Fragrance comparison

Boss Number One vs Emir

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 2,437 ratings analysed

4 wins

Boss Number One

Hugo Boss

3.941,912 votes

Rank #1,011 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Emir

M. Micallef

3.86525 votes

Rank #4,055 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Boss Number One takes 4 of 7 categories.

Boss Number One
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Emir
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Boss Number One4/7

Emir3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Boss Number OneHugo Boss

EmirM. Micallef

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 1,912 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

3.86/ 5 · 525 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

Category winnerBoss Number OneRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

35%Like

7%Ok

14%Dislike

3%Hate

1,912 votes

41%Love

40%Like

4%Ok

14%Dislike

1%Hate

388 votes

Category winnerEmirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityEmir

SillageEmir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value52

Category winnerBoss Number OneBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

honey77%

sweet69%

herbal61%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

citrus84%

oud77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

ArtemisiaJuniperBergamotLemonCarawayBasilGreen AppleGrapefruit

Heart2-4 hrs

HoneyLavenderRoseSageJasmineGeraniumOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-8+ hrs

TobaccoOakmossPatchouliSandalwoodMuskAmberCinnamonCedar

Top

GrapefruitOrange

Heart

GeraniumWhite PepperSage

Base

Agarwood (Oud)PatchouliCedarMusk

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Sage, Geranium and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Boss Number One, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Spring47

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBoss Number OneMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men96

Unisex3

Women1

Men77

Unisex20

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,011

PerfumerPierre Wargnye

Launched—

Reviews202

Overall rank#4,055

PerfumerJean-Claude Astier

Launched—

Reviews35

Category winnerBoss Number OneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Boss Number One by Hugo Boss is a classic 1985 aromatic fougere that blends bitter artemisia, golden honey, and rich pipe tobacco into an unmistakably confident masculine profile. The fragrance kicks off with an energetic burst of lemon, tart green apple, and pungent herbal basil before smoothing into a dense floral h…

Reviews →

Emir by M. Micallef is a woody, spicy fragrance launched in 2010. It features a sharp opening of grapefruit and orange that transitions into a heart of geranium, sage, and white pepper. The base anchors the scent with a dominant agarwood and patchouli accord. It is a bold, masculine choice suitable for cooler autumn a…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Boss Number One or Emir?

Boss Number One takes 4 of 7 categories. Boss Number One is rated 3.94/5 from 1,912 votes; Emir is rated 3.86/5 from 525 votes. Choose Boss Number One for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Emir for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Boss Number One or Emir?

Emir lasts longest (Emir 79/100, Boss Number One 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Boss Number One or Emir?

Emir projects furthest (Emir 72/100, Boss Number One 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Boss Number One and Emir smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Sage, Geranium and Patchouli.

Is Boss Number One or Emir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Boss Number One is the stronger pick. For winter, Boss Number One is the stronger pick. Boss Number One suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Boss Number One and Emir?

Boss Number One has top notes of Artemisia, Juniper, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Honey, Lavender, Rose and Sage, a base of Tobacco, Oakmoss, Patchouli and Sandalwood. Emir has top notes of Grapefruit and Orange, heart notes of Geranium, White Pepper and Sage, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Cedar and Musk.