The aquatic classic that still works thirty-five years after launch — Cool Water was the fragrance that defined the fresh masculine category and everything since has been either influenced by it or reacting against it. Fresh and maritime without being salty, it's appropriate across every season, inoffensive in every professional context, and familiar enough that most people will respond positively to it. The ultimate reliable fragrance. Sometimes the obvious choice is obvious because it's correct.
The fragrance that made Chanel relevant to men who hadn't previously paid attention to fragrance — Bleu de Chanel is the best-selling men's EDP in the world and the commercial success is genuine rather than manufactured. Cedar and sandalwood on a citrus opening that's clean without being sharp, and the dry-down into vetiver and musk is sophisticated without demanding attention. Worn by more successful men than any other scent, which is either evidence of its quality or creates a self-reinforcing association worth having. Either way, it works.
The fragrance with a genuine cult following among successful men — Aventus has been imitated more than any other fragrance in history because the original can't be replicated. Blackcurrant and pineapple open with immediate impact, birch smoke and ambergris anchor the dry-down in a way that's distinctive without being difficult. Over 12 hours of longevity on most skin types, and the sillage is powerful enough to be noticed without being aggressive. The fragrance that genuinely changes how people perceive you in a room.