Fragrance comparison

MCM Obelisk vs Sandalo

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 158 ratings analysed

6 wins

MCM Obelisk

MCM - Mode Creation Munich

4.2487 votes

Rank #9,101 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

Sandalo

Santa Maria Novella

3.8271 votes

Rank #17,069 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MCM Obelisk takes 6 of 7 categories.

MCM Obelisk
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, day or night wear.
Sandalo
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

MCM Obelisk6/7

Sandalo1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MCM ObeliskMCM - Mode Creation Munich

SandaloSanta Maria Novella

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.24/ 5 · 87 votes

Have 42%Had 16%Want 42%

3.82/ 5 · 71 votes

Have 30%Had 5%Want 65%

Category winnerMCM ObeliskRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

52%Like

0%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

87 votes

35%Love

35%Like

10%Ok

15%Dislike

4%Hate

71 votes

Category winnerMCM ObeliskMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityMCM Obelisk

SillageMCM Obelisk

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value67

¤ Price value58

Category winnerMCM ObeliskBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

green84%

aromatic77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

amber61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GalbanumPeachGreen NotesBergamotLemon

Heart

Palisander RosewoodYlang-YlangThymeJasmineRose

Base

AmberBenzoinMossSandalwoodMuskVanillaCedar

Top

LemonBergamot

Heart

ThymeRose

Base

SandalwoodBenzoinPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lemon, Thyme and 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

Spring12

Summer21

Fall97

Winter100

Day93

Night100

Spring100

Summer33

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night92

Category winnerSandaloMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men8

Unisex54

Women38

Men70

Unisex30

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,101

PerfumerArturetto Landi

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#17,069

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerMCM ObeliskHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

MCM Obelisk is a bold 1980s amber with green bite, peachy warmth, woods, benzoin and moss. Wearers describe it as dark, spicy, balmy and very noticeable, with a cinnamon-like winter feel and a dry, earthy edge under the sweetness. It suits people who enjoy old-school orientals with power. Sample first if sharp galban…

Reviews →

Santa Maria Novella Sandalo opens with a brisk, natural splash of Italian lemon and bitter bergamot, paired immediately with an aromatic dose of crushed green thyme. Unlike creamy department store sandalwoods, this blend focuses on an unsweetened, herbal wood profile inspired by traditional Florentine compounding. As…

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, MCM Obelisk or Sandalo?

MCM Obelisk takes 6 of 7 categories. MCM Obelisk is rated 4.24/5 from 87 votes; Sandalo is rated 3.82/5 from 71 votes. Choose MCM Obelisk for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose Sandalo for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, MCM Obelisk or Sandalo?

MCM Obelisk lasts longest (MCM Obelisk 75/100, Sandalo 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, MCM Obelisk or Sandalo?

MCM Obelisk projects furthest (MCM Obelisk 75/100, Sandalo 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do MCM Obelisk and Sandalo smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and amber accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lemon, Thyme and Rose.

Is MCM Obelisk or Sandalo better for summer or winter?

For summer, Sandalo is the stronger pick. For winter, MCM Obelisk is the stronger pick. MCM Obelisk suits day or night wear; Sandalo suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in MCM Obelisk and Sandalo?

MCM Obelisk has top notes of Galbanum, Peach, Green Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Palisander Rosewood, Ylang-Ylang, Thyme and Jasmine, a base of Amber, Benzoin, Moss and Sandalwood. Sandalo has top notes of Lemon and Bergamot, heart notes of Thyme and Rose, a base of Sandalwood, Benzoin and Patchouli.