Fragrance comparison

The Pope's Cologne vs RDP21 Limited Edition

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 44 ratings analysed

The Pope's Cologne

Excelsis

4.673 votes

Rank #33,988 CitrusViolet

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

2 wins

RDP21 Limited Edition

Roja Dove

4.3941 votes

Rank #13,849 Fresh SpicyWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

RDP21 Limited Edition takes 2 of 3 categories.

The Pope's Cologne
Choose it for a citrus and violet character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
RDP21 Limited Edition
Choose it for a fresh spicy and white floral character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

The Pope's Cologne1/3

RDP21 Limited Edition2/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: RDP21 Limited Edition
Sillage & projection: The Pope's Cologne
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: RDP21 Limited Edition

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

The Pope's CologneExcelsis

RDP21 Limited EditionRoja Dove

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 8%Had 8%Want 83%

4.39/ 5 · 41 votes

Have 35%Had 3%Want 61%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

76%Love

10%Like

2%Ok

2%Dislike

10%Hate

41 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate92

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityRDP21 Limited Edition

SillageThe Pope's Cologne

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value31

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

violet86%

powdery72%

white floral58%

sweet44%

fresh30%

fresh spicy100%

white floral92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

citrus61%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both citrus and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

VioletOrange BlossomOrangeLemon VerbenaCitrusesClove

No top / heart / base split published

Top

OrangeBergamotLimeLemon

Heart

JasmineBlackcurrantTuberoseRose GeraniumYlang YlangOrange BlossomPeachViolet

Base

BenzoinCuminVetiverPatchouliCloveNutmegDry WoodAmber

InformationalShared notesViolet, Orange Blossom, Orange and Clove. Durations are only published for The Pope's Cologne, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer50

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Spring100

Summer74

Fall79

Winter74

Day100

Night76

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men26

Unisex65

Women10

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#33,988

PerfumerFrederick Hass

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#13,849

PerfumerRoja Dove

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerRDP21 Limited EditionHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

The Pope's Cologne by Excelsis delivers a crisp, time-tested splash of bright citrus, juicy orange, and tangy lemon verbena that immediately wakes up the senses. As the sparkling opening settles, sweet orange blossom and a hint of warm clove add body before resolving into a soft, powdery violet dry-down. It smells lik…

Reviews →

RDP21 Limited Edition opens with bright citrus, then quickly turns richer and more textured, with white florals, fruity sweetness, spice, and a smooth suede-vanilla base. It feels polished, dense, and luxurious rather than airy. On skin, it often reads as a modern Roja statement scent, complex, warm, and slightly sens…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, The Pope's Cologne or RDP21 Limited Edition?

RDP21 Limited Edition takes 2 of 3 categories. The Pope's Cologne is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes; RDP21 Limited Edition is rated 4.39/5 from 41 votes. Choose The Pope's Cologne for a citrus and violet character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose RDP21 Limited Edition for a fresh spicy and white floral character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, The Pope's Cologne or RDP21 Limited Edition?

RDP21 Limited Edition lasts longest (RDP21 Limited Edition 68/100, The Pope's Cologne 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, The Pope's Cologne or RDP21 Limited Edition?

The Pope's Cologne projects furthest (The Pope's Cologne 70/100, RDP21 Limited Edition 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do The Pope's Cologne and RDP21 Limited Edition smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and white floral accords. Common notes include Violet, Orange Blossom, Orange and Clove.

Is The Pope's Cologne or RDP21 Limited Edition better for summer or winter?

The Pope's Cologne suits daytime wear; RDP21 Limited Edition suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in The Pope's Cologne and RDP21 Limited Edition?

The Pope's Cologne features Violet, Orange Blossom, Orange, Lemon Verbena and Citruses. RDP21 Limited Edition has top notes of Orange, Bergamot, Lime and Lemon, heart notes of Jasmine, Blackcurrant, Tuberose and Rose Geranium, a base of Benzoin, Cumin, Vetiver and Patchouli.