Fragrance comparison

1872 Mandarin vs Rafale

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 14 Nov 2026 56 ratings analysed

1872 Mandarin

Clive Christian

3.9841 votes

Rank #37,631 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Rafale

Molinard

4.0715 votes

Rank #37,095 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Rafale takes 4 of 5 categories.

1872 Mandarin
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Rafale
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

1872 Mandarin1/5

Rafale4/5

Ratings & consensus: Rafale
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 1872 Mandarin
Sillage & projection: Rafale
Value for money: Rafale
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Rafale

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

1872 MandarinClive Christian

RafaleMolinard

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 41 votes

Have 19%Had 7%Want 74%

4.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 40%Had 24%Want 36%

Category winnerRafaleRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

34%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

5%Hate

41 votes

33%Love

53%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

Longevity1872 Mandarin

SillageRafale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value20

¤ Price value71

Category winnerRafaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

woody77%

powdery69%

earthy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

woody80%

herbal70%

lavender60%

white floral50%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top30 to 45 minutes

Mandarin OrangeBergamotNectarineGingerLimeBasilCorianderLemon

Heart2 to 3 hours

LavenderLily-of-the-ValleyVioletFreesiaOrchidRoseJasmine

Base3 to 5 hours

MossVetiverMuskAmberCedarSaffronPatchouli

Notes

JasmineBasilLavenderBergamotArtemisiaVetiverJuniper BerriesSandalwoodPatchouliLemonCedarMandarin Orange

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Bergamot, Basil and Lemon. Durations are only published for 1872 Mandarin, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer60

Fall40

Winter27

Day100

Night64

Spring89

Summer100

Fall67

Winter22

Day100

Night13

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men40

Unisex40

Women20

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,631

PerfumerBeverley Bayne

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#37,095

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerRafaleHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

1872 Mandarin by Clive Christian is a bright citrus floral fragrance built on crisp fruit and classic greenery. The scent begins with a lively burst of mandarin orange, lime, and lemon, sharpened by ginger, fresh basil, and coriander. As the brisk opening settles, a soft floral heart of lily-of-the-valley, violet, lav…

Reviews →

Molinard Rafale is a crisp 1977 aromatic blend that opens with a sharp burst of fresh lemon, mandarin orange, and crushed sweet basil. It feels like stepping into a sunlit French herb garden right after a cool morning rain, mixing bright citrus with clean herbal greenery. As it warms on the skin, French lavender and …

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 1872 Mandarin or Rafale?

Rafale takes 4 of 5 categories. 1872 Mandarin is rated 3.98/5 from 41 votes; Rafale is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes. Choose 1872 Mandarin for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Rafale for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 1872 Mandarin or Rafale?

1872 Mandarin lasts longest (1872 Mandarin 67/100, Rafale 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 1872 Mandarin or Rafale?

Rafale projects furthest (Rafale 73/100, 1872 Mandarin 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 1872 Mandarin and Rafale smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, Basil and Lemon.

Is 1872 Mandarin or Rafale better for summer or winter?

1872 Mandarin suits daytime wear; Rafale suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 1872 Mandarin and Rafale?

1872 Mandarin has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, Nectarine and Ginger, heart notes of Lavender, Lily-of-the-Valley, Violet and Freesia, a base of Moss, Vetiver, Musk and Amber. Rafale features Jasmine, Basil, Lavender, Bergamot and Artemisia.