Fragrance comparison

Macassar vs Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,608 ratings analysed

4 wins

Macassar

Rochas

4.38350 votes

Rank #1,022 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

62%scent match

Closely related

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.251,258 votes

Rank #155 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Macassar takes 4 of 7 categories.

Macassar
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Macassar4/7

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme3/7

Ratings & consensus: Macassar
Community sentiment: Macassar
Longevity: Macassar
Sillage & projection: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Value for money: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Versatility: Macassar
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MacassarRochas

Van Cleef & Arpels pour HommeVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.38/ 5 · 350 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.25/ 5 · 1,258 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerMacassarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

65%Love

28%Like

3%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

240 votes

52%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,258 votes

Category winnerMacassarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityMacassar

SillageVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value53

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

earthy84%

leather77%

mossy69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

rose61%

Scent match62%Closely related · both woody, aromatic and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Pine Tree NeedlesArtemisiaGreen NotesFruity NotesBergamot

Heart

PatchouliCedarCarnationJasmineVetiverGeranium

Base

LeatherOakmossMuskAmberCoconut

Top15-30 mins

LavenderJuniper BerriesBasilGreen NotesCarawaySageBergamotMarjoram

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseCarnationPatchouliVetiverClovesJasmineSpicy NotesCedar

Base8-12 hrs

LeatherOakmossMuskSandalwoodLabdanumAmberCoconut

InformationalShared notesGreen Notes, Bergamot, Patchouli and Cedar. Durations are only published for Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring51

Summer38

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring43

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day57

Night100

Category winnerMacassarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men93

Unisex4

Women4

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,022

PerfumerNicolas Mamounas, Roger Pellegrino

Launched—

Reviews67

Overall rank#155

PerfumerLouis Monnet

Launched—

Reviews201

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Macassar by Rochas is an assertive, woody leather fragrance that defines 1980s masculine perfumery. It opens with sharp pine needles and green artemisia, grounding into a base of smoky leather and oakmoss. This is a bold, uncompromising scent that projects authority, perfect for those who appreciate the stark, dry cha…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is a dark, uncompromising leather fragrance built around bitter herbs, velvety rose, and damp oakmoss. First launched in 1978, it opens with a bracing blast of green basil, aromatic lavender, and crisp juniper berries that immediately feels like stepping into a cold pine forest. As the he…

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, Macassar or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Macassar takes 4 of 7 categories. Macassar is rated 4.38/5 from 350 votes; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is rated 4.25/5 from 1,258 votes. Choose Macassar for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Macassar or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

They last about the same: Macassar 82/100, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Macassar or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme projects furthest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 74/100, Macassar 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Macassar and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme smell similar?

Closely related: a 62% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Green Notes, Bergamot, Patchouli and Cedar.

Is Macassar or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme better for summer or winter?

For summer, Macassar is the stronger pick. For winter, Macassar is the stronger pick. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Macassar and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Macassar has top notes of Pine Tree Needles, Artemisia, Green Notes and Fruity Notes, heart notes of Patchouli, Cedar, Carnation and Jasmine, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Amber. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme has top notes of Lavender, Juniper Berries, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Patchouli and Vetiver, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Sandalwood.