11 Smoky Colognes Perfect for the Cooler Months

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. It features smoldering frankincense—the scent of sacred ritual—along with cypress and black peppercorn, rose oil and saffron, leathered woods and musk.

If you don’t want something too intense and heavy but still want something unmistakably smoky, Belnu’s Incense Antique is definitely for you. It’s actually quite fresh at the top, with lemon and a bright pop of spices, before it moves into a subtly smoky heart of tobacco leaf, incense, and patchouli. You’re left with a lovely blend of smoke, woods, and amber that isn’t too dense.

If you thought a smoky fragrance couldn’t have some fruity notes, or that a fruity fragrance couldn’t have a bit of smoke, this Tom Ford cologne is here to prove you wrong. Like the name suggests, Cherry Smoke is a bold blend of dark cherry and smoked woods. When you add warm florals and frankincense, you get quite the warm, confident scent.

One of our favorite luxury colognes for fall, Dries Van Noten’s Havana Gold is a gorgeous smoky amber scent that balances sweet licorice and smoky tobacco. Add in spicy cinnamon and creamy roasted tonka and you get a deep, warm scent that’s perfect for the colder months.

If you don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on a luxury bottle, House of Twist has you covered. And if you like Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, you’ll love this more affordable version. It beautifully balances sweet vanilla and creamy tonka bean with smoky tobacco and spices. You’ll want this cologne on your shelf come winter.

Arquiste’s Indigo Smoke is inspired by the traditional smoking of tea leaves in ancient China. The fragrance tells a story as it goes through its top, heart, and base notes—it starts with bright citrus and earthy vetiver, then moves into a heart of juicy apricot, smoky guaiac wood, and sweet vanilla. The base is where most of the smoke comes in with notes of maté tea, pine tar, and incense. If you’ve ever sniffed a box of tea leaves and wondered what it would smell like as a cologne, this is it.

This Villa Erbatium cologne is impossible to categorize into just one fragrance family, since it’s pretty much equal parts fresh, citrusy, smoky, and woody. It’s hard to imagine that all those olfactory families could work together cohesively, but they really do. You get fresh and citrusy notes at the top, then the fragrance takes a woody turn with pine and hinoki. The base brings in a smooth, smoky vibe from oud, incense, and leather.

Oud—a woody note derived from the resinous heartwood of infected Aquilaria trees—is a complex scent that has rich, leathery, and smoky qualities. In Lumira’s Noir d’Oud, the smokiness definitely comes out. Perfect for sweater weather or a cold winter night, it balances powdery florals and soft citrus with the smoky depth of oud.