Fragrance comparison

Ching Shih vs Stairway To Heaven

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 675 ratings analysed

Ching Shih

Marissa Zappas

3.9689 votes

Rank #15,498 SmokyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

16%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Stairway To Heaven

Jul et Mad Paris

3.87586 votes

Rank #2,713 PowderyMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Stairway To Heaven takes 5 of 7 categories.

Ching Shih
Choose it for a smoky and amber character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Stairway To Heaven
Choose it for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Ching Shih1/7

Stairway To Heaven5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ching ShihMarissa Zappas

Stairway To HeavenJul et Mad Paris

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 89 votes

Have 25%Had 4%Want 71%

3.87/ 5 · 586 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

Category winnerStairway To HeavenRating 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

49%Love

29%Like

11%Ok

10%Dislike

1%Hate

518 votes

Category winnerStairway To HeavenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityStairway To Heaven

SillageStairway To Heaven

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

smoky100%

amber91%

warm spicy83%

floral74%

fruity65%

balsamic56%

powdery100%

musky92%

aldehydic84%

vanilla77%

fresh69%

amber61%

Scent match16%Clearly different · both amber

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

AldehydesSweet OrangeBergamot

Heart

HeliotropeRed BerriesOrrisBulgarian Rose

Base

White MuskVanillagunpowderAmbroxanCashmeranIncensePatchouli

InformationalShared notesIncense, gunpowder 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

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter98

Day–

Night–

Category winnerChing ShihMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex67

Women15

Men4

Unisex44

Women52

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,498

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#2,713

PerfumerCécile Zarokian

Launched—

Reviews81

Category winnerStairway To HeavenHigher 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 →

Stairway To Heaven is a bold, abstract composition from Jul et Mad Paris. It leans into sharp aldehydes, cool white musk, and a surprising gunpowder note that feels metallic and crisp on the skin. Designed for both men and women, this fragrance captures the feeling of high-altitude mountain air. It is best suited for …

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 Stairway To Heaven?

Stairway To Heaven takes 5 of 7 categories. Ching Shih is rated 3.96/5 from 89 votes; Stairway To Heaven is rated 3.87/5 from 586 votes. Choose Ching Shih for a smoky and amber character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Stairway To Heaven for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Ching Shih or Stairway To Heaven?

Stairway To Heaven lasts longest (Stairway To Heaven 70/100, Ching Shih 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ching Shih or Stairway To Heaven?

Stairway To Heaven projects furthest (Stairway To Heaven 61/100, Ching Shih 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ching Shih and Stairway To Heaven smell similar?

Clearly different: a 16% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber accords. Common notes include Incense, gunpowder and Orris.

Is Ching Shih or Stairway To Heaven better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ching Shih is the stronger pick. For winter, Stairway To Heaven is the stronger pick. Ching Shih suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ching Shih and Stairway To Heaven?

Ching Shih features Incense, Osmanthus, gunpowder, Myrrh and Orris. Stairway To Heaven has top notes of Aldehydes, Sweet Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Heliotrope, Red Berries, Orris and Bulgarian Rose, a base of White Musk, Vanilla, gunpowder and Ambroxan.