Fragrance comparison

Declaration vs Tsar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 8,027 ratings analysed

Declaration

Cartier

4.046,212 votes

Rank #1,266 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

6 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 6 of 7 categories.

Declaration
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Declaration1/7

Tsar6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DeclarationCartier

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 6,212 votes

Have 65%Had 35%Want 0%

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

40%Love

40%Like

6%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

6,212 votes

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerTsarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityTsar

SillageTsar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value48

Category winnerDeclarationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

woody77%

warm spicy69%

leather61%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Bitter OrangeCarawayBirchBergamotCorianderMandarin OrangeNeroliArtemisia

Heart

Guatemalan CardamomPepperGingerIrisJuniperCinnamonOrris RootJasmine

Base

Tahitian VetiverTeaCedarLeatherOakmossAmber

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesCaraway, Bergamot, Coriander and Neroli. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter47

Day–

Night–

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerTsarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men78

Unisex19

Women2

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,266

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews207

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cartier Declaration opens with a sharp burst of bitter orange and crisp bergamot before immediately shifting into an assertive heart of Guatemalan cardamom, pepper, and caraway. Jean-Claude Ellena crafted this 1998 fragrance around a striking contrast between cool citrus and warm, dry spices that carry a distinct huma…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Declaration or Tsar?

Tsar takes 6 of 7 categories. Declaration is rated 4.04/5 from 6,212 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Declaration for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Declaration or Tsar?

Tsar lasts longest (Tsar 72/100, Declaration 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Declaration or Tsar?

Tsar projects furthest (Tsar 62/100, Declaration 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Declaration and Tsar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Caraway, Bergamot, Coriander and Neroli.

Is Declaration or Tsar better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tsar is the stronger pick. For winter, Tsar is the stronger pick. Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Declaration and Tsar?

Declaration has top notes of Bitter Orange, Caraway, Birch and Bergamot, heart notes of Guatemalan Cardamom, Pepper, Ginger and Iris, a base of Tahitian Vetiver, Tea, Cedar and Leather. 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.