Fragrance comparison

Valor vs By the Fireplace

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 27,430 ratings analysed

3 wins

Valor

Riggs

3.3858 votes

Rank #14,696 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

69%scent match

Closely related

By the Fireplace

Maison Martin Margiela · 2015

4.0927,372 votes

Rank #630 WoodyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Valor takes 3 of 5 categories.

Valor
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.
By the Fireplace
Choose it for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Valor3/5

By the Fireplace2/5

Ratings & consensus: By the Fireplace
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Valor
Sillage & projection: Valor
Value for money: Valor
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: By the Fireplace

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ValorRiggs

By the FireplaceMaison Martin Margiela

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.38/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 22%Had 0%Want 78%

4.09/ 5 · 27,372 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

Category winnerBy the FireplaceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

23%Like

0%Ok

23%Dislike

15%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

53%Love

28%Like

9%Ok

7%Dislike

3%Hate

23,268 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityValor

SillageValor

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value54

Category winnerValorBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

vanilla84%

amber77%

smoky69%

powdery61%

woody100%

vanilla92%

balsamic84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

powdery61%

Scent match69%Closely related · both woody, warm spicy and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ChestnutRoasted NutsPink PepperClove

Heart

FireBenzoinOrange Blossom

Base

VanillaGuaiac WoodCashmeran

Top

ClovesPink PepperOrange Blossom

Heart

ChestnutGuaiac WoodJuniper

Base

VanillaPeru BalsamCashmeran

InformationalShared notesChestnut, Pink Pepper, Orange Blossom and Vanilla. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer22

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring10

Summer6

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men46

Unisex46

Women8

Men29

Unisex60

Women11

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,696

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#630

PerfumerMarie Salamagne

Launched2015

Reviews1,679

Category winnerBy the FireplaceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Valor is a smoky, spicy amber built around roasted chestnut, clove and vanilla, with a dry woody base and a soft floral lift from orange blossom. It reads warm, slightly sweet and gently powdery rather than bright or fresh. This feels best suited to cooler weather and evening wear, especially if you enjoy cozy gourman…

Reviews →

By the Fireplace by Maison Martin Margiela centers on a bold, photorealistic woody-spicy profile that mimics the smell of burning logs and roasted chestnuts. This cozy, resinous fragrance is designed for cold winter weather, providing an intimate, warm experience on the skin. Its composition balances smoky intensity w…

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, Valor or By the Fireplace?

Valor takes 3 of 5 categories. Valor is rated 3.38/5 from 58 votes; By the Fireplace is rated 4.09/5 from 27,372 votes. Choose Valor for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose By the Fireplace for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Valor or By the Fireplace?

Valor lasts longest (Valor 80/100, By the Fireplace 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Valor or By the Fireplace?

Valor projects furthest (Valor 69/100, By the Fireplace 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Valor and By the Fireplace smell similar?

Closely related: a 69% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and vanilla accords. Common notes include Chestnut, Pink Pepper, Orange Blossom and Vanilla.

Is Valor or By the Fireplace better for summer or winter?

Valor suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Valor and By the Fireplace?

Valor has top notes of Chestnut, Roasted Nuts, Pink Pepper and Clove, heart notes of Fire, Benzoin and Orange Blossom, a base of Vanilla, Guaiac Wood and Cashmeran. By the Fireplace has top notes of Cloves, Pink Pepper and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Chestnut, Guaiac Wood and Juniper, a base of Vanilla, Peru Balsam and Cashmeran.