Fragrance comparison

Formidable vs Mackie for Men

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 383 ratings analysed

4 wins

Formidable

Kesling · 1944

3.92317 votes

Rank #12,370 CoffeeCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

Mackie for Men

Bob Mackie

3.9266 votes

Rank #13,063 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Formidable takes 4 of 5 categories.

Formidable
Choose it for a coffee and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Mackie for Men
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Formidable4/5

Mackie for Men1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FormidableKesling

Mackie for MenBob Mackie

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.92/ 5 · 317 votes

Have 33%Had 9%Want 58%

3.92/ 5 · 66 votes

Have 56%Had 20%Want 25%

Category winnerFormidableRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

11%Love

67%Like

22%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

24%Love

53%Like

15%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

66 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityFormidable

SillageFormidable

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value80

Category winnerMackie for MenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

coffee100%

citrus91%

warm spicy83%

woody74%

fresh spicy65%

powdery56%

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

powdery69%

green61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both citrus, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

VerbenaMandarin OrangeGrapefruitBergamot

Heart

CoffeeNutmegJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base

ResinsPrecious WoodsVanillaSandalwoodPatchouliMusk

Top

LavenderGrapefruitNutmegLimeBasilMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

VioletLily-of-the-ValleyGeranium

Base

SandalwoodOakmossMuskCedarPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Bergamot and Nutmeg. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Spring100

Summer91

Fall41

Winter19

Day100

Night36

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Men75

Unisex17

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,370

PerfumerNot listed

Launched1944

Reviews5

Overall rank#13,063

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Category winnerFormidableHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Formidable by Kesling is a traditional oriental-fougere blend that hinges on a dense, resinous structure. Peach and bergamot provide an initial fruit-forward opening, while a heart of coffee and jasmine settles into a deep, woody base of sandalwood and vanilla. It is a persistent composition ideal for chilly autumn ev…

Reviews →

Mackie for Men opens with a sharp burst of Grapefruit, Lime, and Mandarin Orange balanced by herbal Basil, Nutmeg, and Bergamot. The citrus top quickly softens into a clean floral heart of Geranium, Violet, and Lily-of-the-Valley. As the fragrance settles on skin, it rests onto a dry woody foundation of Oakmoss, Sanda…

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, Formidable or Mackie for Men?

Formidable takes 4 of 5 categories. Formidable is rated 3.92/5 from 317 votes; Mackie for Men is rated 3.92/5 from 66 votes. Choose Formidable for a coffee and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Mackie for Men for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Formidable or Mackie for Men?

Formidable lasts longest (Formidable 77/100, Mackie for Men 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Formidable or Mackie for Men?

Formidable projects furthest (Formidable 73/100, Mackie for Men 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Formidable and Mackie for Men smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Bergamot and Nutmeg.

Is Formidable or Mackie for Men better for summer or winter?

Formidable suits evening wear; Mackie for Men suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Formidable and Mackie for Men?

Formidable has top notes of Verbena, Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit and Bergamot, heart notes of Coffee, Nutmeg, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Resins, Precious Woods, Vanilla and Sandalwood. Mackie for Men has top notes of Lavender, Grapefruit, Nutmeg and Lime, heart notes of Violet, Lily-of-the-Valley and Geranium, a base of Sandalwood, Oakmoss, Musk and Cedar.