Fragrance comparison

Cedar Forest vs MCM Success

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 67 ratings analysed

Cedar Forest

Ponsa

4.0334 votes

Rank #29,789 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

7 wins

MCM Success

MCM - Mode Creation Munich

4.4533 votes

Rank #16,159 HoneySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MCM Success takes 7 of 7 categories.

Cedar Forest
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Best in fall, day or night wear.
MCM Success
Choose it for a honey and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Cedar Forest0/7

MCM Success7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cedar ForestPonsa

MCM SuccessMCM - Mode Creation Munich

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.03/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 33%Had 8%Want 59%

4.45/ 5 · 33 votes

Have 36%Had 7%Want 57%

Category winnerMCM SuccessRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

29%Like

12%Ok

3%Dislike

9%Hate

34 votes

61%Love

30%Like

3%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

33 votes

Category winnerMCM SuccessMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate86

Category winners

LongevityMCM Success

SillageMCM Success

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value59

Category winnerMCM SuccessBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber86%

mossy72%

balsamic58%

warm spicy44%

earthy30%

honey100%

sweet92%

floral84%

tobacco77%

earthy69%

woody61%

Scent match23%Clearly different · both woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

CedarOakmossBenzoinCopaiba balmAmber

No top / heart / base split published

Top

HoneyTobaccoRoseOrangeBergamotLemon

Heart

PatchouliCarnationOrrisVetiverCedarJasmine

Base

OakmossMuskLeatherVanillaBenzoinAmber

InformationalShared notesCedar, Oakmoss, Benzoin and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer23

Fall100

Winter73

Day100

Night100

Spring39

Summer22

Fall89

Winter100

Day80

Night100

Category winnerMCM SuccessMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex50

Women17

Men78

Unisex22

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#29,789

PerfumerAlejandro Ponsà

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#16,159

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerMCM SuccessHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cedar Forest by Ponsa centers on raw cedarwood anchored by damp oakmoss and resinous copaiba balm. Spanish perfumer Alejandro Ponsà balances the initial blast of freshly sawn timber with warm amber and balsamic benzoin. The smell mimics standing in a cool mountain grove after rain, where wet foliage mixes with cut log…

Reviews →

MCM Success is a vintage masculine honey chypre with tobacco, patchouli, moss, leather, and warm amber underneath. Reviewers describe it as sweet but serious, fresher and lighter than some heavier 1980s honey fragrances, with a leathery woody dry-down that feels mature rather than casual. It suits wearers who enjoy ol…

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, Cedar Forest or MCM Success?

MCM Success takes 7 of 7 categories. Cedar Forest is rated 4.03/5 from 34 votes; MCM Success is rated 4.45/5 from 33 votes. Choose Cedar Forest for a woody and amber character. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose MCM Success for a honey and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Cedar Forest or MCM Success?

MCM Success lasts longest (MCM Success 79/100, Cedar Forest 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cedar Forest or MCM Success?

MCM Success projects furthest (MCM Success 75/100, Cedar Forest 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cedar Forest and MCM Success smell similar?

Clearly different: a 23% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Cedar, Oakmoss, Benzoin and Amber.

Is Cedar Forest or MCM Success better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cedar Forest is the stronger pick. For winter, MCM Success is the stronger pick. Cedar Forest suits day or night wear; MCM Success suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cedar Forest and MCM Success?

Cedar Forest features Cedar, Oakmoss, Benzoin, Copaiba balm and Amber. MCM Success has top notes of Honey, Tobacco, Rose and Orange, heart notes of Patchouli, Carnation, Orris and Vetiver, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Leather and Vanilla.