There are barely any old-school men who have never heard of Brut cologne or at least used it once. Decades ago, after they released, their cologne was an instant sensation.
Even after so much time has passed, I still occasionally smell the familiar scent of Brut when a gentleman is walking past me.
I have had many people come to me and ask about this classic scent.
Since it’s so difficult to find now, I decided to dig through every and any fragrance store I could find and identify colognes with the closest scent to the legendary Brut.
So, if you want that wonderful, nostalgic scent for yourself or someone you love, then keep reading to find its best alternatives in the 21st century.
What Is The History Of Brut Cologne?
Brut is a brand first launched in 1964. This men’s grooming and fragrance brand was launched in America by Fabergé.
Ever since its inception, the company produced many iconic products which resulted in some super-loyal customers who swore by their products.
One of those iconic products created by them is their signature fragrance, Brut Cologne. Brut by Faberge was released in 1968 and created by Karl Mann.
This was a part of their budget-range products, which means they came at an affordable price. To make it as wallet-friendly as possible, the products (even the scents) were packaged in plastic material, making them, even more, cost-effective.
This budget-friendly price and excellent performance instantly boosted the demand and popularity of their products, including the Brut cologne.
This signature fragrance by the brand is still sold around the world even 50 years after its launch.
Now, however, Brut isn’t owned by Fabergé anymore. After several transfers and acquisitions, the company is owned by Unilever, High Ridge Brands Company, and Pharmacare Laboratories around different parts of the world.
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What Does Brut Smell Like?
Now that you know about the beginning of the brand and the fragrance, let’s talk about the scent of the cologne itself.
This cologne by Karl Mann is a blend of a variety of notes and ingredients which give it a pleasant, aromatic scent with spicy notes coming into play from time to time.
The notes present in Brut are as below:
Top Notes: Lavender, Anise, Basil, Bergamot, and Lemon
Middle Notes: Geranium, Jasmine, and Ylang-Ylang
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Patchouli, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood, and Vanilla
The starting of Brut is very aromatic and fresh – there is a citrus and lavender blend that gives the cologne this opening. There is a touch of spicy notes that bring in a sense of sensuality to the scent.
As the fragrance proceeds, the white florals start taking center stage as they become more prominent. The green scent is maintained but the floral notes give it a pleasant smoothness.
When the cologne starts to settle, the base notes give it a grounding feeling. You get vanilla, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, and more.
These notes make the cologne more mature and give it an earthy quality.
Overall, it has a classic aroma that is masculine and aftershave-like. It is almost nostalgia-inducing to me (and I believe that’s the case for most people).
As compared to when it was first released, this cologne smells alright. The performance is quite good to date, and it is very cheap.
What Colognes Smell Like Brut?
Now that you know the history and scent profile of Brut, let’s get to the real deal.
Since Brut was released such a long time ago, naturally, there are many dupes of this cologne available in the market. Some are affordable like Brut, while others are more high-end.
But between these countless successors, which ones are the best replicas of the cologne?
Well, I have used and listed the best Brut smell-likes according to their scent and performance.
So, here is my list of the top 5 similar colognes to Brut:
Sartorial by Penhaligon’s
Top Notes: Metallic notes, Aldehydes, Cardamon, Black Pepper, Water Notes, Violet Leaf, Ginger, and Neroli
Middle Notes: Lavender, Beeswax, Leather, Lime (Linden Blossom), and Cyclamen
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Honey, Woody Notes, Amber, Patchouli, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, White Musk, Myrrh, Cedar, and Gurjan balsam
To start off, let’s begin with the 2010 cologne, Sartorial.
The Sartorial by Penhaligon was created by Bertrand Duchaufour. This cologne has an uncanny resemblance to Brut cologne and is undeniably one of its best dupes.
There is a complex blend of many notes, some of which overlap with what we are looking for. Nonetheless, there are many more advanced notes which were absent in Brut.
Sartorial starts off with an aromatic, spicy opening.
The blend of aldehydes, spices, and neroli gives it a refreshing citrusy, and spicy beginning. Lavender becomes prominent before long, accompanied by even more lime.
The added water notes and leather give this scent a unique touch of its own. A mixture of aquatic notes and sensual, masculine leather.
The base notes and closing of the scent are very similar to Brut indeed, as you can smell the oakmoss, vanilla, patchouli, and tonka bean which make it very reminiscent of Brut.
Moreover, there are some additional base notes, which yet again add to the complexity and depth of this cologne.
If you like Brut but want something with more character, then you can definitely give this one a try. This one also has more sweetness to it than Brut.
This is one of the more expensive colognes inspired by Brut, but not without a good reason. Sartorial has excellent longevity and stays for a solid 10 hours at times if not more. The cologne is very layered and the sillage is also impressive.
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When to Wear
Sartorial is an all-rounder when it comes to wearability. I would say that you can wear it in almost any season, given that the weather isn’t too hot. You can easily wear it to any semi-formal, formal event, whether it’s in the daytime or nighttime.
Why You Should Buy
- Similar cologne to Brut.
- Much more advanced and complex aroma.
- Very long-lasting.
- Good sillage.
- Versatile scent.
Tai Winds by Avon
The next cologne is one of the oldest and best dupes of Brut, hands-down. It is called Tai Winds by Avon, launched in 1971.
Unlike the previous scent I mentioned, this one isn’t very layered or has a lot of depth to the scent. Instead, it’s pretty straightforward and mimics the aroma of Brut really well.
