10 inspired perfumes for men, sorted by when you will wear them

Inspired perfumes for men are eau de parfums built around the character of a well-known designer fragrance: the same family, the same main notes, the same idea of who wears it. Ours are numbered, not named, and every one says plainly which designer scent it is inspired by, so you know where you are before you spray.

This is not a ranking. A man who wears one fragrance to the office, the braai and a wedding is either very lucky or slightly wrong. So the ten below are grouped by when you would reach for them: daytime and work, weekends and the outdoors, and after dark.

How to choose inspired perfumes for men

Start with the designer scent you already like, or the one you keep noticing on other people. If you know that, the rest is easy: find the dlt number that is inspired by it and read the notes to check it is the side of the scent you liked.

If you do not have a favourite yet, choose by family. On our scent finder you can filter by Fresh, Sweet, Dark, Floral and Amber. Most men start in Fresh for the day and Dark or Sweet for the night, and that is a perfectly good way to own two bottles.

People often search for the best perfume for men South Africa has on offer, and the honest answer is that it depends on the weather, the room and how close people are going to stand. A scent that is right at a Durban beach is wrong at a winter dinner in Joburg. Pick for the occasion and you will not go far wrong.

All ten are eau de parfum at 20% fragrance oil, in 50ml and 100ml.

Daytime and the office

Scents that sit close enough not to bother the person at the next desk, and still smell like you made an effort.

dlt/01 · inspired by Armani Acqua di Gio

Lime and bergamot up front, sharp enough to wake you up, with salt air and rosemary underneath. It dries down to clean musk and cedar.

Suits the man who wants one scent that does not need thinking about. Interviews, in-laws, the school run, a Tuesday. If you are unsure, start here. dlt/01, inspired by Armani Acqua di Gio.

dlt/03 · inspired by Bleu de Chanel

Grapefruit and mint, cold and sharp for the first ten minutes. Ginger and nutmeg through the middle, dry rather than sweet, then smoky cedar and incense at the bottom.

For anything you would iron a shirt for. It works at nine in the morning and again at nine at night, which is the point of it. dlt/03, inspired by Bleu de Chanel.

dlt/16 · inspired by Hugo Boss Bottled

Apple and plum, sweet for about a minute, then cinnamon warming it from the middle. Sandalwood and cedar at the base, steady.

The office, Monday to Friday, without apology. Parent evenings. Meeting her parents, and then every Sunday lunch with them after that. dlt/16, inspired by Hugo Boss Bottled.

Weekends, sport and the outdoors

Louder, fresher scents for daylight, open air and the braai that turns into something else.

dlt/02 · inspired by Dior Sauvage

Bergamot and a great deal of pepper, with lavender and vetiver keeping it dry. Ambroxan underneath is what carries it across a room. It reads clean from a distance and warm up close.

Friday from four. Also good on a man who is nervous, because nobody can tell. Use less than you think. dlt/02, inspired by Dior Sauvage.

dlt/15 · inspired by Rabanne Invictus

Grapefruit and sea air, cold and loud. Bay leaf and a little jasmine through the middle, with ambergris and patchouli underneath.

Daytime into a night out. Stadiums, beach weekends in Ballito, the braai that turns into a club. Two sprays. He will do four. dlt/15, inspired by Rabanne Invictus.

dlt/14 · inspired by Creed Aventus

Pineapple and blackcurrant, bright and a little sharp. Birch smoke comes through the middle, with oakmoss and musk at the base, dry and expensive.

The day you sign something. Weddings where you know the groom from school. Every day, if you can carry it, and most men who wear it think they can. dlt/14, inspired by Creed Aventus.

After dark: inspired perfumes for men for the evening

Warmer, darker and sweeter. These sit closer to the skin and are meant for people who are standing near you on purpose.

dlt/17 · inspired by Armani Code

Lemon and bergamot to open, bright and quick. Star anise and tobacco through the middle, then tonka and leather at the base, warm and close.

After dark, on purpose. Dates, especially second ones. Anywhere with candles. Keep it off your work shirts. dlt/17, inspired by Armani Code.

dlt/18 · inspired by Dolce & Gabbana The One

Grapefruit and coriander, crisp to start. Cardamom and ginger keep it warm, with tobacco and amber at the base, smooth rather than smoky.

Dinners where somebody else is paying. Evenings in a collared shirt. It goes from the office straight to the restaurant without stopping at home. dlt/18, inspired by Dolce & Gabbana The One.

dlt/04 · inspired by Rabanne 1 Million

Blood orange and mint, then it turns: cinnamon and rose over blonde leather. Sweet, warm and completely unsubtle.

After dark only. Never in a meeting, never in a lift. If the car is already waiting outside, you have put on enough. dlt/04, inspired by Rabanne 1 Million.

dlt/20 · inspired by Tom Ford Oud Wood

Cardamom and rosewood, dry to start. Oud through the middle, smooth rather than barnyard, with sandalwood, vanilla and amber at the base.

Evening, and only the good ones. Eid, Diwali, a fiftieth, anything with a dress code. Not for the office unless you own it. dlt/20, inspired by Tom Ford Oud Wood.

Building a small wardrobe

If you are buying more than one, cover different jobs rather than doubling up. A simple pair: one from the daytime list and one from the after-dark list. A set of three: add one from the weekend list for heat and sport. Buying more bottles of the same size also brings the price per bottle down, so a second scent is easier to justify than you might think.

If none of these is the one you wear, there are 63 scents in the range. Browse the scent finder, where every dlt number shows the designer scent it is inspired by.

Frequently asked questions

What does “inspired by” mean?

It means the scent was built around the main notes and character of a known designer fragrance. It is our own eau de parfum, and we tell you which fragrance inspired it so you can choose with some idea of what to expect.

What is the best perfume for men in South Africa?

There is no single answer, because the right scent changes with the season and the occasion. A fresh scent such as dlt/01, inspired by Armani Acqua di Gio, suits hot days and offices. A warmer one such as dlt/18, inspired by Dolce & Gabbana The One, suits evenings and winter.

Should I buy 50ml or 100ml?

50ml if you are trying a scent for the first time. 100ml if it is already your daily scent, or you know it is a match.

How long does delivery take?

We courier from Cape Town to anywhere in South Africa in 2 to 4 working days, and delivery is free from R500.