Fragrance comparison

Kirk vs Tsar

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 1,966 ratings analysed

Kirk

Mirko Buffini Firenze

4.09151 votes

Rank #24,695 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #714 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 4 of 7 categories.

Kirk
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Kirk3/7

Tsar4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

KirkMirko Buffini Firenze

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 151 votes

Have 34%Had 11%Want 55%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

48%Love

29%Like

8%Ok

13%Dislike

2%Hate

151 votes

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerTsarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityKirk

SillageKirk

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value48

Category winnerTsarBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

lavender77%

mossy69%

white floral61%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Black CurrantCuminCarawayPepperCoriander

Heart

LavenderLily-of-the-ValleyJasmine

Base

MossWoody NotesLeatherMuskSandalwood

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesCaraway, Coriander, Lavender and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer52

Fall100

Winter88

Day100

Night–

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Category winnerKirkMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex12

Women2

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

Work 40%Casual 33%Date 18%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,695

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#714

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Kirk opens with a sharp blast of black currant, caraway, and black pepper before revealing a dark, aromatic heart. The cumin introduces a gritty, sweaty spice that keeps the fruitiness from feeling overly sweet. As the top notes settle, clean lavender and lily-of-the-valley shift the scent toward a classic Italian bar…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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, Kirk or Tsar?

Tsar takes 4 of 7 categories. Kirk is rated 4.09/5 from 151 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Kirk for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Kirk or Tsar?

Kirk lasts longest (Kirk 84/100, Tsar 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Kirk or Tsar?

Kirk projects furthest (Kirk 74/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Kirk and Tsar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Caraway, Coriander, Lavender and Jasmine.

Is Kirk or Tsar better for summer or winter?

For summer, Kirk is the stronger pick. For winter, Tsar is the stronger pick. Kirk suits daytime wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Kirk and Tsar?

Kirk has top notes of Black Currant, Cumin, Caraway and Pepper, heart notes of Lavender, Lily-of-the-Valley and Jasmine, a base of Moss, Woody Notes, Leather and Musk. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.