When it comes to men’s products, there are certain familiar fragrances we tend to see (or sniff) again and again. Tobacco, leather, whiskey, woodsy and musk are some of the superstars of the male fragrance realm. While many of the popular masculine scents tend to hark back to a time when men smoked pipes and sat in mahogany-lined dens sipping whiskey, these particular scent profiles are used again and again quite simply because they work! They are inherently masculine, and appeal to the male wearer as well as those for whom the man in question is wanting to smell alluring.

We thought we’d take a look at some of the most popular scents in male-centric fragrance, skin and hair care products.

TOBACCO

Guys — this doesn’t mean showing up to work smelling like an ashtray! Think of the tobacco leaf — before it has been smoked it is caressed by the warm summer breeze, then dried and toasted to achieve that crinkly golden hue. It smells like summertime (when the living is easy!) and has a distinctly herbaceous, plant-like aroma that is more masculine than floral scents. It’s a winner. Think cigar store humidor with a dash of English country manor old world elegance.

LEATHER

Again, leather is a distinctly masculine aroma that conjures up images of luxury automobiles, those aforementioned old-fashioned dens furnished with leather armchairs, and expensive designer jackets, gloves and shoes. It’s a sophisticated, alluring, refined and borderline decadent fragrance.

WHISKEY

Sorry fellas, but as with tobacco, this aroma’s associations doesn’t mean leaving a barfly like stench in your wake. Whiskey tends to have notes that are an attractive blend of smoky and sweet. Think a peaty whiskey