Fragrance comparison

Esprit du Roi vs Prince Noir

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 273 ratings analysed

5 wins

Esprit du Roi

Penhaligon's

3.80238 votes

Rank #7,275 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

58%scent match

Closely related

Prince Noir

Princesse Marina De Bourbon

3.8335 votes

Rank #21,253 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Esprit du Roi takes 5 of 7 categories.

Esprit du Roi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Prince Noir
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Esprit du Roi5/7

Prince Noir2/7

Ratings & consensus: Esprit du Roi
Community sentiment: Esprit du Roi
Longevity: Esprit du Roi
Sillage & projection: Esprit du Roi
Value for money: Prince Noir
Versatility: Prince Noir
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

Prince NoirPrincesse Marina De Bourbon

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 238 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

3.83/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 40%Had 15%Want 45%

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

17%Love

66%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

3%Hate

35 votes

Category winnerEsprit du RoiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityEsprit du Roi

SillageEsprit du Roi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value50

Category winnerPrince NoirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

green77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

citrus44%

amber30%

Scent match58%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and warm spicy

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

CardamomAmalfi LemonPepper

Heart1.5 to 3 hours

GeraniumVirginia CedarCinnamon

Base2 to 4 hours

VetiverAmberBrazilian Rosewood

InformationalShared notesAmalfi Lemon, Geranium, Vetiver and Virginia Cedar. Durations are only published for Prince Noir, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer80

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Spring80

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day71

Night100

Category winnerPrince NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex14

Women5

Men67

Unisex22

Women11

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,275

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#21,253

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

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 →

Prince Noir by Princesse Marina De Bourbon is a woody spicy fragrance that offers a crisp, tailored profile rather than a heavy evening scent. It opens with an energetic burst of Amalfi lemon, sharp pepper, and sweet cardamom, giving it an immediate fresh spicy and citrus lift. As the brightness settles, a structured …

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 Prince Noir?

Esprit du Roi takes 5 of 7 categories. Esprit du Roi is rated 3.80/5 from 238 votes; Prince Noir is rated 3.83/5 from 35 votes. Choose Esprit du Roi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Prince Noir for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Esprit du Roi or Prince Noir?

Esprit du Roi lasts longest (Esprit du Roi 63/100, Prince Noir 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Esprit du Roi or Prince Noir?

Projection is very close: Esprit du Roi 57/100, Prince Noir 56/100 for sillage.

Do Esprit du Roi and Prince Noir smell similar?

Closely related: a 58% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Amalfi Lemon, Geranium, Vetiver and Virginia Cedar.

Is Esprit du Roi or Prince Noir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Esprit du Roi is the stronger pick. For winter, Prince Noir is the stronger pick. Prince Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Esprit du Roi and Prince Noir?

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. Prince Noir has top notes of Cardamom, Amalfi Lemon and Pepper, heart notes of Geranium, Virginia Cedar and Cinnamon, a base of Vetiver, Amber and Brazilian Rosewood.