Fragrance comparison

Imperator vs Mandala Oud

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 102 ratings analysed

Imperator

Royal Crown

3.9278 votes

Rank #17,374 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Mandala Oud

Masque Milano

2.8824 votes

Rank #69,808 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mandala Oud takes 3 of 5 categories.

Imperator
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Mandala Oud
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Imperator2/5

Mandala Oud3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ImperatorRoyal Crown

Mandala OudMasque Milano

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.92/ 5 · 78 votes

Have 35%Had 13%Want 52%

2.88/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 30%Had 4%Want 67%

Category winnerImperatorRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

46%Love

26%Like

13%Ok

5%Dislike

10%Hate

78 votes

13%Love

25%Like

17%Ok

29%Dislike

17%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity91

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate47

Category winners

LongevityMandala Oud

SillageMandala Oud

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value17

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMandala OudBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody91%

amber83%

warm spicy74%

aromatic65%

powdery56%

amber100%

woody91%

warm spicy83%

animalic74%

oud65%

aldehydic56%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both amber, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

NutmegCardamomOlive Leaf

Heart2-4 hrs

Tuscan IrisLaurelsRose

Base5-8 hrs

CedarOlibanumMyrrh

Top

OlibanumAldehydesCardamomAngelica

Heart

MyrrhCinnamonSandalwoodNutmegCloves

Base

Laotian OudAmbergrisCambodian OudMusk

InformationalShared notesNutmeg, Cardamom, Olibanum and Myrrh. Durations are only published for Imperator, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring89

Summer39

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night63

Spring33

Summer17

Fall100

Winter100

Day40

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men21

Unisex53

Women26

Men54

Unisex38

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,374

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#69,808

PerfumerChristian Carbonnel

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerImperatorHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Royal Crown Imperator opens with a vibrant, dry burst of cracked cardamom, pungent nutmeg, and savory crushed olive leaf. The start feels like walking into a Mediterranean herb garden on a crisp autumn morning. Within thirty minutes, herbal bay laurel and buttery Tuscan iris soften the initial spice, lending the fragr…

Reviews →

Mandala Oud by Masque Milano opens with a sharp burst of fizzy aldehydes and green angelica before settling into a dense thicket of resins and spices. Christian Carbonnel builds this 2023 composition around a stark contrast between airy frankincense and dirty Cambodian oud. The heart pulses with bitter myrrh, dry cinn…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Mexx Ice Touch ManMexxRUNNER-UP vs

White NoiseRoadsWINNER

1 person compared this today

CreatorARgENTUMWINNER vs

Forget Me Not 勿忘我RECLASSIFIED RE调香室RUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

NabroAZYARUNNER-UP vs

Mila Schön (Original)Mila SchönWINNER

1 person compared this today

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Imperator or Mandala Oud?

Mandala Oud takes 3 of 5 categories. Imperator is rated 3.92/5 from 78 votes; Mandala Oud is rated 2.88/5 from 24 votes. Choose Imperator for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Mandala Oud for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Imperator or Mandala Oud?

Mandala Oud lasts longest (Mandala Oud 91/100, Imperator 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Imperator or Mandala Oud?

Mandala Oud projects furthest (Mandala Oud 81/100, Imperator 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Imperator and Mandala Oud smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Nutmeg, Cardamom, Olibanum and Myrrh.

Is Imperator or Mandala Oud better for summer or winter?

Imperator suits daytime wear; Mandala Oud suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Imperator and Mandala Oud?

Imperator has top notes of Nutmeg, Cardamom and Olive Leaf, heart notes of Tuscan Iris, Laurels and Rose, a base of Cedar, Olibanum and Myrrh. Mandala Oud has top notes of Olibanum, Aldehydes, Cardamom and Angelica, heart notes of Myrrh, Cinnamon, Sandalwood and Nutmeg, a base of Laotian Oud, Ambergris, Cambodian Oud and Musk.