Fragrance comparison

Max Mara vs The Queen of Spades Classic

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 1,981 ratings analysed

4 wins

Max Mara

3.941,898 votes

Rank #1,096 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

The Queen of Spades Classic

Brocard

3.3083 votes

Rank #28,504 FloralWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Max Mara takes 4 of 7 categories.

Max Mara
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
The Queen of Spades Classic
Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Max Mara4/7

The Queen of Spades Classic3/7

Ratings & consensus: Max Mara
Community sentiment: Max Mara
Longevity: Max Mara
Sillage & projection: The Queen of Spades Classic
Value for money: The Queen of Spades Classic
Versatility: The Queen of Spades Classic
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Max Mara

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Max MaraMax Mara

The Queen of Spades ClassicBrocard

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 1,898 votes

Have 37%Had 63%Want 0%

3.30/ 5 · 83 votes

Have 41%Had 22%Want 37%

Category winnerMax MaraRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

52%Like

2%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

1,819 votes

10%Love

48%Like

8%Ok

30%Dislike

4%Hate

83 votes

Category winnerMax MaraMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate58

Category winners

LongevityMax Mara

SillageThe Queen of Spades Classic

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value68

Category winnerThe Queen of Spades ClassicBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

citrus91%

fresh spicy83%

fresh74%

floral65%

white floral56%

floral100%

white floral92%

fresh84%

powdery77%

citrus69%

ozonic61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both floral, citrus and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GingerCitruses

Heart

MagnoliaLilyMuskOrchid

Base

Sugar Cane

Top

MelonMagnoliaCitruses

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyJasmineViolet

Base

Woody NotesMuskOrchid

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Magnolia, Musk and Orchid. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer42

Fall79

Winter58

Day100

Night44

Category winnerThe Queen of Spades ClassicMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex3

Women96

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,096

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews137

Overall rank#28,504

PerfumerSylvie Fischer

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerMax MaraHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Max Mara is a sweet white floral with a polished citrus and ginger opening, then a creamy heart of magnolia, lily, orchid and soft musk over raw sugar. It often reads elegant, cosy and quietly distinctive rather than loud. Many wearers find it most at home in cooler weather, where the sugar, florals and spice feel ric…

Reviews →

Brocard launched The Queen of Spades Classic in 2015 as a light floral woody musk composed by perfumer Sylvie Fischer. It opens with juicy melon, crisp citruses, and soft magnolia before revealing a green heart of lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, and powder-dusted violet. Clean musk and subtle woody notes ground the base,…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Max Mara or The Queen of Spades Classic?

Max Mara takes 4 of 7 categories. Max Mara is rated 3.94/5 from 1,898 votes; The Queen of Spades Classic is rated 3.30/5 from 83 votes. Choose Max Mara for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose The Queen of Spades Classic for a floral and white floral character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Max Mara or The Queen of Spades Classic?

Max Mara lasts longest (Max Mara 68/100, The Queen of Spades Classic 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Max Mara or The Queen of Spades Classic?

The Queen of Spades Classic projects furthest (The Queen of Spades Classic 64/100, Max Mara 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Max Mara and The Queen of Spades Classic smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, citrus and fresh accords. Common notes include Citruses, Magnolia, Musk and Orchid.

Is Max Mara or The Queen of Spades Classic better for summer or winter?

For summer, The Queen of Spades Classic is the stronger pick. For winter, Max Mara is the stronger pick. The Queen of Spades Classic suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Max Mara and The Queen of Spades Classic?

Max Mara has top notes of Ginger and Citruses, heart notes of Magnolia, Lily, Musk and Orchid, a base of Sugar Cane. The Queen of Spades Classic has top notes of Melon, Magnolia and Citruses, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine and Violet, a base of Woody Notes, Musk and Orchid.