The Exception No 1 vs The Matcha 26
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
50%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
The Exception No 1 takes 2 of 3 categories.
The Exception No 1Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.
The Matcha 26Choose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
The Exception No 12/3
The Matcha 261/3
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- The Exception No 1
- Sillage & projection
- The Exception No 1
- Value for money
- Not scored
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- The Matcha 26
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
The Exception No 1M. MicallefThe Matcha 26Le LaboWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.57/ 5 · 7 votes
Have 43%Had 0%Want 57%
4.12/ 5 · 3,351 votes
Have 38%Had 7%Want 55%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate71%Love
14%Like
14%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
7 votes · too few to score
46%Love
31%Like
15%Ok
6%Dislike
2%Hate
3,351 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityThe Exception No 1
SillageThe Exception No 1
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerNot enough dataBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothcitrus100%
woody90%
aromatic80%
fresh spicy70%
warm spicy60%
cacao50%
woody100%
fruity90%
citrus80%
aromatic70%
green60%
powdery50%
Scent match50%Some overlap · both woody, citrus and aromatic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
BergamotGrapefruitBitter Orange
Heart
VetiverCedarPepper
Base
Cacao PodBenzoin
Notes
FigCedarBitter OrangeMatcha TeaVetiver
No top / heart / base split published
InformationalShared notesBitter Orange, Vetiver and Cedar. Durations are only published for The Matcha 26, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer67
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Spring100
Summer75
Fall77
Winter37
Day100
Night33
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesNot enough votes yet
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#33,482
PerfumerGeoffrey Nejman
Launched—
Reviews2
Overall rank#3,831
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews207
Category winnerThe Matcha 26Higher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotThe Exception No 1 by M. Micallef creates a bright, citrus-forward opening that settles into a grounded heart of vetiver and cedar. This unisex scent balances a zesty start with a resinous, gourmand-leaning base of cacao pod and benzoin. It works best for versatile daily wear during mild spring or autumn days when you…
Reviews →The Matcha 26 by Le Labo is a gentle woody and fruity skin fragrance built around a creamy fig accord, dry cedar, and soft matcha tea. It opens with an understated splash of bitter orange that quickly yields to earthy vetiver and smooth green tea leaves. Rather than a bold, grassy matcha drink, it wears like a calming…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, The Exception No 1 or The Matcha 26?
The Exception No 1 takes 2 of 3 categories. The Exception No 1 is rated 4.57/5 from 7 votes; The Matcha 26 is rated 4.12/5 from 3,351 votes. Choose The Exception No 1 for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose The Matcha 26 for a woody and fruity character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, The Exception No 1 or The Matcha 26?
The Exception No 1 lasts longest (The Exception No 1 100/100, The Matcha 26 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, The Exception No 1 or The Matcha 26?
The Exception No 1 projects furthest (The Exception No 1 78/100, The Matcha 26 48/100), based on community performance votes.
Do The Exception No 1 and The Matcha 26 smell similar?
Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bitter Orange, Vetiver and Cedar.
Is The Exception No 1 or The Matcha 26 better for summer or winter?
The Exception No 1 suits day or night wear; The Matcha 26 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in The Exception No 1 and The Matcha 26?
The Exception No 1 has top notes of Bergamot, Grapefruit and Bitter Orange, heart notes of Vetiver, Cedar and Pepper, a base of Cacao Pod and Benzoin. The Matcha 26 features Fig, Cedar, Bitter Orange, Matcha Tea and Vetiver.
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