Fragrance comparison

Tsar vs Царский лес — Tsar's Forest

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,853 ratings analysed

4 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

Царский лес — Tsar's Forest

Aurora Borealis

4.0538 votes

Rank #48,784 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 4 of 7 categories.

Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Царский лес — Tsar's Forest
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Tsar4/7

Царский лес — Tsar's Forest0/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Царский лес — Tsar's ForestAurora Borealis

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

4.05/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 34%Had 7%Want 60%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

32%Love

45%Like

21%Ok

3%Dislike

0%Hate

38 votes

Category winnerTieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageTsar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

woody100%

aromatic91%

earthy83%

mossy74%

leather65%

herbal56%

Scent match57%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

Top

ArtemisiaCorianderReseda

Heart

OakmossRoseIris

Base

LeatherPatchouliOakPine TreeSandalwoodAmberVanilla

InformationalShared notesArtemisia, Coriander, Pine Tree and Rose. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Spring35

Summer29

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night100

Category winnerTsarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

Men23

Unisex77

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Overall rank#48,784

PerfumerAndrey Chibisov

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Царский лес, Tsar's Forest by Aurora Borealis brings the dense, damp air of a northern woodland to life. This woody aromatic composition centers on a blend of oakmoss, pine, and leather. Ideal for crisp autumn days or chilly winter evenings, it offers a grounded, earthy profile that appeals to those who prefer their s…

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, Tsar or Царский лес — Tsar's Forest?

Tsar takes 4 of 7 categories. Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes; Царский лес — Tsar's Forest is rated 4.05/5 from 38 votes. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Царский лес — Tsar's Forest for a woody and aromatic character. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Tsar or Царский лес — Tsar's Forest?

They last about the same: Tsar 72/100, Царский лес — Tsar's Forest 72/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Tsar or Царский лес — Tsar's Forest?

Tsar projects furthest (Tsar 62/100, Царский лес — Tsar's Forest 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Tsar and Царский лес — Tsar's Forest smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Artemisia, Coriander, Pine Tree and Rose.

Is Tsar or Царский лес — Tsar's Forest better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tsar is the stronger pick. For winter, Tsar is the stronger pick. Tsar suits daytime wear; Царский лес — Tsar's Forest suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Tsar and Царский лес — Tsar's Forest?

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. Царский лес — Tsar's Forest has top notes of Artemisia, Coriander and Reseda, heart notes of Oakmoss, Rose and Iris, a base of Leather, Patchouli, Oak and Pine Tree.