Fragrance comparison

Mauboussin vs Alchemy (2018)

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 2,362 ratings analysed

3 wins

Mauboussin

3.842,357 votes

Rank #471 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Alchemy (2018)

Aftelier

5.005 votes

Rank #32,555 AmberCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mauboussin takes 3 of 4 categories.

Mauboussin
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Alchemy (2018)
Choose it for a amber and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Mauboussin3/4

Alchemy (2018)1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Mauboussin
Sillage & projection: Alchemy (2018)
Value for money: Mauboussin
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Mauboussin

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MauboussinMauboussin

Alchemy (2018)Aftelier

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.84/ 5 · 2,357 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

5.00/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 20%Had 2%Want 78%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

41%Like

6%Ok

17%Dislike

2%Hate

2,196 votes

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityMauboussin

SillageAlchemy (2018)

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value79

¤ Price value50

Category winnerMauboussinBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

fruity84%

warm spicy77%

sweet69%

patchouli61%

amber100%

citrus92%

rose84%

woody77%

vanilla69%

yellow floral61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Yellow PlumMirabelleBlood MandarinBergamot

Heart

Ylang-YlangWhite PeachIndian JasmineTurkish Rose

Base

PatchouliBenzoinAmberVanillaSandalwoodCedar

Top

Bitter OrangeBergamotBlack Pepper

Heart

Turkish RoseYlang-YlangIndian Jasmine

Base

LabdanumBenzoinVanilla

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Ylang-Ylang, Indian Jasmine and Turkish Rose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring25

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex26

Women71

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#471

PerfumerChristine Nagel

Launched—

Reviews254

Overall rank#32,555

PerfumerMandy Aftel

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerMauboussinHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mauboussin is a rich plum amber with an old-school, dressed-up feel. It opens fruity, powdery and a little sharp, then settles into a warmer blend of benzoin, vanilla, patchouli and woods. It suits someone who enjoys fuller, more characterful perfume rather than a light easy fresh scent. Cooler weather brings out its …

Reviews →

A warm amber floral perfume oil built around bitter orange, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, and a resinous vanilla base. Alchemy (2018) opens bright and slightly peppery, then settles into a soft, cozy mix of flowers, labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla. It suits anyone who enjoys artisanal, vintage-leaning perfumes with real …

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, Mauboussin or Alchemy (2018)?

Mauboussin takes 3 of 4 categories. Mauboussin is rated 3.84/5 from 2,357 votes; Alchemy (2018) is rated 5.00/5 from 5 votes. Choose Mauboussin for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Alchemy (2018) for a amber and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Mauboussin or Alchemy (2018)?

Mauboussin lasts longest (Mauboussin 76/100, Alchemy (2018) 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mauboussin or Alchemy (2018)?

Projection is very close: Alchemy (2018) 69/100, Mauboussin 68/100 for sillage.

Do Mauboussin and Alchemy (2018) smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Ylang-Ylang, Indian Jasmine and Turkish Rose.

Is Mauboussin or Alchemy (2018) better for summer or winter?

Alchemy (2018) suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mauboussin and Alchemy (2018)?

Mauboussin has top notes of Yellow Plum, Mirabelle, Blood Mandarin and Bergamot, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, White Peach, Indian Jasmine and Turkish Rose, a base of Patchouli, Benzoin, Amber and Vanilla. Alchemy (2018) has top notes of Bitter Orange, Bergamot and Black Pepper, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Indian Jasmine, a base of Labdanum, Benzoin and Vanilla.