Fragrance comparison

First vs Sortilège

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 3,576 ratings analysed

5 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #945 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

Sortilège

Le Galion

4.3893 votes

Rank #7,108 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 5 of 8 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Sortilège
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

First5/8

Sortilège3/8

Ratings & consensus: Sortilège
Community sentiment: Sortilège
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: First
Versatility: Sortilège
Note pyramid (duration): First
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

SortilègeLe Galion

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

4.38/ 5 · 93 votes

Have 60%Had 10%Want 30%

Category winnerSortilègeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

57%Love

30%Like

9%Ok

2%Dislike

2%Hate

93 votes

Category winnerSortilègeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value52

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

woody100%

powdery92%

yellow floral84%

floral77%

fresh69%

aldehydic61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both floral, yellow floral and aldehydic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Top30 to 45 minutes

AldehydesLilacYlang-YlangLily-of-the-Valley

Heart3 to 4 hours

IrisNarcissusMimosaTurkish RoseEgyptian Jasmine

Base4 to 7 hours

MuskVetiverSandalwoodAmberLabdanum

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night85

Spring56

Summer37

Fall100

Winter100

Day82

Night100

Category winnerSortilègeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

Men4

Unisex35

Women62

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#945

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#7,108

PerfumerPaul Vacher

Launched—

Reviews19

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

First by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a brisk, effervescent burst of aldehydes, tart bergamot, and ripe black currant that immediately calls to mind crisp, high-end French milled soap. As the initial sparkle settles, the scent unfolds into an abundant floral heart packed with spring narcissus, dewy green hyacinth, an…

Reviews →

Sortilège by Le Galion is a classic floral aldehyde fragrance built around a powdery, woody core. Created by perfumer Paul Vacher in 1937, it opens with a sparkling fizz of aldehydes alongside lilac, ylang-ylang, and lily-of-the-valley. As the initial crispness settles, the composition reveals a rich bouquet of iris, …

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, First or Sortilège?

First takes 5 of 8 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Sortilège is rated 4.38/5 from 93 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Sortilège for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, First or Sortilège?

They last about the same: First 72/100, Sortilège 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, First or Sortilège?

First projects furthest (First 64/100, Sortilège 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do First and Sortilège smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, yellow floral and aldehydic accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Narcissus, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is First or Sortilège better for summer or winter?

For summer, Sortilège is the stronger pick. For winter, Sortilège is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear; Sortilège suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Sortilège?

First has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Narcissus, Hiacynth, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Honey and Amber. Sortilège has top notes of Aldehydes, Lilac, Ylang-Ylang and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Iris, Narcissus, Mimosa and Turkish Rose, a base of Musk, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Amber.