Fragrance comparison

Al Bashiq vs Istanbul

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 185 ratings analysed

4 wins

Al Bashiq

Nabeel

4.14177 votes

Rank #4,107 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Istanbul

Proad

4.008 votes

Rank #47,435 Warm SpicyCoffee

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Al Bashiq takes 4 of 4 categories.

Al Bashiq
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
Istanbul
Choose it for a warm spicy and coffee character. Best in fall, evening wear.

Al Bashiq4/4

Istanbul0/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Al Bashiq
Sillage & projection: Al Bashiq
Value for money: Al Bashiq
Versatility: Not scored
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

IstanbulProad

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 177 votes

Have 88%Had 12%Want 0%

4.00/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 11%Had 2%Want 88%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

50%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

25%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityAl Bashiq

SillageAl Bashiq

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value78

¤ Price value50

Category winnerAl BashiqBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

balsamic69%

leather61%

warm spicy100%

coffee92%

amber84%

sweet77%

balsamic69%

musky61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and balsamic

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

Notes

CoffeeStyraxLabdanumElemi resinIncenseSweet NotesRaspberryGingerMuskBenzoinRoseTobacco

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesIncense, Styrax, Labdanum and Tobacco. Durations are only published for Istanbul, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring32

Summer14

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring0

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men82

Unisex13

Women5

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,107

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Overall rank#47,435

PerfumerTristan Badard

Launched—

Reviews2

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 →

Istanbul by Proad delivers a rich blend of roasted coffee, warm resins, and dark spices. Created by perfumer Tristan Badard, this oriental floral fragrance opens with a sharp flash of ginger paired with tart raspberry and dark coffee beans. As the initial brightness settles, the heart reveals a smooth rose note surrou…

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 Istanbul?

Al Bashiq takes 4 of 4 categories. Al Bashiq is rated 4.14/5 from 177 votes; Istanbul is rated 4.00/5 from 8 votes. Choose Al Bashiq for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter. Choose Istanbul for a warm spicy and coffee character. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Al Bashiq or Istanbul?

Al Bashiq lasts longest (Al Bashiq 82/100, Istanbul 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Al Bashiq or Istanbul?

Al Bashiq projects furthest (Al Bashiq 75/100, Istanbul 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Al Bashiq and Istanbul smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and balsamic accords. Common notes include Incense, Styrax, Labdanum and Tobacco.

Is Al Bashiq or Istanbul better for summer or winter?

Istanbul suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Al Bashiq and Istanbul?

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. Istanbul features Coffee, Styrax, Labdanum, Elemi resin and Incense.