Seasonal Scents: 26 New Men’s Fragrance Releases For Fall/Winter 2025
Looking for a new scent to suit the longer nights and colder weather? This season’s fragrance launches from the major perfumers neatly fall into categories that could rival a BuzzFeed personality quiz. So, who will you be for the months ahead – Mr. Leather, Mr. Gourmand, or Mr. Amber? Before you decide, it helps to know what those fragrant families actually mean.
Leather fragrances, inspired by the supple texture of tanned hide, are animalic, smoky and woody — evoking the tactile richness of suede and skin. Gourmand scents, on the other hand, are deliciously edible, blending notes of cocoa, coffee, vanilla and tonka bean with indulgent hints of caramel, rum, bourbon or cognac. Finally, amber fragrances are rich and sensual, built around resinous, spicy notes like incense, labdanum, ambroxan and benzoin.
Of course, like any good Venn diagram, there’s overlap between these accords; all share a comforting theme of warmth and familiarity. Whether you crave the burnished scent of whisky, the sweetness of dessert, or the embrace of cashmere and firelight, these fragrances promise to cocoon you in seasonal comfort.
Slip into your olfactory slippers and discover Ape’s edit of the best fall/winter 2025 scents.
The Best New Leather Fragrances
Brioni Les Extraits de Parfum
Effortlessly elegant, Les Extraits de Parfum by Brioni is a quartet of exceptional scents from four different perfumers, constructed around an individual, precious raw ingredient. They are exquisitely presented in octagonal bottles in hammered Martellato glass that look like rippled water.
In the leather camp, there is delicate Iris Exquis, a leathery floral with notes of verbena, black pepper, violet leaves, iris, lavender, carrot seed, patchouli, suede and mate. Encens Minéral is a woody musk cast in bergamot, black pepper, pink peppercorn, incense, lily of the valley, vetiver and white musks. A woody green scent, Papyrus Éternal, has a double dose of tea – Ceylon and Lapsang Souchong – and vetiver from both Java and Haiti, along with notes of bergamot, cardamom, papyrus, mate and amber.
We’d happily douse ourselves in them all, but Labdanum Brut is our top choice. The velvety blend of bergamot, cardamom, pink peppercorn, rosemary, patchouli, rose, cistus, vetiver and white musks is really quite special.
La Collection Rabanne Burning Leather
La Collection Rabanne is the understated luxury line from the makers of flashy favourite, 1 Million. Each scent is encased in silver and gold, with the notes engraved on a silver plaque outside, and the signature ‘eight’ oval jewel suspended from the cap.
Taking its cues from the 1969 Paco Rabanne perfume, Calandre, the latest addition to the collection is Burning Leather. Drawing on the upholstered seats of a vintage car, it makes a grand entrance with bergamot, coriander seed and a hint of spice, before revealing a bold maple syrup note infused with vanilla bourbon and hint of iris butter.
The drydown is a blend of a leather accord and warm amber notes from labdanum and benzoin resinoids. It’s smooth, smoky and indulgent.
Ferragamo Sublime Leather
Forever inspired by the craft of making fine leather shoes, belts, and bags, Ferragamo’s latest fragrance is an interesting interpretation of its preferred material.
An amber fougère, Sublime Leather is centred around a deep leather accord. Fruity opening notes are enhanced by spicy cinnamon, heart notes of cedar wood and cocoa, which dry down to reveal base notes of davana (artemisia) and deep leather.
It’s sweet and warm on a cold day.
Aramis Intuition
Intuition is the first new scent from Aramis in a long time, and the composition embraces modern tech.
It opens with the freshness of grapefruit, around a heart of energising lavender, with a base of earthy woods – orris, patchouli and vetiver – underpinned by the warmth of Cuirissima LXR, an exclusive leather essence.
Horace Vintage Vanilla
The fifth fragrance from our favourite French grooming brand, Vintage Vanilla, is a warming journey through spicy top notes of nutmeg, cumin and pink pepper; heart notes of saffron and violet; over base notes of vanilla, leather and labdanum.
It might sound too sweet on paper, but the edible opening notes reveal smoky, aged depths like the patina of your favourite leather jacket, while the violet adds powdery warmth.
Horace says it’s enveloping, powerful and vintage, and we have to agree.
Byredo Cuir Sellier
Byredo revisits its Night Veils collection, a deluxe line of fragrances inspired by the changed personality of the darker hours. Cast in elongated, heavy glass bottles, capped with antique metal tops, the contents resemble different shades of amber nectar.
Cuir Sellier – or ‘Saddle Leather’ – opens with comforting notes of cashmeran, underpinned by leather accord and tobacco accord, over a base of birch tree and oak moss.
A woody, smoky leather, with a hint of animalic – it’s a strapping, masculine scent.
Granado Apotecário
If the brief was to capture hygge, perfumer Quentin Bisch has nailed it with this new scent for Granado. The theme is less ‘apothecary’ and more cosy autumnal afternoon, right down to the leafy brown and gold packaging.
