Fragrance comparison

Dark Men vs Tsar

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,838 ratings analysed

Dark Men

Police

3.8323 votes

Rank #40,537 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 3 of 5 categories.

Dark Men
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Dark Men2/5

Tsar3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark MenPolice

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.83/ 5 · 23 votes

Have 34%Had 28%Want 38%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

22%Like

9%Ok

26%Dislike

0%Hate

23 votes · too few to score

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityTsar

SillageDark Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value48

Category winnerDark MenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

powdery77%

vanilla65%

fruity53%

earthy42%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Black CurrantJuniper BerriesBergamotLavender

Heart

Pine TreeOakmossGeraniumJasmine

Base

SandalwoodVanillaVetiverMuskAmber

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesJuniper Berries, Bergamot, Lavender and Pine Tree. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring38

Summer13

Fall75

Winter100

Day38

Night100

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,537

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Police Dark Men opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, crisp juniper berries, and tart black currant that cuts through cool autumn air. As the initial spray settles, aromatic lavender merges with green pine tree needles and earthy oakmoss, giving the heart a distinctly dark woodiness. The dry-down slowly transforms on …

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Dark Men or Tsar?

Tsar takes 3 of 5 categories. Dark Men is rated 3.83/5 from 23 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Dark Men for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark Men or Tsar?

Tsar lasts longest (Tsar 72/100, Dark Men 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Men or Tsar?

Projection is very close: Dark Men 63/100, Tsar 62/100 for sillage.

Do Dark Men and Tsar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Juniper Berries, Bergamot, Lavender and Pine Tree.

Is Dark Men or Tsar better for summer or winter?

Dark Men suits evening wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Men and Tsar?

Dark Men has top notes of Black Currant, Juniper Berries, Bergamot and Lavender, heart notes of Pine Tree, Oakmoss, Geranium and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver and Musk. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.