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Colognes devoid of any sweetness.

post #1 of 45
Thread Starter 
Was looking at my collection (again) and realized, every single cologne I own has some degree of sweetness to it! I want to try something way different, so any good recommendations? Much obliged.
post #2 of 45
Yatagan is the antisweet. You have to try it!

Others I would suggest that I know are Tumulte and Encre Noire.
post #3 of 45
Rien by ELdO. A dirty, dry, dusty, mineralic + animalic leather that manages not to be an overly heavy scent despite what you'd imagine. It's not heavy but it is STRONG! Apply with caution.
post #4 of 45
Tam Dao by Diptyque

Wood, and then some wood.
post #5 of 45
Channel Antaeus
post #6 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Punisher View Post

Was looking at my collection (again) and realized, every single cologne I own has some degree of sweetness to it! I want to try something way different, so any good recommendations? Much obliged.

Givenchy Xeryus - aromatic woods, with good sillage and longevity.
Lalique Encre Noire - dry, almost sharp, vetiver
Versace Homme - old-school maybe, but still good
Chanel No. 19 - Beautiful on a woman, distinguished on a man.

If you're ever interested in sampling niche fragrances, check out the Comme des Garcons Incense series and Synthetic series.
post #7 of 45
Kouros, or, for a more modern interpretation of it, Kouros Tattoo Edition.
post #8 of 45
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scentologist View Post

Channel Antaeus

I should be getting a sample of this from a friend soon. Also, I forgot about Kouros, that one's good. If only it came in a .5 oz size, would be perfect. Don't need 50 ml.
post #9 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hob Dobson View Post

Chanel No. 19 - Beautiful on a woman, distinguished on a man.

If you're ever interested in sampling niche fragrances, check out the Comme des Garcons Incense series and Synthetic series.

I have to disagree with No. 19. Although it's green and has a leather note (more in some forms than others), it also has some beautiful floral notes, and that's not exactly what you were looking for.

I agree with the Comme des Garçons line - everything I've tried except the original EDP was very dry (anti-sweet).

In my wardrobe, I find Eau des Merveilles to be one of the least sweet.
post #10 of 45
Charactere by Daniel Hechter
post #11 of 45
If you really want an eau de cologne, Monsieur Givenchy is a great, bone-dry one. If you're thinking more broadly then Kouros is very very dry and Rive Gauche PH is quite dry, too.
post #12 of 45
Thread Starter 
Rive Gauche has some sweetness and creaminess to it.
post #13 of 45
Gendarme and the variations
post #14 of 45
No sweetness?

Yatagan
Encre Noire
Avignon

French Lover/Bois d'Orage
Dzongkha
post #15 of 45
For niche? PG - Cuir d'Iris is *incredibly* dry. Just trying this one tonight. Also, Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist.. beautifully dry yet floral at the same time. I can't find any sweetness in either of these whatsoever.
post #16 of 45
YSL Pour Homme Haute Concentration. A lot of lemons in the top notes but they are anything but sweet IMHO. Aramis (1965) would be another candidate with its leathery spiciness all the way through.
post #17 of 45
Sander for Man by Jil Sander - the one in the low slung elliptical bottle.
post #18 of 45
Francesco Smalto PH
Declaration
Versailles PH
Montana
post #19 of 45
Some good suggestions here.
One way to say anti-sweet is to say dry, thus my thread of this week will give further input for you.
http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=234311

Cheers, ody
post #20 of 45
Th Different Company - Sel de Vetiver
JPG - Fleur du Male Cologne
post #21 of 45
YSL Kouros
post #22 of 45
cdg 2man
post #23 of 45
Versace L'Homme
Penhaligon's Blehiem Bouquet
Hugh Parsons Yellow
post #24 of 45
Yatagan - Caron
Encre Noir - Lalique
Avignon - CDG
Querelle - PG
Salvador Dali pour Homme (please just read the BN reviews!)
post #25 of 45
My first thought was totally Salvador Dali Pour Homme. That scent is absolutely the opposite of sweet. It borders on unwearability for me though.
post #26 of 45
Agreed on Encre Noire and Sel de vetiver.