Apotecário opens with sweet, spicy notes of bergamot, cardamom and black pepper, moving through middle notes of leather, black tea and cypriol, and ending with a warming base of tonka, patchouli and myrrh.
It’s an amber woody leather with comforting spice notes.
BOSS Bottled Beyond
With a smaller logo, B monogram, ombré bottle and leather trim around the cap, Bottled Beyond is a new BOSS fragrance on all fronts.
The fragrance is built around two opposites: nose-tingling ginger and the smoothness of leather, underpinned by woody notes. Thanks to an innovative CO2 extraction process, the ginger note has a longer scent profile, combined with a patented natural sugar-derived fixative, which gives the fragrance superior longevity.
It’s also a higher concentration than a standard eau de parfum, and more comparable with an absolute or parfum. It’s two contrasts, but it works.
The Best New Gourmand Fragrances
Floris London Honey Oud
Found oud overpowering in the past? Honey Oud is here to change your mind. A hugely popular fragrance, Floris recently added Honey Oud Body Moisturiser and Honey Oud Bath & Shower Gel to its line-up, so you can layer this scent to your heart’s content.
At the launch, certified honey sommelier Sarah Wyndham Lewis introduced us to some of the best honey samples from around the world. The difference in colour, taste and texture to the shop-bought kind was a revelation. Honey, like wine, is a product of its terroir. It can be leathery, smoky, floral and even bitter on the tongue.
Honey Oud eau de parfum is an amber gourmand created by Roberta Ion. Inspired by baklava, it maintains a sweetness that’s never syrupy. Top notes of bergamot and honey, heart notes of oud, patchouli and rose, over a base of amber, labdanum, oud, musk and vanilla, are lifted by the freshness of the citrus and floral notes, while the smooth honey note tempers the power of the oud.
It has good longevity and settles into a comforting dry down.
Dior Bois Talisman
Feeling superstitious? Bois Talisman is a powerful scent from Dior’s luxe La Privée Collection with a wonderful backstory. Perfume Creation Director, Francis Kurdjian, took inspiration from the couturier’s lucky charms that he used to wear on his person.
Christian Dior favoured a small piece of wood that he would store in the lining of his clothes and touch for luck, whereas Kurkdjian does the same with a sugar cube.
Kurkdjian blends a deeply enveloping woody, smoky scent of cedarwood and sugar, with the creaminess of vanilla and vanillin. You’ll feel fortunate to wear it.
Louis Vuitton Fantasmagory
Louis Vuitton’s new extrait dons a masterpiece. The stopper is a hand-polished metal sculpture designed by lauded architect Frank Gehry and goes some way to justify the indulgent price tag of the new scent, Fantasmagory.
Designed by in-house perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, the fragrance is an artwork in its own right. It’s a plush, ultra-concentrated vanilla, wrapped in powdery ginger and almond with leathery notes in the base.
Jo Malone Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot
Capped with an oversized swirling blue marble, Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot is the Christmas centrepiece on Jo Malone’s festive table.
With soft, sweet, velvety undertones of the fruit, the creamy warmth of sandalwood and spicy cardamom, underpinned by enveloping notes of vanilla, Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot is like a hug from someone wearing a cashmere sweater.
By Kilian Angels’ Share On The Rocks
Kilian Hennessy, heir to the famed cognac empire, delves into the family cellar for Angels’ Share On The Rocks. So called after the evaporation of the liquor in the barrels, which lifts silently during the ageing process, like an offering to a higher power.
Served on ice, this frosted cocktail opens with the cool freshness of bitter orange over the On The Rocks accord, grapefruit, lemon, bergamot and aldehydes.
It warms up like the slow melt of the iced cubes, with a rich cognac essence, cinnamon bark oil, tonka bean absolute and oak absolute.
The Best New Amber Fragrances
Gucci Guilty Absolu de Parfum Pour Homme
The new Gucci Guilty Absolu de Parfum for men homes in on the deep warmth of aged rum accord, which is lifted by the freshness of orange flower absolute in the heart, along with the heat of fiery red chilli pepper in the base.
In terms of intensity, ADP is a closer relative to Elixir, and it’s housed in the same bottle style. We don’t pick up much in the way of chilli pepper; it’s a lush rum scent for us.
Mugler A*MEN Stellar
Mugler’s Angel was one of the very first fragrances to give gourmand scents mass appeal.
Continuing the legacy, A*Men Stellar is an amber gourmand that retains this unmistakable signature, with an edible concoction featuring juicy bergamot and aromatic lavandin from Provence, over a creamy, nutty and salty-sweet pistachio accord, and a rich base of amber, leather, cocoa and smoky notes with hints of cognac and rum.
Prada Paradigme
With a strong background in interesting compositions, Prada’s latest men’s offering, Paradigme, flips the fragrance pyramid on its head. It opens with deeper ‘base’ notes of Peru balm, benzoin resin, and guaiac wood, which are lifted by the heart of bergamot, geranium, and floral rose facets, on a base of airy musks.
