Fragrance comparison

Esprit du Roi vs Universe pour Homme

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 262 ratings analysed

Esprit du Roi

Penhaligon's

3.80238 votes

Rank #6,764 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Universe pour Homme

Iceberg

3.9224 votes

Rank #34,781 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Universe pour Homme takes 3 of 5 categories.

Esprit du Roi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Universe pour Homme
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Esprit du Roi2/5

Universe pour Homme3/5

Ratings & consensus: Esprit du Roi
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Universe pour Homme
Sillage & projection: Universe pour Homme
Value for money: Universe pour Homme
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

Universe pour HommeIceberg

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 238 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

3.92/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 28%Had 45%Want 27%

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

50%Like

4%Ok

17%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityUniverse pour Homme

SillageUniverse pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value50

Category winnerUniverse pour HommeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

green77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

citrus84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

patchouli61%

Scent match60%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and citrus

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

Top15-30 mins

BasilBirchBergamotAmalfi LemonMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

Palisander RosewoodCorianderCardamomJasmine

Base5-7 hrs

SandalwoodPatchouliVirginia Cedar

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Amalfi Lemon, Jasmine and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Universe pour Homme, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer80

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer86

Fall86

Winter71

Day100

Night41

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex14

Women5

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

Casual 39%Work 34%Date 17%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,764

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#34,781

PerfumerNatalie Gracia-Cetto

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 →

Iceberg Universe pour Homme delivers an invigorating blast of Italian citrus and herbal greenness before settling into a warm, grounded forest floor. Natalie Gracia-Cetto designed this Eau de Toilette with zesty Amalfi lemon, crisp bergamot, and sweet mandarin orange up front, balanced by bitter fresh basil and raw bi…

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, Esprit du Roi or Universe pour Homme?

Universe pour Homme takes 3 of 5 categories. Esprit du Roi is rated 3.80/5 from 238 votes; Universe pour Homme is rated 3.92/5 from 24 votes. Choose Esprit du Roi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Universe pour Homme for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Esprit du Roi or Universe pour Homme?

Universe pour Homme lasts longest (Universe pour Homme 75/100, Esprit du Roi 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Esprit du Roi or Universe pour Homme?

Universe pour Homme projects furthest (Universe pour Homme 66/100, Esprit du Roi 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Esprit du Roi and Universe pour Homme smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and citrus accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Amalfi Lemon, Jasmine and Sandalwood.

Is Esprit du Roi or Universe pour Homme better for summer or winter?

Universe pour Homme suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Esprit du Roi and Universe pour Homme?

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. Universe pour Homme has top notes of Basil, Birch, Bergamot and Amalfi Lemon, heart notes of Palisander Rosewood, Coriander, Cardamom and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli and Virginia Cedar.