Fragrance comparison

Alford & Hoff No 3 vs Papier Carbone

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 216 ratings analysed

Alford & Hoff No 3

Alford & Hoff

3.001 votes

Rank #72,899 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Papier Carbone

Ormaie

3.61215 votes

Rank #11,628 Soft SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Papier Carbone takes 3 of 4 categories.

Alford & Hoff No 3
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Papier Carbone
Choose it for a soft spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Alford & Hoff No 31/4

Papier Carbone3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Papier Carbone
Sillage & projection: Papier Carbone
Value for money: Alford & Hoff No 3
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Papier Carbone

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Alford & Hoff No 3Alford & Hoff

Papier CarboneOrmaie

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 33%Had 0%Want 67%

3.61/ 5 · 215 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

0%Like

100%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

29%Love

34%Like

21%Ok

10%Dislike

6%Hate

163 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate50

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityPapier Carbone

SillagePapier Carbone

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value40

Category winnerAlford & Hoff No 3Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

amber77%

fresh spicy65%

powdery53%

aldehydic42%

soft spicy100%

aromatic92%

woody84%

anis77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesAbsintheCedarAngelicaCardamomRhubarb

Heart

Clary SageGeraniumIrisNutmegFig

Base

Black LeatherBelambra treeGuaiac WoodOlibanumAmberHaitian Vetiver

Top

Star AniseCoffeeBergamotCardamom

Heart

Clary SageNutmegCorianderLavender

Base

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)PatchouliGuaiac WoodHaitian Vetiver

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Clary Sage, Nutmeg and Guaiac Wood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter40

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men12

Unisex73

Women15

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#72,899

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#11,628

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews35

Category winnerPapier CarboneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Alford & Hoff No 3 by Alford & Hoff is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for men. Alford & Hoff No 3 was launched in 2016. Top notes are Aldehydes, Absinthe, Cedar, Angelica, Cardamom and Rhubarb; middle notes are Clary Sage, Geranium, Iris, Nutmeg and Fig; base notes are Black Leather, Cedar, Belambra tree, Guaiac Wood, Oli…

Reviews →

Papier Carbone is a soft spicy, aromatic woody fragrance built around star anise, cardamom, paper-like woods and a musky ambrette base. On skin it often reads as nostalgic and unusual, with impressions of pencil shavings, licorice sweets, old paper, ink, warm spices and dry woods. It suits wearers who enjoy conceptual…

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, Alford & Hoff No 3 or Papier Carbone?

Papier Carbone takes 3 of 4 categories. Alford & Hoff No 3 is rated 3.00/5 from 1 votes; Papier Carbone is rated 3.61/5 from 215 votes. Choose Alford & Hoff No 3 for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose Papier Carbone for a soft spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Alford & Hoff No 3 or Papier Carbone?

Papier Carbone lasts longest (Papier Carbone 63/100, Alford & Hoff No 3 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Alford & Hoff No 3 or Papier Carbone?

Papier Carbone projects furthest (Papier Carbone 59/100, Alford & Hoff No 3 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Alford & Hoff No 3 and Papier Carbone smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Clary Sage, Nutmeg and Guaiac Wood.

Is Alford & Hoff No 3 or Papier Carbone better for summer or winter?

Alford & Hoff No 3 suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Alford & Hoff No 3 and Papier Carbone?

Alford & Hoff No 3 has top notes of Aldehydes, Absinthe, Cedar and Angelica, heart notes of Clary Sage, Geranium, Iris and Nutmeg, a base of Black Leather, Belambra tree, Guaiac Wood and Olibanum. Papier Carbone has top notes of Star Anise, Coffee, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Clary Sage, Nutmeg, Coriander and Lavender, a base of Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Patchouli, Guaiac Wood and Haitian Vetiver.