We won’t put you on the spot, but admittedly, black pepper colognes aren’t exactly the first category of fragrances you immediately think of when someone discusses spicy scents. That honor usually belongs to sharp ginger, pink peppercorn with its mildly spiced berry aroma, sometimes nutmeg, and oftentimes saffron, the world’s most expensive spice.
The aforementioned title was previously held by black pepper for many centuries. Once known as black gold, in the Middle Ages black pepper was used as a currency, and it was actually the bargaining chip in the negotiations between the Huns and Ancient Rome. Along with gold and silver, the Huns requested no less than 3000 pounds of black gold.
Known for its hot, tongue pinching, and subdued bitter taste, black pepper gives an interesting kick to colognes, lends an exotic aroma, and grounds the composition. Case in point: These 7 black pepper colognes.
Table of Contents
1: Citron Boboli by Le Jardin Retrouve
An ode to the Boboli Gardens overlooking Florence, we think of Citron Boboli by Le Jardin Retrouve as a motion picture filmed by Yuri—the founder of the artisan fragrance house when he lived in India and discovered the richness of Indian aromas and plants. By the time it settles on the skin, you might feel as if a part of India was taken and placed in the midst of the Boboli Gardens, fusing the two places in one, imaginary setting.
It opens with the freshest mix of lemon, lime, and oranges, like a freshly-squeezed citrus juice harvested from one of the potted citrus plants in the Florentine gardens. After a while, when the vibrancy of the opening has run out of steam, the scene suddenly shifts and you find yourself in India, courtesy of clove, cinnamon, and black pepper mix. It is actually the black pepper’s job to tie down the citruses and prevent them from leaving the site completely, as often happens with such a citrus-dominated intro. And the ingredient does it with flying colors, resulting in a fragrance that’s as hot as it’s fresh, warm, comforting, and vibrant at once.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/le-jardin-retrouve-citron-boboli
2: Mankind Unlimited by Kenneth Cole
Blended with notes of citrus and a dash of spice, this fresh cologne brings unrivaled confidence that appeals to those who live life to the fullest. Created with the resourceful, and adventure-driven man in mind, Mankind Unlimited is an explosion of invigorating scents contrasting with fresh spices against warm woods, combining elements from across the globe. The black pepper note is making its presence known right from the start, even though initially it’s suppressed by the clary sage and orange duo. As time passes by, black pepper emboldened by cardamom turns this scent into a very aromatic-spicy composition, that’s softened by amber in the drydown. It clocks around six hours of longevity, and it’s a black pepper cologne you cannot go wrong with.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/kenneth-cole-mankind-unlimited
3: Almost Single by Confessions of a Rebel
While Mankind Unlimited is an aromatic spicy cologne, we have another option that pairs spices in woods with the most thrilling result. It smells like mixed messages and late-night speakeasies. It’s an intoxicating blend, charged with our favorite notes. Cardamom mixes with black pepper to turn up the heat, tempered by rosemary, sandalwood, and violet leaf in the dry down. It all adds up to a spicy and slightly woody cocktail with an after-hours vibe, lending it multifaceted intrigue that’s much more alluring than your average wood meets spice profile.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/confessions-of-a-rebel-almost-single
4: Danse Sauvage by Chris Collins
As artistic, primordial, and bewitching as Josephine Baker’s dance performance, Danse Sauvage grips you and it has no intention of letting go. Ripe plums are drenched in aged rum before being set on fire by the hot, spicy black and red chili pepper hit. But fear not, this whole performance is not to put the spices font and center. This is a dusty cedarwood turned boozy kind of cologne, and the pepper is a mere spectator of the show.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/chris-collins-danse-sauvage
5: 1899 by Histoires de Parfums
1899 honors the dazzling nightlife of Paris, the City of Lights. Sensual vanilla and deep vetiver sway in a midnight embrace, accented with plush cinnamon spice and sharp black pepper. The black pepper and cinnamon combo is almost like a garnish in a vanilla pudding, so you don’t get anything overly sweet, but a fresh spicy vanilla treat that leans masculine.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/histoires-de-parfums-1899
6: Encens by rag & bone
Encens is a lightly spiced, incense-driven scent accented, but not dominated by black pepper, frankincense, myrrh, cistus mix that spotlights an intense incense accord in the heart. Amber and musk in the base take the introspective feel in sweet and bright directions simultaneously.
Incense perfumes are naturally poetic, warm, and close scents, and fare well in overcast, cold, or windy weather. Frankincense and myrrh have a snug, sleepy texture—like the soft comfort of wrapping your favorite blanket around your shoulders.
This cozy warmth lends itself to modern, all-black downtown styles, lending a touch of the exotic to their color-focused profiles. The snap of the spice adds another dimension of depth and complexity to the flow of an all-black ensemble.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/rag-bone-encens
7: Remarkable People by Etat Libre d`Orange
It’s a remarkable scent in a sense that won’t pinch your nose and announce its presence. Rather, it will smooth-talk you into smelling your wrists and pulse points time and time over. And each time, you’ll find another facet of the scent that you love.
The scent opens with a citrusy fizzy bang: grapefruit drowned in champagne. The citrus notes then leave the room, but not the party, and the champagne is quickly chatted up by notes of sandalwood and cardamom. The cardamom note is omnipresent, yet it goes with every note that will accept its friendship.
The second stage is magical, where this fizzy accord is cocooned in a blanket of jasmine and black pepper.
The drydown is unique, to say the least, because each and every note of the fragrance pyramid leaves its mark, a scented legacy that is now a collection of notes with different survival stories, down the fragrance pyramid.
To try this black pepper cologne, click here: https://www.scentbird.com/perfume/etat-libre-dorange-remarkable-people
