Fragrance comparison

Eau Maximum vs Ambre Topkapi

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 596 ratings analysed

4 wins

Eau Maximum

Nickel

4.0467 votes

Rank #12,776 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

Ambre Topkapi

MDCI Parfums

3.84529 votes

Rank #4,623 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Eau Maximum takes 4 of 7 categories.

Eau Maximum
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Ambre Topkapi
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Eau Maximum4/7

Ambre Topkapi3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Eau MaximumNickel

Ambre TopkapiMDCI Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 67 votes

Have 54%Had 24%Want 22%

3.84/ 5 · 529 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerEau MaximumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

46%Like

1%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

67 votes

34%Love

44%Like

10%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

340 votes

Category winnerEau MaximumMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityAmbre Topkapi

SillageEau Maximum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value37

Category winnerEau MaximumBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic83%

green65%

fresh spicy48%

herbal30%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

sweet84%

lavender77%

fruity69%

fresh61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintGrapefruitOrange

Heart

TeaThymeAmalfi LemonSageRosemary

Base

MuskPatchouliNutmegCinnamon

Top

LavenderPineappleGrapefruitBergamotWormwoodMelonNutmegGinger

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyVioletJasmineThyme

Base

MuskAmberOakmossTeaBrazilian RosewoodLeatherPatchouliRaspberry

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Tea, Thyme and Musk. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter11

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer68

Fall0

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAmbre TopkapiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex13

Women0

Men61

Unisex37

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,776

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews16

Overall rank#4,623

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews76

Category winnerAmbre TopkapiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Eau Maximum by Nickel is an aromatic spicy scent released in 2006. It opens with a crisp, cooling blast of mint and grapefruit, settling into a herbal core of tea, thyme, and rosemary. Designed for the active man, it provides a clean, energetic profile that holds up well during physical activity or hot summer days.

Reviews →

Ambre Topkapi is fresher, greener and more aromatic than its name suggests. Wearers often describe a clean lavender and grapefruit opening, with pineapple folded in smoothly rather than pushed forward, then a spicy woody base that feels polished and quietly masculine. It suits someone who likes refined fougere style f…

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, Eau Maximum or Ambre Topkapi?

Eau Maximum takes 4 of 7 categories. Eau Maximum is rated 4.04/5 from 67 votes; Ambre Topkapi is rated 3.84/5 from 529 votes. Choose Eau Maximum for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Ambre Topkapi for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Eau Maximum or Ambre Topkapi?

Ambre Topkapi lasts longest (Ambre Topkapi 71/100, Eau Maximum 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Eau Maximum or Ambre Topkapi?

Eau Maximum projects furthest (Eau Maximum 65/100, Ambre Topkapi 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Eau Maximum and Ambre Topkapi smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Tea, Thyme and Musk.

Is Eau Maximum or Ambre Topkapi better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ambre Topkapi is the stronger pick. For winter, Ambre Topkapi is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Eau Maximum and Ambre Topkapi?

Eau Maximum has top notes of Mint, Grapefruit and Orange, heart notes of Tea, Thyme, Amalfi Lemon and Sage, a base of Musk, Patchouli, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. Ambre Topkapi has top notes of Lavender, Pineapple, Grapefruit and Bergamot, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Violet, Jasmine and Thyme, a base of Musk, Amber, Oakmoss and Tea.