Fragrance comparison

8 THE CHALLENGER vs Sceptre

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 69 ratings analysed

8 THE CHALLENGER

hOUSE OF hELIOS

4.254 votes

Rank #55,723 GreenSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

17%scent match

Clearly different

Sceptre

Riggs

3.7465 votes

Rank #9,516 LeatherWarm 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.
Sceptre
Choose it for a leather and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

8 THE CHALLENGER2/4

Sceptre2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

8 THE CHALLENGERhOUSE OF hELIOS

SceptreRiggs

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 11%Had 0%Want 89%

3.74/ 5 · 65 votes

Have 53%Had 8%Want 39%

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

47%Love

27%Like

7%Ok

7%Dislike

13%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

Longevity8 THE CHALLENGER

Sillage8 THE CHALLENGER

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value79

Category winnerSceptreBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

green100%

smoky92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

ozonic69%

aquatic61%

leather100%

warm spicy92%

iris84%

white floral77%

earthy69%

aromatic61%

Scent match17%Clearly different · both aromatic

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

SaffronCardamomViolet Leaves

Heart

OrrisJasmine

Base

LeatherAmbroxanVetiver

InformationalShared notesViolet Leaves, Cardamom, Leather and Orris. 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

Summer44

Fall100

Winter89

Day78

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

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

Men62

Unisex38

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,723

PerfumerFrank Voelkl

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#9,516

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews21

Category winnerSceptreHigher 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 →

Sceptre is a dry, spicy leather scent with a cool iris edge and a smooth modern base. Saffron, cardamom and violet leaf give it a sharp opening, then orris and jasmine soften the centre before leather, ambroxan and vetiver take over. It reads more formal than casual, and usually suits evenings, dressed-up settings, an…

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 Sceptre?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. 8 THE CHALLENGER is rated 4.25/5 from 4 votes; Sceptre is rated 3.74/5 from 65 votes. Choose 8 THE CHALLENGER for a green and smoky character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Sceptre for a leather and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Sceptre?

8 THE CHALLENGER lasts longest (8 THE CHALLENGER 80/100, Sceptre 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Sceptre?

8 THE CHALLENGER projects furthest (8 THE CHALLENGER 75/100, Sceptre 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 8 THE CHALLENGER and Sceptre smell similar?

Clearly different: a 17% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Violet Leaves, Cardamom, Leather and Orris.

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

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

What are the notes in 8 THE CHALLENGER and Sceptre?

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. Sceptre has top notes of Saffron, Cardamom and Violet Leaves, heart notes of Orris and Jasmine, a base of Leather, Ambroxan and Vetiver.