Fragrance comparison

Carven L'Absolu vs Route Mandarine

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 456 ratings analysed

Carven L'Absolu

Carven

3.77388 votes

Rank #7,810 WoodyWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Route Mandarine

Manuel Canovas

4.1568 votes

Rank #13,169 Warm SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Route Mandarine takes 4 of 7 categories.

Carven L'Absolu
Choose it for a woody and white floral character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Route Mandarine
Choose it for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Carven L'Absolu2/7

Route Mandarine4/7

Ratings & consensus: Route Mandarine
Community sentiment: Route Mandarine
Longevity: Route Mandarine
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Route Mandarine
Versatility: Carven L'Absolu
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Carven L'Absolu

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Carven L'AbsoluCarven

Route MandarineManuel Canovas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.77/ 5 · 388 votes

Have 47%Had 21%Want 32%

4.15/ 5 · 68 votes

Have 48%Had 12%Want 40%

Category winnerRoute MandarineRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

24%Love

50%Like

5%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

388 votes

41%Love

44%Like

3%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

68 votes

Category winnerRoute MandarineMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityRoute Mandarine

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value63

Category winnerRoute MandarineBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

white floral92%

patchouli84%

yellow floral77%

tuberose69%

amber61%

warm spicy100%

citrus92%

amber84%

woody77%

white floral69%

rose61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both woody, white floral and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Madagascar Ylang-YlangItalian Mandarin

Heart

Egyptian JasmineTuberoseIris

Base

Indonesian Patchouli LeafSpanish LabdanumSandalwood

Top20-30 mins

Madagascar ClovesOrangeCeylon CinnamonMadagascar Ylang-YlangItalian MandarinEgyptian PelargoniumLemonBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

Bulgarian RosePatchouliSandalwoodOrange BlossomEgyptian JasmineTahitian VetiverLily-of-the-Valley

Base8-12 hrs

IncenseAmberSpanish LabdanumWhite MuskMadagascar Vanilla

InformationalShared notesMadagascar Ylang-Ylang, Italian Mandarin, Egyptian Jasmine and Spanish Labdanum. Durations are only published for Route Mandarine, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day–

Night–

Spring48

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day77

Night100

Category winnerCarven L'AbsoluMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex14

Women83

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Date 35%Casual 28%Party 20%Work 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,810

PerfumerFrancis Kurkdjian, Jérôme di Marino

Launched—

Reviews36

Overall rank#13,169

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews17

Category winnerCarven L'AbsoluHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carven L'Absolu opens with a bright flash of Italian mandarin before settling into dense white florals and earthy patchouli. Co-created by Francis Kurkdjian and Jérôme di Marino in 2015, this eau de parfum leans heavily into Madagascar ylang-ylang and Egyptian jasmine, creating a rich, creamy floral character. The hea…

Reviews →

Route Mandarine by Manuel Canovas smells like a traditional winter pomander brought to life. You get an immediate burst of juicy Italian mandarin, bitter bergamot, and pungent Madagascar clove. Do not overspray this. The spice hits fast. Within twenty minutes, the bright citrus flash fades into a warm heart of Bulgari…

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, Carven L'Absolu or Route Mandarine?

Route Mandarine takes 4 of 7 categories. Carven L'Absolu is rated 3.77/5 from 388 votes; Route Mandarine is rated 4.15/5 from 68 votes. Choose Carven L'Absolu for a woody and white floral character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Route Mandarine for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Carven L'Absolu or Route Mandarine?

Route Mandarine lasts longest (Route Mandarine 77/100, Carven L'Absolu 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carven L'Absolu or Route Mandarine?

Projection is very close: Carven L'Absolu 65/100, Route Mandarine 65/100 for sillage.

Do Carven L'Absolu and Route Mandarine smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, white floral and amber accords. Common notes include Madagascar Ylang-Ylang, Italian Mandarin, Egyptian Jasmine and Spanish Labdanum.

Is Carven L'Absolu or Route Mandarine better for summer or winter?

For summer, Carven L'Absolu is the stronger pick. For winter, Route Mandarine is the stronger pick. Route Mandarine suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carven L'Absolu and Route Mandarine?

Carven L'Absolu has top notes of Madagascar Ylang-Ylang and Italian Mandarin, heart notes of Egyptian Jasmine, Tuberose and Iris, a base of Indonesian Patchouli Leaf, Spanish Labdanum and Sandalwood. Route Mandarine has top notes of Madagascar Cloves, Orange, Ceylon Cinnamon and Madagascar Ylang-Ylang, heart notes of Bulgarian Rose, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Orange Blossom, a base of Incense, Amber, Spanish Labdanum and White Musk.