Fragrance comparison

Apercu vs Signature IV

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 222 ratings analysed

2 wins

Apercu

Houbigant

4.13219 votes

Rank #24,297 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

49%scent match

Some overlap

Signature IV

Western Valley Avenue London

4.673 votes

Rank #45,812 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Apercu takes 2 of 2 categories.

Apercu
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Signature IV
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Apercu2/2

Signature IV0/2

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ApercuHoubigant

Signature IVWestern Valley Avenue London

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 219 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 13%Had 4%Want 83%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 SillageN/A

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageNo data

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value0

Category winnerApercuBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

green69%

citrus61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

warm spicy69%

amber61%

Scent match49%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and warm spicy

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

Top

BergamotCassisGrapefruitAppleMandarin OrangeNeroliNutmegPink Pepper

Heart

CardamonGeraniumJasmineJuniperLavenderLily-of-the-ValleyRoseRosemary

Base

AmberBenzoinCedarCinnamonLabdanumelemiFirLeather

InformationalShared notesJasmine, Bergamot, Neroli and Cinnamon. Durations are only published for Apercu, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring79

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring100

Summer100

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex47

Women53

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

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,297

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#45,812

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerApercuHigher 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 →

Signature IV is a dense aromatic woody scent built around bright citrus, pepper, herbs, and a warm ambered base. It opens brisk and spicy, then settles into lavender, juniper, soft florals, moss, leather, and vanilla-tonka warmth. This looks best for someone who likes classic masculine structure with a fuller, slightl…

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 Signature IV?

Apercu takes 2 of 2 categories. Apercu is rated 4.13/5 from 219 votes; Signature IV is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes. Choose Apercu for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Signature IV for a aromatic and woody character. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Do Apercu and Signature IV smell similar?

Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Bergamot, Neroli and Cinnamon.

Is Apercu or Signature IV better for summer or winter?

Apercu suits daytime wear; Signature IV suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Apercu and Signature IV?

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. Signature IV has top notes of Bergamot, Cassis, Grapefruit and Apple, heart notes of Cardamon, Geranium, Jasmine and Juniper, a base of Amber, Benzoin, Cedar and Cinnamon.