Best Versace Cologne
Gianni Versace, or just Versace as most people know it, is a top Italian luxury fashion brand.
Versace prides itself upon producing high-quality fashion and apparelbut has also applied its trade to the world of fragrances as so many large fashion brands tend to do.
There are around 19 perfumes produced by Versace, of which, only a handful are colognes for men.
You would think that would make the decision-making process a lot easier, but that isn’t necessarily the case.
Let’s dive into our top Versace cologne picks. Here they are…
👑 Our Pick for Best Overall
⭐ Our Other Versace Cologne Picks for Men
- Our Top Pick: Versace Man Eau Fraiche
- Runner Up: Versace Eros
- Best Signature Scent: Versace Dreamer
Best Versace Cologne Reviews
Versace Man Eau Fraiche (👑 Top Pick)
Versace Man Eau Fraiche is almost unanimously agreed upon as the best cologne produced by the Italian designer brand.
With Eau Fraiche, you can be taken to a wild forest, or an exotic mediterranean beach.
The fresh woody notes are accompanied by invigorating citrus, making for an exciting cologne that awakens the olfactory sense and will draw the right kind of attention. It can be described as an aquatic fragrance, since it encapsulates the aroma of walking along the beach while inhaling the cold sea breeze.
The top notes of this cologne range from the acidic yet sweet citrus of bergamot and lemon, to the woody notes of Brazilian rosewood, and the smooth spiciness of cardamom.
The defining smell definitely comes from the two citrus fruits, bergamot and lemon, and invites the attention without demanding it. Citrus blends are always a hit as top notes of a cologne, since they make a striking first impression, but are subtle enough not to be overpowering or linger longer than is necessary.
As for the main body of the cologne, the middle notes consist of sage, tarragon, pepper, and cedar. This is the woody contrast to the fresh sea breeze smell of the top notes.
As if you’ve just emerged from the icy cold sea water and are met with a dense forest in front of you, the middle notes really encapsulate the rich aroma of a wooded area. The spices like sage and tarragon make you feel like you’re exploring a wild forest and coming across all manners of herbs and spices on the ground, while the cedar and Brazilian rosewood top note provide the deep woody undertone.
When the base notes kick in, you’ll get an even more intense flavour of the forest.
This time there will be a touch of sweetness too coming from the sycamore, and an earthy tone of musk. These aromas will be reinforced by the saffron, which is a balanced ingredient providing both sweetness and musk at the same time.
Features:
- Top Notes: Bergamot, Brazilian rosewood, cardamom, star fruit, lemon
- Middle Notes: Sage, tarragon, pepper, cedar
- Base Notes: Amber, sycamore, sage, musk, saffron
- 3.4oz bottle
Versace Eros (🥈 Runner Up)
Versace Eros is an exciting cologne that combines an incredible blend of fresh, fruity ingredients.
Eros first draws you in with its bold fruity and herbal aroma, but invites you to stay longer with the intoxicating blend of sweet Madagascan vanilla and woody tones coming from a variety of sources.
It’s one of those complex colognes that’ll make you want to hang around to pick up every note as it evolves and mixes with the unique scent of your body.
It’s also one of those colognes that’s perfectly suited to that first date, or romantic dinner with a partner due to its sensual, slightly sexy character. This makes sense given that eros is an ancient Greek word used to mean ‘love’ or ‘desire’.
The top notes of Eros are both intoxicating yet delightfully simple. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here.
The first impression you get is a pleasant blend of everyday ingredients including mint, green apple, and lemon. Perhaps it’s this simplicity that makes it so enticing.
Especially if you’re meeting someone on a first date, this cologne could be a great introduction or conversation starter. It’s hard not to feel instantly relaxed the moment you smell the comforting aroma of fruit and mint together.
Once the pleasant top notes have subsided, the main body of this cologne should kick in just as if it were a three course meal.