Perhaps it’s because long-time collaborator, perfumer Daniela Andrier, is missing from the credits, but Paradigme doesn’t quite have the unique character of previous men’s scents in the collection.
Paradigme is very pleasant, but it’s not unexpected – and that’s what we expect from Prada.
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Elixir Absolu
Described as an aromatic amber, Le Male Elixir Absolu is a deeper, more intense flanker to Le Male Elixir that’s crafted around key notes of spicy plum, aromatic lavender and creamy tonka bean.
We’d never describe Le Male as discreet or shy, and Absolu is no different, but it’s also smooth, with an undeniable addictive quality.
Chanel Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif
Chanel is not in the habit of churning out men’s scents for the sake of it, so this flanker from the Bleu line is new and notable. L’Exclusif has inherited the familial good looks, but it’s set in a stocky, cuboid bottle with a golden logo for distinction.
Designed with the intensity of an extrait composed around sandalwood, leathery resin notes, and cistus labdanum, if you like the Bleu parfum, you’ll love this deeper, denser and sweeter interpretation.
Montblanc Explorer Extreme
Explorer Extreme isn’t a huge expedition from the original Explorer, so this is a safe blind buy if you’re familiar with the Montblanc game.
Extreme opens with fragrant bergamot and clary sage, and woody facets of patchouli and vetiver, to reveal a drydown of an amber and leather accord that exudes musks.
It’s a high-quality scent with incredibly strong skin-staying power (more than 12 hours for us).
Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Ivory
If Extradose is the extrovert in the Valentino family, Ivory is the introvert cousin. With its tactile studs, Uomo Born in Roma Ivory reminds us of white chocolate.
Ostensibly, the inspiration behind Ivory is Studio 54, but we can’t find much debauchery in the subtle accord. Fresh bergamot opens over a lavandin heart, with a unique fireplace accord grounding the base.
The sweet, woody and smoky notes give us mellow vibes of campfire and toasted marshmallows.
Creed Oud Zarian
Oud Zarian is a spicy amber number, crafted around an exclusive, 80-year-aged Oud Choron sourced from the ancient swamp forests in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.
A combination of bergamot, frankincense, ginger and spice accord open the fragrance, which reveals a blooming heart of rose centifolia. In the base, along with the precious oud, there is patchouli, sandalwood, myrrh, liquorice root and tonka bean.
Like wandering the stalls of a souk, Oud Zarian is unmistakably exotic, but unlike many typical oud fragrances, it’s never overpowering.
Tom Ford Private Blend Oud Voyager
This woody, floral oud is centred around a lush ‘living’ red peony accord, with cypriol and osmanthus, and a floral oud tri-distillate of oud, red peony accord and geranium absolute.
Like a blooming boutonniere on a velvet suit, it’ll make a flamboyant finishing touch to your party season outfit.
Yves Saint Laurent MYSLF L’Absolu
The latest iteration of YSL’s signature MYSLF, L’Absolu claims to be ‘cool spiced’. It uses a combination of sparkling ginger, bergamot and cardamom in the top notes, orange blossom and floral heart notes, with warm woods of patchouli, amped up for intensity.
It’s very nice in the dry down, with good projection.
Moschino Toy Boy 2
Like a goth gummy bear, Moschino’s Toy Boy 2 explores the darker side of all things sweet.
Opening with a spicy blast of saffron accord, Indonesian nutmeg and fresh ginger, with coffee extract, cedarwood and akigalawood in the heart, settling into a base of cistus concrete, vetiver oil, and myrrh resinoid.
With the strong coffee note, it gives off sweet and edible with a resinous woody dry down.
Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden Muschio Mineralis
Gucci’s premium line, The Alchemist’s Garden, is founded on the elements of earth, air, water and fire. From the earth, Muschio Mineralis is a complex musky amber scent that uses pure essences from solvent-extracted raw ingredients.
The main accords of musk, vanilla and ambergris are supported by pink pepper, elemi and cumin, followed by patchouli and incense olibanum, over base notes of bourbon vanilla infusion, bourbon vanilla absolute, bourbon vanilla pure jungle essence, musk accord and orcanox (a synthetic ambergris made from upcycled clary sage).
It’s warm and woody with a bit of a naughty side.
Atkinsons Ambre Royal
Every Atkinsons fragrance is rooted in the house’s long history. Ambre Royal’s story begins in 1927, with a small carved amber bottle from Imperial China, and the birth of Ambre Chinois, followed by an Essence Edition in 1929.
Inspired by these events, Ambre Royal, opens with a nectar accord of ylang-ylang and magnolia, followed by an incandescent accord with Ambre De Laire 84, a deep amber note of ambrostar, rockrose and frankincense oil.
Over a leathery, smoky base of sandalwood and Madagascan vetiver. A ‘floramber woody’, it definitely ticks the exotic, historic and special boxes.
