After its release in the 1980s, Drakkar Noir became a stable cologne for men for many years to come.
Even to this day, some men still adore this classic scent and look for its alternatives.
However, finding the right cologne that can replicate a classic fragrance can be tricky because the market is filled with cheap knock-offs that do not have a decent aroma.
Hence, I took it upon myself and tried a huge number of colognes to find the closest fragrances to Drakkar Noir available, and needless to say, it was a big success.
So, if you want a scent that’s what you are looking for, then just keep reading.
What Does Drakkar Noir Smell Like?
Drakkar Noir was launched by Guy Laroche in 1982. This fragrance by Pierre Wargnye is an aromatic fougere cologne for men that was one of its kind when it was first released.
So, naturally, it gained a massive number of followers, and there are men who still swear by it, even today.
Drakkar Noir is a beautiful blend of numerous floral, herbal, and fruity notes combined with rich, smokey, masculine base notes.
The main essence of this cologne is very masculine, mysterious, and sort of dark. But that doesn’t take away from the refreshing, clean feel of the fragrance.
The scent starts off with a nice blend of mint, citruses, lavender, and spices. Unlike some common colognes, the citrus notes do not overpower the opening or even dominate it.
However, the base note of oakmoss is very prominent from the beginning.
The dry down, particularly, is one of the most loved features of the cologne.
The scent gets much cozier and more mature as the darker, woodier, and more masculine notes come into play.
Below is a breakdown of all the notes present in Drakkar Noir.
Top Notes: Lavender, Lemon, Bergamot, Rosemary, Mint, Lemon Verbena, Basil, and Artemisia
Middle Notes: Juniper, Coriander, Cinnamon, Wormwood, Carnation, Angelica, and Jasmine
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Leather, Fir, Pine Tree Needles, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Cedar, Amber, and resins
The beauty of Drakkar Noir to me is that it has so many notes incorporated into it, they all play out differently from time to time.
You get all sorts of aromas, starting from the citrus and cool mint to the green, herbal aroma, to the dark leathery, woody sensation.
Performance-wise Drakkar Noir is pretty good. The projection of this fragrance is excellent and it lasts for around 6 to 7 hours, sometimes even more.
Even though it has both positive and negative reviews of this Guy Laroche scent, there is no way to deny that it is a legendary fragrance.
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What Colognes Smell Like Drakkar Noir?
Now that you know the basics about Drakkar Noir, let’s jump into the real deal: the clones or alternatives.
Like any famous fragrance, Drakkar has also given rise to many clones and inspired scents over the years – but not all of them are worth the buy.
Hence, after trying and testing a bunch of similar colognes, I was able to narrow down a list of the ultimate top 5 colognes that replicate the scent of Drakkar well and have a decent performance.
So, here is my list of the closest-smelling colognes to Guy Roche’s Drakkar Noir:
Caesars Man by Caesars World
Top Notes: Rosemary, Bergamot, and Lemon Verbena
Middle Notes: Lavender, Fir, and Geranium
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Patchouli, Sandalwood, and Amber
I will start off this list with Caesars Man by Caesars World, which is an excellent clone of Drakkar Noir, but also a great cologne in itself.
To start off, Caesars Man has a lot of overlap with Drakkar in terms of the notes incorporated and notes detectable.
There are two distinct differences between these two, Caesars lacks the mint coolness present in Drakkar, and it’s much greener and mossy than Drakkar.
The overall aroma is pretty enjoyable, with the lavender and bergamot opening along with a dark, green, and woody base.
The oakmoss, amber, patchouli, and woodsy notes make the scent very likable, and some people even find it to be more appealing than its inspiration, Drakkar Noir.
In terms of performance, it’s not bad but not great – you will get a longevity of around 5 to 6 hours, and the projection is somewhat mild.
However, it comes at a very reasonable and affordable price, so I would say that it’s totally worth it.
When to Wear
Owing to its greener, fresher appeal, I feel like Caesars Man has more usability than Drakkar Noir, which was best for the cooler seasons.
This scent, however, can be worn during any time of the year, whether it’s day or night. You can wear it to casual, formal, and professional events. You can also use it as an everyday scent.
Why Should You Buy
- Close dupe of Drakkar Noir.
- Greener, cleaner alternative.
- Very affordable cologne.
- Versatile fragrance.
- Decent performance.
- Excellent value for the price.
Lomani pour Homme by Lomani
Top Notes: Lavender, Lemon, Bergamot, and Rosemary
Middle Notes: Geranium, Cloves, and Camphor
Base Notes: Moss, Patchouli, and Coumarin
The next cologne was also launched in the 1980s, but much later than Drakkar Noir. This clone is Lomani pour Homme by Lomani.
