Fragrance comparison

Ambre Topkapi vs Wood and Absinth

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 696 ratings analysed

4 wins

Ambre Topkapi

MDCI Parfums

3.84529 votes

Rank #4,447 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

22%scent match

Clearly different

Wood and Absinth

Mark Buxton · 2008

3.85167 votes

Rank #17,741 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ambre Topkapi takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ambre Topkapi
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Wood and Absinth
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Ambre Topkapi4/7

Wood and Absinth2/7

Ratings & consensus: Ambre Topkapi
Community sentiment: Tie
Longevity: Ambre Topkapi
Sillage & projection: Ambre Topkapi
Value for money: Wood and Absinth
Versatility: Wood and Absinth
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Ambre Topkapi

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ambre TopkapiMDCI Parfums

Wood and AbsinthMark Buxton

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.84/ 5 · 529 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

3.85/ 5 · 167 votes

Have 39%Had 12%Want 48%

Category winnerAmbre TopkapiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

44%Like

10%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

340 votes

24%Love

46%Like

25%Ok

2%Dislike

3%Hate

116 votes

Category winnerTieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityAmbre Topkapi

SillageAmbre Topkapi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value47

Category winnerWood and AbsinthBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

sweet84%

lavender77%

fruity69%

fresh61%

aromatic100%

woody88%

soft spicy77%

earthy30%

Scent match22%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderPineappleGrapefruitBergamotWormwoodMelonNutmegGinger

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyVioletJasmineThyme

Base

MuskAmberOakmossTeaBrazilian RosewoodLeatherPatchouliRaspberry

Top15 to 30 minutes

WormwoodClary SageStar AniseCitrusesOrange

Heart1 to 2 hours

Brazilian RosewoodJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

VetiverCedar

InformationalShared notesWormwood, Jasmine and Brazilian Rosewood. Durations are only published for Wood and Absinth, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer68

Fall0

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Spring85

Summer73

Fall100

Winter34

Day100

Night58

Category winnerWood and AbsinthMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men61

Unisex37

Women2

Men55

Unisex43

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,447

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews76

Overall rank#17,741

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched2008

Reviews6

Category winnerAmbre TopkapiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ambre Topkapi is fresher, greener and more aromatic than its name suggests. Wearers often describe a clean lavender and grapefruit opening, with pineapple folded in smoothly rather than pushed forward, then a spicy woody base that feels polished and quietly masculine. It suits someone who likes refined fougere style f…

Reviews →

Wood and Absinth by Mark Buxton is an aromatic, woody scent built on the tension between bitter botanicals and dry timber. The fragrance opens with a bracing splash of citruses and sweet orange, paired with the culinary herbal snap of clary sage, star anise, and pungent wormwood. As that initial citrus burst settles, …

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, Ambre Topkapi or Wood and Absinth?

Ambre Topkapi takes 4 of 7 categories. Ambre Topkapi is rated 3.84/5 from 529 votes; Wood and Absinth is rated 3.85/5 from 167 votes. Choose Ambre Topkapi for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Wood and Absinth for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ambre Topkapi or Wood and Absinth?

Ambre Topkapi lasts longest (Ambre Topkapi 71/100, Wood and Absinth 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ambre Topkapi or Wood and Absinth?

Ambre Topkapi projects furthest (Ambre Topkapi 59/100, Wood and Absinth 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ambre Topkapi and Wood and Absinth smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Wormwood, Jasmine and Brazilian Rosewood.

Is Ambre Topkapi or Wood and Absinth better for summer or winter?

For summer, Wood and Absinth is the stronger pick. For winter, Ambre Topkapi is the stronger pick. Wood and Absinth suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ambre Topkapi and Wood and Absinth?

Ambre Topkapi has top notes of Lavender, Pineapple, Grapefruit and Bergamot, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Violet, Jasmine and Thyme, a base of Musk, Amber, Oakmoss and Tea. Wood and Absinth has top notes of Wormwood, Clary Sage, Star Anise and Citruses, heart notes of Brazilian Rosewood and Jasmine, a base of Vetiver and Cedar.