Fragrance comparison

8 THE CHALLENGER vs Diwan

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 79 ratings analysed

8 THE CHALLENGER

hOUSE OF hELIOS

4.254 votes

Rank #55,723 GreenSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

25%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Diwan

The Spirit of Dubai

4.5275 votes

Rank #24,183 AmberSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Diwan takes 3 of 4 categories.

8 THE CHALLENGER
Choose it for a green and smoky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Diwan
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

8 THE CHALLENGER1/4

Diwan3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

8 THE CHALLENGERhOUSE OF hELIOS

DiwanThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 11%Had 0%Want 89%

4.52/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 21%Had 4%Want 74%

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

73%Love

12%Like

9%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityDiwan

SillageDiwan

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value28

Category winner8 THE CHALLENGERBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

green100%

smoky92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

ozonic69%

aquatic61%

amber100%

smoky92%

fruity84%

woody77%

rose69%

oud61%

Scent match25%Clearly different · both smoky 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

Agarwood (Oud)IncenseSmokeRoseDewberryRaspberryAnimal notesStrawberry

Heart

Taif RoseAmberCoffeeEarthy NotesPowdery NotesGeraniumRhubarbFloral Notes

Base

Indian OudWoody NotesLeatherOlibanumGurjan balsamGuaiac WoodCastoreumMyrhh

InformationalShared notesRhubarb, Smoke and Leather. 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

Spring84

Summer53

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

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

Men51

Unisex40

Women9

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,723

PerfumerFrank Voelkl

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#24,183

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDiwanHigher 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 →

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, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Diwan?

Diwan takes 3 of 4 categories. 8 THE CHALLENGER is rated 4.25/5 from 4 votes; Diwan is rated 4.52/5 from 75 votes. Choose 8 THE CHALLENGER for a green and smoky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Diwan for a amber and smoky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Diwan?

Diwan lasts longest (Diwan 88/100, 8 THE CHALLENGER 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Diwan?

Diwan projects furthest (Diwan 80/100, 8 THE CHALLENGER 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 8 THE CHALLENGER and Diwan smell similar?

Clearly different: a 25% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share smoky and woody accords. Common notes include Rhubarb, Smoke and Leather.

Is 8 THE CHALLENGER or Diwan better for summer or winter?

8 THE CHALLENGER suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 8 THE CHALLENGER and Diwan?

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. 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.