Fragrance comparison

Absolute Oriental vs Formidable Man

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 79 ratings analysed

4 wins

Absolute Oriental

Angel Schlesser

4.1948 votes

Rank #27,880 FloralRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Formidable Man

Andree Putman

4.1031 votes

Rank #18,244 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Absolute Oriental takes 4 of 7 categories.

Absolute Oriental
Choose it for a floral and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Formidable Man
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Absolute Oriental4/7

Formidable Man3/7

Ratings & consensus: Absolute Oriental
Community sentiment: Absolute Oriental
Longevity: Formidable Man
Sillage & projection: Absolute Oriental
Value for money: Absolute Oriental
Versatility: Formidable Man
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Formidable Man

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Absolute OrientalAngel Schlesser

Formidable ManAndree Putman

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 48 votes

Have 27%Had 8%Want 65%

4.10/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 38%Had 9%Want 53%

Category winnerAbsolute OrientalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

46%Like

4%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

48 votes

45%Love

35%Like

3%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerAbsolute OrientalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityFormidable Man

SillageAbsolute Oriental

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value79

¤ Price value42

Category winnerAbsolute OrientalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

rose92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

powdery69%

patchouli61%

citrus100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

floral69%

patchouli61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, floral and patchouli

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotFreesiaOsmanthus

Heart

RoseSaffronPeony

Base

PatchouliVanillaSandalwoodMuskVetiver

Top

LemonBergamot

Heart

OsmanthusPatchouli

Base

VetiverMusk

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Osmanthus, Patchouli and Musk. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer11

Fall83

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Spring100

Summer78

Fall89

Winter22

Day100

Night20

Category winnerFormidable ManMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men13

Unisex63

Women25

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,880

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,244

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerFormidable ManHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Angel Schlesser Absolute Oriental pairs a bright top of bergamot, freesia, and osmanthus with a dense floral heart driven by rose, saffron, and peony. The opening fizzes with crisp citrus before settling into a warm, spiced floral structure. As the initial brightness fades, earthy patchouli, creamy vanilla, sandalwood…

Reviews →

Formidable Man opens with a sharp burst of lemon and bitter bergamot, settling into a dry, herbaceous heart. A clean vetiver dominates the base, avoiding the usual damp soil characteristics of the note. This fragrance suits anyone seeking a crisp, office-ready signature that projects a quiet, composed confidence throu…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Absolute Oriental or Formidable Man?

Absolute Oriental takes 4 of 7 categories. Absolute Oriental is rated 4.19/5 from 48 votes; Formidable Man is rated 4.10/5 from 31 votes. Choose Absolute Oriental for a floral and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Formidable Man for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Absolute Oriental or Formidable Man?

They last about the same: Formidable Man 75/100, Absolute Oriental 73/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Absolute Oriental or Formidable Man?

Absolute Oriental projects furthest (Absolute Oriental 73/100, Formidable Man 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Absolute Oriental and Formidable Man smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, floral and patchouli accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Osmanthus, Patchouli and Musk.

Is Absolute Oriental or Formidable Man better for summer or winter?

For summer, Formidable Man is the stronger pick. For winter, Absolute Oriental is the stronger pick. Absolute Oriental suits evening wear; Formidable Man suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Absolute Oriental and Formidable Man?

Absolute Oriental has top notes of Bergamot, Freesia and Osmanthus, heart notes of Rose, Saffron and Peony, a base of Patchouli, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Musk. Formidable Man has top notes of Lemon and Bergamot, heart notes of Osmanthus and Patchouli, a base of Vetiver and Musk.