Cachet Noir vs Prelude
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
53%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Prelude takes 5 of 7 categories.
Cachet NoirChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
PreludeChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Cachet Noir2/7
Prelude5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Prelude
- Community sentiment
- Prelude
- Longevity
- Prelude
- Sillage & projection
- Prelude
- Value for money
- Cachet Noir
- Versatility
- Cachet Noir
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Prelude
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Cachet NoirPrince MatchabelliPreludeBalenciagaWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.37/ 5 · 27 votes
Have 31%Had 19%Want 50%
4.24/ 5 · 155 votes
Have 41%Had 20%Want 39%
Category winnerPreludeRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate56%Love
30%Like
11%Ok
4%Dislike
0%Hate
27 votes
41%Love
50%Like
1%Ok
8%Dislike
0%Hate
155 votes
Category winnerPreludeMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityPrelude
SillagePrelude
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerCachet NoirBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothamber100%
warm spicy92%
woody84%
aromatic77%
musky69%
floral61%
amber100%
warm spicy92%
powdery84%
floral77%
sweet69%
yellow floral61%
Scent match53%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15 to 30 minutes
AldehydesGalbanumPimentoCardamomBergamotFruity Notes
Heart2 to 4 hours
CarnationCinnamonPatchouliYlang-YlangJasmineRose
Base4 to 8 hours
AmberBenzoinCedarOlibanumLabdanumCivetMossCastoreum
Top
AldehydesOrangeBergamot
Heart
CarnationYlang-YlangCinnamonJasmineRoseOrchid
Base
Tolu BalsamBenzoinAmberCivetVanillaPatchouli
InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation and Cinnamon. Durations are only published for Cachet Noir, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring25
Summer13
Fall100
Winter50
Day44
Night100
Spring57
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerCachet NoirMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#22,636
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews5
Overall rank#6,188
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews25
Category winnerPreludeHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotCachet Noir by Prince Matchabelli is a warm, spicy oriental fragrance launched in 1983. It opens with an energetic burst of aldehydes, bitter green galbanum, zesty bergamot, and a dusting of cardamom and pimento. As the brisk opening settles, a rich floral heart takes over, featuring spicy carnation, cinnamon, patchou…
Reviews →Balenciaga Prelude opens with a rush of soapy, sparkling aldehydes and citrus before settling into a warm, spice-laden floral core. The heart relies on ylang-ylang and carnation, which are dusted with ground cinnamon to create a dry, textured warmth. It eventually settles into a quiet, resinous base of tolu balsam and…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Cachet Noir or Prelude?
Prelude takes 5 of 7 categories. Cachet Noir is rated 4.37/5 from 27 votes; Prelude is rated 4.24/5 from 155 votes. Choose Cachet Noir for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Prelude for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Cachet Noir or Prelude?
Prelude lasts longest (Prelude 74/100, Cachet Noir 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Cachet Noir or Prelude?
Prelude projects furthest (Prelude 70/100, Cachet Noir 63/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Cachet Noir and Prelude smell similar?
Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and floral accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation and Cinnamon.
Is Cachet Noir or Prelude better for summer or winter?
For summer, Cachet Noir is the stronger pick. For winter, Prelude is the stronger pick. Cachet Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Cachet Noir and Prelude?
Cachet Noir has top notes of Aldehydes, Galbanum, Pimento and Cardamom, heart notes of Carnation, Cinnamon, Patchouli and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Amber, Benzoin, Cedar and Olibanum. Prelude has top notes of Aldehydes, Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Cinnamon and Jasmine, a base of Tolu Balsam, Benzoin, Amber and Civet.
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