Fragrance comparison

Esprit du Roi vs Nova Espero

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 265 ratings analysed

Esprit du Roi

Penhaligon's

3.80238 votes

Rank #7,453 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

Nova Espero

Aemium

3.5027 votes

Rank #43,390 AromaticVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2.

Esprit du Roi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Nova Espero
Choose it for a aromatic and vanilla character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Esprit du Roi2/5

Nova Espero2/5

Ratings & consensus: Esprit du Roi
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Nova Espero
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Nova Espero
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Esprit du Roi

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Esprit du RoiPenhaligon's

Nova EsperoAemium

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 238 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

3.50/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 24%Had 5%Want 71%

Category winnerEsprit du RoiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

44%Like

5%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

180 votes

29%Love

24%Like

35%Ok

6%Dislike

6%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityNova Espero

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value55

Category winnerNova EsperoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

green77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

vanilla91%

fresh spicy83%

woody74%

sweet65%

soft spicy56%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Tomato LeafMintAldehydesCitrusesBergamotCitronAmalfi LemonArtemisia

Heart

GeraniumClovesJasmineYlang-YlangHoneysuckle

Base

oak mossVetiverRaspberryAmbergrisSandalwoodPatchouliMuskVirginia Cedar

Top

RaspberryCitruses

Heart

Clary SageGeraniumJasmine

Base

VanillaCedarTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Geranium, Jasmine and Raspberry. 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

Summer80

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Spring50

Summer13

Fall100

Winter88

Day86

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex14

Women5

Men33

Unisex33

Women33

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,453

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#43,390

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerEsprit du RoiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Esprit du Roi is a crisp green aromatic from Penhaligon's, built around tomato leaf, mint, citrus, geranium, clove, oakmoss and musky woods. Reviewers often describe it as clean, classy and traditional, with a lively herb garden opening rather than a simple lemon cologne. It suits people who like old-school aromatic c…

Reviews →

Nova Espero by Aemium is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women and men. Nova Espero was launched in 2021. Top notes are Raspberry and Citruses; middle notes are Clary Sage, Geranium and Jasmine; base notes are Vanilla, Cedar and Tonka Bean.

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, Esprit du Roi or Nova Espero?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2. Esprit du Roi is rated 3.80/5 from 238 votes; Nova Espero is rated 3.50/5 from 27 votes. Choose Esprit du Roi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Nova Espero for a aromatic and vanilla character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Esprit du Roi or Nova Espero?

Nova Espero lasts longest (Nova Espero 73/100, Esprit du Roi 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Esprit du Roi or Nova Espero?

Projection is very close: Esprit du Roi 57/100, Nova Espero 57/100 for sillage.

Do Esprit du Roi and Nova Espero smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Citruses, Geranium, Jasmine and Raspberry.

Is Esprit du Roi or Nova Espero better for summer or winter?

Nova Espero suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Esprit du Roi and Nova Espero?

Esprit du Roi has top notes of Tomato Leaf, Mint, Aldehydes and Citruses, heart notes of Geranium, Cloves, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of oak moss, Vetiver, Raspberry and Ambergris. Nova Espero has top notes of Raspberry and Citruses, heart notes of Clary Sage, Geranium and Jasmine, a base of Vanilla, Cedar and Tonka Bean.