Fragrance comparison

Défi vs Leather of Istanbul

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 6 ratings analysed

4 wins

Défi

Synthèse Atelier de Parfum

4.205 votes

Rank #38,734 AmberSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Leather of Istanbul

The Dua Brand

5.001 votes

Rank #48,208 SweetRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Défi takes 4 of 4 categories.

Défi
Choose it for a amber and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Leather of Istanbul
Choose it for a sweet and rose character. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Défi4/4

Leather of Istanbul0/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DéfiSynthèse Atelier de Parfum

Leather of IstanbulThe Dua Brand

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 70%Had 0%Want 30%

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 80%Had 0%Want 20%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

0%Like

40%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage85

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityDéfi

SillageDéfi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value65

¤ Price value50

Category winnerDéfiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

sweet92%

fresh spicy84%

smoky77%

tobacco69%

oud61%

sweet100%

rose30%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

NutmegDates

Heart

IncenseTobaccoLavender

Base

LeatherAmberOud

Notes

LoukhoumAmbergrisLabdanumLeatherIncenseSuedeCacaoDatesRakiOud

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesDates, Incense, Leather and Oud. Durations are only published for Leather of Istanbul, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#38,734

PerfumerAbdullah Kuruş

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#48,208

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerDéfiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Défi by Synthèse Atelier de Parfum is a heavy leather fragrance that opens with a dense mix of dates and nutmeg. It features a smoky heart of tobacco and incense, eventually settling into a dark base of oud and amber. This scent is designed for cold weather and offers eternal longevity for those who prefer bold, anima…

Reviews →

Leather of Istanbul by The Dua Brand is an Extrait de Parfum built around sweet confections and rich leather. It opens with an unusual pairing of boozy anise from Turkish raki alongside syrupy dates and sugary loukhoum. As the initial sweetness settles, a dark suede texture emerges, supported by bitter cacao nibs and …

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, Défi or Leather of Istanbul?

Défi takes 4 of 4 categories. Défi is rated 4.20/5 from 5 votes; Leather of Istanbul is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Défi for a amber and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Leather of Istanbul for a sweet and rose character. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Défi or Leather of Istanbul?

Défi lasts longest (Défi 88/100, Leather of Istanbul 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Défi or Leather of Istanbul?

Défi projects furthest (Défi 85/100, Leather of Istanbul 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Défi and Leather of Istanbul smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet accords. Common notes include Dates, Incense, Leather and Oud.

Is Défi or Leather of Istanbul better for summer or winter?

Défi suits evening wear; Leather of Istanbul suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Défi and Leather of Istanbul?

Défi has top notes of Nutmeg and Dates, heart notes of Incense, Tobacco and Lavender, a base of Leather, Amber and Oud. Leather of Istanbul features Loukhoum, Ambergris, Labdanum, Leather and Incense.