When it comes to scent, I confess to being dully monogamous: it takes a lot to lure me away from trusted favourites. I am immune to celebrity endorsements, breathless TV adverts irritate me, and I have a special dislike of anything involving a pop, movie or sports star. I don’t go a bundle on florals and positively despise orientals – and since both have dominated perfumery tiresomely in recent years, few new launches have filled me with any lasting passion.

This year, however, there’s something fresh in the air; something invigorating, zingy, occasionally earthy, something to blast through all those sweet, cloying monstrosities. Cologne is, as they say, having a fashion moment.

Contrary to popular assumption, eau de cologne is an Italian invention, courtesy of Giovanni Maria Farina. He patented his own citrus-based perfume in the 18th century, which was a huge hit with all the top brass of the day, including Napoleon.

The provenance is evident from the ingredients: oils of lemon, orange, tangerine, bergamot, lime and grapefruit. It will also often contain lavender, rosemary, thyme, petitgrain (orange leaf) and even jasmine. It is generally thought of as a men’s fragrance; in fact, for such an old-fashioned formulation, it is surprisingly unisex – and very democratic. Cologne can suit anyone, young or old, peachy-cheeked or hairy-chested.

The key thing about modern colognes is the clever way they play around with the original idea. The first of these is Miller Harris’s Le Petit Grain (£110, 020-7221 1545), which is so uplifting you’ll never want to wear anything else. Essentially, it’s an olfactory riff on the orange tree. Perfumers can make good use of almost any part of this plant: the blossom (neroli), the leaves and twigs (petitgrain), and the fruit itself (orange oil), which gives Le Petit Grain its sunshine heart, with oak and patchouli for warmth and rosemary and lemon for bite. A remarkable scent.

Another new take on an old theme is Lubin’s L’Eau Neuve (from £49, 020-7291 0930). Created in 1968, it was styled as the “scent of the revolution” – sexual and student, that is. Its main characteristic is a zingy, fiery kick – perfectly suited to the free-spirited culture of the age. Forty years on, Lubin has brought it back, and it feels every bit as contemporary as it must have done back then. It also comes in a lovely bottle, with a fabulous psychedelic orange stopper.

Finally, Christian Dior’s Escale a Portofino (£40 for 75ml, 020-7216 0216) is another tangy delight that evokes carefree Italian living, effortlessly elegant and wonderfully versatile. It starts off with a sharp but sweet citrus burst (a bit like a mojito), but softens with wear into a warmer, cypress-infused green: bellissimo.

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