The middle notes include Tonka bean, geranium, and ambroxan. You can be forgiven for not having a clue for these ingredients would smell like together, or even on their own. Tonka bean has a vanilla character to it with subtle notes of cherry and almond, while geranium provides an earthy floral tone and ambroxan gives off a smooth and salty scent.
The combination of these three interesting ingredients makes for a seductive scent which should entice and arouse a sense of curiosity at the same time.
The last layer of Eros is made up of Madagascan vanilla, which is accompanied by a variety of woody notes. Amongst the woody base notes you will notice cedar, of both the Virginian and Atlas variety, along with oakmoss and the grass vetiver.
These notes form the main character of the fragrance, and ensure that your date will want to stick around long after you first meet. There are few more alluring scents than the mix of sweet and sensual vanilla with earthy, woody tones.
Features:
- Top Notes: Mint, green apple, lemon
- Middle Notes: Tonka bean, geranium, ambroxan
- Base Notes: Madagascan vanilla, Virginian cedar, Atlas cedar, oakmoss, vetiver
- 6.7oz bottle
Versace Dreamer (✍️ Best Signature Scent)
Versace Dreamer is the best signature scent offered by Versace in our view, and is one for those with their heads in the clouds.
Dreamer is a unique fragrance that can be best described as a bold, earthy yet floral, sweet yet woody, musky yet light cologne.
Yes, it’s a cologne that’s hard to pin down, and one that’s full of contrasting aromas. This is what makes it such a great signature scent. If you’re a perennial daydreamer, or just a fan of aromas that deviate from the standard masculine cologne, then Versace Dreamer could be perfect for you.
The top notes provide an otherworldly first impression, that will let you float away and let your thoughts run free.
The main ingredients behind this strong yet wildcard introduction are juniper, tarragon, and artemisia. You’ll feel like you’re gazing up at the stars as you inhale the surprising combination of the bitterness of juniper, the sweet anise-like nature of tarragon, and the bold herbal quality of the artemisia plant.
It’s a unique blend of ingredients, and one which should capture and hold the attention long after you first smell it.
As for the body of this weird and wonderful fragrance, you’ll be greeted by lily, flax, and iris.
To take you to the next stage of your cosmic adventure you’ll have the intoxicating floral aroma of lily, the toasty nuttyness of flax, and the post-thunderstorm scent of iris. Quite the fascinating mix of aromas I’m sure you’ll agree.
If there’s one thing Dreamer does very well it’s defying your expectations for what a men’s cologne should smell like.
The base notes of Dreamer softly bring you back from your dreams. The pleasant combination of amber and tobacco blossom help ensure that you come back down to earth as gently as possible.
The musky, honey-like scent of amber combines with the rich smell of tobacco blossom to remind you of the sweetness of life. This return to reality is soothing and comforting, and the perfect way to round off a perfectly good daydream.
Features:
- Top Notes: Juniper, tarragon, artemisia
- Middle Notes: Lily, flax, iris
- Base Notes: Amber, tobacco blossom
- 3.4oz bottle
Blue Jeans
Blue jeans is a curious fragrance that comes in an eccentric bottle and a unique vintage can.
First brought to market in 1994, this long-standing cologne from Versace has stood the test of time and remains a popular fragrance for men even today.
With regards to the aroma, expect the unexpected.
Despite the very familiar-sounding name which might make you think of home comforts, this is a classic cologne with a surprising twist.
Typical masculine notes like sandalwood and patchouli can be found in the fragrance, but it’s the basil, palisander tree, and heliotrope that breathe fresh life into the aroma and give it a distinct scent.
Features:
- Top Notes: Citrus, bergamot, juniper, anise, Brazilian rosewood, basil
- Middle Notes: Lavender, rose, carnation, heliotrope, jasmine, geranium, sage, fir, lily-of-the-valley
- Base Notes: Vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood, iris, musk, amber, vetiver, cedar, patchouli
- Available as 2.5 and 2.5 fluid ounce bottles
Dylan Blue
Dylan Blue is marketed as a robust masculine fragrance that captures the Mediterranean spirit.
