Fragrance comparison

Ching Shih vs Nigredo

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 133 ratings analysed

Ching Shih

Marissa Zappas

3.9689 votes

Rank #15,498 SmokyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Nigredo

Anna Zworykina Perfumes

4.2744 votes

Rank #34,713 AromaticAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Nigredo takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ching Shih
Choose it for a smoky and amber character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Nigredo
Choose it for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ching Shih3/7

Nigredo4/7

Ratings & consensus: Nigredo
Community sentiment: Nigredo
Longevity: Ching Shih
Sillage & projection: Nigredo
Value for money: Ching Shih
Versatility: Nigredo
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

NigredoAnna Zworykina Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 89 votes

Have 25%Had 4%Want 71%

4.27/ 5 · 44 votes

Have 26%Had 13%Want 61%

Category winnerNigredoRating 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

55%Love

32%Like

2%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

44 votes

Category winnerNigredoMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityChing Shih

SillageNigredo

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value29

Category winnerChing ShihBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

amber91%

warm spicy83%

floral74%

fruity65%

balsamic56%

aromatic100%

amber92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

balsamic69%

earthy61%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both amber and balsamic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

IncenseOsmanthusgunpowderMyrrhOrrisSpices

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

WormwoodAgarwood (Oud)elemiVetiverIncenseMyrrhNard Himalayan (Jatamansi)CastoreumPatchouliOsmanthusTuberoseRose

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesIncense, Osmanthus and Myrrh. 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

Spring28

Summer39

Fall100

Winter78

Day76

Night100

Category winnerNigredoMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex67

Women15

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,498

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#34,713

PerfumerAnna Zworykina

Launched—

Reviews0

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 →

Nigredo by Anna Zworykina Perfumes is a dark, heavy woody fragrance that starts with a sharp blast of wormwood and bitter elemi resin. As the perfume warms on your skin, it shifts into a smoky hearth of vetiver, black incense, and castoreum. This is an all-natural creation, meaning it lacks the synthetic clean notes o…

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, Ching Shih or Nigredo?

Nigredo takes 4 of 7 categories. Ching Shih is rated 3.96/5 from 89 votes; Nigredo is rated 4.27/5 from 44 votes. Choose Ching Shih for a smoky and amber character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Nigredo for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ching Shih or Nigredo?

Ching Shih lasts longest (Ching Shih 61/100, Nigredo 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ching Shih or Nigredo?

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

Do Ching Shih and Nigredo smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and balsamic accords. Common notes include Incense, Osmanthus and Myrrh.

Is Ching Shih or Nigredo better for summer or winter?

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