I think you're asking the least bottles question.
There are a lot of ways to think about it.
1) 1 bottle default - aka the signature fragrance - This is most guys default, because they are not really into cologne. Most guys sig frag was Acqua di Gio, and is currently Dior Sauvage. Before it was Drakkar Noir. It might have been Old Spice or Brut.
2) 1 bottle from a collector's pov - this is a nightmare, because you have to try a lot of things before you decide on one. People that have this, usually bought a lot and then downsized, but have backup bottles of their sig frag.
3) Fragrance for every season - Warm Weather scents that make you feel clean and smell clean. Cool Weather Scents that smell "cozy". Nautica Voyage, to me, smells better in the warm weather than the cold weather. Spicebomb Extreme is the opposite.
4) Fragrance for every typical occasion
- Everyday for school/work - so clean, a bit of scent trail and projection, but not too much, lasts 8 hours
- Date Night - sweet/interesting, a bit more of a scent trail, a bit of projection, lasts long enough
- Clubbing - sweet/loud/interesting, a long scent trail, a lot of projection, lasts long and lasts even though you're sweating.
- Special Occasion - think your wedding, weddings, Operas, Plays, graduations... - loud/interesting, long scent trail, projection, "fill up a room", lasts long
5) Sweet 16 - From what I can tell, most people combine categories 3 and 4 - What you wear clubbing in the summer is different than the winter. So that'd be 4x4 = 16 fragrances.
That said, by the time most dudes get past 4 bottles, and they realize what is out there, and that they don't want to smell like anyone else - they can't stop at 16 bottles.
6) Personal Enjoyment - eff everyone else
To me, these folks are dudes that douse themselves in whatever, or females that wear heavy patchouli.
In the cologne community, it's guys that are into Toskovat and other obscure indie perfumers. I guess the snobs are niche only.
This is where I currently am.
Analyzing your collection
- Signature Fragrance - You could easily just stay with Legend and sell the rest.
- Collector Sig Frag - Naw, if you get bitten by the bug, you won't be happy with what you have.
- 4 Seasons - Legend is good for Spring. I'd say BDC for the summer. Ombre for the Winter, and Y for the Fall. Ombre might only be for the Winter, under this mentality, but I wore Ombre last week. Just don't spray heavy. Legend/Y/BDC are good year round though
- Occasions - I sorta think you're missing a date night and club night fragrance, but the Legend and Y could also stand in. None for a special occasion imo, but that's the fuzziest category to me.
- Sweet 16 - You don't have 16 scents, so ....
I'm not suggesting that you go out and buy anything,
especially not a full bottle.
But if you want to add something to your current collection, I'd start looking at a 1) chill date night fragrance and 2) a club fragrance.
If you don't club, I'd still get like 5mls of something more potent than what you've got.
You might as well have mentioned Nautica Sport or Curve. I’m just joking around.
Only club you might catch me at is the gym.
