Fragrance comparison

Empire Oud vs Watergate

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 9 ratings analysed

3 wins

Empire Oud

Al Musbah

3.888 votes

Rank #24,704 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

Watergate

Cindy C.

2.001 votes

Rank #76,348 AmberCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Empire Oud takes 3 of 3 categories.

Empire Oud
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, day or night wear.
Watergate
Choose it for a amber and citrus character. Best in winter, day or night wear.

Empire Oud3/3

Watergate0/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Empire OudAl Musbah

WatergateCindy C.

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.88/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 22%Had 5%Want 73%

2.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 0%Had 40%Want 60%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

50%Like

13%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

0%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

100%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate25

Category winners

LongevityEmpire Oud

SillageEmpire Oud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value40

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

warm spicy92%

fresh spicy84%

woody77%

amber69%

citrus61%

amber100%

citrus90%

lavender80%

woody70%

warm spicy60%

fresh50%

Scent match57%Closely related · both amber, warm spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Spicy NotesCitruses

Heart

LavenderJuniper Berries

Base

PatchouliAmberMusk

Notes

Spicy NotesLavenderAmberCitrusesExotic Woods

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesSpicy Notes, Citruses, Lavender and Amber. Durations are only published for Watergate, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer25

Fall50

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring0

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men83

Unisex17

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,704

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#76,348

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerEmpire OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Empire Oud is a woody, aromatic spicy scent with a bright citrus lift up top, then a clean lavender and juniper heart that can read slightly gin-like. The base turns warm and soft with amber, patchouli and musk. It often comes across as very pleasant and long-lasting, with a spicy edge that stays present through the …

Reviews →

Watergate by Cindy C. is an aromatic fragrance for men built around a contrast of brisk sharpness and deep warmth. It leads with zesty citruses and fresh spicy nuances that deliver a clean, crisp opening. As the initial freshness settles, a classic lavender heart emerges alongside warm spicy notes, giving the scent a …

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 Oud or Watergate?

Empire Oud takes 3 of 3 categories. Empire Oud is rated 3.88/5 from 8 votes; Watergate is rated 2.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Empire Oud for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose Watergate for a amber and citrus character. Best in winter, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Empire Oud or Watergate?

Empire Oud lasts longest (Empire Oud 68/100, Watergate 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Empire Oud or Watergate?

Empire Oud projects furthest (Empire Oud 63/100, Watergate 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Empire Oud and Watergate smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Spicy Notes, Citruses, Lavender and Amber.

Is Empire Oud or Watergate better for summer or winter?

Empire Oud suits day or night wear; Watergate suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Empire Oud and Watergate?

Empire Oud has top notes of Spicy Notes and Citruses, heart notes of Lavender and Juniper Berries, a base of Patchouli, Amber and Musk. Watergate features Spicy Notes, Lavender, Amber, Citruses and Exotic Woods.