Fragrance comparison

Abraj vs Quintessence (2020)

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 209 ratings analysed

4 wins

Abraj

The Spirit of Dubai

4.09166 votes

Rank #27,259 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Quintessence (2020)

Manos Gerakinis

3.8643 votes

Rank #26,550 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Abraj takes 4 of 7 categories.

Abraj
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Quintessence (2020)
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Abraj4/7

Quintessence (2020)3/7

Ratings & consensus: Abraj
Community sentiment: Abraj
Longevity: Abraj
Sillage & projection: Abraj
Value for money: Quintessence (2020)
Versatility: Quintessence (2020)
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Quintessence (2020)

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AbrajThe Spirit of Dubai

Quintessence (2020)Manos Gerakinis

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 166 votes

Have 44%Had 13%Want 42%

3.86/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 33%Had 9%Want 58%

Category winnerAbrajRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

49%Love

28%Like

8%Ok

13%Dislike

2%Hate

166 votes

37%Love

35%Like

12%Ok

9%Dislike

7%Hate

43 votes

Category winnerAbrajMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityAbraj

SillageAbraj

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value43

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic91%

warm spicy83%

fresh spicy74%

citrus65%

powdery56%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

woody84%

patchouli77%

vanilla69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotCardamomSaffronLavenderPetitgrainDamask RosePink PepperPine

Heart

CypressVioletCedarGeraniumRed RoseJasmineThymeLeather

Base

PatchouliMuskOakmossMossSandalwoodVanillaAmberCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha

Top15-30 mins

SaffronClovesBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

PatchouliWormwoodAgarwood (Oud)Cedar

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanillaBenzoin

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Cedar, Patchouli and Vanilla. Durations are only published for Quintessence (2020), so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter44

Day–

Night–

Spring45

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men57

Unisex38

Women6

Men65

Unisex35

Women0

Work 35%Date 30%Casual 22%Party 14%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,259

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#26,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Abraj opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, black pepper, and saffron, immediately signaling a dense woody chypre architecture. As it warms on skin, dry cedar, cypress, and dark leather take command, anchored by a heavy base of patchouli, cypriol oil, and agarwood. It wears best in crisp autumn or winter air during fo…

Reviews →

Manos Gerakinis Quintessence (2020) opens with a dry rush of black pepper, clove buds, and leathery saffron. It commands attention immediately. The initial burst carries a sharp alcohol lift that calms within three minutes, revealing an earthy heart of dark patchouli, bitter wormwood, and smooth cedar. You will not fi…

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, Abraj or Quintessence (2020)?

Abraj takes 4 of 7 categories. Abraj is rated 4.09/5 from 166 votes; Quintessence (2020) is rated 3.86/5 from 43 votes. Choose Abraj for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Quintessence (2020) for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Abraj or Quintessence (2020)?

Abraj lasts longest (Abraj 73/100, Quintessence (2020) 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Abraj or Quintessence (2020)?

Abraj projects furthest (Abraj 68/100, Quintessence (2020) 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Abraj and Quintessence (2020) smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Cedar, Patchouli and Vanilla.

Is Abraj or Quintessence (2020) better for summer or winter?

For summer, Quintessence (2020) is the stronger pick. For winter, Quintessence (2020) is the stronger pick. Quintessence (2020) suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Abraj and Quintessence (2020)?

Abraj has top notes of Bergamot, Cardamom, Saffron and Lavender, heart notes of Cypress, Violet, Cedar and Geranium, a base of Patchouli, Musk, Oakmoss and Moss. Quintessence (2020) has top notes of Saffron, Cloves and Black Pepper, heart notes of Patchouli, Wormwood, Agarwood (Oud) and Cedar, a base of Amber, Vanilla and Benzoin.