Monarch No. 13 vs Éris: Which Le Maire Eau de Parfum Fits You?

Monarch No. 13 and Éris share the same Le Maire foundation—both are 50 mL Eau de Parfums blended at a 24% concentration—but they move in different directions. Monarch is a masculine woody amber built around bergamot, sea salt, plum, mahogany and smooth musk. Éris is a feminine floral musk shaped by bergamot, honeysuckle, jasmine, vanilla, soft milk notes, woods and amber.

The short answer: choose Monarch No. 13 when you want crisp brightness over warm woods. Choose Éris when you want luminous florals over a creamy musk base. Neither label is a rule; the right choice is the aroma that fits the person wearing it.

Monarch No. 13 vs Éris at a glance

Detail	Monarch No. 13	Éris
Character	Confident, composed and grounded	Subtle, powerful and quietly compelling
Aroma family	Masculine woody amber	Feminine floral musk
Opening	Bergamot, subtle spice and sea salt	Bergamot and a bright floral lift
Heart	Plum, mahogany and warm woods	Honeysuckle and jasmine
Base	Amber and smooth musk	Vanilla, soft milk notes, smooth woods, amber and musk
Size	50 mL	50 mL
Concentration	24% Eau de Parfum	24% Eau de Parfum
Current price	$44.99	$54.99

Both are hand blended in small batches at Le Maire’s Tennessee home studio. Explore them together in the Eau de Parfum collection.

What Monarch No. 13 smells like

Monarch No. 13 opens with bergamot, subtle spice and sea salt. That combination creates a crisp first impression before the aroma moves toward plum, mahogany and warm woods. Amber and smooth musk hold the drydown in a warmer, grounded direction.

The plum matters because it keeps Monarch from becoming a flat wall of wood. It adds controlled richness without turning the profile into a fruit-centered aroma. Sea salt brings contrast at the top, while mahogany connects the heart to the amber and musk below.

Choose Monarch if you regularly reach for woody amber colognes but want enough brightness to keep the opening clear. It is confident without needing to become loud. Its Le Maire line says exactly where the character stands: Rule the day. Command the night.

For a more detailed note-by-note walkthrough, read What Does Monarch No. 13 Smell Like?

What Éris smells like

Éris also begins with bergamot, but the shared note leads somewhere different. A bright floral lift opens into honeysuckle and jasmine, giving Éris a floral center rather than Monarch’s wood-and-plum heart.

Vanilla and soft milk notes create a creamier core. Smooth woods, amber and musk then give the florals structure, keeping Éris from feeling thin or one-dimensional. The result is a floral musk with softness and presence working at the same time.

Choose Éris if you prefer floral aromas with a rounded base rather than a sharp bouquet. Its character is built around influence instead of volume: Spark the moment. Change the course.

See the complete development in What Does Éris Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

What the two Eau de Parfums share

The difference is clear, but Monarch and Éris still belong to the same scent world. Both use bergamot to create lift. Both return to amber and musk in the base. Both are 50 mL Eau de Parfums at a verified 24% concentration, and both are blended by hand in Tennessee.

Those shared elements create family resemblance without making the two products interchangeable. In Monarch, amber and musk support mahogany and warm woods. In Éris, they support honeysuckle, jasmine and a creamy core. The structure is related; the character is not.

The biggest difference: the heart

If you are undecided, focus on the middle of each composition. The opening is where both use bergamot, and the base is where both use amber and musk. The heart is where the decision becomes obvious.

• Choose Monarch’s heart for plum, mahogany and warm woods.
• Choose Éris’s heart for honeysuckle and jasmine.

This is more useful than choosing by bottle color or gender label. Ask which middle notes you want to live with as the aroma develops.

Which one feels fresher?

Monarch has the crisper opening because sea salt sits beside bergamot and subtle spice. Éris has brightness too, but its opening turns toward floral lift. If “fresh” means clean contrast over woods, Monarch is the stronger match. If it means radiant florals, Éris is the better direction.

Which one feels warmer?

Both contain warmth, but they express it differently. Monarch places warmth in mahogany, woods and amber. Éris builds warmth through vanilla, soft milk notes, woods, amber and musk. Monarch reads drier and more wood-led; Éris reads softer and creamier.

Can anyone wear either one?

Yes. “Masculine woody amber” and “feminine floral musk” describe the intended composition and presentation; they do not decide who is allowed to enjoy the aroma. A wearer who loves jasmine and creamy musk may prefer Éris. Someone drawn to sea salt, plum and mahogany may prefer Monarch.

For a gift, use the recipient’s known note preferences. Aroma family is a better guide than assumptions about gender.

Which Le Maire perfume makes the better gift?

Monarch is the easier choice for someone who already wears woody amber colognes, mahogany aromas or smooth musk. Éris fits someone who enjoys honeysuckle, jasmine, vanilla and floral musks. If you cannot identify a preference, look at the aromas they already own and find the repeated notes.

Both products arrive as a single 50 mL bottle, so the decision is about character rather than size. Current pricing differs, and the live product page should always be checked before purchase.

How to wear either Eau de Parfum

Apply lightly to pulse points and allow the aroma to develop naturally on skin. Avoid rubbing immediately after application. Both products are for external use only. Avoid the eyes, irritated skin, flame and heat, and keep the bottle out of reach of children.

Skin chemistry, environment and application amount can change how an aroma is perceived. Give the opening time to settle before judging the heart and base.

Frequently asked questions

Is Monarch No. 13 a cologne or an Eau de Parfum?

Monarch No. 13 is a 24% Eau de Parfum. “Cologne” is commonly used as a broad term for a men’s personal aroma, but the verified product concentration is Eau de Parfum.

Are Monarch and Éris the same strength?

They are both formulated at a 24% Eau de Parfum concentration and both come in 50 mL bottles. That does not mean they will smell identical in intensity; their materials and the wearer’s perception differ.

Which one is more floral?

Éris. Honeysuckle and jasmine form its heart, while Monarch centers its heart on plum, mahogany and warm woods.

Which one is more woody?

Monarch No. 13. Mahogany and warm woods are central to its profile, supported by amber and smooth musk.

Choose your Le Maire character

Choose Monarch No. 13 for crisp bergamot, sea salt, plum, mahogany and a smooth woody-amber finish. Choose Éris for bergamot, honeysuckle, jasmine and a creamy floral-musk base.

Two Eau de Parfums. Two distinct characters. One Tennessee-built scent world. Compare both Le Maire Eau de Parfums and decide which presence belongs to you.