Fragrance comparison

Mandarin vs Absolute

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 23 ratings analysed

4 wins

Mandarin

Areej

4.2020 votes

Rank #45,110 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

Absolute

Asghar Adam Ali

4.673 votes

Rank #47,154 WoodySmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mandarin takes 4 of 4 categories.

Mandarin
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Absolute
Choose it for a woody and smoky character. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Mandarin4/4

Absolute0/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MandarinAreej

AbsoluteAsghar Adam Ali

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 71%Had 0%Want 29%

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 57%Had 0%Want 43%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

80%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

20%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity96

〰 Sillage96

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityMandarin

SillageMandarin

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value58

Category winnerMandarinBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy88%

citrus77%

rose65%

patchouli53%

oud42%

woody100%

smoky92%

warm spicy84%

leather77%

aromatic69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Mandarin

Heart

PatchouliSaffronRose

Base

SandalwoodCedarOud

Top

Pink PepperLavenderCorianderCardamomSaffronBergamotMandarinOrange

Heart

LeatherIncenseVioletOrange BlossomBrown sugarPineappleCashmeranJasmine

Base

Guaiac WoodOudPatchouliSandalwoodLabdanumBenzoinAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesMandarin, Patchouli, Saffron and Sandalwood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night50

Spring33

Summer0

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,110

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#47,154

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerMandarinHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mandarin by Areej opens with a sharp burst of mandarin orange juice before diving straight into a dense cedar and oud foundation. Earthy patchouli and dark rose settle into the background, anchoring the bright citrus top note. As the scent dries down, sandalwood and saffron smooth out the rough edges. It is a heavy o…

Reviews →

Absolute is a smoky, woody leather fragrance with a bright citrus and spice opening, then a darker heart of incense, violet, cashmeran and sweetened leather. It starts lively, but the overall character leans warm, resinous and textured. The wear looks best suited to people who enjoy bold woody scents with some sweetne…

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, Mandarin or Absolute?

Mandarin takes 4 of 4 categories. Mandarin is rated 4.20/5 from 20 votes; Absolute is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes. Choose Mandarin for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Absolute for a woody and smoky character. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mandarin or Absolute?

Mandarin lasts longest (Mandarin 96/100, Absolute 87/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mandarin or Absolute?

Mandarin projects furthest (Mandarin 96/100, Absolute 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mandarin and Absolute smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Mandarin, Patchouli, Saffron and Sandalwood.

Is Mandarin or Absolute better for summer or winter?

Mandarin suits daytime wear; Absolute suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mandarin and Absolute?

Mandarin has top notes of Mandarin, heart notes of Patchouli, Saffron and Rose, a base of Sandalwood, Cedar and Oud. Absolute has top notes of Pink Pepper, Lavender, Coriander and Cardamom, heart notes of Leather, Incense, Violet and Orange Blossom, a base of Guaiac Wood, Oud, Patchouli and Sandalwood.