Fragrance comparison

Carlisle vs Opal

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 5,628 ratings analysed

6 wins

Carlisle

Parfums de Marly

4.375,530 votes

Rank #696 VanillaPatchouli

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Opal

Boadicea the Victorious

3.3298 votes

Rank #18,633 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carlisle takes 6 of 7 categories.

Carlisle
Choose it for a vanilla and patchouli character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Opal
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Carlisle6/7

Opal1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarlisleParfums de Marly

OpalBoadicea the Victorious

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 5,530 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

3.32/ 5 · 98 votes

Have 30%Had 3%Want 67%

Category winnerCarlisleRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

64%Love

20%Like

8%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

5,530 votes

40%Love

18%Like

4%Ok

9%Dislike

29%Hate

98 votes

Category winnerCarlisleMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate58

Category winners

LongevityCarlisle

SillageCarlisle

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value34

¤ Price value13

Category winnerCarlisleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

patchouli92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

woody69%

balsamic61%

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

powdery77%

coffee69%

aromatic61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both warm spicy, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

NutmegGreen AppleSaffron

Heart3-4 hrs

Tonka BeanRoseOsmanthusDavana

Base8-12+ hrs

PatchouliVanillaOpoponax

Top

CoffeeBlack PepperMetallic notesBergamotBay LeafSaffronCinnamon

Heart

SuedeOrrisCocoaClary SageLavenderDavanaGeraniumRose

Base

SandalwoodPatchouliMuskMossCedarWoody NotesTonka BeanCashmeran

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Tonka Bean, Rose and Davana. Durations are only published for Carlisle, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring37

Summer9

Fall0

Winter100

Day27

Night100

Spring55

Summer43

Fall95

Winter100

Day78

Night100

Category winnerOpalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex12

Women2

Date 40%Party 34%Work 14%Casual 12%

Men32

Unisex33

Women35

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#696

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews210

Overall rank#18,633

PerfumerJulie Lerendu

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerCarlisleHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Parfums de Marly Carlisle is a rich oriental fragrance centered on crisp green apple, earthy patchouli, and dark bourbon vanilla. The first spray releases a brisk burst of nutmeg and tart fruit before settling into a warm, resinous heart of tonka bean and sweet opoponax. It smells dense, smoky, and undeniably upscale.…

Reviews →

Opal by Boadicea the Victorious is a dark unisex fragrance built around contrasting cold and warm elements. The scent opens with sharp black pepper, dark roasted coffee, fresh bergamot, bay leaf, and a distinct metallic edge. As the initial sharpness fades, smooth suede, earthy orris root, cocoa, and clary sage bring …

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, Carlisle or Opal?

Carlisle takes 6 of 7 categories. Carlisle is rated 4.37/5 from 5,530 votes; Opal is rated 3.32/5 from 98 votes. Choose Carlisle for a vanilla and patchouli character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Opal for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Carlisle or Opal?

Carlisle lasts longest (Carlisle 82/100, Opal 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carlisle or Opal?

Carlisle projects furthest (Carlisle 73/100, Opal 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carlisle and Opal smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Saffron, Tonka Bean, Rose and Davana.

Is Carlisle or Opal better for summer or winter?

For summer, Opal is the stronger pick. For winter, Carlisle is the stronger pick. Carlisle suits evening wear; Opal suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carlisle and Opal?

Carlisle has top notes of Nutmeg, Green Apple and Saffron, heart notes of Tonka Bean, Rose, Osmanthus and Davana, a base of Patchouli, Vanilla and Opoponax. Opal has top notes of Coffee, Black Pepper, Metallic notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Suede, Orris, Cocoa and Clary Sage, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli, Musk and Moss.