Whoever you are, there’s no better feeling than smelling great, and there really couldn’t be a better example of classy fragrances than when it comes to leather.
Widely used in all sorts of different fragrances, it’s become a favorite of the perfume world and is widely used in all sorts of fragrant compositions.
So in this article we’ll be breaking down some of the different perfumes that you can purchase that smell like leather, so you have a much easier time deciding on exactly what perfume you want. Without further ado let’s get started.
Leather Overview
Unlike tonka bean or vetiver, which are more masculine notes commonly created from raw ingredients, a leather fragrance cannot get its leather scent from the remnants of a chesterfield.
Yet, leather having such a distinctive, masculine and luxurious smell to it, the material is a mainstay of the fragrance world that top perfumers strive to mimic either synthetically or by mixing and matching other notes. Either way, it smells fantastic.
Today, the timeless sophisticated nature of leather tends to be balanced out by other notes.
That’s because on its own, it runs the risk of coming over a touch too old-timey.
Instead, as a base note, it contributes to particularly rich fragrances, best suited to classic evening wear.
In this list, we’ll highlight the perfumers who get the balance right on the nose.
Here’s a look at the 10 best leather perfumes that you can buy right now:
OUR TOP PICK
Kicking off our list is a fragrance that needs very little introduction, Tom Ford Tuscan Leather is a modern take on that classical leather scent that we all know and love, if you’re a fan of leather, then this is an absolute must for any serious collector.
A warm, homely saffron leads the way for the rest of the composition, with support from raspberry and thyme, when that initial scent has passed, balsamic olibanum and touches of sweet jasmine show themselves.
With the ultra luxurious leather and suede, with added hints of amber and a light woods.
This cologne is perfect for the autumn/winter months of the year, where homely and cozy scents are their most welcome, a great choice for all round the year though.
EDITORS CHOICE
What started out as a sweet, velvety fragrance of a candle was demanded by the fans of Byredo to be turned into a wearable scent, to which this eau de parfum is the result.
Fruity top notes of plum and peach evolve into a heady, floral heart, finishing on a base of patchouli, leather and vanilla.
It's a sophisticated scent journey inspired by telling the stories of libraries filled with the leather-bound pages of treasured novels and well-loved poetry.
BEST VALUE
We know, what a name.The historic house of Guerlain has relaunched its L’Art & La Matiere collection: a wardrobe of luxury fragrances, each based around one precious raw material, examples would include lavender and rose.
Like a compendium of artistic emotions translated into scents, the collection of 17 eaux de parfum have been developed free of all limitations but with their inspiration drawn from an artistic spark.
Cuir Beluga is a leather-based fragrance which really stands out, celebrating the addictive sweetness of white suede.
It’s a mellowed and subdued interpretation of this heady ingredient, which turns into a softly spoken oriental masterpiece.
Leather is notoriously difficult to tame, but Wasser has tanned it to perfection to avoid its traditional dark or animal traits, giving it a powdery signature that is unique to Guerlain perfumes.
Luminous with a wild sensuality, the white suede note is enhanced by refreshing tangerine and everlasting flower and sits on a velvety base of amber, vanilla and heliotrope.
RUNNER UP
A very classic, manly and boozy leather fragrance, Carolina Herrera CH men Prive Eau de Toilette tells the story of vanilla and cardamom having an endless struggle of sweet vs spicy, that never stops to peak people’s interest.
Sharp and sweet grapefruit opens up with a sharp and powerful whisky which is soon balanced out by a bright combination of cardamom, sage and lavender that shines through excellently.
Our old favorite leather makes it’s showcase then, followed by those classic combining flavors wood, resin, and tonka to finish off an extremely well rounded fragrance.
If you’re interested in boozy yet incredibly complex fragrances then this could be the one for you.
RUNNER UP
A warm, yet spicy fragrance, By killian Royal Leather Eau de Parfum is an extremely decadent masculine fragrance that’s as bold as it is luxurious, and without any doubt the high of classiness.
The fragrance opens with exotic black tea, and a musky hawthorn draws you further into the scent which reveals hard hitting leather, with notes of wood in the base.
This is without a doubt an absolute classic for those winter and autumn months, and is effortlessly enchanting to smell, every single time.
RUNNER UP
Nuit De Feu (Fiery Night) continues its homage to the olfactory culture of the Middle East.
Using ingredients that men have worn since the dawn of time, it’s a magical and timeless fragrance that conjures up the scent of incense rising from the dunes and a crackling campfire under a starlit sky.
Genderless, but firmly positioned towards the more masculine side of the Vuitton portfolio, it is a vibrant tribute to the sacred incense ingredient, using it in its top as an uplifting tonic, which is an exceptionally rare thing to do.
An infusion of natural leather follows the white and black incense combo, trailing to a mellow but smoky base where wood, enveloped in musk, makes its presence known.
A woody and slightly oriental powerhouse that packs quite a punch, it also comes in a handy travel spray and is refillable from any store that features a Vuitton perfume fountain – yes, that really is a thing.
A fragrance that’s much better suited for an evening, instead of everyday wear.
RUNNER UP
Not to be confused with Dana English Leather New. This cologne is as rooted in tradition as it gets.
After being 70 years old it still shows those same old traditional smells of leather and wood mixed together that we all know and love.
It’s classy whilst not trying too hard as some of the others on this list might, if you’re someone that knows their colognes, and you’re not that young, you’d probably remember the classic Dana English leather cologne, and this is that exact same fragrance.
Fantastic for those that want a simple leather smell, without seeming pretentious or too ‘show offy’
RUNNER UP
A perfume by Mercedes Benz themselves, this opens strong, with gobs of leather; the opening is relatively similar to theTom Ford Leather cologne we quickly reviewed further up this list, but with a sharper and quicker fragrance overall.
Then as this fragrance starts to dry down there’s a relatively light wood, paper, or rubber scent that just catches your nose, and finally a light green-floral with saffron and amber in the base.
The sweetness is there all the way from the opening, into the mid and then the dry-down. But at no point is it sickly or gooey, instead the sweetness always remains relatively dry.
RUNNER UP
If you’re looking for something a bit fruitier with your leather scent, then look no further than this classic DOLCE & GABBANA The One for Men.
There’s a relatively oriental spin on a classic leather scent, as it’s Vibrant and elegant, top notes of Grapefruit, Coriander and Basil reveal the spicy, yet fruity signature of the fragrance.
If you’re looking for something a bit less harsh than simply leather, this certainly isn’t a bad option, and turns heads with how different yet satisfying the fragrance is.
Final Thoughts
Leather is a hugely popular scent that hundreds if not thousands of different perfumes use to provide a classy and sophisticated fragrance to their colognes.
And whilst leather will always have that distinctive smell that we all love to smell on occasion, when combined with other ingredients it can be much more subtle, sharper, or be quite hidden from the nose altogether.
So it’s always important to understand exactly what sort of perfume you’d like.
There’s such a huge array of different fragrances and scents available to you, taking a closer look at an individual perfume’s ingredients and smelling notes is always a good idea.
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