Fragrance comparison

1989 vs Diwan

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 176 ratings analysed

1989

Theodoros Kalotinis

3.55101 votes

Rank #30,267 FruityFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Diwan

The Spirit of Dubai

4.5275 votes

Rank #24,018 AmberSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Diwan takes 6 of 7 categories.

1989
Choose it for a fruity and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter.
Diwan
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

19891/7

Diwan6/7

Ratings & consensus: Diwan
Community sentiment: Diwan
Longevity: Diwan
Sillage & projection: Diwan
Value for money: 1989
Versatility: Diwan
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Diwan

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

1989Theodoros Kalotinis

DiwanThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.55/ 5 · 101 votes

Have 40%Had 10%Want 50%

4.52/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 21%Had 4%Want 74%

Category winnerDiwanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

25%Like

16%Ok

19%Dislike

8%Hate

101 votes

73%Love

12%Like

9%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

Category winnerDiwanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityDiwan

SillageDiwan

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value28

Category winner1989Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

fresh spicy91%

patchouli83%

warm spicy74%

woody65%

amber56%

amber100%

smoky92%

fruity84%

woody77%

rose69%

oud61%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both fruity, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Black and Pink Pepper

Heart

PlumRaspberry

Base

PatchouliOlibanum

Top

Agarwood (Oud)IncenseSmokeRoseDewberryRaspberryAnimal notesStrawberry

Heart

Taif RoseAmberCoffeeEarthy NotesPowdery NotesGeraniumRhubarbFloral Notes

Base

Indian OudWoody NotesLeatherOlibanumGurjan balsamGuaiac WoodCastoreumMyrhh

InformationalShared notesRaspberry and Olibanum. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring41

Summer11

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring84

Summer53

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerDiwanMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men77

Unisex18

Women5

Men51

Unisex40

Women9

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#30,267

PerfumerTheodoros Kalotinis

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#24,018

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDiwanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

1989 opens with a sharp kick of black pepper and pink pepper before dense plum and tart raspberry settle across damp patchouli. Warm olibanum resin grounds the dark fruit, creating a spicy, earthy aroma that suits crisp autumn leather jackets and cold winter night outs.

Reviews →

Diwan by The Spirit of Dubai hits skin with heavy incense, dark smoke, and raw Indian oud. Sweet dewberry and ripe plum soften the opening bite before Taif rose and roasted coffee settle into thick amber and castoreum. Built for freezing winter nights, it leaves a dense trail of leather and resins that clings to coats…

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, 1989 or Diwan?

Diwan takes 6 of 7 categories. 1989 is rated 3.55/5 from 101 votes; Diwan is rated 4.52/5 from 75 votes. Choose 1989 for a fruity and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter. Choose Diwan for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, 1989 or Diwan?

Diwan lasts longest (Diwan 88/100, 1989 76/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 1989 or Diwan?

Diwan projects furthest (Diwan 80/100, 1989 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 1989 and Diwan smell similar?

Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Raspberry and Olibanum.

Is 1989 or Diwan better for summer or winter?

For summer, Diwan is the stronger pick. For winter, 1989 is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 1989 and Diwan?

1989 has top notes of Black and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Plum and Raspberry, a base of Patchouli and Olibanum. Diwan has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), Incense, Smoke and Rose, heart notes of Taif Rose, Amber, Coffee and Earthy Notes, a base of Indian Oud, Woody Notes, Leather and Olibanum.