Fragrance comparison

Cedar Forest vs Shali

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 39 ratings analysed

Cedar Forest

Ponsa

4.0334 votes

Rank #29,789 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Shali

Paysage

4.605 votes

Rank #46,769 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shali takes 3 of 4 categories.

Cedar Forest
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Shali
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Cedar Forest1/4

Shali3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cedar ForestPonsa

ShaliPaysage

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.03/ 5 · 34 votes

Have 33%Had 8%Want 59%

4.60/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 13%Had 4%Want 83%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

29%Like

12%Ok

3%Dislike

9%Hate

34 votes

80%Love

0%Like

20%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate90

Category winners

LongevityShali

SillageShali

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value69

Category winnerShaliBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

amber86%

mossy72%

balsamic58%

warm spicy44%

earthy30%

woody100%

amber92%

aromatic84%

vanilla77%

balsamic69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both woody, amber and balsamic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

CedarOakmossBenzoinCopaiba balmAmber

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Cambodian OudDriftwoodLabdanum

Heart

VanillaMarjoramelemi

Base

OakmossCedarAmberBenzoin

InformationalShared notesCedar, Oakmoss, Benzoin and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer23

Fall100

Winter73

Day100

Night100

Spring40

Summer0

Fall40

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex50

Women17

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#29,789

PerfumerAlejandro Ponsà

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#46,769

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCedar ForestHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cedar Forest by Ponsa centers on raw cedarwood anchored by damp oakmoss and resinous copaiba balm. Spanish perfumer Alejandro Ponsà balances the initial blast of freshly sawn timber with warm amber and balsamic benzoin. The smell mimics standing in a cool mountain grove after rain, where wet foliage mixes with cut log…

Reviews →

Shali is a dry amber-oud with a resinous, woody profile and a soft vanilla thread running through it. It opens dark and textured, then settles into balsamic woods, moss, cedar, and warm amber. It may suit someone who enjoys oriental styles that feel atmospheric rather than sugary. The overall impression is warm, sligh…

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, Cedar Forest or Shali?

Shali takes 3 of 4 categories. Cedar Forest is rated 4.03/5 from 34 votes; Shali is rated 4.60/5 from 5 votes. Choose Cedar Forest for a woody and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Shali for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Cedar Forest or Shali?

Shali lasts longest (Shali 80/100, Cedar Forest 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cedar Forest or Shali?

Shali projects furthest (Shali 65/100, Cedar Forest 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cedar Forest and Shali smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and balsamic accords. Common notes include Cedar, Oakmoss, Benzoin and Amber.

Is Cedar Forest or Shali better for summer or winter?

Cedar Forest suits day or night wear; Shali suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cedar Forest and Shali?

Cedar Forest features Cedar, Oakmoss, Benzoin, Copaiba balm and Amber. Shali has top notes of Cambodian Oud, Driftwood and Labdanum, heart notes of Vanilla, Marjoram and elemi, a base of Oakmoss, Cedar, Amber and Benzoin.