Fragrance comparison

Aperture vs No. 33 Eau de Cologne

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 206 ratings analysed

6 wins

Aperture

Ulrich Lang

4.3094 votes

Rank #10,998 MuskyAldehydic

Full profile Similar & dupes

10%scent match

Clearly different

No. 33 Eau de Cologne

Penhaligon's

3.69112 votes

Rank #14,693 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aperture takes 6 of 7 categories.

Aperture
Choose it for a musky and aldehydic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.
No. 33 Eau de Cologne
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring.

Aperture6/7

No. 33 Eau de Cologne1/7

Ratings & consensus: Aperture
Community sentiment: Aperture
Longevity: Aperture
Sillage & projection: Aperture
Value for money: No. 33 Eau de Cologne
Versatility: Aperture
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Aperture

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ApertureUlrich Lang

No. 33 Eau de ColognePenhaligon's

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.30/ 5 · 94 votes

Have 27%Had 6%Want 66%

3.69/ 5 · 112 votes

Have 47%Had 17%Want 36%

Category winnerApertureRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

26%Like

1%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

94 votes

23%Love

44%Like

13%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

112 votes

Category winnerApertureMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityAperture

SillageAperture

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value34

¤ Price value37

Category winnerNo. 33 Eau de CologneBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family

musky100%

aldehydic92%

fresh84%

amber77%

white floral69%

animalic61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy91%

warm spicy83%

woody74%

citrus65%

herbal56%

Scent match10%Clearly different

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesPink PepperBlack PepperWhite Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

TobaccoLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineCedar

Base6-8+ hrs

AmbergrisMuskVetiverAmber

Top

Clary SageBergamotCypressCorianderArtemisiaOrangeGrapefruit

Heart

LavenderCardamomGeraniumBlack PepperSaffronGingerVioletLily-of-the-Valley

Base

MuskMossCedarTobaccoTonka BeanVetiverVanillaAmber

InformationalShared notesBlack Pepper, Tobacco, Lily-of-the-Valley and Cedar. Durations are only published for Aperture, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring83

Summer24

Fall100

Winter72

Day100

Night64

Spring100

Summer79

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Category winnerApertureMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men34

Unisex66

Women0

Work 33%Casual 31%Date 25%Party 11%

Men69

Unisex17

Women14

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#10,998

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

Overall rank#14,693

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews20

Category winnerApertureHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Aperture by Ulrich Lang is a cool, aromatic woody scent that captures the crisp chill of a photography darkroom. The fragrance opens with an icy prickle of white pepper, black pepper, and pink pepper suspended in airy aldehydes. As the initial sharp burst settles on warm skin, dry cedar and sweet pipe tobacco take cen…

Reviews →

Penhaligon's No. 33 Eau de Cologne is a fresh aromatic fougere built around lavender, clary sage, citrus, cypress, cardamom and soft woods. On skin it often reads clean, green, gently spicy and slightly sweet, with a classic British grooming feel rather than a heavy statement scent. The main caution is strength. Sever…

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, Aperture or No. 33 Eau de Cologne?

Aperture takes 6 of 7 categories. Aperture is rated 4.30/5 from 94 votes; No. 33 Eau de Cologne is rated 3.69/5 from 112 votes. Choose Aperture for a musky and aldehydic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose No. 33 Eau de Cologne for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Aperture or No. 33 Eau de Cologne?

Aperture lasts longest (Aperture 70/100, No. 33 Eau de Cologne 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Aperture or No. 33 Eau de Cologne?

Aperture projects furthest (Aperture 66/100, No. 33 Eau de Cologne 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aperture and No. 33 Eau de Cologne smell similar?

Clearly different: a 10% scent match on Fragranxe. They share few main accords. Common notes include Black Pepper, Tobacco, Lily-of-the-Valley and Cedar.

Is Aperture or No. 33 Eau de Cologne better for summer or winter?

For summer, No. 33 Eau de Cologne is the stronger pick. For winter, Aperture is the stronger pick. Aperture suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aperture and No. 33 Eau de Cologne?

Aperture has top notes of Aldehydes, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper and White Pepper, heart notes of Tobacco, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Cedar, a base of Ambergris, Musk, Vetiver and Amber. No. 33 Eau de Cologne has top notes of Clary Sage, Bergamot, Cypress and Coriander, heart notes of Lavender, Cardamom, Geranium and Black Pepper, a base of Musk, Moss, Cedar and Tobacco.