The best Bvlgari cologne for men is right at your fingertips — keep reading this review, and you’re sure to find an exciting new cologne to add to your collection.
Founded in 1884 by Sotirios Voulgaris, Bvlgari began its life as a producer of fine Italian jewelry. It would be well over 100 years later before the company dipped its toes into the competitive world of fine fragrances, but oh what an impression they have made.
Well known for their balanced yet intense fragrances, Bvlgari colognes will give you plenty to choose from their catalog. We’ve put together this guide to showcase only the best of the best, giving you our recommendations for colognes for every occasion as well as lush descriptions of what each scent is composed of.
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5 Best Smelling Bvlgari Cologne For Men In 2022
Of Bvlgari’s nearly 50 cologne offerings, we’re confident that the five listed below represent the finest aspects of the perfumer’s craft. Each one is unique and special in its own way, and appropriate to a different time and place.
Bvlgari Man In Black (Our Top Pick)
Described by its creator as “the scent of burning water”, Bvlgari Man In Black is not only our favorite Bvlgari cologne — it’s also the best selling Bvlgari cologne that the company has ever made. Classified as an oriental floral fragrance, it’s worthy of being at the top of your list for new colognes to try.
Bvlgari Man In Black has one of the most fascinating sets of top notes of any cologne we’ve smelled. Sweet golden rum is perfectly offset by citrus peels and freshly crushed green leaves, lasting for a few hours before moving on to sweet orange blossoms in the heart. Anchored by a base of resinous sandalwood, warm amber, and masculine musk, it’s a truly beautiful cologne.
Offering a moderate longevity of 6 to 8 hours with a friendly and approachable intensity, Bvlgari Man In Black is a wonderfully versatile cologne that you can wear anytime, anywhere. On top of all that, it’s quite affordable too; we strongly recommend adding a bottle to your collection.
Notes:
- Top notes of golden rum, citrus peels, and fresh cut greens
- Middle notes of tuberose and orange blossom
- Base notes of amber, benzoin, sandalwood, and musk
Best For:
- Year-round wear
- Wearing any time of day or night
- Your new signature scent
Bvlgari Aqua
A relatively recent addition to Bvlgari’s line of colognes, Bvlgari Aqva is an aromatic aquatic style cologne that is fresh and refreshing without sacrificing its masculinity. While it shows best during the warmer months of the year, we’ve found that it can also be an excellent choice for wearing to work.
Sweet orange peel is complemented by bitter orange leaf in the Aqva’s top notes, all the better for showing off its intriguing heart of seaweed, lavender, and airy cotton flower. The powerful base consists of many woods including highly aromatic Virginia cedar, as well as patchouli and amber for added depth.
With a less-than-moderate duration of just 4 to 6 hours and a moderate intensity, Bvlgari Aqva is an ideal scent for wearing to the beach or on a summer weekend. If other summer-oriented scents leave you feeling uninspired, try Aqva for a different take on the style.
Notes:
- Top notes of mandarin orange peel and petitgrain
- Middle notes of seaweed, lavender, and cotton flower
- Base notes of Virginia cedar, exotic woods, patchouli, clary sage, and amber
Best For:
- Wearing to the beach
- Daytime wear in the spring and summer
Bvlgari Aqva Marine
The follow up reformulation to the breakout hit, Bvlgari Aqva Marine is another take on the aromatic aquatic style. It’s been crafted with a much less masculine and overpowering base, allowing an elegant freshness to shine through the whole composition.
Neroli, an essential oil produced from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, is the most characteristic top note of Aqva Marine. The seaweed and aquatic notes of the original still shine through in the heart, but are balanced by light, warm, and resinous Virginia cedar and amber in the base. Overall, it’s a much lighter take on the classic.
With a longevity of 4 to 6 hours and an approachable intensity, Bvlgari Aqva Marine is ideally poised for use as a warm weather cologne for daily wear. Thanks to its intense freshness, it also makes a wonderful cologne for splashing on after a hard workout to freshen up.
