Fragrance comparison

Esprit du Roi vs Virgin Mint

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 385 ratings analysed

6 wins

Esprit du Roi

Penhaligon's

3.80238 votes

Rank #6,709 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

Virgin Mint

Carolina Herrera

4.13147 votes

Rank #8,548 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Esprit du Roi takes 6 of 7 categories.

Esprit du Roi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Virgin Mint
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Esprit du Roi6/7

Virgin Mint1/7

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

Virgin MintCarolina Herrera

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 238 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 147 votes

Have 74%Had 26%Want 0%

Category winnerVirgin MintRating 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

43%Love

38%Like

10%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

147 votes

Category winnerEsprit du RoiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityEsprit du Roi

SillageEsprit du Roi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value33

Category winnerEsprit du RoiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

green77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy88%

green77%

citrus65%

musky53%

woody42%

Scent match61%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and green

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

Top20-30 mins

BergamotMandarin Orange

Heart2-3 hrs

VetiverGeranium

Base4-6 hrs

MintWhite Musk

InformationalShared notesMint, Bergamot, Geranium and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Virgin Mint, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer80

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter16

Day100

Night21

Category winnerEsprit du RoiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex14

Women5

Men42

Unisex52

Women6

Casual 47%Work 35%Date 11%Party 7%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,709

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#8,548

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews29

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 →

Carolina Herrera Virgin Mint delivers an immediate shock of cold green air. Crushed Moroccan spearmint leads the charge. It smells like real torn garden herbs rather than sugary candy or hotel toothpaste. Italian bergamot and sweet mandarin orange brighten the initial spray with a sharp citrus burst. Within thirty min…

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 Virgin Mint?

Esprit du Roi takes 6 of 7 categories. Esprit du Roi is rated 3.80/5 from 238 votes; Virgin Mint is rated 4.13/5 from 147 votes. Choose Esprit du Roi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Virgin Mint for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Esprit du Roi or Virgin Mint?

They last about the same: Esprit du Roi 63/100, Virgin Mint 61/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Esprit du Roi or Virgin Mint?

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

Do Esprit du Roi and Virgin Mint smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and green accords. Common notes include Mint, Bergamot, Geranium and Vetiver.

Is Esprit du Roi or Virgin Mint better for summer or winter?

For summer, Esprit du Roi is the stronger pick. For winter, Esprit du Roi is the stronger pick. Virgin Mint suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Esprit du Roi and Virgin Mint?

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. Virgin Mint has top notes of Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Vetiver and Geranium, a base of Mint and White Musk.