Fragrance comparison

Al Qubah vs Surf

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 35 ratings analysed

4 wins

Al Qubah

Ard Al Zaafaran

3.9315 votes

Rank #39,434 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

29%scent match

Clearly different

Surf

Armaf

3.4520 votes

Rank #34,742 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Al Qubah takes 4 of 5 categories.

Al Qubah
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Surf
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Al Qubah4/5

Surf1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Al QubahArd Al Zaafaran

SurfArmaf

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.93/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 38%Had 5%Want 57%

3.45/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 48%Had 10%Want 42%

Category winnerAl QubahRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

27%Like

7%Ok

13%Dislike

7%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

20%Love

40%Like

15%Ok

15%Dislike

10%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityAl Qubah

SillageAl Qubah

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value91

¤ Price value69

Category winnerAl QubahBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

earthy84%

warm spicy77%

leather69%

musky61%

citrus100%

aromatic90%

fresh spicy80%

aquatic70%

lavender60%

fresh50%

Scent match29%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

SaffronSageLavenderGrapefruitBergamot

Heart

SuedeFirGeraniumPineapple

Base

VetiverCedarwoodOakmossPatchouliMusk

Top

LemonBergamotGrapefruit

Heart

Watery NotesLavenderSageGreen Notes

Base

OakmossGuaiac WoodMuskPatchouli

InformationalShared notesSage, Lavender, Grapefruit and Bergamot. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day60

Night100

Spring82

Summer100

Fall9

Winter18

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men64

Unisex14

Women21

Men72

Unisex22

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#39,434

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#34,742

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerSurfHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Al Qubah by Ard Al Zaafaran opens with a burst of bergamot, grapefruit, and sweet pineapple before settling into smooth suede, aromatic sage, and fir balsam. Earthy vetiver and cedarwood anchor the dry down, giving it a rugged yet fresh structure. It wears best during cool spring mornings or autumn evenings when you n…

Reviews →

Armaf Surf kicks off with a sharp splash of fresh grapefruit and bitter bergamot, bringing an instant, breezy energy. Rather than fading into thin air, this bright opening settles into a clean, herbal heart of sage and green notes. It mimics the salty, damp air of a morning coast line. As it warms on the skin, the fra…

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 Qubah or Surf?

Al Qubah takes 4 of 5 categories. Al Qubah is rated 3.93/5 from 15 votes; Surf is rated 3.45/5 from 20 votes. Choose Al Qubah for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Surf for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Al Qubah or Surf?

Al Qubah lasts longest (Al Qubah 72/100, Surf 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Al Qubah or Surf?

Al Qubah projects furthest (Al Qubah 60/100, Surf 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Al Qubah and Surf smell similar?

Clearly different: a 29% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Sage, Lavender, Grapefruit and Bergamot.

Is Al Qubah or Surf better for summer or winter?

Al Qubah suits evening wear; Surf suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Al Qubah and Surf?

Al Qubah has top notes of Saffron, Sage, Lavender and Grapefruit, heart notes of Suede, Fir, Geranium and Pineapple, a base of Vetiver, Cedarwood, Oakmoss and Patchouli. Surf has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot and Grapefruit, heart notes of Watery Notes, Lavender, Sage and Green Notes, a base of Oakmoss, Guaiac Wood, Musk and Patchouli.