Fragrance comparison

Esprit du Roi vs Rouge

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 359 ratings analysed

Esprit du Roi

Penhaligon's

3.80238 votes

Rank #7,441 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Rouge

Scorpio

3.88121 votes

Rank #6,014 WoodyLavender

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Rouge takes 5 of 7 categories.

Esprit du Roi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring.
Rouge
Choose it for a woody and lavender character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Esprit du Roi2/7

Rouge5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Esprit du RoiPenhaligon's

RougeScorpio

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 238 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

3.88/ 5 · 121 votes

Have 49%Had 31%Want 20%

Category winnerRougeRating 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

38%Love

39%Like

13%Ok

4%Dislike

6%Hate

84 votes

Category winnerEsprit du RoiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityRouge

SillageRouge

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value87

Category winnerRougeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

green77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

woody100%

lavender90%

aromatic80%

green70%

fresh spicy60%

citrus50%

Scent match56%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh 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

Top

BergamotCitruses

Heart

LavenderMintHerbal Notes

Base

Woody NotesSandalwoodPatchouli

InformationalShared notesMint, Citruses, Bergamot and Sandalwood. 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–

Spring57

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerEsprit du RoiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex14

Women5

Men85

Unisex11

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,441

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#6,014

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews29

Category winnerRougeHigher 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 →

Rouge by Scorpio is a classic aromatic scent for men, launched in 1989. It opens with bright bergamot and citrus, leading into a crisp heart of lavender and cooling mint. The base rests on woody notes, sandalwood, and patchouli, creating a grounded finish perfect for daily wear in the office or casual settings during …

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 Rouge?

Rouge takes 5 of 7 categories. Esprit du Roi is rated 3.80/5 from 238 votes; Rouge is rated 3.88/5 from 121 votes. Choose Esprit du Roi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in spring. Choose Rouge for a woody and lavender character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Esprit du Roi or Rouge?

Rouge lasts longest (Rouge 68/100, Esprit du Roi 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Esprit du Roi or Rouge?

Rouge projects furthest (Rouge 63/100, Esprit du Roi 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Esprit du Roi and Rouge smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Mint, Citruses, Bergamot and Sandalwood.

Is Esprit du Roi or Rouge better for summer or winter?

For summer, Esprit du Roi is the stronger pick. For winter, Rouge is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Esprit du Roi and Rouge?

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. Rouge has top notes of Bergamot and Citruses, heart notes of Lavender, Mint and Herbal Notes, a base of Woody Notes, Sandalwood and Patchouli.