Fragrance comparison

1888 vs Dark Shadows

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 3,624 ratings analysed

3 wins

1888

Xerjoff

4.143,617 votes

Rank #145 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Dark Shadows

Panthenol EXTRA

3.577 votes

Rank #52,272 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

1888 takes 3 of 4 categories.

1888
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Dark Shadows
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

18883/4

Dark Shadows1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 1888
Sillage & projection: 1888
Value for money: Dark Shadows
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 1888

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

1888Xerjoff

Dark ShadowsPanthenol EXTRA

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 3,617 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

3.57/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 33%Had 8%Want 58%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

48%Love

33%Like

9%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

2,275 votes

14%Love

57%Like

0%Ok

29%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

Longevity1888

Sillage1888

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value81

Category winnerDark ShadowsBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

amber84%

floral77%

aromatic69%

yellow floral61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

vanilla77%

aromatic69%

metallic61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CarnationPepperCorianderSaffron

Heart

Ylang-YlangRoseNeroli

Base

AmberSandalwoodPatchouliBirch

Top15-30 mins

Neroli

Heart2-4 hrs

SaffronPepper

Base6-8 hrs

Tonka BeanCedarwoodSandalwoodMusk

InformationalShared notesPepper, Saffron, Neroli and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Dark Shadows, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring48

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring80

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day79

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men35

Unisex49

Women16

Men80

Unisex20

Women0

Casual 36%Work 30%Date 22%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#145

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews557

Overall rank#52,272

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winner1888Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Xerjoff 1888 opens with a burst of spicy carnation, black pepper, and warm coriander that creates a distinct spicy fizz on the skin. Saffron adds a leathery dryness right away, stopping the top notes from turning overly sweet. As the initial spice settles, soft ylang-ylang and rose smooth out the profile, creating a v…

Reviews →

Dark Shadows by Panthenol EXTRA brings an intriguing contrast between crisp citrus and brooding warmth. The opening sparks with sharp neroli. That fleeting floral freshness quickly yields to a dry rush of black pepper and bittersweet saffron. It feels brisk. Soon, the fragrance pivots into its true identity as a warm …

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, 1888 or Dark Shadows?

1888 takes 3 of 4 categories. 1888 is rated 4.14/5 from 3,617 votes; Dark Shadows is rated 3.57/5 from 7 votes. Choose 1888 for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Dark Shadows for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, 1888 or Dark Shadows?

1888 lasts longest (1888 83/100, Dark Shadows 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 1888 or Dark Shadows?

1888 projects furthest (1888 74/100, Dark Shadows 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 1888 and Dark Shadows smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Pepper, Saffron, Neroli and Sandalwood.

Is 1888 or Dark Shadows better for summer or winter?

Dark Shadows suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 1888 and Dark Shadows?

1888 has top notes of Carnation, Pepper, Coriander and Saffron, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Rose and Neroli, a base of Amber, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Birch. Dark Shadows has top notes of Neroli, heart notes of Saffron and Pepper, a base of Tonka Bean, Cedarwood, Sandalwood and Musk.