Fragrance comparison

Al Bashiq vs Arete

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 240 ratings analysed

4 wins

Al Bashiq

Nabeel

4.14177 votes

Rank #4,037 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

Arete

Gritti

4.2563 votes

Rank #13,087 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Al Bashiq takes 4 of 7 categories.

Al Bashiq
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
Arete
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Al Bashiq4/7

Arete3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Al BashiqNabeel

AreteGritti

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 177 votes

Have 88%Had 12%Want 0%

4.25/ 5 · 63 votes

Have 29%Had 12%Want 60%

Category winnerAreteRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

23%Like

7%Ok

8%Dislike

6%Hate

177 votes

51%Love

33%Like

6%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

63 votes

Category winnerAreteMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityAl Bashiq

SillageAl Bashiq

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value78

¤ Price value57

Category winnerAl BashiqBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

balsamic69%

leather61%

woody100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

leather77%

whiskey69%

musky61%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both amber, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LeatherIncenseCypressStyraxSaffronCardamomLavenderArtemisia

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)MyrrhBalsamic NotesEarthy NotesGuaiac WoodOlibanumLabdanumCedar

Base

VetiverAmberTobaccoTolu BalsamBenzoinPatchouliSweet NotesAmbergris

Top30 to 45 minutes

LabdanumCinnamonCardamomBergamot

Heart3 to 4 hours

LeatherWhiskey

Base7 to 10 hours

Guaiac WoodPatchouliStyraxSandalwoodVanillaAmbroxanHaitian VetiverMusk

InformationalShared notesLeather, Styrax, Cardamom and Guaiac Wood. Durations are only published for Arete, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring32

Summer14

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring52

Summer8

Fall100

Winter92

Day95

Night100

Category winnerAreteMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men82

Unisex13

Women5

Men69

Unisex25

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,037

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Overall rank#13,087

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerAl BashiqHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Al Bashiq by Nabeel delivers a heavy dose of leather, dark resins, and bitter almond. It is a bold, cold weather scent that cuts through freezing air, pairing best with heavy wool coats or leather jackets during winter nights.

Reviews →

Arete by Gritti is a warm, resinous leather fragrance that merges boozy depth with rich spices and woods. It opens with an immediate burst of aromatic cardamom, sharp bergamot, sweet cinnamon, and sticky labdanum. As the initial sharpness settles, a robust heart of worn leather and peaty whiskey takes over, giving the…

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, Al Bashiq or Arete?

Al Bashiq takes 4 of 7 categories. Al Bashiq is rated 4.14/5 from 177 votes; Arete is rated 4.25/5 from 63 votes. Choose Al Bashiq for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter. Choose Arete for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Al Bashiq or Arete?

They last about the same: Al Bashiq 82/100, Arete 81/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Al Bashiq or Arete?

Al Bashiq projects furthest (Al Bashiq 75/100, Arete 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Al Bashiq and Arete smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Leather, Styrax, Cardamom and Guaiac Wood.

Is Al Bashiq or Arete better for summer or winter?

For summer, Al Bashiq is the stronger pick. For winter, Al Bashiq is the stronger pick. Arete suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Al Bashiq and Arete?

Al Bashiq has top notes of Leather, Incense, Cypress and Styrax, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Myrrh, Balsamic Notes and Earthy Notes, a base of Vetiver, Amber, Tobacco and Tolu Balsam. Arete has top notes of Labdanum, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Bergamot, heart notes of Leather and Whiskey, a base of Guaiac Wood, Patchouli, Styrax and Sandalwood.