5 Best Cuba Colognes: Top Smoky Masculine Scents in 2024

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Basically, anyone who knows anything about men’s colognes will be able to spot a bottle of Cuba cologne a mile away. That is unless they mistake the highly unique packaging for a real cigar.

Also known as the Cuba Paris line, the Fragluxe colognes have become highly sought after because of the combination of quality and value they offer consumers. Their fragrances are usually described as having a very masculine scent inspired by the classic aroma of Cuban cigars. If you’re interested in figuring out what the best Cuba cologne for you is, then you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’re going to go on a deep dive into the 5 best Cuba colognes that are out there.

Let’s get right into it.

Key Takeaways

I had a really great time putting together this list of the best Cuba colognes for men for two reasons. First off, I always welcome the chance to use the experience I’ve gathered from writing about colognes over the years. Secondly, although I was already familiar with Cuba’s most popular colognes, I got to sample a whole bunch of scents that I hadn’t previously encountered.

After researching Cuba colognes’ product list, I settled on the Cuba Prestige Classic Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray as the overall best Cuba cologne. It has an unmistakable scent that perfectly blends the fragrances of mint, coffee, lavender, and sandalwood. It absolutely does call to mind the scent of the really good Cuban cigars that inspired its creation (and its packaging).

I’ve also recommended the premium version of the Cuba Prestige cologne, which goes by the name of the Cuba Prestige Legacy Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray. And finally, I also included a fresher, beach-ready scent, the Cuba Shadow 1.17 Ounce.

Why it’s great: The Cuba Prestige Classic Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray, in its recognizable cigar-themed bottle, is the fragrance that put the Cuba brand on the map. As a masculine scent that women love, it’s remained popular for a long time. And its extremely affordable pricing doesn’t hurt its popularity, either.

Who is this for? Anyone who wants to get the classic fragrance developed by the Cuba cologne brand should head right to the link above.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: If you really like using this cologne, then you might find yourself going through the 1.17 ounces rather quickly.

Top Notes: Mint and Coffee | Middle Notes: Lavender | Base Notes: Sandalwood | Type: Eau de Toilette

Why it’s great: The Cuba Orange is a great summer cologne that brings the citrus scents to the forefront but keeps things sophisticated with undertones of cedar and sandalwood. That combination can help you feel comfortable and in control, whether you’re on the beach or heading to the office.

Who is this for? This is a great option for anyone who’s looking for a summer cologne that still smells masculine.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: As you can tell from the description, this product is halfway between a summer and a winter cologne. Some people might really like that, but others will want to commit to one side or the other.

Top Notes: Orange | Middle Notes: Jasmin and Cedar | Base Notes: Sandalwood | Type: Eau de Toilette

Why it’s great: The Cuba Prestige Legacy Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray is an upgrade on the brand’s most famous scent (and the one that took the top spot on this list), the Cuba Prestige Classic Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray. The main difference is that the premium option is considerably more layered, with a few more fragrances contributing to the overall scent of this cologne.

Who is this for? Those of us who are satisfied only with the absolute best when it comes to colognes should consider getting a bottle of this Cuba cologne.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: There are so many scents involved in this cologne that individual fragrances can get a little bit lost in the mix.

Top Notes: Black currant, Bergamot, and Lemon | Middle Notes: Lavender, Jasmine, Vanilla, and Lily | Base Notes: Cardamom, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Cedar, Amber, and Musk | Type: Eau de Toilette

Why it’s great: This Cuba Blue By Cuba cologne stands out as a result of its incredibly wood-forward scent. There’s green leaf and sandalwood, as well as Cedar, Amber, and Oakmoss, all of which are balanced out by the nicely cutting top notes of lemon and tangerine.

Who is this for? If you’re looking for a bright and nicely balanced cologne, then I can definitely recommend the Cuba Blue 1.20-Ounce to you.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: There isn’t too much to differentiate this option from some of Cuba’s more popular scents, but it does have its own subtleties.

Top Notes: Green Leaves, Tangerine, and Lemon | Middle Notes: Geranium, Patchouli, Vetiver, and Sandalwood | Base Notes: Cedar, Amber, and Oakmoss | Type: Eau de Toilette

Why it’s great: Our final pick is the Cuba Shadow 1.17 Ounce, which does have some rather different notes than most of the brand’s other colognes. In fact, many have said that it’s more similar to Bleu de Chanel than to Cuba’s other colognes. And that’s by no means a bad thing.