Will add:

Paco Rabanne PH
Annick Goutal Eau de Lavande (reviews mention vanilla dry down, but I get no sweetness from this one)
post #27 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy View Post

JPG - Fleur du Male Cologne

No way!!
post #28 of 45
post #29 of 45
No sweetness at all in Vetiver Extraordinaire!
post #30 of 45
Second Tam Dao; add Gucci PH. Same reason (woody) but in a darker way.

I would also add C&S no. 88. It is mostly a sharp, peppery, soapy green to me.
post #31 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewfoo View Post

No way!!

With due respect: do you actually know La Cologne Fleur du Male, in the opaque bottle, with the strong soapy notes, the flanker about one year after Fleur du Male - well, you know this scent, which I had referred to?
post #32 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy View Post

With due respect: do you actually know La Cologne Fleur du Male, in the opaque bottle, with the strong soapy notes, the flanker about one year after Fleur du Male - well, you know this scent, which I had referred to?

Yep, this one is much greener less sweeter than the FdM, but I still found it has floral sweetness to it. I apologise if the way I reacted earlier was offensive to you, it was not my intention.
post #33 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewfoo View Post

Yep, this one is much greener less sweeter than the FdM, but I still found it has floral sweetness to it. I apologise if the way I reacted earlier was offensive to you, it was not my intention.

Man, I"m the last one here to take any offense Especially if there was no offense at all.
Of course I accept your opinion. The last time I tried it was a good month ago, and in my brain it's an all soapy scent, with no sweetness whatsoever - that's all.
post #34 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy View Post

Man, I"m the last one here to take any offense Especially if there was no offense at all.
Of course I accept your opinion. The last time I tried it was a good month ago, and in my brain it's an all soapy scent, with no sweetness whatsoever - that's all.

I respect your opinion too, thanks for clarifying
post #35 of 45
Thread Starter 
TY for link guys. I guess dry is the adjective I want.
post #36 of 45
Gucci PH (2003)? I found the amber to be quite sweet in this one. Yes, a dry opening - but a fairly sweet amber dry-down.

Tam Dao is a good one, but C&S No. 88 has a sweet rose accord.

Perhaps I'm taking devoid of any sweetness a bit too far.


Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveJazz View Post

Second Tam Dao; add Gucci PH. Same reason (woody) but in a darker way.

I would also add C&S no. 88. It is mostly a sharp, peppery, soapy green to me.
post #37 of 45
Seriously, if dry is what you want, check out ELdO's Rien. Also, Let Me Play the Lion by Les Nez.

Azzaro Visit has a hint of sweetness (the sweetness naturally present in nutmeg) but does not smell sweet in any true sense.. it's a woody incense that is nutmeg laden. A lot like Tam Dao but imo better (Tam Dao has some really scratchy synthetic quality to it that is far more muted in Visit), for much less money, too!
post #38 of 45
You may try Un Bois Sepia by Serge Lutens, it's rather sour and definitely masculine.
post #39 of 45
JHL by Lauder?

Can't discern if it has any sweet notes, but man, is it masculine.
post #40 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Butthead53 View Post

JHL by Lauder?

Can't discern if it has any sweet notes, but man, is it masculine.

Really??? I think JHL has very sweet oriental amber and vanillic base notes.

Meanwhile, for some more dry suggestions:

Givenchy Vetyver
Sel de Vetiver
Bois d'Ombrie
Sienne l'Hiver
Kyoto
Geranium pour Monsieur
Padparadscha
Parfum d'Habit

and perhaps Sycomore
post #41 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vibert View Post

Really??? I think JHL has very sweet oriental amber and vanillic base notes.

LOL...I could be wrong.

Yatagan, previously mentioned, strikes me as the ultimate "dry" fragrance.
post #42 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Butthead53 View Post

...Yatagan, previously mentioned, strikes me as the ultimate "dry" fragrance.

I won't argue with that!
post #43 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Punisher View Post

TY for link guys. I guess dry is the adjective I want.


dry hey !! try Krizia Uomo .
post #44 of 45
How about Odeur 53? Right now I can't remember anything sweet about it (sometimes it smells of city street steam vent to me) but sometimes it smells like freshly dried laundry, and maybe that has a trace of dryer sheet in it.
post #45 of 45
Thread Starter 
Dang I've never heard of these. I've tried Encre Noir only, which is basically the only nonsweet scent I've ever tried. Very sharp cedar and vetiver.
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