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Of all the fragrance families, one of the hardest to classify is “green.” One one level, it's as simple as the smell of fresh-cut grass, but it’s easier to understand green as a fragrance if you instead imagine a walk in the forest, or through a field or park. It’s that collection of notes—the woods, the earth, the moss, the fresh air. Each of those things can be its own scent category (moss is chypre, fresh air is aromatic, and even some grasses like vetiver are better cast in the woody families). But combining them can create something really special and transportive, which makes the “green” fragrance family open to lots of interpretation.
The other thing about most green scents is how well they straddle the seasons. By and large, they match the lightness of spring and summer, but they also hit the sweet spot during the dregs of winter. They’re as optimistic as florals and as grounded or weather-ambidextrous as patchouli.
The nine scents below are GQ’s picks for the best green fragrances.
Is this one more green, or more leather? It doesn't matter, because the marriage of those two sensations (and specifically, galbanum leaf with leather accord) creates something smart, like the olfactory equivalent of a lazy cottage Sunday. And for a leather scent, it's remarkably light, ideal even for year-round wear.
Philosykos is figgy through and through, combining fig leaves, fruit, and tree notes with cedar and sweet coconut. It's been a Diptyque staple for a quarter century, transporting its wearer (and those in his/her orbit) to the Greek islands. (No tzatziki notes detected.) It's a terrific shared unisex scent, or an easy pick for your new perennial signature.
Easy. That's what I feel about Greenley, in the best way possible. It's as crisp and citrusy as it is green and fresh; I'd easily gift this cologne to someone who wanted a new signature (not also worn by 10 of his friends), or a go-to crowd pleaser (in the subtlest way). Its powdery softness is akin to fresh laundry, though it smells nothing of the sort: there's green apple, oakmoss, musk, bergamot and mandarin, cashmere, cedar, and amber.
Go figure, Commodity's Moss EDP centers oakmoss, but it's as serene as you'd want it to be—like that walk in the woods we mentioned before (this one at the crack of dawn). The crisp top notes linger longer, too, namely grapefruit and bergamot, which help it straddle the line between green and citrus. It's a lighter EDP, but a lightness that lasts; it's terrific for the guy who might feel somewhat scent-averse or -shy, but who wants to cast a subtle, universally-liked radius. Sound like you? We figured, so we included a sample-sized bottle of the fragrance—along with a whole host of ritzy fall upgrades—in the latest version of the GQ Box.
Galbanum resin pairs with green tea to power this very green fragrance. Black currants, bergamot, musk, and sandalwood all seep into the palette, too, making it one of the legendary perfumer Olivier Creed's most beloved scents. It sends you down the slopes of the Swiss alps, but not as a winter skier; instead it's got the freshness of a summer mountain stream, bottled at the base, and savored now for 25+ years.
While it's not a fragrance by any means, this body spray from OffCourt is notable for its refreshing post-workout essence. You can spray it under your pits or all over your body for a fig-tinged finish. (The brand also carries coconut/sandalwood and citrus/driftwood scents.) Each of the three utilizes prebiotic ingredients that promote healthy growth of the good bacteria—the ones that combat the odor-causing baddies. And while the scent won't last terribly long, it gives you a satisfying come down from the gym, and ensures that you smell as fresh as you feel.
The original Polo is woody at its core, but its mossy and pine notes give it a green influence that's deserving of that classic green bottle. It's a terrific example of how a variety of notes can combine for that forest-bathing feel, even if the scent is technically more aromatic or woody than green-centric. And, with Ralph Lauren's April 2021 launch of an "Intense" EDP version of this one (with mint, patchouli, and vetiver in heavy play), it seems appropriate to tip a hat to the original.
Powdery notes are a perfect pair for fresh green ones, and that combo is no better showcased than in Celine's Nightclubbing EDP. It's a nod to Paris' golden nightlife era, a sensual and mysterious potion that also puts vanilla and patchouli in play. But it's the musk, moss, and galbanum resin that give Nightclubbing its best moves, and which make it perfect for date night, or the longest nights of the year (when you want your fragrance to heat things up).
Coriander is technically a spice, sure, but compared to the collection of dried herbs in your top cabinet it’s refreshingly cool—especially harvested fresh. (If you’ve ever garnished your sad leftovers with a sprig of just-plucked mint leaf you know exactly what we mean.) Which helps explain why the fragrances wizards at D.S. & Durga—the not-quite indie operation based in Brooklyn—combine it with geranium and juniper needle to anchor their greenest scent, a quintessential warm weather EDP that smells like a breeze feels.
Gucci’s Alchemist Garden line is meant to be layered, but its flagship EDP makes for a killer scent all its own. Recent additions to the collection skewed dark and mysterious, like a particularly thorny Dickinson stanza, but the OG has all the zest of an Austen novel, thanks to strong notes of neroli, limone cedrato, and a tickly oakmoss base. If you’re going to put “garden” in the name, the least you can do is guarantee it smells appropriately lush.
