Fragrance comparison

Chocolate vs Secret Source

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

Updated 23 Oct 2026 102 ratings analysed

Chocolate

Parfums et Senteurs du Pays Basque

3.5225 votes

Rank #43,824 ChocolateWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Secret Source

The Woods Collection

3.8877 votes

Rank #29,219 WoodyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Secret Source takes 5 of 6 categories.

Chocolate
Choose it for a chocolate and warm spicy character. Wins on versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Secret Source
Choose it for a woody and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Chocolate1/6

Secret Source5/6

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ChocolateParfums et Senteurs du Pays Basque

Secret SourceThe Woods Collection

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.52/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 20%Had 33%Want 47%

3.88/ 5 · 77 votes

Have 34%Had 14%Want 53%

Category winnerSecret SourceRating 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

29%Love

47%Like

12%Ok

10%Dislike

3%Hate

77 votes

Category winnerSecret SourceMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevitySecret Source

SillageSecret Source

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value62

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

chocolate100%

warm spicy77%

sweet53%

cacao30%

woody100%

floral92%

warm spicy84%

sweet77%

vanilla69%

powdery61%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both 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

Top

Black CurrantGardeniaJasmineLemonMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

OrchidFruitsSpicy NotesLotus

Base

VanillaVetiverIncensePatchouliDark ChocolateSandalwoodAmber

InformationalShared notesDark Chocolate and Spicy Notes. Durations are only published for Chocolate, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall60

Winter100

Day100

Night92

Spring47

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerChocolateMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

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

Men0

Unisex65

Women35

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,824

PerfumerChristian Louis

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#29,219

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerSecret SourceHigher 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 →

Secret Source opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, gardenia, and dark currant before settling into dense orchid and warm spices. As the hours pass, heavy patchouli and bitter dark chocolate merge with smoldering incense and vanilla along the base. It feels thick, mysterious, and moody, tailored for chilly November ev…

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 Secret Source?

Secret Source takes 5 of 6 categories. Chocolate is rated 3.52/5 from 25 votes; Secret Source is rated 3.88/5 from 77 votes. Choose Chocolate for a chocolate and warm spicy character. Wins on versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Secret Source for a woody and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Chocolate or Secret Source?

Secret Source lasts longest (Secret Source 70/100, Chocolate 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Chocolate or Secret Source?

Projection is very close: Secret Source 68/100, Chocolate 67/100 for sillage.

Do Chocolate and Secret Source smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and sweet accords. Common notes include Dark Chocolate and Spicy Notes.

Is Chocolate or Secret Source better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Chocolate and Secret Source?

Chocolate features Dark Chocolate and Spicy Notes. Secret Source has top notes of Black Currant, Gardenia, Jasmine and Lemon, heart notes of Orchid, Fruits, Spicy Notes and Lotus, a base of Vanilla, Vetiver, Incense and Patchouli.