Fragrance comparison

Ching Shih vs Saga of the Silk Road

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 131 ratings analysed

5 wins

Ching Shih

Marissa Zappas

3.9689 votes

Rank #15,498 SmokyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Saga of the Silk Road

Aura of Kazakhstan

3.7442 votes

Rank #41,367 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ching Shih takes 5 of 7 categories.

Ching Shih
Choose it for a smoky and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Saga of the Silk Road
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Ching Shih5/7

Saga of the Silk Road2/7

Ratings & consensus: Ching Shih
Community sentiment: Ching Shih
Longevity: Ching Shih
Sillage & projection: Saga of the Silk Road
Value for money: Ching Shih
Versatility: Saga of the Silk Road
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

Saga of the Silk RoadAura of Kazakhstan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 89 votes

Have 25%Had 4%Want 71%

3.74/ 5 · 42 votes

Have 29%Had 5%Want 66%

Category winnerChing ShihRating 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

40%Love

21%Like

17%Ok

14%Dislike

7%Hate

42 votes

Category winnerChing ShihMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityChing Shih

SillageSaga of the Silk Road

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value24

Category winnerChing ShihBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

amber91%

warm spicy83%

floral74%

fruity65%

balsamic56%

amber100%

warm spicy86%

balsamic72%

woody58%

fresh spicy44%

powdery30%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy 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

Top

Black PepperMyrrhIncenseWormwood

Heart

SpicesOriental notesRed Wine

Base

ResinsTolu BalsamPalisander RosewoodSandalwoodAmbergris

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

Spring57

Summer71

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night73

Category winnerSaga of the Silk RoadMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex67

Women15

Men35

Unisex55

Women10

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,498

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#41,367

PerfumerSarah McCartney

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 →

Saga of the Silk Road by Aura of Kazakhstan brings the historic caravan route to life. This oriental spicy scent opens with sharp black pepper and incense, settling into a deep heart of warm spices and red wine. It suits those seeking a complex, resinous fragrance for crisp autumn evenings, offering a distinctive, tra…

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 Saga of the Silk Road?

Ching Shih takes 5 of 7 categories. Ching Shih is rated 3.96/5 from 89 votes; Saga of the Silk Road is rated 3.74/5 from 42 votes. Choose Ching Shih for a smoky and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Saga of the Silk Road for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ching Shih or Saga of the Silk Road?

They last about the same: Ching Shih 61/100, Saga of the Silk Road 60/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ching Shih or Saga of the Silk Road?

Saga of the Silk Road projects furthest (Saga of the Silk Road 55/100, Ching Shih 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ching Shih and Saga of the Silk Road smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and balsamic accords. Common notes include Incense, Myrrh and Spices.

Is Ching Shih or Saga of the Silk Road better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Ching Shih and Saga of the Silk Road?

Ching Shih features Incense, Osmanthus, gunpowder, Myrrh and Orris. Saga of the Silk Road has top notes of Black Pepper, Myrrh, Incense and Wormwood, heart notes of Spices, Oriental notes and Red Wine, a base of Resins, Tolu Balsam, Palisander Rosewood and Sandalwood.