Fragrance comparison

Aamal vs Dark Desire

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 115 ratings analysed

5 wins

Aamal

The Spirit of Dubai

4.3557 votes

Rank #26,045 AmberOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Dark Desire

Parfums d'Elmar

4.2158 votes

Rank #11,593 AmberPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aamal takes 5 of 7 categories.

Aamal
Choose it for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Dark Desire
Choose it for a amber and powdery character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Aamal5/7

Dark Desire2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AamalThe Spirit of Dubai

Dark DesireParfums d'Elmar

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.35/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 33%Had 6%Want 61%

4.21/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 35%Had 8%Want 57%

Category winnerAamalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

65%Love

16%Like

14%Ok

0%Dislike

5%Hate

57 votes

67%Love

10%Like

5%Ok

10%Dislike

7%Hate

58 votes

Category winnerAamalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityAamal

SillageAamal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value27

¤ Price value31

Category winnerDark DesireBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

oud92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

amber100%

powdery92%

fresh spicy84%

oud77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both amber, oud and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Agarwood (Oud)Turkish RoseBulgarian RoseDamask RoseRoseDried FruitsCandied FruitsPink Pepper

Heart

AkigalawoodBenzoinSandalwoodPatchouliCypriol Oil or NagarmothaSaffronFloral NotesPowdery Notes

Base

Indian OudIncenseAmberCastoreumCivetMossOlibanumOakmoss

Top15-30 mins

CarrotWormwoodOrange BlossomCardamomYellow Mandarin

Heart2-4 hrs

CuminVioletBulgarian RoseMyrrhCinnamon

Base8-12+ hrs

Agarwood (Oud)AmberOlibanumTonka BeanCivetPatchouliCastoreumVirginia Cedar

InformationalShared notesAgarwood (Oud), Rose, Patchouli and Amber. Durations are only published for Dark Desire, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring93

Summer67

Fall93

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Spring68

Summer25

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerAamalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men62

Unisex35

Women3

Men56

Unisex38

Women6

Date 39%Party 29%Casual 17%Work 15%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,045

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#11,593

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerDark DesireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Aamal by The Spirit of Dubai opens with an intense blast of dark agarwood, sweet Turkish rose, and spiced candied fruits. Bergamot and pink pepper spark initial brightness before coffee and cinnamon warm up the top notes. As it settles, the scent reveals a heavy heart of patchouli, saffron, and resinous benzoin. The b…

Reviews →

Dark Desire by Parfums d'Elmar hits the skin with immediate presence. A vivid burst of yellow mandarin, bitter wormwood, and earthy carrot root quickly cuts through the air. Within minutes, cardamom and warm cinnamon generate a dense, radiant heat. The heart reveals powdery violet petals paired with dark Bulgarian ros…

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, Aamal or Dark Desire?

Aamal takes 5 of 7 categories. Aamal is rated 4.35/5 from 57 votes; Dark Desire is rated 4.21/5 from 58 votes. Choose Aamal for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Dark Desire for a amber and powdery character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Aamal or Dark Desire?

Aamal lasts longest (Aamal 87/100, Dark Desire 79/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Aamal or Dark Desire?

Aamal projects furthest (Aamal 80/100, Dark Desire 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aamal and Dark Desire smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, oud and woody accords. Common notes include Agarwood (Oud), Rose, Patchouli and Amber.

Is Aamal or Dark Desire better for summer or winter?

For summer, Aamal is the stronger pick. For winter, Aamal is the stronger pick. Aamal suits evening wear; Dark Desire suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aamal and Dark Desire?

Aamal has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), Turkish Rose, Bulgarian Rose and Damask Rose, heart notes of Akigalawood, Benzoin, Sandalwood and Patchouli, a base of Indian Oud, Incense, Amber and Castoreum. Dark Desire has top notes of Carrot, Wormwood, Orange Blossom and Cardamom, heart notes of Cumin, Violet, Bulgarian Rose and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Amber, Olibanum and Tonka Bean.