Fragrance comparison

8 THE CHALLENGER vs Cross River Gorilla

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 31 ratings analysed

8 THE CHALLENGER

hOUSE OF hELIOS

4.254 votes

Rank #55,723 GreenSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Cross River Gorilla

Sanctuary

4.0427 votes

Rank #21,064 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

8 THE CHALLENGER
Choose it for a green and smoky character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Cross River Gorilla
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

8 THE CHALLENGER2/4

Cross River Gorilla2/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 8 THE CHALLENGER
Sillage & projection: 8 THE CHALLENGER
Value for money: Cross River Gorilla
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cross River Gorilla

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

8 THE CHALLENGERhOUSE OF hELIOS

Cross River GorillaSanctuary

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 11%Had 0%Want 89%

4.04/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 53%Had 5%Want 42%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

25%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

44%Love

26%Like

19%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

27 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

Longevity8 THE CHALLENGER

Sillage8 THE CHALLENGER

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value59

Category winnerCross River GorillaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

green100%

smoky92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

ozonic69%

aquatic61%

aromatic100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

fruity77%

green69%

earthy61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, green and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

RhubarbPink PepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Violet LeavesCardamomFlowersSageHerbal Notes

Base7-10 hrs

SmokeLeatherOrrisSandalwoodWoodsy Notes

Top

Green AppleCardamomSage

Heart

Violet LeavesCypresselemi

Base

VetiverRed SandalwoodLeatherSmoke

InformationalShared notesViolet Leaves, Cardamom, Sage and Smoke. Durations are only published for 8 THE CHALLENGER, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter67

Day86

Night100

Spring100

Summer69

Fall56

Winter25

Day100

Night54

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

Work 32%Date 29%Casual 22%Party 17%

Men88

Unisex12

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,723

PerfumerFrank Voelkl

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#21,064

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerCross River GorillaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

8 THE CHALLENGER by hOUSE OF hELIOS delivers a crisp, smoky leather profile anchored by green herbs and tart fruit. The opening hits fast with sour rhubarb, cracked pink pepper, and brisk bergamot. Within fifteen minutes, wet violet leaves and crushed garden sage cut across the initial brightness, introducing a cool, …

Reviews →

Sanctuary opens Cross River Gorilla with a sharp burst of tart green apple, warm cardamom, and herbaceous sage. As the bright fruitiness settles, crisp cypress and violet leaves introduce an airy green atmosphere, softened by resinous elemi. The fragrance eventually dries down into earthy vetiver, red sandalwood, and …

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, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cross River Gorilla?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. 8 THE CHALLENGER is rated 4.25/5 from 4 votes; Cross River Gorilla is rated 4.04/5 from 27 votes. Choose 8 THE CHALLENGER for a green and smoky character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Cross River Gorilla for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cross River Gorilla?

8 THE CHALLENGER lasts longest (8 THE CHALLENGER 80/100, Cross River Gorilla 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cross River Gorilla?

8 THE CHALLENGER projects furthest (8 THE CHALLENGER 75/100, Cross River Gorilla 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 8 THE CHALLENGER and Cross River Gorilla smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, green and woody accords. Common notes include Violet Leaves, Cardamom, Sage and Smoke.

Is 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cross River Gorilla better for summer or winter?

8 THE CHALLENGER suits evening wear; Cross River Gorilla suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 8 THE CHALLENGER and Cross River Gorilla?

8 THE CHALLENGER has top notes of Rhubarb, Pink Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Violet Leaves, Cardamom, Flowers and Sage, a base of Smoke, Leather, Orris and Sandalwood. Cross River Gorilla has top notes of Green Apple, Cardamom and Sage, heart notes of Violet Leaves, Cypress and elemi, a base of Vetiver, Red Sandalwood, Leather and Smoke.