Fragrance comparison

Malbec X vs Pure Man

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 733 ratings analysed

Malbec X

O Boticário

3.88563 votes

Rank #28,926 LeatherAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Pure Man

Bruno Banani

3.78170 votes

Rank #16,396 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pure Man takes 4 of 7 categories.

Malbec X
Choose it for a leather and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
Pure Man
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring.

Malbec X3/7

Pure Man4/7

Ratings & consensus: Malbec X
Community sentiment: Pure Man
Longevity: Malbec X
Sillage & projection: Malbec X
Value for money: Pure Man
Versatility: Pure Man
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Pure Man

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Malbec XO Boticário

Pure ManBruno Banani

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.88/ 5 · 563 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

3.78/ 5 · 170 votes

Have 36%Had 53%Want 11%

Category winnerMalbec XRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

37%Like

13%Ok

8%Dislike

6%Hate

563 votes

16%Love

59%Like

11%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

170 votes

Category winnerPure ManMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityMalbec X

SillageMalbec X

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value69

Category winnerPure ManBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

citrus77%

animalic69%

ozonic61%

woody100%

amber92%

citrus84%

warm spicy77%

powdery69%

anis61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Violet LeavesMandarin OrangeYuzuGrapefruit

Heart

BenzoinCardamomFactor X

Base

LeatherSuedeAmberPatchouli

Top

AniseMandarin OrangeGrapefruitBergamotCardamom

Heart

JasmineCedarCyclamen

Base

SandalwoodAmberMuskBenzoinVetiver

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Benzoin and Cardamom. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring36

Summer6

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter87

Day–

Night–

Category winnerPure ManMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men95

Unisex4

Women1

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,926

PerfumerChristophe Raynaud

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#16,396

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Category winnerPure ManHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Malbec X by O Boticário is a bold, dark leather fragrance built for cool nights and close encounters. It opens with a sharp burst of tart grapefruit, zesty yuzu, and crisp violet leaves before quickly settling into a deep, warm heart of spiced cardamom and resinous benzoin. The foundation is rich suede, rugged leather…

Reviews →

Pure Man by Bruno Banani is a budget-friendly option launched in 2006. It combines citrus accents of mandarin orange and grapefruit with warm cardamom and dry vetiver. It is a solid pick for casual daytime wear during mild spring afternoons when you need a simple scent for running quick errands.

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, Malbec X or Pure Man?

Pure Man takes 4 of 7 categories. Malbec X is rated 3.88/5 from 563 votes; Pure Man is rated 3.78/5 from 170 votes. Choose Malbec X for a leather and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Pure Man for a woody and amber character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Malbec X or Pure Man?

Malbec X lasts longest (Malbec X 72/100, Pure Man 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Malbec X or Pure Man?

Malbec X projects furthest (Malbec X 59/100, Pure Man 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Malbec X and Pure Man smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Benzoin and Cardamom.

Is Malbec X or Pure Man better for summer or winter?

For summer, Malbec X is the stronger pick. For winter, Malbec X is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Malbec X and Pure Man?

Malbec X has top notes of Violet Leaves, Mandarin Orange, Yuzu and Grapefruit, heart notes of Benzoin, Cardamom and Factor X, a base of Leather, Suede, Amber and Patchouli. Pure Man has top notes of Anise, Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine, Cedar and Cyclamen, a base of Sandalwood, Amber, Musk and Benzoin.