Scents to suit dad on Father’s Day

Fragrance is always a great gift for Father’s Day, but these days, generic cologne just doesn’t cut it.  Here we’ve rounded up the best gents’ scents so you can find one to suit your dad’s personality.

For the high-net-worth dad

If your dad is a more mature gent who’s reached the pinnacle of success, get him Terre d’ Hermès, Hermès’ award-winning masterpiece from legendary perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena.  This woody vetiver fragrance gets its freshness from citruses and spiciness from pepper, but its magic lies in its scent bubble and trail, which is a compliment-getter — women love it — and your dad will, too.

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Available at the Hermès boutique in Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Rustans.com.

For the visionary dad

Creed Aventus is currently one of the most popular male fragrances in the world, launched in 2010 to celebrate 250 years of the House of Creed, which James Henry Creed started in 1760 as a bespoke tailor who provided scented gloves to King George III. Passed from father to son, sixth-generation heir Olivier Creed turned the business into a fragrance house with hits like Green Irish Tweed and Silver Mountain Water.

Inspired by historical figures like Napoleon and Alexander the Great, Aventus (which means “wind”) features top notes of lemon, pink pepper and Italian bergamot, mingling with a heart of juicy pineapple, sweet jasmine and Indonesian patchouli, while base notes of oakmoss, cedarwood, birch and the House of Creed’s signature ingredient, ambergris, round off the fragrance. Simply put, it’s the scent of power and success.

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Available at the Creed pop-up at Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Rustans.com.

For the CEO dad

Bleu de Chanel is the scent for a boss, a CEO.  It smells classy, refined, and sophisticated.  One of the best blue fragrances out there, it starts out fresh and very masculine, with a hint of spice and a woody base. It comes in different concentrations: the eau de toilette is perfect for summer, while the eau de parfum is good for cooler weather and projects just the right amount of power.

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Available at Chanel counters in Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

For the king of the house

Dolce & Gabbana K is blended with the same Sicilian lemon that made D&G Light Blue the house’s perennial bestseller, but is more regal and compelling with grassy vetiver and earthy Nagarmotha wood, which is the olfactory equivalent of putting hair on a man’s chest.  This is for the undisputed king of the household, for the master of his domain.

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Available at leading department stores. Dolce & Gabbana fragrances will also be re-launching at Rustans.com in July.

For the dad who enjoys his wine and spirits

After Bad Boy Cobalt comes Bad Boy Extreme, created by star perfumer Quentin Bisch for Carolina Herrera. BB Extreme opens with an unusual take on ginger called “flash destination,” a process that allows perfumers to extract the purest form of the scent with a much lower carbon footprint.

Since Carolina Herrera is heavy on sustainability, the company wants to source their ingredients as naturally as possible. Amping up the ginger is citrusy bergamot, then a heart of vetiver sustainably sourced in India, intensified by a woody base of Indonesian patchouli.

Bisch added sage for aroma, tobacco for the musky undertone, and amber for a powdery accord. The overall effect? “Hot guy in speakeasy” vibes.

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Available at Zalora and leading department stores.

For the heroic dad

If you think of your dad as a superhero, get him Burberry Hero, which boasts the strength of three cedar woods, sourced from the Appalachians, the Atlas mountains and the Himalayas. Hero comes in two concentrations: the EDT is fresher, more aquatic and marine, while the EDP is a richer, deeper and smokier experience with the addition of incense, pine needles and benzoin.  Both are a fresh take on a woody fragrance, with opening notes of bergamot, juniper, and black pepper, reminiscent of a forest growing near the ocean.

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Available at Rustans.com.

For the ‘Netflix and chill’ dad

Does your dad love to “Netflix and chill” when he gets home, preferably with snacks on hand?  Dior Homme Intense, with its sweet, slightly gourmand blend of cacao, leather, vetiver, amber and lavender, is the ultimate comforting, cozy scent for nighttime. (Your mom will love to snuggle up to him as well.)  If your dad’s a bit more modern and likes to dress like a GQ model, get him Dior Homme Original.  This woody masculine men’s fragrance with vetiver, Iso E Super, Cashmeran, woods and bergamot is the quintessential modern man’s scent.

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Available at SM Stores and online at PerfumeStore.ph.

For the spicy-yet-sweet dad

Does your dad have a clever sense of humor that hides a heart of gold?  Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb will capture his personality perfectly with its sweet spiciness, blending fiery chili, saffron and pink pepper with smooth leather, tobacco and vetiver.

Spicebomb’s flankers Night Vision blends spices with green fruit, while Infrared is a warm and inviting blend of cinnamon with fruit and chili pepper. These intoxicating scents all project well and will draw people into your dad’s orbit.

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All fragrances are available at leading SM, Rustan’s, Robinsons and Landmark department stores nationwide and exclusively online at Rustans.com.

For the well-groomed dad

Maison Margiela’s Replica line captures specific places in time in its scents: At the Barber’s depicts a Madrid barbershop in 1992 with its aromas of shaving foam and leather, and your dad will love it if he’s into his grooming rituals. Top notes of bitter orange, peppermint and black pepper make it slightly spicy; a heart of rosemary, geranium and lavender make it super-fresh and uplifting; the base of tonka bean, leather, musk and oakmoss make At the Barber’s smell sweet and creamy, like the best shaving foam. FYI, the whole Replica line is full of gems for dads: check out Jazz Club, Sailing Day and Lazy Sunday Morning as well and for sure you’ll find one he’ll love.

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Available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

For the coffee-loving dad

Does your dad live for his coffee fix?  Then he’ll be intoxicated with Intoxicated By Kilian — a warm, spicy coffee scent with notes of cardamom, coffee, nutmeg and cinnamon. This smells like a dark mocha on steroids. It’s super sexy, super intense, and super yummy.

By Kilian’s Black Phantom is another cult fave among male niche gourmands, but this is a boozier coffee with notes of rum, dark chocolate, caramel, cane sugar and almonds. If Intoxicated is a dark mocha, this is an Irish coffee that’s comforting and perfect for cooler, rainy weather.

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Available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Rustans.com.

For the ‘clean’ dad

The “clean guy” aesthetic is in, and if your dad is into it, his ideal scent would be Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s 724.  Top notes of Calabrian bergamot and soapy aldehydes smell like a freshly laundered, crisp white shirt.  A white-flower accord of jasmine absolute from Egypt, sweet pea and mock orange gives it a velvety hint of sweetness, while sparkling like crystal.  The base of white sandalwood and white musks gives the scent depth and sensuality.  This eau de parfum is one of the cleanest, freshest and most invigorating scents on the market today.

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MFK 724 is available in three sizes (35ml, 70ml and 200ml) at Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustans.com, Adora Greenbelt 5, Adora Shangri-La, and Adora.ph.

For the outdoorsy dad

If your dad loves being outdoors during summertime, he’ll love Diptyque Ilio, the ultimate sunny, summer scent with notes of iris, prickly pear, bergamot and jasmine. Ilio is a lightly fruity veil that is creamy yet clean and uplifting, sure to put a smile on your dad’s face.

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Available at Diptyque boutiqes, Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Rustans.com.

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