Fragrance comparison

Musk vs Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 1,476 ratings analysed

Musk

Denim

4.04218 votes

Rank #8,434 WoodyPatchouli

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.251,258 votes

Rank #156 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 6 of 8 categories.

Musk
Choose it for a woody and patchouli character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Musk2/8

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme6/8

Ratings & consensus: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Community sentiment: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Longevity: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Sillage & projection: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Value for money: Musk
Versatility: Musk
Note pyramid (duration): Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Fragranxe ranking: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MuskDenim

Van Cleef & Arpels pour HommeVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 218 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

4.25/ 5 · 1,258 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

44%Like

9%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

218 votes

52%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,258 votes

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

SillageVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value89

¤ Price value53

Category winnerMuskBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

patchouli92%

earthy84%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

rose61%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Citruses

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderMyrtle

Base6-8 hrs

PatchouliOriental Woodsy notesOakmoss

Top15-30 mins

LavenderJuniper BerriesBasilGreen NotesCarawaySageBergamotMarjoram

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseCarnationPatchouliVetiverClovesJasmineSpicy NotesCedar

Base8-12 hrs

LeatherOakmossMuskSandalwoodLabdanumAmberCoconut

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter98

Day100

Night79

Spring43

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day47

Night100

Category winnerMuskMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men97

Unisex3

Women1

Casual 43%Work 28%Date 18%Party 13%

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

Date 38%Work 28%Casual 19%Party 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,434

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews31

Overall rank#156

PerfumerLouis Monnet

Launched—

Reviews201

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Denim Musk is a rugged, old-school men's cologne built around brisk citruses, bitter Mediterranean myrtle, and deep, earthy patchouli. Spraying it delivers an immediate kick. The opening hits with sharp lemon and herbaceous lavender before drying into damp oakmoss and dry oriental wood notes. There is zero gourmand sw…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is a dark, uncompromising leather fragrance built around bitter herbs, velvety rose, and damp oakmoss. First launched in 1978, it opens with a bracing blast of green basil, aromatic lavender, and crisp juniper berries that immediately feels like stepping into a cold pine forest. As the he…

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, Musk or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 6 of 8 categories. Musk is rated 4.04/5 from 218 votes; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is rated 4.25/5 from 1,258 votes. Choose Musk for a woody and patchouli character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Musk or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme lasts longest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 80/100, Musk 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Musk or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme projects furthest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 74/100, Musk 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Musk and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Patchouli and Oakmoss.

Is Musk or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme better for summer or winter?

For summer, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is the stronger pick. For winter, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is the stronger pick. Musk suits daytime wear; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Musk and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Musk has top notes of Citruses, heart notes of Lavender and Myrtle, a base of Patchouli, Oriental Woodsy notes and Oakmoss. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme has top notes of Lavender, Juniper Berries, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Patchouli and Vetiver, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Sandalwood.