Fragrance comparison

Chocolate vs Bittersweet Symphony

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

Updated 23 Oct 2026 80 ratings analysed

Chocolate

Parfums et Senteurs du Pays Basque

3.5225 votes

Rank #43,824 ChocolateWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

6 wins

Bittersweet Symphony

House of Matriarch

4.2955 votes

Rank #27,949 Warm SpicyOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bittersweet Symphony takes 6 of 7 categories.

Chocolate
Choose it for a chocolate and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Bittersweet Symphony
Choose it for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Chocolate1/7

Bittersweet Symphony6/7

Ratings & consensus: Bittersweet Symphony
Community sentiment: Bittersweet Symphony
Longevity: Bittersweet Symphony
Sillage & projection: Chocolate
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Bittersweet Symphony
Note pyramid (duration): Bittersweet Symphony
Fragranxe ranking: Bittersweet Symphony

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ChocolateParfums et Senteurs du Pays Basque

Bittersweet SymphonyHouse of Matriarch

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.52/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 20%Had 33%Want 47%

4.29/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 33%Had 11%Want 57%

Category winnerBittersweet SymphonyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

16%Love

52%Like

0%Ok

32%Dislike

0%Hate

25 votes

55%Love

29%Like

9%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerBittersweet SymphonyMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityBittersweet Symphony

SillageChocolate

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value33

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

chocolate100%

warm spicy77%

sweet53%

cacao30%

warm spicy100%

oud90%

chocolate80%

woody70%

sweet60%

amber50%

Scent match56%Closely related · both chocolate, warm spicy and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Dark ChocolateSpicy Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

Dark ChocolateAgarwood (Oud)Woody NotesSpicy NotesAmberTea

No top / heart / base split published

Category winnerBittersweet SymphonyLongest dry-down: 6-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall60

Winter100

Day100

Night92

Spring24

Summer19

Fall100

Winter90

Day50

Night100

Category winnerBittersweet SymphonyMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Casual 41%Date 30%Party 17%Work 12%

Men43

Unisex57

Women0

Date 43%Casual 26%Party 19%Work 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,824

PerfumerChristian Louis

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#27,949

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBittersweet SymphonyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Chocolate by Parfums et Senteurs du Pays Basque takes an artisanal approach to gourmand perfumery, steering far away from toothache sweetness. Crafted by perfumer Christian Louis, it centers on dry dark chocolate, dusty cacao nibs, and a generous pinch of warm spicy notes. The opening hits with a brisk alcohol flash a…

Reviews →

Bittersweet Symphony by House of Matriarch is an earthy, bittersweet treat that redefines what a chocolate perfume can be. Forget about sugary supermarket candy bars. This composition opens with dusty dark chocolate backed by astringent black tea and a dash of kitchen spices. Within minutes, genuine agarwood and rich …

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, Chocolate or Bittersweet Symphony?

Bittersweet Symphony takes 6 of 7 categories. Chocolate is rated 3.52/5 from 25 votes; Bittersweet Symphony is rated 4.29/5 from 55 votes. Choose Chocolate for a chocolate and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Bittersweet Symphony for a warm spicy and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Chocolate or Bittersweet Symphony?

Bittersweet Symphony lasts longest (Bittersweet Symphony 77/100, Chocolate 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Chocolate or Bittersweet Symphony?

Chocolate projects furthest (Chocolate 67/100, Bittersweet Symphony 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Chocolate and Bittersweet Symphony smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share chocolate, warm spicy and sweet accords. Common notes include Dark Chocolate and Spicy Notes.

Is Chocolate or Bittersweet Symphony better for summer or winter?

For summer, Bittersweet Symphony is the stronger pick. For winter, Chocolate is the stronger pick. Chocolate suits daytime wear; Bittersweet Symphony suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.