Fragrance comparison

Ching Shih vs Smoky Amber

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 93 ratings analysed

Ching Shih

Marissa Zappas

3.9689 votes

Rank #15,498 SmokyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Smoky Amber

Al-Jazeera Perfumes

5.004 votes

Rank #37,323 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Smoky Amber takes 3 of 4 categories.

Ching Shih
Choose it for a smoky and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Smoky Amber
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Ching Shih1/4

Smoky Amber3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Smoky Amber
Sillage & projection: Smoky Amber
Value for money: Smoky Amber
Versatility: Not scored
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

Smoky AmberAl-Jazeera Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 89 votes

Have 25%Had 4%Want 71%

5.00/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 15%Had 2%Want 83%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity90

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevitySmoky Amber

SillageSmoky Amber

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value58

Category winnerSmoky AmberBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

amber91%

warm spicy83%

floral74%

fruity65%

balsamic56%

amber100%

warm spicy92%

iris84%

smoky77%

powdery69%

balsamic61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both amber, smoky and warm spicy

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

PearBergamot

Heart

OrrisChocolateGardenia

Base

IncenseVanillaMyrrhMusk

InformationalShared notesIncense, Myrrh and Orris. 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

Spring50

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex67

Women15

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,498

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#37,323

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

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 →

Smoky Amber by Al-Jazeera Perfumes is a Oriental Vanilla fragrance for women and men. This is a new fragrance. Smoky Amber was launched in 2025. The nose behind this fragrance is Nathalie Lorson. Top notes are Pear and Bergamot; middle notes are Orris, Chocolate and Gardenia; base notes are Incense, Vanilla, Myrrh and…

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 Smoky Amber?

Smoky Amber takes 3 of 4 categories. Ching Shih is rated 3.96/5 from 89 votes; Smoky Amber is rated 5.00/5 from 4 votes. Choose Ching Shih for a smoky and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Smoky Amber for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ching Shih or Smoky Amber?

Smoky Amber lasts longest (Smoky Amber 90/100, Ching Shih 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ching Shih or Smoky Amber?

Smoky Amber projects furthest (Smoky Amber 75/100, Ching Shih 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ching Shih and Smoky Amber smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, smoky and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Incense, Myrrh and Orris.

Is Ching Shih or Smoky Amber better for summer or winter?

Ching Shih suits daytime wear; Smoky Amber suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ching Shih and Smoky Amber?

Ching Shih features Incense, Osmanthus, gunpowder, Myrrh and Orris. Smoky Amber has top notes of Pear and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris, Chocolate and Gardenia, a base of Incense, Vanilla, Myrrh and Musk.