Fragrance comparison

Abraj vs Sandalo

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 237 ratings analysed

4 wins

Abraj

The Spirit of Dubai

4.09166 votes

Rank #26,044 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

62%scent match

Closely related

Sandalo

Santa Maria Novella

3.8271 votes

Rank #17,069 AromaticCitrus

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.
Sandalo
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Abraj4/7

Sandalo3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AbrajThe Spirit of Dubai

SandaloSanta Maria Novella

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 166 votes

Have 44%Had 13%Want 42%

3.82/ 5 · 71 votes

Have 30%Had 5%Want 65%

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

35%Love

35%Like

10%Ok

15%Dislike

4%Hate

71 votes

Category winnerAbrajMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityAbraj

SillageAbraj

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value58

Category winnerSandaloBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic91%

warm spicy83%

fresh spicy74%

citrus65%

powdery56%

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

amber61%

Scent match62%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and warm 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

Top

LemonBergamot

Heart

ThymeRose

Base

SandalwoodBenzoinPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Damask Rose, Thyme and Patchouli. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter44

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer33

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night92

Category winnerSandaloMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men57

Unisex38

Women6

Men70

Unisex30

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,044

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#17,069

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerSandaloHigher 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 →

Santa Maria Novella Sandalo opens with a brisk, natural splash of Italian lemon and bitter bergamot, paired immediately with an aromatic dose of crushed green thyme. Unlike creamy department store sandalwoods, this blend focuses on an unsweetened, herbal wood profile inspired by traditional Florentine compounding. As…

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 Sandalo?

Abraj takes 4 of 7 categories. Abraj is rated 4.09/5 from 166 votes; Sandalo is rated 3.82/5 from 71 votes. Choose Abraj for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Sandalo for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Abraj or Sandalo?

Abraj lasts longest (Abraj 73/100, Sandalo 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Abraj or Sandalo?

Abraj projects furthest (Abraj 68/100, Sandalo 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Abraj and Sandalo smell similar?

Closely related: a 62% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Damask Rose, Thyme and Patchouli.

Is Abraj or Sandalo better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Abraj and Sandalo?

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. Sandalo has top notes of Lemon and Bergamot, heart notes of Thyme and Rose, a base of Sandalwood, Benzoin and Patchouli.