Fragrance comparison

Close Up vs Cafe Ambre Noir

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 783 ratings analysed

Close Up

Olfactive Studio

3.67682 votes

Rank #6,998 CherryWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

7 wins

Cafe Ambre Noir

Sultan Pasha Attars

4.32101 votes

Rank #2,541 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cafe Ambre Noir takes 7 of 7 categories.

Close Up
Choose it for a cherry and warm spicy character. Best in winter.
Cafe Ambre Noir
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Close Up0/7

Cafe Ambre Noir7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Close UpOlfactive Studio

Cafe Ambre NoirSultan Pasha Attars

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 682 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.32/ 5 · 101 votes

Have 24%Had 7%Want 68%

Category winnerCafe Ambre NoirRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

28%Love

38%Like

10%Ok

20%Dislike

4%Hate

682 votes

56%Love

26%Like

6%Ok

10%Dislike

2%Hate

50 votes

Category winnerCafe Ambre NoirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity90

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate86

Category winners

LongevityCafe Ambre Noir

SillageCafe Ambre Noir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value57

Category winnerCafe Ambre NoirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

cherry100%

warm spicy92%

amber84%

sweet77%

white floral69%

vanilla61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

coffee84%

amber77%

cacao69%

sweet61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both warm spicy, amber and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CherrySpicesCoffee

Heart

White TobaccoPatchouliAtlas CedarRose

Base

Tonka BeanAmberMusk

Top

CoffeeRum

Heart

TobaccoSpicesCambodian OudTea RoseHyacinth

Base

CacaoMaltBeeswaxLabdanumPatchouliCade oilSiam BenzoinGuaiac Wood

InformationalShared notesSpices, Coffee and Patchouli. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring38

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring25

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Category winnerCafe Ambre NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men15

Unisex59

Women27

Men60

Unisex40

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,998

PerfumerAnnick Menardo

Launched—

Reviews57

Overall rank#2,541

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews41

Category winnerCafe Ambre NoirHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Close Up opens with a striking blast of sour black cherry and warm anise spices, creating an immediate sweet yet medicinal impression. As it settles on the skin, the dark fruitiness blends into a dry, dusty coffee note and a soft sheet of white tobacco. It feels rich, slightly boozy, and dense, making it a standout ch…

Reviews →

Cafe Ambre Noir by Sultan Pasha Attars is a dense, unapologetic gourmand centered on rich coffee and dark rum. This attar leans into heavy, resinous base notes like cacao, patchouli, and oud, creating an intense profile that demands cold weather. It is a bold, long-lasting scent designed for those who appreciate deep,…

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, Close Up or Cafe Ambre Noir?

Cafe Ambre Noir takes 7 of 7 categories. Close Up is rated 3.67/5 from 682 votes; Cafe Ambre Noir is rated 4.32/5 from 101 votes. Choose Close Up for a cherry and warm spicy character. Best in winter. Choose Cafe Ambre Noir for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Close Up or Cafe Ambre Noir?

Cafe Ambre Noir lasts longest (Cafe Ambre Noir 90/100, Close Up 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Close Up or Cafe Ambre Noir?

Cafe Ambre Noir projects furthest (Cafe Ambre Noir 74/100, Close Up 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Close Up and Cafe Ambre Noir smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and sweet accords. Common notes include Spices, Coffee and Patchouli.

Is Close Up or Cafe Ambre Noir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Close Up is the stronger pick. For winter, Close Up is the stronger pick. Cafe Ambre Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Close Up and Cafe Ambre Noir?

Close Up has top notes of Cherry, Spices and Coffee, heart notes of White Tobacco, Patchouli, Atlas Cedar and Rose, a base of Tonka Bean, Amber and Musk. Cafe Ambre Noir has top notes of Coffee and Rum, heart notes of Tobacco, Spices, Cambodian Oud and Tea Rose, a base of Cacao, Malt, Beeswax and Labdanum.