Fragrance comparison

Madrona vs Borsalino

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 156 ratings analysed

Madrona

House of Matriarch

3.9345 votes

Rank #40,962 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Borsalino

4.10111 votes

Rank #12,240 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Borsalino takes 6 of 7 categories.

Madrona
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Borsalino
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Madrona1/7

Borsalino6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MadronaHouse of Matriarch

BorsalinoBorsalino

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.93/ 5 · 45 votes

Have 31%Had 7%Want 62%

4.10/ 5 · 111 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerBorsalinoRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

40%Like

4%Ok

13%Dislike

4%Hate

45 votes

42%Love

45%Like

8%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

78 votes

Category winnerBorsalinoMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityBorsalino

SillageBorsalino

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value67

Category winnerBorsalinoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody86%

lavender72%

earthy58%

fruity44%

fresh spicy30%

aromatic100%

woody92%

earthy84%

amber77%

floral69%

mossy61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Lavender

Heart2-4 hrs

CedarArbutus (Madrona, Bearberry tree)Sea Notes

Base6-8+ hrs

Vetiver

Top

Clary SageLavenderBergamot

Heart

FernJasmineCyclamenCarnation

Base

OakmossLeatherCedarVetiverLabdanumAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesLavender, Cedar and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Madrona, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer50

Fall56

Winter33

Day100

Night45

Spring73

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerMadronaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men14

Unisex71

Women14

Casual 41%Work 32%Date 17%Party 10%

Men93

Unisex3

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,962

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#12,240

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerBorsalinoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cold mist rolls off the Pacific coastline. House of Matriarch Madrona opens with an unfiltered burst of sharp herbal lavender, cutting clean through damp morning air. You will not find sweet barbershop powder here. Instead, green aromatic needle sap and saline ocean mist take hold within ten minutes. Rich Pacific madr…

Reviews →

Borsalino is a classic masculine chypre built around lavender, sage and bergamot over oakmoss, leather and dry woods. It opens brisk and aromatic, then settles into something earthier, mossier and more leathery with a softly ambered base. It suits buyers who enjoy older-school structure and a firm, traditional style r…

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, Madrona or Borsalino?

Borsalino takes 6 of 7 categories. Madrona is rated 3.93/5 from 45 votes; Borsalino is rated 4.10/5 from 111 votes. Choose Madrona for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Borsalino for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Madrona or Borsalino?

Borsalino lasts longest (Borsalino 70/100, Madrona 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Madrona or Borsalino?

Borsalino projects furthest (Borsalino 62/100, Madrona 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Madrona and Borsalino smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Cedar and Vetiver.

Is Madrona or Borsalino better for summer or winter?

For summer, Madrona is the stronger pick. For winter, Borsalino is the stronger pick. Madrona suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Madrona and Borsalino?

Madrona has top notes of Lavender, heart notes of Cedar, Arbutus (Madrona, Bearberry tree) and Sea Notes, a base of Vetiver. Borsalino has top notes of Clary Sage, Lavender and Bergamot, heart notes of Fern, Jasmine, Cyclamen and Carnation, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Vetiver.