Fragrance comparison

Midnight Gold vs 1681

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 589 ratings analysed

Midnight Gold

Mancera

3.84280 votes

Rank #10,286 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

1681

Carthusia

4.16309 votes

Rank #5,791 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

1681 takes 5 of 7 categories.

Midnight Gold
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
1681
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Midnight Gold2/7

16815/7

Ratings & consensus: 1681
Community sentiment: 1681
Longevity: Midnight Gold
Sillage & projection: Midnight Gold
Value for money: 1681
Versatility: 1681
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 1681

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Midnight GoldMancera

1681Carthusia

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.84/ 5 · 280 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

4.16/ 5 · 309 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winner1681Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

36%Like

15%Ok

13%Dislike

3%Hate

280 votes

41%Love

44%Like

6%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

309 votes

Category winner1681Most positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityMidnight Gold

SillageMidnight Gold

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value56

Category winner1681Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fresh spicy91%

woody83%

aromatic74%

musky65%

warm spicy56%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

powdery77%

amber69%

citrus61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Mandarin OrangeLimeNeroliRosemaryBlack PepperCardamom

Heart2-4 hrs

Turkish RoseCedarPatchouli Leaf

Base6-8+ hrs

White MuskAmberoak mossAgarwood (Oud)

Top

CorianderRed ThymeRosemaryMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

IrisBlack PepperLavenderPetitgrainNeroli

Base

SandalwoodIncenseCedarAmberVanillaMusk

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Neroli, Rosemary and Black Pepper. Durations are only published for Midnight Gold, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer92

Fall0

Winter33

Day100

Night53

Spring96

Summer64

Fall100

Winter54

Day100

Night53

Category winner1681Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men26

Unisex53

Women20

Casual 36%Work 32%Date 18%Party 14%

Men66

Unisex32

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#10,286

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews37

Overall rank#5,791

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews39

Category winner1681Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Do not let the moody name fool you. Mancera Midnight Gold is an uplifting, sunshine-filled blend of zesty lime, juicy mandarin orange, and cracked black pepper that immediately grabs attention. As the initial citrus sparkle eases, an elegant Turkish rose blooms alongside clean cedar and fresh rosemary. Unlike heavy Mi…

Reviews →

Carthusia 1681 opens with crisp bergamot and dry rosemary before settling into an earthy heart of iris, black pepper, and lavender. Base notes of cedar, sandalwood, and incense anchor the herbal sharpness on skin. It suits autumn rain, quiet office wear, and crisp wool sweaters.

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, Midnight Gold or 1681?

1681 takes 5 of 7 categories. Midnight Gold is rated 3.84/5 from 280 votes; 1681 is rated 4.16/5 from 309 votes. Choose Midnight Gold for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose 1681 for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Midnight Gold or 1681?

Midnight Gold lasts longest (Midnight Gold 70/100, 1681 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Midnight Gold or 1681?

Midnight Gold projects furthest (Midnight Gold 59/100, 1681 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Midnight Gold and 1681 smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Neroli, Rosemary and Black Pepper.

Is Midnight Gold or 1681 better for summer or winter?

For summer, Midnight Gold is the stronger pick. For winter, 1681 is the stronger pick. Midnight Gold suits daytime wear; 1681 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Midnight Gold and 1681?

Midnight Gold has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Lime, Neroli and Rosemary, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Cedar and Patchouli Leaf, a base of White Musk, Amber, oak moss and Agarwood (Oud). 1681 has top notes of Coriander, Red Thyme, Rosemary and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Iris, Black Pepper, Lavender and Petitgrain, a base of Sandalwood, Incense, Cedar and Amber.