Fragrance comparison

Abjar vs Défi

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 91 ratings analysed

Abjar

The Spirit of Dubai

4.4986 votes

Rank #25,869 WoodyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

Défi

Synthèse Atelier de Parfum

4.205 votes

Rank #38,791 AmberSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

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

Abjar
Choose it for a woody and leather character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Défi
Choose it for a amber and sweet character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Abjar2/4

Défi2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AbjarThe Spirit of Dubai

DéfiSynthèse Atelier de Parfum

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.49/ 5 · 86 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

4.20/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 70%Had 0%Want 30%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

72%Love

13%Like

7%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

86 votes

60%Love

0%Like

40%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity91

〰 Sillage84

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage85

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityAbjar

SillageDéfi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value28

¤ Price value65

Category winnerDéfiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

leather92%

amber84%

smoky77%

animalic69%

aromatic61%

amber100%

sweet92%

fresh spicy84%

smoky77%

tobacco69%

oud61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both amber and smoky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CypressPineClary SageNutmegStyraxAldehydesLavenderPepper

Heart

LeatherEarthy NotesBirch LeafIncenseIndian OudResinsWoody NotesGuaiac Wood

Base

CastoreumCivetTobaccoAgarwood (Oud)AmberTolu BalsamSandalwoodBenzoin

Top

NutmegDates

Heart

IncenseTobaccoLavender

Base

LeatherAmberOud

InformationalShared notesNutmeg, Lavender, Leather and Incense. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring61

Summer25

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men74

Unisex20

Women6

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,869

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#38,791

PerfumerAbdullah Kuruş

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerAbjarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Abjar by The Spirit of Dubai opens with a sharp burst of aromatic cypress, pine needles, and spicy nutmeg before settling into a dense heart of birch leaf and natural leather. As the composition warms on skin, smoky incense, Indian oud, and rich labdanum take control, giving the fragrance a dark resinous texture. The …

Reviews →

Défi by Synthèse Atelier de Parfum is a heavy leather fragrance that opens with a dense mix of dates and nutmeg. It features a smoky heart of tobacco and incense, eventually settling into a dark base of oud and amber. This scent is designed for cold weather and offers eternal longevity for those who prefer bold, anima…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Abjar or Défi?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Abjar is rated 4.49/5 from 86 votes; Défi is rated 4.20/5 from 5 votes. Choose Abjar for a woody and leather character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Défi for a amber and sweet character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Abjar or Défi?

Abjar lasts longest (Abjar 91/100, Défi 88/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Abjar or Défi?

Projection is very close: Défi 85/100, Abjar 84/100 for sillage.

Do Abjar and Défi smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and smoky accords. Common notes include Nutmeg, Lavender, Leather and Incense.

Is Abjar or Défi better for summer or winter?

Défi suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Abjar and Défi?

Abjar has top notes of Cypress, Pine, Clary Sage and Nutmeg, heart notes of Leather, Earthy Notes, Birch Leaf and Incense, a base of Castoreum, Civet, Tobacco and Agarwood (Oud). Défi has top notes of Nutmeg and Dates, heart notes of Incense, Tobacco and Lavender, a base of Leather, Amber and Oud.