At a dirt cheap price quite close to that of Brut, you can get Tai Winds which has a splendidly aromatic, spicy aroma.
The opening of this cologne has a familiar citrus, lavender, and spicy scent. The different notes mentioned are all quite strong and compete to be the main focus.
As the cologne proceeds, you can almost detect a close similarity to Sartorial, but without the sweetness and intricate layers.
The dry down of Tai Winds is rather simple, musky, and masculine.
Overall, it’s a fantastic scent that isn’t very strong, but lasts for a very long time and comes at a very affordable price.
When to Wear
Tai Winds is great for fall, winter, and spring. If you like its classic scent, then you can surely use this as a regular cologne, and wear it to work and casual events. It’s a relatively easy scent to pull off.
Why You Should Buy
- Close scent to Brut.
- Very affordable.
- Simple but likable aroma.
- Impressive longevity.
- Great value for the price.
Beau de Jour by Tom Ford
Top Notes: Lavender and Lavender Extract
Middle Notes: Oakmoss, Rosemary, Mint, Basil, and Geranium
Base Notes: Patchouli and Amber
The next cologne is much newer as it was released quite recently in 2019. Beau de Jour by Tom Ford was created by Antoine Maisondieu, and even though it’s a modern cologne, it smells very close to Brut.
This cologne is very refreshing and aromatic and has a fougere quality to it. The opening is a blend of herbal notes and strong lavender. These classic notes are combined with some spices, mints, and grounding base notes that overlap with Brut.
The rosemary, geranium, mint, oakmoss, basil, patchouli, and amber all play out beautifully in this cologne and create a similar shaving foam-like scent.
It is very pleasant and clean and has a touch of sexiness and luxury to it.
Since it’s a designer cologne, it’s no surprise that the price of Beau de Jour is much, much more than that of Brut. But the scent is amazing and the performance is good.
So, if you want a designer alternative to Brut and don’t have a narrow budget, then you must try this out.
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When to Wear
Beau de Jour is impressively versatile. Whether it’s a formal event or a casual party, you can wear Beau de Jour. Moreover, it complements every season beautifully, maximizing the usability of this cologne.
Why You Should Buy
- Similar scent to Brut.
- Modern, more layered take in Brut.
- Versatile aroma.
- Very long-lasting.
- Strong sillage.
- Designer cologne.
De La Marque Brune by Armaf
Top Notes: Lemon, Sea Notes, Black Pepper, and Plum
Middle Notes: Lavender, Cinnamon, Thyme, iris, and Clary Sage
Base Notes: White Musk, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Cedar, and Patchouli
Next on the list, we have De La Marque Brune by Armaf. Armaf is known to produce affordable knockoffs of popular scents and they do a decent job at it. This one is no exception.
De La Marque Brune is an aromatic, green, spicy, and musky cologne for men that has a similar aroma to Brut and also Sartorial.
There is a fresh blend of citrus notes, aquatic notes, and spicy pepper right at the beginning of this cologne. This splendid mix is accompanied by the signature lavender that gives it the primary similarity to Brut.
The base notes are grounding, they bring in a sense of luxury and sensuality to the cologne, making it smell and feel much more mature.
Overall, the cologne is quite the ride, it has a great blend of different accords and creates a clean scent.
It also comes with a budget-friendly price tag and lasts for quite a long time. The projection isn’t massive, but it is decent given the price.
So, this one for sure is a solid alternative to Brut cologne.
When to Wear
You can wear De La Marque Brune during any season, but I wouldn’t recommend wearing it when it’s too cold as it’s not cozy or thick enough. You can wear it to a variety of occasions, ranging from casual to formal.
Why You Should Buy
- Similar scent to Brut cologne.
- Affordable cologne.
- Good performance.
- Great scent.
- High usability.
- Great value for the price.
Clubman by Pinaud Clubman
Last but not least is Clubman by Pinaud Clubman. This is yet another true classic that is going to give you a trip of nostalgia as soon as you smell it.
This very inexpensive cologne has a similar scent and vibe to Brut. It is an old-school clean and crisp aroma with plenty of spicy and herbal notes.
There is a much-needed citrus beginning, accompanied by some spicy and herbal notes that make up most of the cologne. It’s quite straightforward, without much depth, and closes with oakmoss.
Overall, I feel like this one reminds you of barbershops back in the day and has an overall aromatic, masculine scent.
It is very cheap, and you can also find the same scent in aftershave and lotions made by the brand. It doesn’t last very long, but given the price, it’s a great buy nonetheless.
When to Wear
Clubman can be worn at any time of the year and at any time of the day. It is very versatile, but I am afraid you cannot wear it to formal events or dates. It is much softer and needs to be reapplied in order to make the scent last.
Why You Should Buy
- Close scent to Brut.
- Very affordable.
- Classic scent.
- Decent performance.
- Good value for the price.
Conclusion
When it comes to old, classic scents, not everyone can replicate the aroma as well as the vibe that these colognes can set. Hence, it often gets difficult to find the correct dupe which can satisfy the wearer.
However, if you love the scent of Brut and want something similar, then you are in luck because all the colognes mentioned in this article are very close alternatives to the former.
Some of them are budget-friendly colognes like Brut itself, while others are designer or more high-end colognes.
Also, check out: Colognes That Smell Similar to Polo Blue
So, I am positive you will find exactly what you are looking for in this list. Let me know which one you decide to go for!
