Fragrance comparison

Brûlant Oud vs La Symphonie

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 60 ratings analysed

Brûlant Oud

Maison Alhambra

3.9132 votes

Rank #15,101 AnimalicMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

La Symphonie

Claude Marsal Parfums

4.9328 votes

Rank #28,354 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

La Symphonie takes 5 of 7 categories.

Brûlant Oud
Choose it for a animalic and musky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
La Symphonie
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Brûlant Oud2/7

La Symphonie5/7

Ratings & consensus: La Symphonie
Community sentiment: La Symphonie
Longevity: La Symphonie
Sillage & projection: La Symphonie
Value for money: Brûlant Oud
Versatility: La Symphonie
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Brûlant Oud

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Brûlant OudMaison Alhambra

La SymphonieClaude Marsal Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 24%Had 7%Want 68%

4.93/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 41%Had 1%Want 58%

Category winnerLa SymphonieRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

13%Like

28%Ok

9%Dislike

3%Hate

32 votes

93%Love

7%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

28 votes

Category winnerLa SymphonieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate98

Category winners

LongevityLa Symphonie

SillageLa Symphonie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value51

Category winnerBrûlant OudBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

animalic100%

musky92%

warm spicy84%

amber77%

fresh spicy69%

woody61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

whiskey80%

citrus70%

herbal60%

woody50%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CognacCuminGrapefruitGingerCardamomSaffronNutmeg

Heart

Goat hair tinctureBenzoinGeraniumPistachioMyrrhCinnamonPatchouliMastic or Lentisque

Base

SkinAnimal notesIncenseSageSandalwood

Top30 to 45 minutes

WhiskeyGrapefruitPomelo

Heart2 to 4 hours

Red ThymeCardamomLavenderSage

Base5 to 8+ hours

LeatherBenzoinTonka BeanWoody Notes

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Cardamom, Benzoin and Sage. Durations are only published for La Symphonie, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring53

Summer21

Fall100

Winter100

Day47

Night100

Spring68

Summer32

Fall100

Winter89

Day67

Night100

Category winnerLa SymphonieMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men41

Unisex48

Women10

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,101

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#28,354

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBrûlant OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Brûlant Oud by Maison Alhambra is a bold, woody-spicy creation anchored by an intense animalic core. The profile balances sharp ginger and saffron top notes with a resinous, skin-like mid that thrives in cooler weather. It is a challenging, heavy-hitting scent designed for those who prefer complex, unconventional prof…

Reviews →

La Symphonie by Claude Marsal Parfums brings together bitter citrus, boozy warmth, and dark leather. It starts with a sharp splash of grapefruit and pomelo alongside an unmistakable pour of whiskey. As the opening brightness settles, herbal red thyme, earthy sage, cool lavender, and spicy cardamom take over the core. …

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, Brûlant Oud or La Symphonie?

La Symphonie takes 5 of 7 categories. Brûlant Oud is rated 3.91/5 from 32 votes; La Symphonie is rated 4.93/5 from 28 votes. Choose Brûlant Oud for a animalic and musky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose La Symphonie for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Brûlant Oud or La Symphonie?

La Symphonie lasts longest (La Symphonie 86/100, Brûlant Oud 82/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Brûlant Oud or La Symphonie?

La Symphonie projects furthest (La Symphonie 73/100, Brûlant Oud 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Brûlant Oud and La Symphonie smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Cardamom, Benzoin and Sage.

Is Brûlant Oud or La Symphonie better for summer or winter?

For summer, La Symphonie is the stronger pick. For winter, Brûlant Oud is the stronger pick. Brûlant Oud suits evening wear; La Symphonie suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Brûlant Oud and La Symphonie?

Brûlant Oud has top notes of Cognac, Cumin, Grapefruit and Ginger, heart notes of Goat hair tincture, Benzoin, Geranium and Pistachio, a base of Skin, Animal notes, Incense and Sage. La Symphonie has top notes of Whiskey, Grapefruit and Pomelo, heart notes of Red Thyme, Cardamom, Lavender and Sage, a base of Leather, Benzoin, Tonka Bean and Woody Notes.