It comes in an elegant blue bottle that should make you think of the azure shades of the Mediterranean sea.
The fragrance is both earthy and refreshing, evoking both the land and the sea at once.
The aroma opens up with invigorating citrus notes emanating from Calabrian bergamot and grapefruit, before bringing spicy notes in the form of black pepper and patchouli. The aroma is then balanced out by the smooth and calming tonka bean and saffron.
Features:
- Top Notes: Calabrian bergamot, grapefruit, fig leaf
- Middle Notes: Ambroxan, patchouli, black pepper, violet leaf, papyrus
- Base Notes: Incense, musk, tonka bean, saffron
- Available as a 3.4 fluid ounce bottle
Eros Flame
Eros Flame is a fiery fragrance for the passionate man.
It isn’t only intended for romantic occasions, though, but for any goal or passion that requires you to ignite your flame and give it your all.
The bright red bottle makes quite a statement in itself, but it’s the aroma of course that really captures the imagination and sends the senses into overdrive.
Playing on opposites, the fragrance balances cold with hot, sweet with spicy, and light with dark.
As such, you can expect a complicated array of aromas that complement each other well and contribute to a complex fragrance.
Among the powerful ingredients are the citrus notes of mandarin and chinotto, the spicyness of black pepper, and the herbal scent of rosemary. In addition, the base layer comprises a host of smooth, soothing scents such as vanilla, sandalwood, and Texas cedar.
Features:
- Top Notes: Mandarin, black pepper, chinotto, lemon, rosemary
- Middle Notes: Pepper, geranium, rose
- Base Notes: Vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood, Texas cedar, patchouli, oakmoss
- Available as 0.17 and 3.4 fluid ounce bottles
Oud Noir
Oud Noir is a classy fragrance and it is presented to reflect that with a stylish bottle and sleek black and gold packaging.
This is the cologne for the classic or modern gentleman with refined taste and a desire for a subtle yet striking fragrance.
The notes of this fragrance are predominantly masculine, with ingredients such as agarwood (which is oud), patchouli, and leatherwood. Yet building upon this comforting layer is a combination of sweet and spicy notes, including the likes of black pepper, bitter orange, saffron, and cardamom.
Features:
- Top Notes: Black pepper, bitter orange, neroli
- Middle Notes: Saffron, cardamom, olibanum
- Base Notes: Agarwood, patchouli, leatherwood
- Available as a 3.4 fluid ounce bottle
Versace Cologne Buyer’s Guide
While Versace only has a small selection of colognes for men, each boasts its own completely distinct aroma.
As a result, it’s difficult to identify any trends between them as far as common ingredients go.
So with that being the case, we’re going to briefly explore the main scents that make up each cologne covered in this guide, so that you can have a better idea of what you’re getting yourself in for.
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Prominent Scents
Since there aren’t many common ingredients that pop up in each Versace fragrance, we’re going to assess the prominent ingredients in the different colognes and what exactly they smell like.
Bergamot (Eau Fraiche)
Bergamot is quite a common ingredient when it comes to men’s colognes.
As a member of the citrus fruit family, it adopts similar characteristics and gives off an acidic yet sweet aroma.
It can be described best as orange peel with a floral undertone to it.
As you can imagine, this pairs excellently in the Eau Fraiche cologne with the other prominent citrus fruit, lemon.
Both of these fruits belonging to the same family appear as top notes in the cologne, which means they are the first things you will smell when you apply the fragrance.
Citrus fruits are commonly used as top notes because they draw the attention without being unpleasantly strong.
Madagascan Vanilla (Eros)
Madagascan vanilla is the predominant scent in the popular Eros cologne from Versace.
It appears as a base note, and so makes up part of the body of the fragrance, and lingers a long time after the cologne is first applied.
