- Grey Flannel Cologne Review - October 27, 2023
When I first set out to review the Grey Flannel Cologne, I had no expectations for how the experience would go. I had never heard of the smell before, but it caught my eye and sounded very interesting. I thought it would smell like a lumberjack. I guess I mean musky, husky, dark, and manly. I imagined a really strong smell of wood mixed with a hint of pine.
My initial reaction to the scent when I first opened the bottle was wow! I didn’t expect it to smell so sweet, since it looked more like a smell that would overpower my senses when I initially saw it online. I decided to test the scent on a few men in my life and keep track of their feedback.
I ordered the 8oz bottle from Amazon and this is how my overall experience went.
This international favorite starts with fragrance notes including aromatic woody galbanum, then moves to a complex heart featuring sweet mimosa and fragrant sage. 
A Little Backstory of the Scent
The fragrance was released in the ’70s by Geoffrey Beene. Geoffrey was born in Haynesville, Louisiana in 1924. He originally wanted to be a doctor, but ultimately decided to follow his dreams as a fashion designer. He moved on to work with well-known fashion houses in both New York and Paris, after his career switch.
When he created Grey Flannel, he wanted to invent a more affordable fragrance, versus his high-end fashion designs. Since then, the fragrance has remained a popular staple. It’s available at Walmart and Amazon, among the most reputable retail stores. Amazon even crowned it an “Amazon’s Choice” item. You can also find the scent at independent fragrance retailers, as well (usually online).
Quick Facts about Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene
Citrus, fresh, marine. Designed by Geoffrey Beene in 1996, Eau De Grey Flannel for men is a refreshing, woody, mossy, fragrance. It is the result of the following top fragrance notes: bergamot, freesia and citrus.
- It also comes in a deodorant stick
- The name was inspired by actual grey flannel shirts
- The scent changes as you wear it. It may start as a bit bitter, but soon you’ll begin to smell the notes of Violet
The Cologne I Have Smelled
When it comes to cologne, I was introduced to different fragrances as a kid. I’ve had at least one serious boyfriend in my life and I’ve always been surrounded by men who were fans of smelling nice (i.e. brother, stepdad, uncles, etc.).
The first cologne I smelled and fell in love with was Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue. I love how the fragrance is light but still very commanding of your senses. It almost reminds me of the ocean, which is why I think the commercial does a wonderful job of visually describing how the scent smells.
I also like the Polo Eau de Toilette Spray in the green bottle. It smells more like pine and it has a strong scent that lasts. When I would smell it on a man, I could smell it after hours have passed. I truly think this is the goal of any cologne; to stick even after a few hours have passed.
Compared to these two colognes, Grey Flannel is somewhere in between. It has a powerful scent, but not as strong as Light Blue or the Polo scent. It does, however, give a fresh vibe, the same way the Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue scent does.
How Grey Flannel is different
Grey flannel overall has a nice smell. It’s not something that I would buy for a friend or any male figure in my life. Simply because it’s more of a cologne that you would combine with your shower routine. It smells really good when mixed with a fresh scented lotion.
Since it has more of a lighter smell, I think it would also smell good when you need a scent, but you don’t want one that is too strong. For example, you may be attending graduations or some sort of occasion, aside from date night. This is when you would want a stronger scent that stands out a bit more.
Grey Flannel Fragrance Notes
- Violet
- Iris
- Geranium
- Mimosa
- Sage
- Narcissus
- Rose
- Oakmoss
- Vetiver
- Cedar
- Tonka Bean
- Almonds
Who Its For
This cologne smells more for a middle-aged man and someone more of a social guy. I wouldn’t recommend this fragrance for a younger man in his early 20s, nor a teenager. If you wanted to get this cologne as a gift for someone, I would say a man older than 25 would enjoy this.
I think it’s for a professional man or someone who is definitely around different people a lot. It may sound strange but does remind me of a seasoned scent for a man in the 1950s and 60s who had a housewife and was leaving every day with his briefcase.
The Price
Grey Flannel is affordable and can be found on several websites. Here is a quick breakdown of the prices that I’ve found:
- Fragrancenet.com $13.64 – $17.54 (4oz – 8oz)
- Amazon $22.82 (8oz)
- FragranceX $19.27 (8oz)
- Walmart Spray $15.30 (4oz)
This international favorite starts with fragrance notes including aromatic woody galbanum, then moves to a complex heart featuring sweet mimosa and fragrant sage.
Things To Know Before You Buy
- Try purchasing from a reputable company, so that you don’t receive a fake. In the beauty industry, some independent retailers have been suspected of imitating other perfumes and cologne. Virtually any fragrance that you can name has a dupe. I would recommend Amazon to purchase the 4oz for $14.23 or the 8oz for $22.82. Those are the current prices minus taxes and fees.
