Fragrance comparison

Imitation Man vs Épine Mortelle

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,498 ratings analysed

4 wins

Imitation Man

Amouage

4.011,213 votes

Rank #27,154 LeatherWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Épine Mortelle

Laurent Mazzone Parfums · 2023

3.99285 votes

Rank #12,486 PowderyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Imitation Man takes 4 of 7 categories.

Imitation Man
Choose it for a leather and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Épine Mortelle
Choose it for a powdery and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Imitation Man4/7

Épine Mortelle3/7

Ratings & consensus: Imitation Man
Community sentiment: Épine Mortelle
Longevity: Imitation Man
Sillage & projection: Imitation Man
Value for money: Imitation Man
Versatility: Épine Mortelle
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Épine Mortelle

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Imitation ManAmouage

Épine MortelleLaurent Mazzone Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.01/ 5 · 1,213 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

3.99/ 5 · 285 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerImitation ManRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

30%Like

8%Ok

13%Dislike

3%Hate

1,213 votes

35%Love

43%Like

8%Ok

12%Dislike

2%Hate

285 votes

Category winnerÉpine MortelleMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityImitation Man

SillageImitation Man

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value39

¤ Price value37

Category winnerImitation ManBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

woody92%

powdery84%

rose77%

fresh spicy69%

iris61%

powdery100%

fresh spicy92%

musky84%

rose77%

violet69%

floral61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both powdery, fresh spicy and rose

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CitronNutmegBlack Pepper

Heart

Turkish RoseOrrisViolet

Base

LeatherVetiverCastoreumPatchouliMyrhh

Top15-30 mins

Pink PepperBlack PepperAngelicaNutmegAniseSichuan PepperCumin

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletDamask RoseRoseBlack CurrantMimosa

Base6-8+ hrs

Black AmberVetiverPatchouli

InformationalShared notesNutmeg, Black Pepper, Turkish Rose and Violet. Durations are only published for Épine Mortelle, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter94

Day–

Night–

Spring78

Summer33

Fall100

Winter78

Day100

Night95

Category winnerÉpine MortelleMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men46

Unisex44

Women10

Men10

Unisex14

Women76

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,154

PerfumerLeslie Girard

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#12,486

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2023

Reviews9

Category winnerÉpine MortelleHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Amouage Imitation Man captures the gritty, electric atmosphere of 1970s NYC nightlife. It frames a prominent, powdery violet and orris heart against a raw base of castoreum and leather. This is a bold option for cool spring nights when you want to stand out from the crowd.

Reviews →

Épine Mortelle by Laurent Mazzone Parfums opens with a sharp burst of fresh lemon zest and crisp bergamot, rapidly charged with crackling pink pepper. Rather than tumbling into a sugary bouquet, the scent blooms into a dark, thorned red rose paired with creamy magnolia petals and a distinct stream of dry frankincense …

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, Imitation Man or Épine Mortelle?

Imitation Man takes 4 of 7 categories. Imitation Man is rated 4.01/5 from 1,213 votes; Épine Mortelle is rated 3.99/5 from 285 votes. Choose Imitation Man for a leather and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Épine Mortelle for a powdery and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Imitation Man or Épine Mortelle?

Imitation Man lasts longest (Imitation Man 77/100, Épine Mortelle 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Imitation Man or Épine Mortelle?

Imitation Man projects furthest (Imitation Man 68/100, Épine Mortelle 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Imitation Man and Épine Mortelle smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, fresh spicy and rose accords. Common notes include Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Turkish Rose and Violet.

Is Imitation Man or Épine Mortelle better for summer or winter?

For summer, Épine Mortelle is the stronger pick. For winter, Imitation Man is the stronger pick. Épine Mortelle suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Imitation Man and Épine Mortelle?

Imitation Man has top notes of Citron, Nutmeg and Black Pepper, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Orris and Violet, a base of Leather, Vetiver, Castoreum and Patchouli. Épine Mortelle has top notes of Pink Pepper, Black Pepper, Angelica and Nutmeg, heart notes of Violet, Damask Rose, Rose and Black Currant, a base of Black Amber, Vetiver and Patchouli.