Fragrance comparison

Agarbathi vs Cuir Imperial

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 325 ratings analysed

Agarbathi

Penhaligon's

3.97257 votes

Rank #5,359 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Cuir Imperial

Ormonde Jayne

4.0168 votes

Rank #7,981 WoodyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cuir Imperial takes 4 of 7 categories.

Agarbathi
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Cuir Imperial
Choose it for a woody and leather character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Agarbathi3/7

Cuir Imperial4/7

Ratings & consensus: Agarbathi
Community sentiment: Agarbathi
Longevity: Cuir Imperial
Sillage & projection: Cuir Imperial
Value for money: Cuir Imperial
Versatility: Cuir Imperial
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Agarbathi

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AgarbathiPenhaligon's

Cuir ImperialOrmonde Jayne

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.97/ 5 · 257 votes

Have 34%Had 8%Want 58%

4.01/ 5 · 68 votes

Have 22%Had 8%Want 70%

Category winnerAgarbathiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

10%Dislike

2%Hate

177 votes

50%Love

23%Like

7%Ok

13%Dislike

7%Hate

30 votes

Category winnerAgarbathiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityCuir Imperial

SillageCuir Imperial

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value42

¤ Price value43

Category winnerCuir ImperialBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

balsamic61%

woody100%

leather92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Palo SantoPink PepperBergamot

Heart

IncenseOlibanumMilkJasmine Sambac

Base

SuedeSandalwoodBalsam FirVetiver

Top

CognacCardamomBergamotPink PepperClary Sage

Heart

SuedeLeatherOrrisRaspberryRoseFreesia

Base

SandalwoodCedarVetiverTonka BeanIncensePatchouli

InformationalShared notesPink Pepper, Bergamot, Incense and Suede. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring37

Summer15

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring75

Summer42

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night45

Category winnerCuir ImperialMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men49

Unisex46

Women5

Men80

Unisex20

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,359

PerfumerAlex Lee

Launched—

Reviews47

Overall rank#7,981

PerfumerLinda Pilkington

Launched—

Reviews22

Category winnerAgarbathiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Agarbathi is a dry, smoky incense fragrance built around palo santo, olibanum, sandalwood and suede. Wearers often describe it as woody, peppery, meditative and unusual, with a temple-like incense character rather than an easy fresh fougere. It suits people who like resinous woods, dry spice and quiet mystery. Sample…

Reviews →

Cuir Imperial is a bold leather perfume with a smoky, woody frame and a spicy cognac opening. On skin, reviewers often describe polished leather, suede, aromatic spice, and a sweeter dry-down touched by orris, sandalwood, tonka, and raspberry. It suits people who enjoy assertive leather scents with a luxury leather-sh…

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, Agarbathi or Cuir Imperial?

Cuir Imperial takes 4 of 7 categories. Agarbathi is rated 3.97/5 from 257 votes; Cuir Imperial is rated 4.01/5 from 68 votes. Choose Agarbathi for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Cuir Imperial for a woody and leather character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Agarbathi or Cuir Imperial?

Cuir Imperial lasts longest (Cuir Imperial 81/100, Agarbathi 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Agarbathi or Cuir Imperial?

Cuir Imperial projects furthest (Cuir Imperial 76/100, Agarbathi 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Agarbathi and Cuir Imperial smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Pink Pepper, Bergamot, Incense and Suede.

Is Agarbathi or Cuir Imperial better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cuir Imperial is the stronger pick. For winter, Agarbathi is the stronger pick. Cuir Imperial suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Agarbathi and Cuir Imperial?

Agarbathi has top notes of Palo Santo, Pink Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Incense, Olibanum, Milk and Jasmine Sambac, a base of Suede, Sandalwood, Balsam Fir and Vetiver. Cuir Imperial has top notes of Cognac, Cardamom, Bergamot and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Suede, Leather, Orris and Raspberry, a base of Sandalwood, Cedar, Vetiver and Tonka Bean.