Fragrance comparison

Empire Intense vs Vetiver Elemi

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 176 ratings analysed

6 wins

Empire Intense

Hinode

4.1470 votes

Rank #28,950 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

Vetiver Elemi

The 7 Virtues

3.71106 votes

Rank #12,882 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Empire Intense takes 6 of 7 categories.

Empire Intense
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Vetiver Elemi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Empire Intense6/7

Vetiver Elemi1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Empire IntenseHinode

Vetiver ElemiThe 7 Virtues

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 70 votes

Have 52%Had 32%Want 16%

3.71/ 5 · 106 votes

Have 43%Had 14%Want 43%

Category winnerEmpire IntenseRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

43%Like

10%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

70 votes

29%Love

43%Like

12%Ok

10%Dislike

5%Hate

99 votes

Category winnerEmpire IntenseMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityEmpire Intense

SillageEmpire Intense

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value50

Category winnerEmpire IntenseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

amber84%

powdery77%

fresh spicy69%

lavender61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy88%

woody77%

citrus65%

earthy53%

balsamic42%

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

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

LavenderBergamotCardamom

Heart2-4 hrs

elemiVioletGeranium

Base6-8+ hrs

CashmeranAmberVetiver

Top

elemiBergamotGrapefruit

Heart

GeraniumCardamomCuminNutmegJasmineRose

Base

VetiverCedarMossAmberPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Cardamom, elemi and Geranium. Durations are only published for Empire Intense, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring35

Summer20

Fall78

Winter100

Day31

Night100

Spring100

Summer78

Fall0

Winter46

Day–

Night–

Category winnerEmpire IntenseMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex11

Women3

Men24

Unisex63

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,950

PerfumerJérôme Epinette

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#12,882

PerfumerAngela Stavrevska

Launched—

Reviews25

Category winnerVetiver ElemiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Empire Intense by Hinode opens with a punchy kick of fresh bergamot, sharp French lavender, and cracked cardamom pods. As the crisp herbal top settles after twenty minutes, smooth green violet leaf and resinous elemi step forward, adding a gentle powdery warmth that feels both masculine and tailored. The dry-down reli…

Reviews →

Vetiver Elemi opens with a brisk grapefruit and elemi snap, then settles into a green, spicy vetiver with a dry, slightly smoky edge. It reads airy at first, then earthier and more herbal as it wears. This is a good fit for someone who likes fresh woods with some bite rather than a soft or sweet vetiver. Sample first …

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, Empire Intense or Vetiver Elemi?

Empire Intense takes 6 of 7 categories. Empire Intense is rated 4.14/5 from 70 votes; Vetiver Elemi is rated 3.71/5 from 106 votes. Choose Empire Intense for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Vetiver Elemi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Empire Intense or Vetiver Elemi?

Empire Intense lasts longest (Empire Intense 73/100, Vetiver Elemi 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Empire Intense or Vetiver Elemi?

Empire Intense projects furthest (Empire Intense 67/100, Vetiver Elemi 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Empire Intense and Vetiver Elemi smell similar?

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

Is Empire Intense or Vetiver Elemi better for summer or winter?

For summer, Vetiver Elemi is the stronger pick. For winter, Empire Intense is the stronger pick. Empire Intense suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Empire Intense and Vetiver Elemi?

Empire Intense has top notes of Lavender, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of elemi, Violet and Geranium, a base of Cashmeran, Amber and Vetiver. Vetiver Elemi has top notes of elemi, Bergamot and Grapefruit, heart notes of Geranium, Cardamom, Cumin and Nutmeg, a base of Vetiver, Cedar, Moss and Amber.