Fragrance comparison

Cuba Shadow vs Royale Exclusif

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 128 ratings analysed

Cuba Shadow

Cuba Paris · 2018

4.04121 votes

Rank #15,552 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

81%scent match

Very similar

Royale Exclusif

Adyan by Anfar

4.437 votes

Rank #47,504 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Cuba Shadow
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Royale Exclusif
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Cuba Shadow2/4

Royale Exclusif2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cuba ShadowCuba Paris

Royale ExclusifAdyan by Anfar

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 121 votes

Have 64%Had 17%Want 19%

4.43/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 63%Had 6%Want 31%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

56%Like

10%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

121 votes

71%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage40

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate86

Category winners

LongevityRoyale Exclusif

SillageRoyale Exclusif

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value92

¤ Price value75

Category winnerCuba ShadowBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fresh spicy91%

aromatic83%

woody74%

green65%

musky56%

woody100%

amber92%

fresh spicy84%

musky77%

citrus69%

aromatic61%

Scent match81%Very similar · both fresh spicy, woody and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LemonMintPink PepperGrapefruit

Heart

GingerIso E SuperNutmegJasmine

Base

SandalwoodIncensePatchouliCedarMuskLabdanum

Top

Pink PepperGrapefruitLemonMint

Heart

Iso E SuperJasmineNutmegGinger

Base

SandalwoodWhite MuskPatchouliLabdanumVetiverIncenseCedar

InformationalShared notesLemon, Mint, Pink Pepper and Grapefruit. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter32

Day–

Night–

Spring50

Summer83

Fall100

Winter67

Day100

Night75

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men92

Unisex6

Women2

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,552

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2018

Reviews11

Overall rank#47,504

PerfumerAhmedullah Anfar

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCuba ShadowHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cuba Shadow by Cuba Paris is a straightforward, wallet-friendly aromatic cologne built around energizing citrus, cool herbs, and crisp woods. It opens with an immediate burst of tart lemon, bitter grapefruit, and cool spearmint, accented by a pinch of crushed pink pepper. As the initial freshness settles on your skin,…

Reviews →

Royale Exclusif by Adyan by Anfar is a Woody Spicy fragrance for men. Royale Exclusif was launched in 2021. The nose behind this fragrance is Ahmedullah Anfar. Top notes are Pink Pepper, Grapefruit, Lemon and Mint; middle notes are Iso E Super, Jasmine, Nutmeg and Ginger; base notes are Sandalwood, White Musk, Patchou…

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 Shadow or Royale Exclusif?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Cuba Shadow is rated 4.04/5 from 121 votes; Royale Exclusif is rated 4.43/5 from 7 votes. Choose Cuba Shadow for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Royale Exclusif for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Cuba Shadow or Royale Exclusif?

Royale Exclusif lasts longest (Royale Exclusif 83/100, Cuba Shadow 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cuba Shadow or Royale Exclusif?

Royale Exclusif projects furthest (Royale Exclusif 71/100, Cuba Shadow 40/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cuba Shadow and Royale Exclusif smell similar?

Very similar: a 81% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, woody and citrus accords. Common notes include Lemon, Mint, Pink Pepper and Grapefruit.

Is Cuba Shadow or Royale Exclusif better for summer or winter?

Royale Exclusif suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cuba Shadow and Royale Exclusif?

Cuba Shadow has top notes of Lemon, Mint, Pink Pepper and Grapefruit, heart notes of Ginger, Iso E Super, Nutmeg and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Incense, Patchouli and Cedar. Royale Exclusif has top notes of Pink Pepper, Grapefruit, Lemon and Mint, heart notes of Iso E Super, Jasmine, Nutmeg and Ginger, a base of Sandalwood, White Musk, Patchouli and Labdanum.