- It comes as a spray. The 4oz spray can be purchased from Walmart, for $15.30. Choose this option if you don’t want the bottle that you’ll have to dab on your skin, each time.
- It comes in a dust bag type of pouch that I love! It has such a high-quality feel and the drawstring makes it easy to carry. I think this may have something to do with it being for businessmen who may have to travel a lot for work. It can easily be stored in your luggage or toiletry bag, which gives it a ton of cool points. This was by far my favorite part of the cologne.
The Tests
So I decided to ask a few men to smell the cologne and give their preliminary review, so to speak. This is the result in shortly and sweetly
Tester #1: The first person smelled it initially and went in for a second smell. They explained that the cologne smelled very much like a 90’s scent. I can only agree to this review to a certain extent. I paid attention to male fragrances, but I had never smelled any scent quite like this one when I was younger. Then again, I was only a kid. I didn’t attend any adult events, so it may have been a hit with sociable men in the 90’s. I just don’t remember any family members mentioning or wearing it.
- Tester #2: The second person smelled and also went in multiple times to smell it again. They explained that it is a scent they would purchase. They also said that it smells fresh and they wouldn’t mind wearing it every day. I agree with this tester in that it does give a fresh scent. To me, it also has a hint of a smell that I can’t put my finger on, but this is what throws it off a little for me. The scent that I’m referring to almost smells like cedar, so this may be the note that I dislike the most.
- Tester #3: Although this wasn’t an official test with someone who I let smell the cologne, I did jump on the train heading home after presenting the fragrance to Tester #2 and received a compliment. A passenger hopped on the train at one of the stops along the way and exclaimed “Somebody smells good!”. I thought this was super funny, but I also enjoyed this review the best because it was unexpected. I think someone getting an initial smell and having this type of reaction speaks highly of the cologne. It says that if you wear the scent you will get noticed for smelling good. I just had the bottle inside of the bag that it comes with and was carrying it in my hand. I didn’t put any on. This lead me to realize that the scent does pack some sort of power if someone could smell it as soon as they walked past me.
Pros of the Grey Flannel Cologne
- The scent is light, allowing you to wear it with lotion, and will smell well after using your body wash or soap
- The bottle comes with a lot of cologne that will last you for months!
- Affordable price
- Comes with a dust bag for easy travel
Cons of the Grey Flannel Cologne
- The scent wears off easily
- The 8oz version does not have a squirt bottle top
- Not a good gift for all ages
The Reviews
After reading a majority of the reviews, I came across some people that feel like me, and others that feel a little different. I saw that most people liked the scent and have been using it for many years. I was shocked by the number of reviews that the fragrance had when I initially started researching. However, I had to realize that it has been around for a long time, so the amount of reviews is understandable.
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FAQs
Question: Who designed the Grey Flannel Cologne?Â
Answer: The scent originated in the 1970s by fashion designer Geoffrey Beene. Geoffrey wanted to create an affordable fragrance, opposite of his more expensive fashion designs. The scent has notes of Violet, Sage, Rose, and other scents.
Question: How many ounces is the Grey Flannel Cologne?Â
Answer: There are different amounts of Grey Flannel Cologne fragrances. The bottle that you dab on, does not have a spray nozzle and comes in an 8oz bottle. The spray bottle comes in 4oz and 1oz.
Question: Does Grey Flannel smell good?
Answer: Grey flannel has a mixture of different notes that make up a fresh smell. It has a scent that mainly smells like Violet, lemon, and greenery. It’s a smell that goes well with lotion when you’re fresh out of the shower. There are other hints of almonds that also give it a serious smell.
Grey Flannel Cologne Review: Conclusion
This international favorite starts with fragrance notes including aromatic woody galbanum, then moves to a complex heart featuring sweet mimosa and fragrant sage.
In conclusion, I would not recommend Grey Flannel, simply because it’s more of a body spray type of feel, versus a powerful cologne that will last you throughout a party. I think it has a nice undertone of freshness, but compared to the more expensive colognes, I would give it a no. Not to say that the smell is horrendous. I just think for a cologne, there should be more of a powerfulness.
Like I mentioned with the Dolce and Gabbana scent. Although it’s a light scent, it still has a commanding fragrance that wows, instead of a meh… that’s just okay. Fragrances are always tricky, especially when it comes to gift-giving. I would say I give it an overall no for gift-giving as well, just to be frank. Although I would give it a no, the cologne did have pretty good reviews, so it’s not a total dub.
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