The Best Cologne Gifts, According to Our Editors

The fun-loving fragrance provocateurs at D.S.& Durga have done it again, this time linking with Todd Snyder on an exclusive scent inspired by the rush of scaling a sandy coast in the wee hours of the AM.

Ford's typically sultry cologne mixes notes of myrrhe, sandalwood, and sweet vanilla, a scent that'll leave you feeling like the gift this year.

Perfect for everyday spritzing but distinct enough to stand out on a special day, Chanel's smash-hit signature fragrance combines notes of grapefruit and citrus accord to make an otherwise heady cologne surprisingly light and refreshing—like a tall drink of fancy bottled water.

Sure, you could walk around the park barefoot in an effort to "ground" yourself—or you could skip the frostbite and spritz on this earthy, robust scent.

If you're looking for an aromatic wake-up call, look no further. This musky scent is brightened with notes of citrusy bergamot and lemon that'll have your senses buzzing.

This best-seller creates the seasonably-appropriate illusion of getting lightly toasted by the fireplace, minus the CO2 emissions.

Smells like warm spiced rum served at a swanky ski lodge, looks impeccable on your nightstand.

The best-smelling—and least depressing—reminder of our mortality we've encountered in a minute.

You don't have to be a Troye Sivan fan to appreciate the stylings of his first line of fragrances, like this slightly floral, Grooming Award-winning scent that's meant to evoke the tactile sensation of linen sheets and heavy denim.

What's hotter than the desert? You, wearing this musky scent during peak fall.

Come for the heady mix of pepper, ambroxan, cedarwood, and patchouli, stay for the endearingly kitschy horsehead bottle.

Musky oud and citrusy bergamot, the dream team of the olfactive world. When it ain't broke...

So you forgot to book that plane ticket. All good: let notes of lemon, sandalwood, and amber transport you to Cap d'Antibes, a resort town in the French Riviera frequented by Fitzgerald and Hemingway.

Somehow, Killian managed to bottle the smell of freshly poured liquor on the rocks. One spray and you'll find yourself in the cozy underbelly of your favorite speakeasy, enveloped in the smell of cardamon, bergamot, and, of course, apple brandy.

Dior's Grooming Award-winning "skin scent"—concocted by legendary perfumer Francis Kurkdjian—is designed to amplify your own natural musk with a fresh, airy twist.

A sleek and sexy fragrance—imbued with notes of nutmeg, ambery woods, and juniper berry—wrapped in an equally sleek and sexy bottle.

Thanks to notes of lavender musk-vetiver, Bond's warm and spicy scent perks up over wear, yielding a seductively bright citrus heart. It's an olfactory journey wrapped in glitzy packaging, and a favorite of New Yorkers (and wannabe New Yorkers) for that exact reason.

You may not be an emperor charging through life on horseback, but at least you can smell like one.

Florals and musks usually find themselves on opposite ends of the fragrance spectrum. But Nefs brings together notes of rose and oud, topped off with a hint of honey, to create a deliciously rich fragrance that will hold its weight throughout the day.

Calvin Klein Everyone is a clean, ethereal fragrance that sort of smells like a whiff of fresh air. Like the brand's underwear, this could be worn by anyone on your shopping list for a hit of gender-neutral sex appeal.

The fragrance category known as the "classic masculine" has lately been synonymous with "tired"—much like the very concept of "classic masculinity" itself. Luckily, Dior came up with a solution: Lighten up their iconic men's fragrance with cleaner, more herbaceous notes like cedar and vetiver, then deliver the signature punch with patchouli.

L’eau D’Issey Pour Homme is fresh, crisp, lightly spicy, and one of our all-time favorite classic colognes for those reasons. On top of all that, it's a damn steal.

Inspired by a Greek myth, Diptyque's masterpiece is minty fresh, but also nuanced with spicy nutmeg, uplifting lavender, and soothing patchouli.

If the recipient of this gift already digs everything else in the brand's repertoire, chances are he'll like its signature scent, too. This one tweaks a typically spicy aroma by infusing it with hints of plum and bergamot along with notes of creamy milk for a lighter—but no less potent—effect.

Peau—with its ethereal, resinous, muskiness—feels like an eternal embrace from life's truest love. Giving it to him is like gifting it to yourself.

Le Labo is best known for its Santal 33 fragrance, a sandalwood crowd-pleaser that's so crowd-pleasing it verges on ubiquity. Which makes it all the more impressive that Le Labo wold follow it up with such a lovely curveball, this mix of medicinal notes and petrichor (the aroma of rain hitting dry soil). Just think: what Icy Hot smells like on Mount Olympus.

Hermès’ classic and crisp Terre d'Hermès is always a winner. This turned-up vetiver version of the original swaps orange in favor of bergamot, then shifts the balance in favor of woody vetiver. This creates a year-round favorite that wears well at work and on weekends. It’s unfair to call it a safe bet, but that’s exactly what it is—a people pleaser in the best sense.