Fragrance comparison

Encounter vs Viking

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 1,073 ratings analysed

Encounter

Calvin Klein

3.561,042 votes

Rank #31,237 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

49%scent match

Some overlap

8 wins

Viking

Royal Copenhagen

3.7731 votes

Rank #18,615 WoodyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Viking takes 8 of 8 categories.

Encounter
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Best in fall, evening wear.
Viking
Choose it for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Encounter0/8

Viking8/8

Ratings & consensus: Viking
Community sentiment: Viking
Longevity: Viking
Sillage & projection: Viking
Value for money: Viking
Versatility: Viking
Note pyramid (duration): Viking
Fragranxe ranking: Viking

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

EncounterCalvin Klein

VikingRoyal Copenhagen

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.56/ 5 · 1,042 votes

Have 49%Had 31%Want 21%

3.77/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 27%Had 15%Want 58%

Category winnerVikingRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

49%Like

4%Ok

28%Dislike

1%Hate

1,042 votes

13%Love

68%Like

3%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerVikingMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityViking

SillageViking

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value64

¤ Price value75

Category winnerVikingBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

rum84%

oud77%

fresh spicy69%

citrus61%

woody100%

fresh spicy92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

sweet69%

powdery61%

Scent match49%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

RumCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

CognacPepperPatchouliJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

Agarwood (Oud)CedarMusk

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangeCardamomNutmegPepper

Heart2-4 hrs

Juniper BerriesBalsam FirPineappleLavenderAnise

Base6-8+ hrs

SandalwoodCedarPatchouliMuskOakmossJasmineGeraniumAmber

Category winnerVikingLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer24

Fall100

Winter84

Day62

Night100

Spring100

Summer93

Fall57

Winter36

Day100

Night29

Category winnerVikingMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex4

Women1

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,237

PerfumerHonorine Blanc, Pierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#18,615

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Category winnerVikingHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Calvin Klein Encounter is an oriental woody eau de toilette that focuses on dark spirits, gentle spices, and smooth timber. The opening pairs a splash of sweet rum with crushed cardamom and a bright touch of mandarin orange. As the initial brightness settles, the heart reveals warm cognac accented by black pepper, ear…

Reviews →

Royal Copenhagen Viking brings an invigorating blast of crisp mountain air, opening with zesty mandarin orange, sharp black pepper, warm nutmeg, and cool cardamom. As the brisk opening settles, a distinctly green heart emerges, led by rich balsam fir, crushed juniper berries, clean lavender, and a subtle drop of sweet…

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, Encounter or Viking?

Viking takes 8 of 8 categories. Encounter is rated 3.56/5 from 1,042 votes; Viking is rated 3.77/5 from 31 votes. Choose Encounter for a warm spicy and woody character. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Viking for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Encounter or Viking?

Viking lasts longest (Viking 72/100, Encounter 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Encounter or Viking?

Viking projects furthest (Viking 59/100, Encounter 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Encounter and Viking smell similar?

Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mandarin Orange, Pepper and Patchouli.

Is Encounter or Viking better for summer or winter?

For summer, Viking is the stronger pick. For winter, Encounter is the stronger pick. Encounter suits evening wear; Viking suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Encounter and Viking?

Encounter has top notes of Rum, Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Cognac, Pepper, Patchouli and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Cedar and Musk. Viking has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Cardamom, Nutmeg and Pepper, heart notes of Juniper Berries, Balsam Fir, Pineapple and Lavender, a base of Sandalwood, Cedar, Patchouli and Musk.