Fragrance comparison

Pancaldi vs Ébène

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 179 ratings analysed

4 wins

Pancaldi

4.3257 votes

Rank #12,670 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #27,812 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pancaldi takes 4 of 7 categories.

Pancaldi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Pancaldi4/7

Ébène3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PancaldiPancaldi

ÉbènePierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 41%Had 18%Want 42%

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerÉbèneRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

44%Like

4%Ok

4%Dislike

2%Hate

57 votes

59%Love

30%Like

2%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

122 votes

Category winnerPancaldiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityPancaldi

SillageÉbène

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value45

Category winnerPancaldiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

woody80%

warm spicy70%

leather60%

citrus50%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

WormwoodJuniper BerriesBasilLemon VerbenaLemonBergamotLavenderThyme

Heart

FirCarnationClovesClary SageJasmineRoseFernCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherCastoreumPatchouliVetiverBenzoinSandalwoodCedar

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesBasil, Lemon, Bergamot and Carnation. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring56

Summer19

Fall94

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Category winnerÉbèneMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,670

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#27,812

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Category winnerPancaldiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Pancaldi opens with a sharp flash of wormwood, bergamot, and crisp juniper berries that quickly hooks into a dark pine forest heart. Released in 1989, this Italian powerhouse pairs bitter herbs with heavy cloves, carnation, and damp fir needles before dropping into a dense base of oakmoss, leather, and castoreum. It s…

Reviews →

Ébène by Pierre Balmain delivers a dark wood experience driven by myrrh oil and deep ebony wood. Built for winter evenings in a heavy coat, this scent contrasts hot cinnamon against dry tobacco. It wears heavy and warm on the skin, offering a smoky performance that stands out in cold weather.

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Pancaldi or Ébène?

Pancaldi takes 4 of 7 categories. Pancaldi is rated 4.32/5 from 57 votes; Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes. Choose Pancaldi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Pancaldi or Ébène?

Pancaldi lasts longest (Pancaldi 78/100, Ébène 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Pancaldi or Ébène?

Ébène projects furthest (Ébène 69/100, Pancaldi 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Pancaldi and Ébène smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Basil, Lemon, Bergamot and Carnation.

Is Pancaldi or Ébène better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ébène is the stronger pick. For winter, Pancaldi is the stronger pick. Pancaldi suits evening wear; Ébène suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Pancaldi and Ébène?

Pancaldi has top notes of Wormwood, Juniper Berries, Basil and Lemon Verbena, heart notes of Fir, Carnation, Cloves and Clary Sage, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Castoreum and Patchouli. Ébène has top notes of Mint, Aldehydes, Caraway and Anise, heart notes of Pine, Carnation, Geranium and Patchouli, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Labdanum and Amber.