I Didn't Expect to Love This Prada Cologne. But This Is Why It's My Go-To Fall Scent

WHEN PRADA PARADIGME Eau de Parfum was released last year, the first thing I noticed was the bottle. It has a stark lime-green-and-black design that can best be described as Green Goblin chic, which is ironic considering Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland, fronts its campaign. The fragrance itself, however, is no joke.

I dug the scent so much, I quickly featured it at the top of my next new releases column before giving it a 2026 Men’s Health Grooming Award. Prada clearly felt similarly, as it dropped a more concentrated Prada Paradigme Le Parfum this May. After wearing the OG cologne regularly for over a year, I can confirm my early impression of it wasn’t t misguided.

Here’s how the Eau de Parfum performed over 12 months and how the new Le Parfum stacks up. At its core, Paradigme is an amber-woody cologne, which is definitely up my alley. But it’s also bold and spicy—two cologne descriptors I tend to avoid.

Paradigme pulls off hitting this intersection of vibes with a scent profile that is refined and powerful yet still grounded and casual. It opens with a warm blend of Peru balsam, benzoin resin, and guaiac wood before settling into a musky finish with some hints of citrusy bergamot and rose. There’s also a lingering bourbon note that I especially appreciate as someone who loves the smell (and taste) of whiskey.

In the Le Parfum, the citrus and floral notes come through a bit clearer and definitely stick around longer. But it has the same rich amber-woody base. To me, this is ideal for wear at a low-lit cocktail bar, that’s potentially haunted in the best possible way.

In short, this is what I’d wear if I was hitting up Overlook Hotel’s bar in Stephen King’s The Shining—not to be confused with the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, on which that hotel is based, which I have visited and wore something lighter at (it’s pretty tight in there). Prada Paradigme Le Parfum, on the other hand, is better suited for wandering around the Overlook’s extensive hedge maze. This more concentrated iteration is best suited for spring and summer, as its deeper floral notes could clash with the cozy vibe of fall and winter.