Looking for a new fragrance to kick off 2026 in style? The first month of the year did not disappoint as January has been full of men’s fragrance and cologne launches from the likes of Valentino, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier and more.
As it’s the start of the year, it’s not completely certain what type of fragrance trends we’ll see, but there are already a few key notes emerging that have got me excited. Spices are most prominent which give a full, warmth to the colder months at the start of the year, with saffron, cardamom and ginger being punchy and cosy.
Gourmand notes are continuing to be popular, including strong layers of vanilla and caramel, and sweet raspberries are taking over from the darker cherries to add some fruity sweetness. There’s a bit of everything from this month so I’ve rounded up the 10 best men’s fragrance launches from January 2026 below.
Men's fragrances from January 2026
From the woody aromatic fragrance family, Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Purple Melancholia is a warm and spicy scent with a surprising heart note which sticks out boldly against its richer base note of amberwood and top note of cardamom. In the middle is lavender and coconut which seems like it would be out of place with these harsher scents but it balances everything out nicely – and the bottle looks great.
Another warm and spicy fragrance is Emporio Armani Stronger With You Spices – which you’d somewhat expected given the name. With notes of black pepper, clove, saffron and cinnamon, these spices are balanced with fruit and woodsy layers, including bergamot, mandarin, apricot, vanilla and dates.
Raspberry might be the new berry on the block but cherry will always be here to stay. The Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal Pour Homme Elixir packs a big punch of black cherry at the top, and is mellowed out by tonka bean and patchouli, giving it a sweet and creamy nose.
For something brighter and a bit zesty, Givenchy Gentlemen Society Sport is a blend of citrus, florals and woods. It’s exceedingly fresh and earthy with layers of lemon, daffodil, vetiver and cedarwood. It’s not what I expected when looking at the bottle, but it sounds like a good everyday scent.
An updated version of Burberry Hero, Burberry Hero Elixir is sweeter and more leathery than the original. Inside the cute brown bottle is leather, vanilla, cedarwood, amber and tonka bean. It’s extremely gourmand but not too overpoweringly sweet or heady.
Inspired by its original Absolu, Creed Absolu Aventus is a strange combination of fruit, spice and leather – but it works! Bright, warm and smoky, Creed Absolu Aventus has notes of pineapple, lemon, blackcurrant, pink pepper, ginger, cardamom and more. It gets its smokiness from the Haitian vetiver and musk at the base.
A spicy scent that’s for both men and women, Prada Infusion de Santal Chai is another mix of spice and citrus. As the name suggests, it has Masala Chai at its heart and is flanked by milk, cardamom, sandalwood and musk, with a hint of citrus for some sharpness.
Another unisex fragrance, Hermès Un Jardin Sous la Mer is fresh and floral, and comes in a pretty summer-inspired bottle. With distinct notes of fig, red cedar, orange blossom, bergamot and white oleander, it’s nicely floral and is a scent to get you out of your comfort zone.
Le Labo Violette 30 is a unisex fragrance that comes from the oriental floral fragrance family. As you’d probably guessed, Le Labo Violette 30 has strong violet notes which are supported by rose and white tea. For the spice, it has layers of cumin, amber, incense and saffron.
