Fragrance comparison

Puur vs Monk

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 45 ratings analysed

Puur

Van Gils

4.2020 votes

Rank #37,538 WoodyMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Monk

Michael Storer

4.1325 votes

Rank #22,678 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2.

Puur
Choose it for a woody and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Monk
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Puur2/5

Monk2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PuurVan Gils

MonkMichael Storer

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 45%Had 14%Want 41%

4.13/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 25%Had 5%Want 71%

Category winnerPuurRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

50%Love

30%Like

5%Ok

15%Dislike

0%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageMonk

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value83

¤ Price value67

Category winnerPuurBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

musky83%

powdery65%

amber48%

balsamic30%

amber100%

woody92%

citrus84%

smoky77%

warm spicy69%

musky61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both woody, amber and musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Bitter OrangeLavenderBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Cashmere WoodVirginia CedarGuaiac WoodAmbrette (Musk Mallow)

Base6-8 hrs

MuskSandalwoodPatchouliAmber

Top

BergamotGalbanumAfrican Orange FlowerBitter Orange

Heart

IncenseRoseBeeswaxCitrusesAmbrette (Musk Mallow)CacaoLime (Linden) Blossom

Base

CivettaBirchSandalwoodBenzoinJasmineVirginia CedarTonka BeanVanille

InformationalShared notesBitter Orange, Bergamot, Virginia Cedar and Ambrette (Musk Mallow). Durations are only published for Puur, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer88

Fall100

Winter63

Day100

Night67

Spring67

Summer67

Fall83

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,538

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#22,678

PerfumerMichael Storer

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerMonkHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Van Gils Puur is an understated woody musk cologne built around soft cedar, cozy cashmere wood, and clean ambrette seeds. It opens with a quick splash of bitter orange and aromatic lavender before settling into a warm, skin-hugging cedar and sandalwood dry-down. The overall texture feels like a freshly ironed wool swe…

Reviews →

Monk is a warm, smoky amber built around bright bitter citrus, green galbanum, incense, beeswax, rose and a darker animalic woody base. It reads more textured than easy-clean, with orange blossom and bergamot giving lift before the resin, smoke, woods, vanilla and civet settle in. Best for shoppers who enjoy classic a…

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, Puur or Monk?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2. Puur is rated 4.20/5 from 20 votes; Monk is rated 4.13/5 from 25 votes. Choose Puur for a woody and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Monk for a amber and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Puur or Monk?

They last about the same: Puur 78/100, Monk 78/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Puur or Monk?

Monk projects furthest (Monk 67/100, Puur 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Puur and Monk smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and musky accords. Common notes include Bitter Orange, Bergamot, Virginia Cedar and Ambrette (Musk Mallow).

Is Puur or Monk better for summer or winter?

Puur suits daytime wear; Monk suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Puur and Monk?

Puur has top notes of Bitter Orange, Lavender and Bergamot, heart notes of Cashmere Wood, Virginia Cedar, Guaiac Wood and Ambrette (Musk Mallow), a base of Musk, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Amber. Monk has top notes of Bergamot, Galbanum, African Orange Flower and Bitter Orange, heart notes of Incense, Rose, Beeswax and Citruses, a base of Civetta, Birch, Sandalwood and Benzoin.