Fragrance comparison

Indigo Smoke vs Mark Birley

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 639 ratings analysed

Indigo Smoke

Arquiste

4.11499 votes

Rank #26,605 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Mark Birley

4.19140 votes

Rank #8,993 CitrusPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mark Birley takes 6 of 7 categories.

Indigo Smoke
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity. Best in winter.
Mark Birley
Choose it for a citrus and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Indigo Smoke1/7

Mark Birley6/7

Ratings & consensus: Mark Birley
Community sentiment: Mark Birley
Longevity: Indigo Smoke
Sillage & projection: Mark Birley
Value for money: Mark Birley
Versatility: Mark Birley
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Mark Birley

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Indigo SmokeArquiste

Mark BirleyMark Birley

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.11/ 5 · 499 votes

Have 26%Had 6%Want 69%

4.19/ 5 · 140 votes

Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%

Category winnerMark BirleyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

46%Love

30%Like

15%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

499 votes

44%Love

44%Like

1%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

140 votes

Category winnerMark BirleyMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityIndigo Smoke

SillageMark Birley

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value50

Category winnerMark BirleyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

smoky77%

amber69%

powdery61%

citrus100%

powdery92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

musky69%

violet61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Lapsang Souchong TeaVetiverBergamotMandarin Orange

Heart

ApricotGuaiac WoodCassia BourbonCarrot Seeds

Base

IncenseMatePine tarCedar Leaves

Top15 to 30 minutes

BergamotMandarin OrangeLemon

Heart1 to 2 hours

VioletCarrot SeedsLeather

Base2 to 4 hours

IncenseVetiverSandalwoodMuskCedar

InformationalShared notesVetiver, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Carrot Seeds. Durations are only published for Mark Birley, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring48

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring97

Summer100

Fall47

Winter18

Day100

Night39

Category winnerMark BirleyMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men21

Unisex64

Women15

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,605

PerfumerCalice Becker

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#8,993

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews25

Category winnerMark BirleyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Indigo Smoke by Arquiste opens with intense pine tar and dark Lapsang Souchong tea leaves, immediately creating a fireside atmosphere. Mandarin orange and bergamot add a brief streak of citrus brightness before guaiac wood and sweet apricot take over the middle phase. As the scent settles on skin, incense and mate res…

Reviews →

Mark Birley is a crisp woody aromatic fragrance created by Pierre Bourdon in 1996. It opens with an immediate burst of lemon, bergamot, and mandarin orange, providing a clean and bright introduction. As the bright citrus fades, the fragrance introduces a dry heart built around violet, earthy carrot seeds, and subtle l…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Indigo Smoke or Mark Birley?

Mark Birley takes 6 of 7 categories. Indigo Smoke is rated 4.11/5 from 499 votes; Mark Birley is rated 4.19/5 from 140 votes. Choose Indigo Smoke for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity. Best in winter. Choose Mark Birley for a citrus and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Indigo Smoke or Mark Birley?

Indigo Smoke lasts longest (Indigo Smoke 66/100, Mark Birley 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Indigo Smoke or Mark Birley?

Mark Birley projects furthest (Mark Birley 54/100, Indigo Smoke 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Indigo Smoke and Mark Birley smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and powdery accords. Common notes include Vetiver, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Carrot Seeds.

Is Indigo Smoke or Mark Birley better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mark Birley is the stronger pick. For winter, Indigo Smoke is the stronger pick. Mark Birley suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Indigo Smoke and Mark Birley?

Indigo Smoke has top notes of Lapsang Souchong Tea, Vetiver, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Apricot, Guaiac Wood, Cassia Bourbon and Carrot Seeds, a base of Incense, Mate, Pine tar and Cedar Leaves. Mark Birley has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Carrot Seeds and Leather, a base of Incense, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Musk.