Fragrance comparison

Pancaldi vs Tsar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,872 ratings analysed

5 wins

Pancaldi

4.3257 votes

Rank #12,670 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pancaldi takes 5 of 7 categories.

Pancaldi
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Pancaldi5/7

Tsar2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PancaldiPancaldi

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 41%Had 18%Want 42%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating 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

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerPancaldiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityPancaldi

SillagePancaldi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value48

Category winnerPancaldiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

woody80%

warm spicy70%

leather60%

citrus50%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match56%Closely related · 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

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesJuniper Berries, Bergamot, Lavender and Carnation. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring56

Summer19

Fall94

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerPancaldiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,670

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher 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 →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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 Tsar?

Pancaldi takes 5 of 7 categories. Pancaldi is rated 4.32/5 from 57 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Pancaldi for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Pancaldi or Tsar?

Pancaldi lasts longest (Pancaldi 78/100, Tsar 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Pancaldi or Tsar?

Pancaldi projects furthest (Pancaldi 65/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Pancaldi and Tsar smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Juniper Berries, Bergamot, Lavender and Carnation.

Is Pancaldi or Tsar better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Pancaldi and Tsar?

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. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.