Notes:
- Top notes of grapefruit, neroli, mandarin orange, and petitgrain
- Middle notes of fresh water, seaweed, and rosemary
- Base notes of Virginia cedar and amber
Best For:
- Wearing to the beach
- Daytime wear
- Freshening up after the gym
Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir
Rare for a modern cologne, Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir is made in the woody-floral-musk style of many classic scents. If you’ve been looking for a uniquely intriguing cologne that can still be used for daily wear, Pour Homme Soir receives our highest recommendation for that purpose.
Strongly citrus bergamot is joined by a host of other citrus peels in Pour Homme Soir’s top notes, which quickly transitions into a heart of fine darjeeling tea and crushed papyrus. Amber and musk round out the base, making for a straightforward scent that banks on the complexity of high-quality ingredients rather than many different aromatics.
Possessing a moderate intensity and a duration of 6 to 8 hours, Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir is an excellent choice for anytime, anywhere wear. It’s a decidedly different take on daily wear in comparison to today’s most popular colognes, and may just end up being your new favorite.
Notes:
- Top notes of bergamot and citrus peels
- Middle notes of darjeeling tea and papyrus
- Base notes of amber and musk
Best For:
- Year-round wear
- A different take on a daily cologne
Bvlgari Man
The precursor to Bvlgari’s Man In Black, Blvgari Man debuted in 2010 as the designer’s take on an oriental woody style cologne. It’s one of the most approachable and modern of all Bvlgari’s colognes for men, making it ideal as an introduction to this perfumer’s style.
Juicy white pear forms the center of Bvlgari Man’s top notes, offset by bergamot and lotus flower for greater complexity. A surprisingly robust heart of sandalwood and amber is also accented by dry and grassy vetiver. Providing a foundation for the entire scent, musk and tonka bean extend the duration of every other aromatic by creating a long-lasting base.
With a duration lasting 5 to 7 hours and a moderate, friendly intensity of dispersion, Bvlgari Man is an ideal choice for everyday wear. It’s a balanced and versatile cologne, and deserving of a spot in any man’s fragrance collection.
Notes:
- Top notes of violet leaf, lotus flower, bergamot, and white pear
- Middle notes of vetiver, cashmere wood, sandalwood, amber, and nagarmotha
- Base notes of white honey, musk, benzoin, and tonka bean
Best For:
- Year-round wear
- Anytime wear
- Exceptionally versatile cologne
Is Bvlgari Cologne Good?
Bvlgari’s colognes are well known for three qualities: Traditional craftsmanship, ingenious combinations of aromatics, and balanced intensities that won’t offend anyone.
Whenever you think about buying a Bvlgari cologne, take those qualities into consideration. If you’re a fan of classic cologne styles, unique and memorable aromas, and don’t want to overdo it on your scent, then Bvlgari is an excellent cologne for you.
Additionally, many of Bvlgari’s colognes have quite a good longevity for their price. They’re a high quality cologne that, if applied sparingly, can be quite affordable to wear as well.
Which Is The Best Bvlgari Cologne?
If we could only choose one Bvlgari cologne to wear for the rest of our lives, it would be a very tough decision. That said, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with Bvlgari Man In Black. Between its admirable duration and intensity, balanced and enticing aroma, and year-round versatility, it may well be the best all-round Bvlgari cologne.
That’s not to say that every other cologne featured in this review doesn’t also deserve a place in your collection, though. Bvlgari Man, for example, does an excellent job of exploring simplicity and versatility at the same time — while Bvlgari Aqva is a perfect summertime cologne.
For more cologne recommendations, check out our best Amouage cologne, best John Varvatos cologne, and best Vince Camuto cologne.
Brian Adee
Brian has been fascinated with fragrances since his 8th birthday, when his Dad gifted him a bottle of Acqua di Gio. Since then, he has become a men's grooming & style aficionado who teaches men how to look sharp. Backed by personal experience, Brian's articles are known for his no-holds-barred style where he holds nothing back. You will get his real opinions on the latest men's grooming products and best practices where he reveals the best (and worst) style advice every man should know.