Fragrance comparison

Apercu vs Poivre

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 377 ratings analysed

4 wins

Apercu

Houbigant

4.13219 votes

Rank #24,297 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Poivre

Caron

4.03158 votes

Rank #11,148 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Apercu takes 4 of 8 categories.

Apercu
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Poivre
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Apercu4/8

Poivre3/8

Ratings & consensus: Apercu
Community sentiment: Apercu
Longevity: Apercu
Sillage & projection: Poivre
Value for money: Apercu
Versatility: Poivre
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Poivre

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ApercuHoubigant

PoivreCaron

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 219 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.03/ 5 · 158 votes

Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%

Category winnerApercuRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

46%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

219 votes

42%Love

37%Like

1%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

158 votes

Category winnerApercuMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityApercu

SillagePoivre

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value46

Category winnerApercuBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

green69%

citrus61%

warm spicy100%

floral83%

fresh spicy65%

woody48%

aromatic30%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesAmalfi LemonJasmineBergamotNeroliTuberose

Heart2-4 hrs

CinnamonGeraniumYlang-Ylang

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossClovePatchouliCassiaVetiverSandalwood

Top20-30 mins

CloveCarnationPepperSpicesRed Pepper

Heart3-4 hrs

ClovesFloral NotesGeraniumRoseJasmineYlang-YlangTuberose

Base7-10 hrs

OakmossOpoponaxSandalwoodWoodsy NotesVetiver

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring79

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring20

Summer18

Fall73

Winter100

Day56

Night100

Category winnerPoivreMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex47

Women53

Work 40%Casual 31%Date 20%Party 9%

Men8

Unisex62

Women31

Date 40%Party 27%Casual 20%Work 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,297

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#11,148

PerfumerMichel Morsetti

Launched—

Reviews23

Category winnerPoivreHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Houbigant Apercu brings traditional chypre construction into sharp, modern focus. It opens with bitter bergamot, crisp neroli, and crushed green stems. The oakmoss hits quickly. Fresh Amalfi lemon balances a dry heart of spicy cinnamon and brisk geranium. There is no candy here. The fragrance dries down into dark patc…

Reviews →

Poivre by Caron is not your typical vintage floral. It hits your skin with a fiery rush of crushed black pepper and pungent clove. The heat is immediate. Behind that initial crackle lies a velvety heart of spicy carnation, deep red rose, and creamy ylang-ylang. As the fiery spices relax, earthy oakmoss and smoky opopo…

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, Apercu or Poivre?

Apercu takes 4 of 8 categories. Apercu is rated 4.13/5 from 219 votes; Poivre is rated 4.03/5 from 158 votes. Choose Apercu for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Poivre for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Apercu or Poivre?

Apercu lasts longest (Apercu 72/100, Poivre 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Apercu or Poivre?

Poivre projects furthest (Poivre 65/100, Apercu 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Apercu and Poivre smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Tuberose, Geranium and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Apercu or Poivre better for summer or winter?

For summer, Poivre is the stronger pick. For winter, Apercu is the stronger pick. Apercu suits daytime wear; Poivre suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Apercu and Poivre?

Apercu has top notes of Green Notes, Amalfi Lemon, Jasmine and Bergamot, heart notes of Cinnamon, Geranium and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Clove, Patchouli and Cassia. Poivre has top notes of Clove, Carnation, Pepper and Spices, heart notes of Cloves, Floral Notes, Geranium and Rose, a base of Oakmoss, Opoponax, Sandalwood and Woodsy Notes.