Max vs Cuba Gold
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
90%scent match
Very similar
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Max takes 3 of 5 categories.
MaxChoose it for a aromatic and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.
Cuba GoldChoose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Max3/5
Cuba Gold2/5
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Cuba Gold
- Sillage & projection
- Max
- Value for money
- Max
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Cuba Gold
- Fragranxe ranking
- Max
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
MaxParis ElyseesCuba GoldParfums Guy AlariWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.78/ 5 · 59 votes
Have 50%Had 32%Want 18%
4.50/ 5 · 2 votes
Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate36%Love
27%Like
24%Ok
7%Dislike
7%Hate
59 votes
50%Love
50%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
2 votes · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityCuba Gold
SillageMax
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerMaxBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
vanilla92%
warm spicy84%
fresh spicy77%
woody69%
amber61%
aromatic100%
warm spicy92%
fresh spicy84%
vanilla77%
lavender69%
woody61%
Scent match90%Very similar · both aromatic, warm spicy and vanilla
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop20 to 30 minutes
LavenderMintArtemisiaBergamot
Heart1 to 2 hours
Orange BlossomCinnamonCardamomCumin
Base3 to 5 hours
VanillaSandalwoodAmberTonka BeanMossCedar
Top15-30 mins
LavenderCardamomMintBergamotArtemisia
Heart2-3 hrs
CinnamonOrange BlossomCumin
Base5-7 hrs
Tonka BeanVanillaSandalwoodCedarAmber
Category winnerCuba GoldLongest dry-down: 5-7 hrs
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer63
Fall100
Winter84
Day75
Night100
Spring0
Summer0
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#39,531
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#57,704
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerMaxHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotMax by Paris Elysees is an oriental fougere fragrance for men built around aromatic freshness, warm spices, and sweet base notes. It opens with an energetic blend of crisp mint, herbal lavender, tart bergamot, and bitter artemisia. As the opening settles, the heart reveals sweet orange blossom paired with the warmth o…
Reviews →Cuba Gold by Parfums Guy Alari brings a familiar, comforting barbershop warmth to everyday wear. The first spray releases a brisk flash of cool peppermint, bitter artemisia, and crisp bergamot that quickly gives way to aromatic French lavender. It smells clean, traditional, and subtly sweet. As the citrus settles, a c…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Max or Cuba Gold?
Max takes 3 of 5 categories. Max is rated 3.78/5 from 59 votes; Cuba Gold is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Max for a aromatic and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Cuba Gold for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Which lasts longer, Max or Cuba Gold?
Cuba Gold lasts longest (Cuba Gold 80/100, Max 64/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Max or Cuba Gold?
Projection is very close: Max 51/100, Cuba Gold 50/100 for sillage.
Do Max and Cuba Gold smell similar?
Very similar: a 90% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, warm spicy and vanilla accords. Common notes include Lavender, Mint, Artemisia and Bergamot.
Is Max or Cuba Gold better for summer or winter?
Max suits evening wear; Cuba Gold suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Max and Cuba Gold?
Max has top notes of Lavender, Mint, Artemisia and Bergamot, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Cumin, a base of Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber and Tonka Bean. Cuba Gold has top notes of Lavender, Cardamom, Mint and Bergamot, heart notes of Cinnamon, Orange Blossom and Cumin, a base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cedar.
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