’s founders were inspired to create their newest fragrance, Cathedral of Ruins, after visiting the City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana. What once was a lively church filled with people is now in ruins, a relic of the past with no ceiling. This smoky scent is an homage to the site.
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