Fragrance comparison

Rafale vs Tsar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,830 ratings analysed

Rafale

Molinard

4.0715 votes

Rank #37,095 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 3 of 5 categories.

Rafale
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Rafale2/5

Tsar3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

RafaleMolinard

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 40%Had 24%Want 36%

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

33%Love

53%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityTsar

SillageRafale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value48

Category winnerRafaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

woody80%

herbal70%

lavender60%

white floral50%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

JasmineBasilLavenderBergamotArtemisiaVetiverJuniper BerriesSandalwoodPatchouliLemonCedarMandarin Orange

No top / heart / base split published

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesJasmine, Lavender, Bergamot and Artemisia. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring89

Summer100

Fall67

Winter22

Day100

Night13

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,095

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Molinard Rafale is a crisp 1977 aromatic blend that opens with a sharp burst of fresh lemon, mandarin orange, and crushed sweet basil. It feels like stepping into a sunlit French herb garden right after a cool morning rain, mixing bright citrus with clean herbal greenery. As it warms on the skin, French lavender and …

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, Rafale or Tsar?

Tsar takes 3 of 5 categories. Rafale is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Rafale for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Rafale or Tsar?

Tsar lasts longest (Tsar 72/100, Rafale 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Rafale or Tsar?

Rafale projects furthest (Rafale 73/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Rafale and Tsar smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Lavender, Bergamot and Artemisia.

Is Rafale or Tsar better for summer or winter?

Rafale suits daytime wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Rafale and Tsar?

Rafale features Jasmine, Basil, Lavender, Bergamot and Artemisia. 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.