Fragrance comparison

Aleksandr vs Presence

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 265 ratings analysed

Aleksandr

Arquiste

4.02210 votes

Rank #31,399 LeatherOzonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Presence

Houbigant

4.1555 votes

Rank #33,073 MossyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Presence takes 6 of 7 categories.

Aleksandr
Choose it for a leather and ozonic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Presence
Choose it for a mossy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Aleksandr1/7

Presence6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AleksandrArquiste

PresenceHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.02/ 5 · 210 votes

Have 29%Had 12%Want 59%

4.15/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 44%Had 11%Want 45%

Category winnerPresenceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

39%Like

9%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

210 votes

42%Love

44%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerPresenceMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityPresence

SillagePresence

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value64

Category winnerPresenceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

ozonic92%

aquatic84%

smoky77%

fresh69%

woody61%

mossy100%

floral92%

earthy84%

woody77%

fresh69%

fruity61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both fresh and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

NeroliVodkaAldehydesBirch Leaf

Heart

Violet LeavesRussian LeatherOrrisCognac

Base

Balsam FirBirch TarOakmossNatural Musk

Top15-30 mins

AppleAldehydesNeroliLemonBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

OrrisHeliotropeCarnationJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossMuskCedarVetiverSpicesAmbergrisPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesNeroli, Aldehydes, Orris and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Presence, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring69

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring79

Summer50

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night71

Category winnerPresenceMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men30

Unisex70

Women0

Men7

Unisex20

Women73

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,399

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#33,073

PerfumerRaymond Kling

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAleksandrHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Arquiste Aleksandr opens with a sharp flash of chilled vodka, crisp aldehydes, and green birch leaf that cuts cleanly through cold winter air. Within twenty minutes, the icy top notes step back to reveal a dry heart of violet leaves, powdery orris, and polished Russian leather. Crisp balsam fir and smoky birch tar anc…

Reviews →

Houbigant Presence is a crisp, historic chypre built on striking contrasts. The first spray releases a brisk wash of tart green apple, fizzy aldehydes, and sharp lemon zest. Give it ten minutes. The top burns off rapidly to reveal a velvety, dry heart of earthy orris root and spicy carnation blossoms. It smells like v…

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, Aleksandr or Presence?

Presence takes 6 of 7 categories. Aleksandr is rated 4.02/5 from 210 votes; Presence is rated 4.15/5 from 55 votes. Choose Aleksandr for a leather and ozonic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Presence for a mossy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Aleksandr or Presence?

Presence lasts longest (Presence 68/100, Aleksandr 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Aleksandr or Presence?

Presence projects furthest (Presence 62/100, Aleksandr 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aleksandr and Presence smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh and woody accords. Common notes include Neroli, Aldehydes, Orris and Oakmoss.

Is Aleksandr or Presence better for summer or winter?

For summer, Presence is the stronger pick. For winter, Aleksandr is the stronger pick. Presence suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aleksandr and Presence?

Aleksandr has top notes of Neroli, Vodka, Aldehydes and Birch Leaf, heart notes of Violet Leaves, Russian Leather, Orris and Cognac, a base of Balsam Fir, Birch Tar, Oakmoss and Natural Musk. Presence has top notes of Apple, Aldehydes, Neroli and Lemon, heart notes of Orris, Heliotrope, Carnation and Jasmine, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Cedar and Vetiver.