Fragrance comparison

Papier Carbone vs Alford & Hoff No 3

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 216 ratings analysed

3 wins

Papier Carbone

Ormaie

3.61215 votes

Rank #11,628 Soft SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

Alford & Hoff No 3

Alford & Hoff

3.001 votes

Rank #72,899 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Papier Carbone takes 3 of 4 categories.

Papier Carbone
Choose it for a soft spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Alford & Hoff No 3
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Papier Carbone3/4

Alford & Hoff No 31/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Papier Carbone
Sillage & projection: Papier Carbone
Value for money: Alford & Hoff No 3
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Papier Carbone

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Papier CarboneOrmaie

Alford & Hoff No 3Alford & Hoff

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.61/ 5 · 215 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

3.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 33%Had 0%Want 67%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

34%Like

21%Ok

10%Dislike

6%Hate

163 votes

0%Love

0%Like

100%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate50

Category winners

LongevityPapier Carbone

SillagePapier Carbone

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value40

¤ Price value50

Category winnerAlford & Hoff No 3Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

soft spicy100%

aromatic92%

woody84%

anis77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

woody100%

aromatic88%

amber77%

fresh spicy65%

powdery53%

aldehydic42%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Star AniseCoffeeBergamotCardamom

Heart

Clary SageNutmegCorianderLavender

Base

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)PatchouliGuaiac WoodHaitian Vetiver

Top

AldehydesAbsintheCedarAngelicaCardamomRhubarb

Heart

Clary SageGeraniumIrisNutmegFig

Base

Black LeatherBelambra treeGuaiac WoodOlibanumAmberHaitian Vetiver

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Clary Sage, Nutmeg and Guaiac Wood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter40

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men12

Unisex73

Women15

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,628

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#72,899

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerPapier CarboneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Papier Carbone is a soft spicy, aromatic woody fragrance built around star anise, cardamom, paper-like woods and a musky ambrette base. On skin it often reads as nostalgic and unusual, with impressions of pencil shavings, licorice sweets, old paper, ink, warm spices and dry woods. It suits wearers who enjoy conceptual…

Reviews →

Alford & Hoff No 3 by Alford & Hoff is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for men. Alford & Hoff No 3 was launched in 2016. Top notes are Aldehydes, Absinthe, Cedar, Angelica, Cardamom and Rhubarb; middle notes are Clary Sage, Geranium, Iris, Nutmeg and Fig; base notes are Black Leather, Cedar, Belambra tree, Guaiac Wood, Oli…

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, Papier Carbone or Alford & Hoff No 3?

Papier Carbone takes 3 of 4 categories. Papier Carbone is rated 3.61/5 from 215 votes; Alford & Hoff No 3 is rated 3.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Papier Carbone for a soft spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Alford & Hoff No 3 for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Papier Carbone or Alford & Hoff No 3?

Papier Carbone lasts longest (Papier Carbone 63/100, Alford & Hoff No 3 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Papier Carbone or Alford & Hoff No 3?

Papier Carbone projects furthest (Papier Carbone 59/100, Alford & Hoff No 3 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Papier Carbone and Alford & Hoff No 3 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Clary Sage, Nutmeg and Guaiac Wood.

Is Papier Carbone or Alford & Hoff No 3 better for summer or winter?

Alford & Hoff No 3 suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Papier Carbone and Alford & Hoff No 3?

Papier Carbone has top notes of Star Anise, Coffee, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Clary Sage, Nutmeg, Coriander and Lavender, a base of Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Patchouli, Guaiac Wood and Haitian Vetiver. Alford & Hoff No 3 has top notes of Aldehydes, Absinthe, Cedar and Angelica, heart notes of Clary Sage, Geranium, Iris and Nutmeg, a base of Black Leather, Belambra tree, Guaiac Wood and Olibanum.