Fragrance comparison

Explorer vs Tsar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,826 ratings analysed

Explorer

Phytoderm

3.5511 votes

Rank #62,879 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 4 of 5 categories.

Explorer
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Explorer1/5

Tsar4/5

Ratings & consensus: Tsar
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tsar
Sillage & projection: Tsar
Value for money: Explorer
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tsar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ExplorerPhytoderm

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.55/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 31%Had 38%Want 31%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

27%Like

45%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity51

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityTsar

SillageTsar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value48

Category winnerExplorerBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

amber84%

marine77%

citrus69%

animalic61%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Sea NotesBergamotOrangeBlack Pepper

Heart

ArtemisiaLavenderGeraniumRosemaryViolet Leaves

Base

AmbergrisPatchouliVetiverTonka BeanMusk

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Artemisia, Lavender and Geranium. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer57

Fall57

Winter14

Day100

Night25

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex14

Women0

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#62,879

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Explorer by Phytoderm is an aromatic men's fragrance featuring a sharp opening of sea notes and black pepper. It balances refreshing citrus with a herbaceous heart of lavender and rosemary, finally settling into an earthy, musky base. Perfect for casual daytime wear during the spring season when you want a crisp, clea…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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, Explorer or Tsar?

Tsar takes 4 of 5 categories. Explorer is rated 3.55/5 from 11 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Explorer for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Explorer or Tsar?

Tsar lasts longest (Tsar 72/100, Explorer 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Explorer or Tsar?

Tsar projects furthest (Tsar 62/100, Explorer 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Explorer and Tsar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Artemisia, Lavender and Geranium.

Is Explorer or Tsar better for summer or winter?

Explorer suits daytime wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Explorer and Tsar?

Explorer has top notes of Sea Notes, Bergamot, Orange and Black Pepper, heart notes of Artemisia, Lavender, Geranium and Rosemary, a base of Ambergris, Patchouli, Vetiver and Tonka Bean. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.