Fragrance comparison

Bois d'Aksum vs Quintessence

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 26 ratings analysed

3 wins

Bois d'Aksum

Awshal

4.673 votes

Rank #50,811 LeatherIris

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Quintessence

Avant

3.5223 votes

Rank #23,218 PowderyIris

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bois d'Aksum takes 3 of 4 categories.

Bois d'Aksum
Choose it for a leather and iris character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Quintessence
Choose it for a powdery and iris character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Bois d'Aksum3/4

Quintessence1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Bois d'Aksum
Sillage & projection: Bois d'Aksum
Value for money: Bois d'Aksum
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Quintessence

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Bois d'AksumAwshal

QuintessenceAvant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 27%Had 0%Want 73%

3.52/ 5 · 23 votes

Have 83%Had 10%Want 7%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

29%Love

14%Like

29%Ok

29%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate92

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityBois d'Aksum

SillageBois d'Aksum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value38

Category winnerBois d'AksumBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

iris92%

amber84%

sweet77%

powdery69%

animalic61%

powdery100%

iris92%

sweet84%

white floral77%

patchouli69%

earthy61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both iris, powdery and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LeatherBergamotCinnamonMandarinApple

Heart

OrrisJasmineelemi

Base

PralineAmberCedarwoodTonkaPatchouliOakmossVetiverMusk

Top

elemiMandarinOrange Blossom

Heart

OrrisJasminePlum

Base

PatchouliWhite MuskVanillaPraline

InformationalShared notesMandarin, Orris, Jasmine and elemi. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Spring100

Summer75

Fall75

Winter25

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men17

Unisex33

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#50,811

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#23,218

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews12

Category winnerQuintessenceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Bois d'Aksum by Awshal opens with a sharp, crisp apple and mandarin blend before grounding itself in supple leather. This unisex scent balances a bright fruit introduction with a resinous, woody base. It thrives in cooler weather, providing a polished profile that fits both professional settings and evening outings, s…

Reviews →

Quintessence by Avant is a soft, sweet powdery floral amber with a bright citrus-fruit opening and a clean musky base. The first impression can feel cheerful, with mandarin, orange blossom and a pear-like fruitiness noted by the wearer review. It settles quickly into a gentle fruitchouli style, with orris, plum, patch…

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, Bois d'Aksum or Quintessence?

Bois d'Aksum takes 3 of 4 categories. Bois d'Aksum is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes; Quintessence is rated 3.52/5 from 23 votes. Choose Bois d'Aksum for a leather and iris character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Quintessence for a powdery and iris character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Bois d'Aksum or Quintessence?

Bois d'Aksum lasts longest (Bois d'Aksum 80/100, Quintessence 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bois d'Aksum or Quintessence?

Bois d'Aksum projects furthest (Bois d'Aksum 75/100, Quintessence 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bois d'Aksum and Quintessence smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share iris, powdery and sweet accords. Common notes include Mandarin, Orris, Jasmine and elemi.

Is Bois d'Aksum or Quintessence better for summer or winter?

Bois d'Aksum suits evening wear; Quintessence suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bois d'Aksum and Quintessence?

Bois d'Aksum has top notes of Leather, Bergamot, Cinnamon and Mandarin, heart notes of Orris, Jasmine and elemi, a base of Praline, Amber, Cedarwood and Tonka. Quintessence has top notes of elemi, Mandarin and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Orris, Jasmine and Plum, a base of Patchouli, White Musk, Vanilla and Praline.