Vanilla is one of those ingredients which works especially well in conjunction with woody aromas, and that’s exactly what Versace have made the most of in Eros.
The Madagascan vanilla is joined by a series of woody base notes, and provides a very pleasant sweetness to take the edge off the strong earthy tones.
As for the scent for this ingredient, you can expect the typical aroma of vanilla, but with a little more complexity and less sweetness than the vanilla you’d get in a sweet treat.
Tobacco Blossom (Dreamer)
By all accounts, the standout ingredient in the Dreamer cologne from Versace is tobacco blossom.
Tobacco blossom appears as a base note, which makes it perhaps surprising that it’s the scent which has the most impact on the olfactory sense.
Perhaps what makes it so impactful is the fact that it is rarely used in this form in men’s colognes, so it lends an interesting aroma to the Dreamer blend.
As for what to expect when you first catch a whiff of tobacco blossom, it’s a surprisingly sweet aroma with that familiar musty smell associated with tobacco.
This combination of sweet floral notes combined with the tobacco smell that used to characterise many a bar long ago, makes for the perfect scent for the traditional man or the aspiring artist.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Versace Colognes
Does Versace Eros cologne smell good?
Yes, in our opinion Eros is one of the best Versace colognes, and an excellent choice for wearing on special occasions like first dates.
Eros is the ancient Greek word for ‘love’ or ‘desire’, so naturally this fragrance has been designed with seduction in mind.
This cologne is a wonderful aphrodisiac that’ll have your date intrigued and captivated, due to its complex nature and seductive blend of aromas.
The fresh yet simple introduction of apple, lemon, and mint is a great ice-breaker, and paves the way for a rich main course which invites your date to hang around a little longer.
The Madagascan vanilla and various woody notes that form the base notes of Eros combine to make an intoxicating blend that’s as enticing as it is comforting.
Is Versace dreamer a good cologne?
Yes, in fact, Dreamer is our favourite signature scent from Versace.
Dreamer isn’t your everyday cologne.
It doesn’t feature the traditional scents you’d expect of a men’s cologne like leather, nor is it characterised by a blend of similar aromas.
Dreamer is made up of a series of bold, distinct ingredients that each have their own story to tell.
The result of this is that you’ll feel like you’re heading off on a wild adventure with plenty of twists and turns, which should make this cologne popular with the frequent daydreamer or the artist struggling to make headway with their work.
The notes included in this unique cologne include artemisia, flax, iris, tarragon, and juniper.
If you want an approximation of how this fascinating blend of ingredients work together, and what it might smell like, check out our full review of Dreamer earlier in the guide.
Which Versace cologne is the best?
We believe Man Eau Fraiche is the top cologne for men produced by Versace, and we’ll explain why.
Eau Fraiche does what any good men’s cologne should do: it makes you feel the part.
You don’t want a cologne that’s just going to smell like something you can find in your immediate surroundings, but one which can transport you to another world and conjure up imagery of an exotic lifestyle.
Eau Fraiche does just that with its aquatic, woody character.
One minute you’ll feel like you’re taking in the fresh sea breeze with the invigorating citrus of bergamot and lemon, while the next you’ll feel like you’re navigating dense woodland with the cedar and various herbs and spices in the fragrance.
These aromas will help transport both you and whoever is close to you on a journey someplace warm and exotic along the mediterranean coast, so that you can feel the part of the intrepid traveller who lives life to the fullest.
Whether you wear this cologne as an everyday fragrance or reserve it for special occasions, you won’t be disappointed by the refreshing aromas that it has to offer.
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A Final Word From The Trending Man
Versace’s colognes aren’t for the faint of heart.
The small selection of bold, distinct colognes on offer from the Italian luxury brand each bring a completely unique flavour to the table.
Any one of them has the potential to be a new signature scent, and help you elevate your style and stand out from the crowd.
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