Who is this for? If you want a great fragrance that lasts long enough to keep you smelling great all day, then this is one for you.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: You might want to go with the original Bleu de Chanel for everyday wear, since they are such similar scents, but this is a great alternative if you don’t have the budget for that Cuba cologne.

Top Notes: Lemon, Mint, Pink Pepper, and Grapefruit | Middle Notes: Ginger, Iso E Super, Nutmeg, and Jasmine | Base Notes: Sandalwood, Incense, Patchouli, Cedar, Musk and Labdanum | Type: Eau de Toilette

Buying Considerations for The Best Cuba Colognes

Smell

As you can tell from our rundown of the products above, you have a lot of different options when it comes to the scent of your next Cuba perfume. Some of the options are more citrus forward, like Cuba Orange 1.15-Ounce, but still contain more musky scents like cedar and sandalwood.

Others go all in on the ultra-masculine scents and are great to wear in the winter. Which scent profile you should go for really depends on your individual preferences and the impression that you want to make.

Season

You should definitely be switching up your cologne with the season that you’re in; otherwise, the scent you’re wearing won’t really mesh with the wider context. In the summer, you generally want to go with a lighter and fresher scent, perhaps like the Cuba Orange 1.15-Ounce or the Cuba Shadow 1.17 Ounce from the list.

In the colder fall and winter months, however, you can go with a more dense and aromatic smell. This is actually where the colognes from Cuba Paris really shine, such as their classic scents like the Cuba Prestige Classic Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray.

Type

One thing that all the Cuba colognes we’ve gone over have in common is that they are all Eaus de Toilette. For many people, this won’t be an issue because they tend to prefer to wear that type of cologne.

However, others will want an Eau de Parfum in order to get the stronger and longer-lasting fragrance of a higher-concentration cologne. Furthermore, those with sensitive skin will appreciate the lower alcohol content of an Eau de Parfum. Unfortunately, you don’t have a ton of options to get a Cuba Cologne if you like to wear only Eau de Parfum.

How We Chose

Shopping for colognes can be difficult for many men. That’s because everything is hidden in a little bottle, unlike, say, a sweater—which you can see and feel in order to judge the quality of its design and materials. As a result, we’re always looking to unmask what really goes into a bottle of great cologne and deliver that information to you.

From quality ingredients to how long a cologne lasts once it’s been applied, we consider a wide range of factors when we’re creating a list, like the best Cuba colognes for men.

We also pay close attention to the following four factors, which guide our recommendations across all of FashionBeans.com.

Company reputation: Does the brand have an excellent track record of putting out quality products? Well, when it comes to Cuba cologne, the answer to that question is luckily an emphatic yes.

Customer reviews: Do the reviews that real customers have written about a product attest to its quality? If not, it won’t appear on a list of the best Cuba colognes or any other list.

Price: Are you going to be getting real value for your money if you follow our advice and purchase one of the products we recommended? Yeah, you will because we’re always on the lookout for great deals.

Transparency: Finally, we always make sure that, if we’re going to recommend a brand (like Cuba colognes), that they’re upfront and honest about the crucial details like the origin of their materials and their return policies.

Why Trust Us?

We have a ton of experience in rating and ranking men’s colognes as an editorial team here at FashionBeans. Whether it’s guides focused on a specific brand or the more general category of the best colognes for men, we’ve had your back when shopping for colognes for a long time now. After all, we love sharing our expertise and experience in the cologne space.

When we put together a list like this, each of the editors will come up with a personal shortlist of their favorite products in whatever category we’re covering. Then, we’ll share our lists at a general meeting and hash out exactly which products are going to make and miss the list. Often, there’s some friendly arguing, but we’re always able to end up with a list that we have a lot of confidence in.

Final Verdict 

Overall, we didn’t have much choice except to list the Cuba Prestige Classic Men 1.17 oz EDT Spray as the best Cuba cologne. It’s a modern classic that men have been wearing for well over a decade at this point, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to become any less popular any time soon.

However, many of the same factors that make the Cuba Prestige Classic such a great cologne are present in the other fragrances on this list, which means you can’t really go wrong with any Cuba cologne.