Fragrance comparison

Ephesus vs Esprit de Candela

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 77 ratings analysed

Ephesus

Gritti

3.8121 votes

Rank #38,849 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Esprit de Candela

Simimi

3.5656 votes

Rank #14,147 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Esprit de Candela takes 4 of 5 categories.

Ephesus
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in winter, evening wear.
Esprit de Candela
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ephesus1/5

Esprit de Candela4/5

Ratings & consensus: Ephesus
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Esprit de Candela
Sillage & projection: Esprit de Candela
Value for money: Esprit de Candela
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Esprit de Candela

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

EphesusGritti

Esprit de CandelaSimimi

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 28%Had 6%Want 67%

3.56/ 5 · 56 votes

Have 31%Had 16%Want 53%

Category winnerEphesusRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

33%Like

14%Ok

19%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

28%Love

31%Like

9%Ok

31%Dislike

0%Hate

32 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityEsprit de Candela

SillageEsprit de Candela

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value33

¤ Price value47

Category winnerEsprit de CandelaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber90%

warm spicy80%

musky70%

patchouli60%

powdery50%

woody100%

amber91%

warm spicy83%

balsamic74%

vanilla65%

powdery56%

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

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

ClovesOrange

Heart2 to 4 hours

PatchouliAmberwood

Base4 to 8 hours

AmbroxanLabdanumSandalwoodVirginian CedarVanillaebony treeCashmeranMusk

Top

ClovesSaffronCorianderBergamot

Heart

AmberLeatherDamask Rose

Base

Peru BalsamLabdanumSandalwoodVanillaGuaiac WoodTonka BeanPatchouliVirginia Cedar

InformationalShared notesCloves, Patchouli, Labdanum and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Ephesus, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring22

Summer11

Fall89

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Spring36

Summer7

Fall100

Winter71

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

Men8

Unisex54

Women38

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#38,849

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#14,147

PerfumerPaolo Terenzi

Launched—

Reviews14

Category winnerEsprit de CandelaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ephesus by Gritti is a dense woody aromatic fragrance built around rich spices and resinous depth. The opening introduces a sharp pairing of dry cloves and sweet orange peel, delivering an immediate prickle of warmth. As that bright citrus settles, the scent moves into an earthy heart where dark patchouli links with m…

Reviews →

Esprit de Candela is a dry, spicy amber wood with a clear saffron, clove, patchouli and sandalwood character. It opens sharp and aromatic, then settles into a warmer blend of leather, rose, balsam and vanilla-tinted woods. It suits shoppers who enjoy resinous, oriental-leaning perfumes with presence. Based on the avai…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Ephesus or Esprit de Candela?

Esprit de Candela takes 4 of 5 categories. Ephesus is rated 3.81/5 from 21 votes; Esprit de Candela is rated 3.56/5 from 56 votes. Choose Ephesus for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Esprit de Candela for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ephesus or Esprit de Candela?

Esprit de Candela lasts longest (Esprit de Candela 83/100, Ephesus 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ephesus or Esprit de Candela?

Esprit de Candela projects furthest (Esprit de Candela 74/100, Ephesus 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ephesus and Esprit de Candela smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Cloves, Patchouli, Labdanum and Sandalwood.

Is Ephesus or Esprit de Candela better for summer or winter?

Ephesus suits evening wear; Esprit de Candela suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ephesus and Esprit de Candela?

Ephesus has top notes of Cloves and Orange, heart notes of Patchouli and Amberwood, a base of Ambroxan, Labdanum, Sandalwood and Virginian Cedar. Esprit de Candela has top notes of Cloves, Saffron, Coriander and Bergamot, heart notes of Amber, Leather and Damask Rose, a base of Peru Balsam, Labdanum, Sandalwood and Vanilla.