Fragrance comparison

Rafale vs Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,273 ratings analysed

Rafale

Molinard

4.0715 votes

Rank #37,298 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.251,258 votes

Rank #155 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 4 of 5 categories.

Rafale
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Rafale1/5

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme4/5

Ratings & consensus: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Sillage & projection: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Value for money: Rafale
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

RafaleMolinard

Van Cleef & Arpels pour HommeVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 40%Had 24%Want 36%

4.25/ 5 · 1,258 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeRating 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

52%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,258 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

SillageVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value53

Category winnerRafaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

woody80%

herbal70%

lavender60%

white floral50%

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

rose61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

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

Top15-30 mins

LavenderJuniper BerriesBasilGreen NotesCarawaySageBergamotMarjoram

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseCarnationPatchouliVetiverClovesJasmineSpicy NotesCedar

Base8-12 hrs

LeatherOakmossMuskSandalwoodLabdanumAmberCoconut

InformationalShared notesJasmine, Basil, Lavender and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring89

Summer100

Fall67

Winter22

Day100

Night13

Spring43

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day57

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,298

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#155

PerfumerLouis Monnet

Launched—

Reviews201

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeHigher 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 pour Homme is a dark, uncompromising leather fragrance built around bitter herbs, velvety rose, and damp oakmoss. First launched in 1978, it opens with a bracing blast of green basil, aromatic lavender, and crisp juniper berries that immediately feels like stepping into a cold pine forest. As the he…

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 Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 4 of 5 categories. Rafale is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is rated 4.25/5 from 1,258 votes. Choose Rafale for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Rafale or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme lasts longest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 80/100, Rafale 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Rafale or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Projection is very close: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 74/100, Rafale 73/100 for sillage.

Do Rafale and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Basil, Lavender and Bergamot.

Is Rafale or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme better for summer or winter?

Rafale suits daytime wear; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Rafale and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Rafale features Jasmine, Basil, Lavender, Bergamot and Artemisia. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme has top notes of Lavender, Juniper Berries, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Patchouli and Vetiver, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Sandalwood.