Fragrance comparison

Bracken Man vs Valero

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 1,720 ratings analysed

5 wins

Bracken Man

Amouage

4.171,494 votes

Rank #23,962 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

69%scent match

Closely related

Valero

Parfums de Marly

3.01226 votes

Rank #18,073 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bracken Man takes 5 of 7 categories.

Bracken Man
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Valero
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Bracken Man5/7

Valero2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Bracken ManAmouage

ValeroParfums de Marly

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 1,494 votes

Have 77%Had 23%Want 0%

3.01/ 5 · 226 votes

Have 23%Had 6%Want 71%

Category winnerBracken ManRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

30%Like

7%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,494 votes

23%Love

23%Like

17%Ok

8%Dislike

29%Hate

226 votes

Category winnerBracken ManMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate50

Category winners

LongevityBracken Man

SillageBracken Man

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value41

¤ Price value10

Category winnerBracken ManBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy90%

fresh spicy80%

aromatic70%

patchouli60%

lavender50%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic90%

woody80%

citrus70%

lavender60%

warm spicy50%

Scent match69%Closely related · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ClovesCypressLavenderNutmegLemonBergamot

Heart

GeraniumCedarSandalwoodCinnamon

Base

PatchouliMusk

Top15-30 mins

CitronBergamotJuniper

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderGeraniumNutmegCypress

Base6-8+ hrs

Ambrox SuperPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesCypress, Lavender, Nutmeg and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Valero, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer70

Fall0

Winter45

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer97

Fall74

Winter28

Day100

Night37

Category winnerValeroMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex11

Women1

Men80

Unisex13

Women7

Casual 38%Work 34%Date 17%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,962

PerfumerOlivier Cresp

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,073

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews93

Category winnerValeroHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Amouage Bracken Man reimagines the classic fougere by surrounding dry lavender and wet earth with intense kitchen spices. The fragrance opens with a sharp burst of cloves before settling into a damp forest floor aroma that feels both retro and fiercely modern. It suits men who appreciate green, earthy scents over swee…

Reviews →

Valero by Parfums de Marly hits skin with an immediate snap of tart citron, crisp bergamot, and chilled juniper berries. The first two minutes bring a fast solvent lift before aromatic lavender, nutmeg, and dry cypress take over the heart. It smells undeniably clean. Think of an upscale barbershop shave cream infused …

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, Bracken Man or Valero?

Bracken Man takes 5 of 7 categories. Bracken Man is rated 4.17/5 from 1,494 votes; Valero is rated 3.01/5 from 226 votes. Choose Bracken Man for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Valero for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Bracken Man or Valero?

Bracken Man lasts longest (Bracken Man 76/100, Valero 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bracken Man or Valero?

Bracken Man projects furthest (Bracken Man 67/100, Valero 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bracken Man and Valero smell similar?

Closely related: a 69% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cypress, Lavender, Nutmeg and Bergamot.

Is Bracken Man or Valero better for summer or winter?

For summer, Valero is the stronger pick. For winter, Bracken Man is the stronger pick. Valero suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bracken Man and Valero?

Bracken Man has top notes of Cloves, Cypress, Lavender and Nutmeg, heart notes of Geranium, Cedar, Sandalwood and Cinnamon, a base of Patchouli and Musk. Valero has top notes of Citron, Bergamot and Juniper, heart notes of Lavender, Geranium, Nutmeg and Cypress, a base of Ambrox Super, Patchouli and Sandalwood.