Top Summer Holiday Fragrances for men x Carl Thompson.JPG

As many of you have seen on my social channels, I managed to skip away for a week over to Cyprus for my Brother's wedding. Whilst packing I encountered an age old problem, what fragrances should I pack for my summer holiday?

It was a tough choice alright, but I've whittled them down to a top 5.

TOM FORD Costa Azzurra

I did an in-depth review on the TOM FORD Costa Azzurra Acqua in a previous post which you can find here. This was a no brainer and although this list is not a top 5 in terms of preference, this was first in the suitcase. This fragrance came from the Private Blend collection into the Signature Collection, last year in 2021.

It was a huge success and they didn't want to leave any money on the table so they brought it over into the Signature Collection which makes it more accessible. I love it because it is very aromatic, very woody on the opening notes. Then it delivers this sweet one-two of citrus and aqua marine notes. These notes are the beating heart of the scent, and transports you somewhere tropical.

Dunhill Amalfi Citrus

Let me just reel off the notes that make this fragrance just a joy to be around. Citrus, neroli, lemon, bergamot, rosemary, vetiver, amber to name a few. It's not a surprise package given the name and reputation of the brand as an elixir for luxury. But how they've combined all these notes and layered them so effortlessly is astounding. It starts quite floral, and then on the dry-down it will get a bit more masculine. A worthy investment, but be mindful of the size of the bottle. Check your baggage allowance and especially taking liquids through customs on your carry-ons. Again you can read a more in-depth review in a previous article here.

Jo Malone Cypress & Grapevine

How could I go away without at least taking one Jo Malone fragrance. The one I opted for, that would perhaps suit those evening beach walks or candle-lit dinners, is the Jo Malone Cypress & Grapevine. You can catch my full review on YouTube here.

It has an intensity to it which sets it apart from the other Jo Malone fragrances. It comes with an earthy/fresh green delivery. Less citrusy than its counterparts. It also hangs around more, the silage on this I find is the best from the range.

Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue

I remember writing about this back in April and you'll forgive me for quoting myself but I referred to the fragrance as..

It does take you on a journey, and if ever a scent had a soundtrack, one that arouses that ethereal yet tangible desire to glide seamlessly across the aquaplanes to the horizon, this is it!

This screams summer, aqua, the sea notes the ambergris, it's all there and you have to take it in. But where better to wear this than actually on your Mediterranean holiday.

Creed Viking Cologne

New out for 2021, I used the fragrance and loved it. I won't be taking this bottle with me sadly as I used it all up in a couple of months. I'm talking about the New Creed Viking (the orange bottle, not its red predecessor). There are orange notes in the new on. It also hits you in the top notes with pink pepper, lemon, I didn't really get the middle notes of rose etc, but the base notes, cedar, vetiver, tonka bean - these are the notes that I adore. It has a freshness. It's sophisticated, and you can read my in-depth review here.

Catch my YouTube special on the Top 5 Summer Fragrances below: