Fragrance comparison

Ching Shih vs Musta

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 121 ratings analysed

Ching Shih

Marissa Zappas

3.9689 votes

Rank #15,498 SmokyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

6 wins

Musta

Nakuna Helsinki

4.3832 votes

Rank #20,585 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Musta takes 6 of 7 categories.

Ching Shih
Choose it for a smoky and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Musta
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Ching Shih1/7

Musta6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ching ShihMarissa Zappas

MustaNakuna Helsinki

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 89 votes

Have 25%Had 4%Want 71%

4.38/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 14%Had 3%Want 83%

Category winnerMustaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

38%Like

20%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

89 votes

56%Love

34%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

32 votes

Category winnerMustaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityMusta

SillageMusta

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value53

Category winnerMustaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

amber91%

warm spicy83%

floral74%

fruity65%

balsamic56%

amber100%

warm spicy90%

balsamic80%

smoky70%

leather60%

vanilla50%

Scent match56%Closely related · both amber, warm spicy and smoky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

IncenseOsmanthusgunpowderMyrrhOrrisSpices

No top / heart / base split published

Top

LeatherSpices

Heart

Coal TarIncenseMusk

Base

MyrrhVanillaAmberPatchouli

InformationalShared notesIncense, Myrrh and Spices. Durations are only published for Ching Shih, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring42

Summer17

Fall100

Winter78

Day100

Night72

Spring30

Summer20

Fall100

Winter90

Day100

Night78

Category winnerMustaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex67

Women15

Men27

Unisex55

Women18

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,498

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#20,585

PerfumerYann Vasnier

Launched—

Reviews7

Category winnerChing ShihHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ching Shih by Marissa Zappas is a smoky and warm spicy unisex perfume built around a vivid contrast of burnt gunpowder and delicate osmanthus. The scent opens with a flash of dry smoke, sulfurous powder, and sharp spices before settling into a soft floral fruitiness. As it warms on the skin, earthy orris introduces a …

Reviews →

Musta opens with a stark blast of black leather and sharp spices, evoking the chill of a Finnish winter night. As the scent settles, a smoky layer of coal tar and warm incense clings to the skin, softened by a faint base of vanilla and amber. It is a dark, melancholic scent designed for cold weather and adventurous sp…

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, Ching Shih or Musta?

Musta takes 6 of 7 categories. Ching Shih is rated 3.96/5 from 89 votes; Musta is rated 4.38/5 from 32 votes. Choose Ching Shih for a smoky and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Musta for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ching Shih or Musta?

Musta lasts longest (Musta 81/100, Ching Shih 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ching Shih or Musta?

Musta projects furthest (Musta 51/100, Ching Shih 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ching Shih and Musta smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and smoky accords. Common notes include Incense, Myrrh and Spices.

Is Ching Shih or Musta better for summer or winter?

For summer, Musta is the stronger pick. For winter, Musta is the stronger pick. Ching Shih suits daytime wear; Musta suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ching Shih and Musta?

Ching Shih features Incense, Osmanthus, gunpowder, Myrrh and Orris. Musta has top notes of Leather and Spices, heart notes of Coal Tar, Incense and Musk, a base of Myrrh, Vanilla, Amber and Patchouli.