Fragrance comparison

Cuba Carnaval vs Grise

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 116 ratings analysed

Cuba Carnaval

Cuba Paris

3.8228 votes

Rank #45,204 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Grise

Maison Alhambra

4.1288 votes

Rank #10,221 WoodyEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Grise takes 5 of 7 categories.

Cuba Carnaval
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Grise
Choose it for a woody and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Cuba Carnaval2/7

Grise5/7

Ratings & consensus: Grise
Community sentiment: Grise
Longevity: Grise
Sillage & projection: Cuba Carnaval
Value for money: Cuba Carnaval
Versatility: Grise
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Grise

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cuba CarnavalCuba Paris

GriseMaison Alhambra

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.82/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 56%Had 22%Want 21%

4.12/ 5 · 88 votes

Have 48%Had 7%Want 45%

Category winnerGriseRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

21%Love

54%Like

11%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

28 votes

48%Love

33%Like

7%Ok

9%Dislike

3%Hate

88 votes

Category winnerGriseMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate71

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityGrise

SillageCuba Carnaval

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value95

¤ Price value83

Category winnerCuba CarnavalBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

aromatic69%

powdery61%

woody100%

earthy91%

patchouli83%

rose74%

mossy65%

warm spicy56%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotPepperLemonBasilCinnamon

Heart

ClovesRosePalisander Rosewood

Base

CedarSandalwoodPatchouliVanillaAmberOakmossLeather

Top

RoseBergamot

Heart

PatchouliCedar

Base

OakmossSandalwoodAmber

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Rose, Cedar and Sandalwood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring60

Summer100

Fall90

Winter20

Day100

Night58

Spring100

Summer74

Fall98

Winter68

Day100

Night78

Category winnerGriseMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men89

Unisex11

Women0

Men6

Unisex58

Women36

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,204

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#10,221

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews16

Category winnerGriseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cuba Carnaval by Cuba Paris is a crisp and comforting woody aromatic cologne that opens with an energetic blend of zesty lemon, tart bergamot, and cracked black pepper. A pinch of ground cinnamon and fresh basil adds an uplifting barbershop edge from the first spray. As the citrus brightness settles, the heart brings …

Reviews →

Grise by Maison Alhambra provides a crisp, chypre-inspired profile for those who enjoy earthy, professional scents. It opens with a bright bergamot and rose accord, settling into a patchouli and oakmoss base. This versatile, unisex fragrance works well in office settings or during the transition between spring and aut…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Cuba Carnaval or Grise?

Grise takes 5 of 7 categories. Cuba Carnaval is rated 3.82/5 from 28 votes; Grise is rated 4.12/5 from 88 votes. Choose Cuba Carnaval for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Grise for a woody and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Cuba Carnaval or Grise?

Grise lasts longest (Grise 65/100, Cuba Carnaval 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cuba Carnaval or Grise?

Cuba Carnaval projects furthest (Cuba Carnaval 58/100, Grise 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cuba Carnaval and Grise smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Rose, Cedar and Sandalwood.

Is Cuba Carnaval or Grise better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cuba Carnaval is the stronger pick. For winter, Grise is the stronger pick. Cuba Carnaval suits daytime wear; Grise suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cuba Carnaval and Grise?

Cuba Carnaval has top notes of Bergamot, Pepper, Lemon and Basil, heart notes of Cloves, Rose and Palisander Rosewood, a base of Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Vanilla. Grise has top notes of Rose and Bergamot, heart notes of Patchouli and Cedar, a base of Oakmoss, Sandalwood and Amber.