Fragrance comparison

Contemporary vs Empire Absolut

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 222 ratings analysed

4 wins

Contemporary

Clive Christian

4.31198 votes

Rank #25,723 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

Empire Absolut

Hinode

4.2124 votes

Rank #37,471 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Contemporary takes 4 of 6 categories.

Contemporary
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Empire Absolut
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, evening wear.

Contemporary4/6

Empire Absolut2/6

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ContemporaryClive Christian

Empire AbsolutHinode

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.31/ 5 · 198 votes

Have 43%Had 10%Want 47%

4.21/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 60%Had 16%Want 24%

Category winnerContemporaryRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

28%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

198 votes

42%Love

46%Like

4%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityContemporary

SillageContemporary

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value23

¤ Price value61

Category winnerEmpire AbsolutBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody90%

mossy80%

aromatic70%

powdery60%

violet50%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic90%

woody80%

citrus70%

balsamic60%

warm spicy50%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 60 minutes

GeraniumBlackberryVioletBlack Pepper

Heart3 to 4 hours

CedarNutmeg

Base4 to 7 hours

MossMalt

Top15-30 mins

elemiOrangeMandarin OrangeNutmegGingerBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Black PepperSolar NotesLavenderMarigoldCypriol Oil or NagarmothaRosemaryGeranium

Base6-8+ hrs

CedarTonka BeanMossPatchouliViolet

Category winnerEmpire AbsolutLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring94

Summer100

Fall75

Winter49

Day100

Night70

Spring44

Summer6

Fall72

Winter100

Day19

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men55

Unisex34

Women11

Men79

Unisex16

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,723

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#37,471

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerContemporaryHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Contemporary by Clive Christian takes the traditional aromatic fougere framework and gives it a sharper, fruitier edge. The scent opens with a burst of tart blackberry and crisp geranium, dusted with pungent black pepper and clean, slightly powdery violet. As the tart fruit settles, warm nutmeg and dry cedar take over…

Reviews →

Empire Absolut by Hinode kicks off with a sharp splash of mandarin orange and zesty bergamot, quickly spiced up by fresh grated ginger and warm nutmeg. As the citrus settles, herbal rosemary, clean lavender, and a punch of black pepper create an energetic aromatic heart. Deep underneath, earthy patchouli, dry cedar wo…

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, Contemporary or Empire Absolut?

Contemporary takes 4 of 6 categories. Contemporary is rated 4.31/5 from 198 votes; Empire Absolut is rated 4.21/5 from 24 votes. Choose Contemporary for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Empire Absolut for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Contemporary or Empire Absolut?

Contemporary lasts longest (Contemporary 76/100, Empire Absolut 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Contemporary or Empire Absolut?

Projection is very close: Contemporary 61/100, Empire Absolut 60/100 for sillage.

Do Contemporary and Empire Absolut smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Geranium, Violet, Black Pepper and Cedar.

Is Contemporary or Empire Absolut better for summer or winter?

Contemporary suits daytime wear; Empire Absolut suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Contemporary and Empire Absolut?

Contemporary has top notes of Geranium, Blackberry, Violet and Black Pepper, heart notes of Cedar and Nutmeg, a base of Moss and Malt. Empire Absolut has top notes of elemi, Orange, Mandarin Orange and Nutmeg, heart notes of Black Pepper, Solar Notes, Lavender and Marigold, a base of Cedar, Tonka Bean, Moss and Patchouli.