Fragrance comparison

Abjar vs Sanctum

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 113 ratings analysed

5 wins

Abjar

The Spirit of Dubai

4.4986 votes

Rank #23,952 WoodyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

Sanctum

TRNP

3.7827 votes

Rank #35,191 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Abjar takes 5 of 7 categories.

Abjar
Choose it for a woody and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Sanctum
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Abjar5/7

Sanctum2/7

Ratings & consensus: Abjar
Community sentiment: Abjar
Longevity: Abjar
Sillage & projection: Abjar
Value for money: Sanctum
Versatility: Sanctum
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

SanctumTRNP

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.49/ 5 · 86 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

3.78/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 49%Had 7%Want 44%

Category winnerAbjarRating 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

41%Love

26%Like

11%Ok

15%Dislike

7%Hate

27 votes

Category winnerAbjarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity91

〰 Sillage84

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityAbjar

SillageAbjar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value28

¤ Price value58

Category winnerSanctumBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

leather92%

amber84%

smoky77%

animalic69%

aromatic61%

aromatic100%

citrus91%

fresh spicy83%

amber74%

woody65%

balsamic56%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both woody, aromatic and amber

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

Lemon VerbenaLemonBergamotPetitgrainRosemaryLavender

Heart

ChamomileNeroliRose GeraniumClary SageMintOrange BlossomRose de MaiMelissa Flower

Base

OlibanumAmyriselemiBenzoinOpoponaxCypressTolu BalsamPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCypress, Clary Sage, Lavender and Tolu Balsam. 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–

Spring100

Summer75

Fall50

Winter25

Day100

Night67

Category winnerSanctumMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men74

Unisex20

Women6

Men20

Unisex60

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,952

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#35,191

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

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 →

TRNP Sanctum opens with a sharp burst of lemon verbena, bergamot, and rosemary that feels fresh and herbal. As the top notes fade, soothing chamomile, lavender, and clary sage merge with a deep base of olibanum frankincense, fir, and sandalwood. Built entirely from botanical oils, it creates an unrefined, aromatic atm…

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, Abjar or Sanctum?

Abjar takes 5 of 7 categories. Abjar is rated 4.49/5 from 86 votes; Sanctum is rated 3.78/5 from 27 votes. Choose Abjar for a woody and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Sanctum for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Abjar or Sanctum?

Abjar lasts longest (Abjar 91/100, Sanctum 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Abjar or Sanctum?

Abjar projects furthest (Abjar 84/100, Sanctum 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Abjar and Sanctum smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and amber accords. Common notes include Cypress, Clary Sage, Lavender and Tolu Balsam.

Is Abjar or Sanctum better for summer or winter?

For summer, Sanctum is the stronger pick. For winter, Abjar is the stronger pick. Sanctum suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Abjar and Sanctum?

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). Sanctum has top notes of Lemon Verbena, Lemon, Bergamot and Petitgrain, heart notes of Chamomile, Neroli, Rose Geranium and Clary Sage, a base of Olibanum, Amyris, elemi and Benzoin.