Fragrance comparison

Apercu vs Tsar

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 2,034 ratings analysed

Apercu

Houbigant

4.13219 votes

Rank #24,297 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #715 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 3 of 8 categories.

Apercu
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Apercu1/8

Tsar3/8

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ApercuHoubigant

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 219 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating 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

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerTieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value48

Category winnerApercuBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

green69%

citrus61%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and green

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

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring79

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Category winnerTsarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex47

Women53

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

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

Work 40%Casual 33%Date 18%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,297

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#715

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher 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 →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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 Tsar?

Tsar takes 3 of 8 categories. Apercu is rated 4.13/5 from 219 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Apercu for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Apercu or Tsar?

They last about the same: Apercu 72/100, Tsar 72/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Apercu or Tsar?

Projection is very close: Apercu 62/100, Tsar 62/100 for sillage.

Do Apercu and Tsar smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and green accords. Common notes include Green Notes, Jasmine, Bergamot and Neroli.

Is Apercu or Tsar better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Apercu and Tsar?

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. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.