Fragrance comparison

Mandarin vs Blue Talisman

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 3,994 ratings analysed

4 wins

Mandarin

Max Philip

3.5279 votes

Rank #28,176 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

Blue Talisman

Ex Nihilo · 2023

4.163,915 votes

Rank #1,205 CitrusFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mandarin takes 4 of 7 categories.

Mandarin
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Blue Talisman
Choose it for a citrus and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Mandarin4/7

Blue Talisman3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MandarinMax Philip

Blue TalismanEx Nihilo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.52/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 48%Had 15%Want 36%

4.16/ 5 · 3,915 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

Category winnerBlue TalismanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

29%Like

14%Ok

15%Dislike

11%Hate

79 votes

49%Love

28%Like

14%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

3,915 votes

Category winnerBlue TalismanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityMandarin

SillageMandarin

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value61

¤ Price value27

Category winnerMandarinBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

citrus92%

musky84%

white floral77%

oud69%

sweet61%

citrus100%

fruity92%

musky84%

sweet77%

woody69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both citrus, woody and musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Mandarin Orange

Heart

Orange BlossomRosePear

Base

MuskAkigalawoodDry Wood

Top15-30 mins

PearBergamotMandarin OrangeGinger

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomGeorgywood

Base6-8+ hrs

MuskAmbrofix™AkigalawoodCedar

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Orange Blossom, Pear and Musk. Durations are only published for Blue Talisman, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring87

Summer100

Fall52

Winter35

Day100

Night39

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter31

Day100

Night46

Category winnerMandarinMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men16

Unisex42

Women42

Men21

Unisex52

Women27

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,176

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#1,205

PerfumerJordi Fernández

Launched2023

Reviews205

Category winnerBlue TalismanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mandarin opens with a bright mandarin note, then settles into a smoother mix of pear, orange blossom, soft rose and dry woods. The overall feel leans citrusy, musky and woody rather than juicy-sweet. It looks best suited to shoppers who want a modern fresh scent with some polish and staying power, especially for sprin…

Reviews →

Blue Talisman by Ex Nihilo opens with an invigorating splash of crisp bergamot, juicy sweet pear, and fresh ginger that feels instantly bright and cheerful. As the initial sparkling citrus calms down over the first half hour, soft orange blossom and clean modern woods step in to create an airy, comforting aroma remini…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Super CedarByredoRUNNER-UP vs

NorthMendittorosaWINNER

1 person compared this today

BohemeSegreti di LuccaRUNNER-UP vs

Soir de LuneSisleyWINNER

1 person compared this today

Orange FlowerOscar de la RentaRUNNER-UP vs

Ti AmoRoja DoveWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Mandarin or Blue Talisman?

Mandarin takes 4 of 7 categories. Mandarin is rated 3.52/5 from 79 votes; Blue Talisman is rated 4.16/5 from 3,915 votes. Choose Mandarin for a woody and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Blue Talisman for a citrus and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mandarin or Blue Talisman?

Mandarin lasts longest (Mandarin 76/100, Blue Talisman 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mandarin or Blue Talisman?

Mandarin projects furthest (Mandarin 69/100, Blue Talisman 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mandarin and Blue Talisman smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and musky accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Orange Blossom, Pear and Musk.

Is Mandarin or Blue Talisman better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mandarin is the stronger pick. For winter, Mandarin is the stronger pick. Mandarin suits daytime wear; Blue Talisman suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mandarin and Blue Talisman?

Mandarin has top notes of Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Rose and Pear, a base of Musk, Akigalawood and Dry Wood. Blue Talisman has top notes of Pear, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Ginger, heart notes of Orange Blossom and Georgywood, a base of Musk, Ambrofix™, Akigalawood and Cedar.