This vintage, masculine, classic Lomani pour Homme is a very close dupe of Drakkar Noir.
Even though it doesn’t have a mint note, the citrus, spices, and mossy bases make up for it and create a very similar scent to Drakkar.
However, there is a notable difference between them. Lomani takes a much more balanced approach and the resulting scent has more citruses and lesser spices.
As a result, it is more uplifting and somewhat less dark than the Guy Laroche cologne.
Lomani has good projection, particularly for the first few hours, but the longevity is much less than Drakkar Noir.
Nonetheless, it comes at an extremely affordable price, and is an absolute win! If you enjoy Drakkar, I am positive that you will really like this scent as well.
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When to Wear
Lomani pour Homme is also quite versatile. You can wear this masculine, fresh scent to any outdoor event during the day, as it complements that really well.
But you can also wear it for any sort of occasion all year round.
Why Should You Buy
- Similar scent to Drakkar Noir.
- Super affordable.
- Excellent aroma, much fresher and cleaner.
- Good projection.
- Versatile scent.
Dakar by Al-Rehab
The next cologne is the ultimate Drakkar Noir dupe – and it is Dakar by Al-Rehab.
Dakar has an aromatic, woody, and mossy scent, very reminiscent of Drakkar. It starts off with splendid spices, water notes, moss, and woody tones.
The dry down is also excellent – it is warm and masculine. Basically, it highlights the good parts of Drakkar Noir. You get a full play of the fresh, herbal, and woody tones of what we are looking for.
Both a spray and a roll-on perfume oil version of Dakar are available in the market. The spray has a poor opening, but it rapidly settles down and takes on the roll-on scent.
Both the spray and roll-on smell fantastic and project really well. The longevity is also excellent and lasts for around 8 hours!
It comes at a very cheap price, so it’s a must-try if you like Drakkar Noir.
When to Wear
Dakar by Al-Rehab is also quite versatile like the other scents on this list. Maybe it’s not ideal for regular use, but you can wear it to all sorts of occasions, whether professional or formal.
It is also a great option for nighttime events.
Why Should You Buy
- Very close dupe of Drakkar Noir.
- Very affordable.
- Very likable scent.
- Great projection.
- Very long-lasting.
- Great value for the price.
Royale by Rasasi
Top Notes: Lavender and Geranium
Middle Notes: Cedar and Cinnamon
Base Notes: Patchouli, Moss, Musk, and Amber
The next cologne is another vintage scent called Royale by Rasasi. Royale is a good dupe of Drakkar Noir, and it’s evident right when you spray it.
The mix of lavender and moss is the highlight of this scent and really reminds you of Drakkar.
However, the citrus, mint, and leathery notes of Drakkar are not present in Royale.
The base notes of patchouli, musk, moss, and amber are the key players in this cologne as the dry down approaches. The notes are rich, it lasts long, and projects really well.
Despite having some differences from Drakkar, the overall scents are very alike.
Plus, it’s very not that expensive. So, if you want something that’s more woody and spicy, then you can give this a try.
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When to Wear
Royale is fantastic for any sort of weather, so you can wear it all year round. It is great for daytime events, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. It’s fairly versatile.
Why Should You Buy
- Similar scent to Drakkar Noir.
- Less leathery notes.
- Good longevity.
- Broad projection.
- Great value for the price.
Taxi by Cofinluxe
The last cologne on the list is Taxi by Cofinluxe. If you want a modern take on Drakkar Noir then this dupe is a great option for you.
Created by Mark Buxton, Taxi has a similar scent to Drakkar. The initial lavender and bergamot blend is very nice and smooth in this scent.
As the scent progresses it gets woody and musky but has a nice touch of sweetness. The dry down is very likable and makes you feel clean and fresh.
Overall, it’s a good, affordable dupe of Drakkar with average longevity and decent projection.
When to Wear
Taxi can be worn at any time of the day. It’s quite clean and can be used as a regular cologne. I would say that it’s more appropriate for casual and semi-formal events as opposed to formal affairs.
Why Should You Buy
- Good dupe of Drakkar Noir.
- Affordable.
- Easy to wear.
- Good value for the price.
Final Thoughts
Not everyone can imitate the scent and mood that vintage, classic colognes create. As a result, it might be challenging to find a suitable alternative that will please someone who has already had a taste of the original.
Nonetheless, when it comes to Drakkar Noir, this classic scent has quite a few good dupes available.
The colognes mentioned in this article all replicate the scent of Drakkar beautifully. Whether you want something sweeter, spicier, lighter, or greener, you will find the right one to please yourself on this list for sure!
Now, let me know which fragrance you choose to go for.
