Fragrance comparison

Dark Desire vs Aamal

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 115 ratings analysed

Dark Desire

Parfums d'Elmar

4.2158 votes

Rank #11,593 AmberPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Aamal

The Spirit of Dubai

4.3557 votes

Rank #26,008 AmberOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aamal takes 5 of 7 categories.

Dark Desire
Choose it for a amber and powdery character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Aamal
Choose it for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Dark Desire2/7

Aamal5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark DesireParfums d'Elmar

AamalThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.21/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 35%Had 8%Want 57%

4.35/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 33%Had 6%Want 61%

Category winnerAamalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

67%Love

10%Like

5%Ok

10%Dislike

7%Hate

58 votes

65%Love

16%Like

14%Ok

0%Dislike

5%Hate

57 votes

Category winnerAamalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityAamal

SillageAamal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value27

Category winnerDark DesireBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

powdery92%

fresh spicy84%

oud77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

amber100%

oud92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both amber, oud and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

CarrotWormwoodOrange BlossomCardamomYellow Mandarin

Heart2-4 hrs

CuminVioletBulgarian RoseMyrrhCinnamon

Base8-12+ hrs

Agarwood (Oud)AmberOlibanumTonka BeanCivetPatchouliCastoreumVirginia Cedar

Top

Agarwood (Oud)Turkish RoseBulgarian RoseDamask RoseRoseDried FruitsCandied FruitsPink Pepper

Heart

AkigalawoodBenzoinSandalwoodPatchouliCypriol Oil or NagarmothaSaffronFloral NotesPowdery Notes

Base

Indian OudIncenseAmberCastoreumCivetMossOlibanumOakmoss

InformationalShared notesBulgarian Rose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Olibanum. Durations are only published for Dark Desire, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring68

Summer25

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring93

Summer67

Fall93

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Category winnerAamalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men56

Unisex38

Women6

Date 39%Party 29%Casual 17%Work 15%

Men62

Unisex35

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,593

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#26,008

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDark DesireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dark Desire by Parfums d'Elmar hits the skin with immediate presence. A vivid burst of yellow mandarin, bitter wormwood, and earthy carrot root quickly cuts through the air. Within minutes, cardamom and warm cinnamon generate a dense, radiant heat. The heart reveals powdery violet petals paired with dark Bulgarian ros…

Reviews →

Aamal by The Spirit of Dubai opens with an intense blast of dark agarwood, sweet Turkish rose, and spiced candied fruits. Bergamot and pink pepper spark initial brightness before coffee and cinnamon warm up the top notes. As it settles, the scent reveals a heavy heart of patchouli, saffron, and resinous benzoin. The b…

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, Dark Desire or Aamal?

Aamal takes 5 of 7 categories. Dark Desire is rated 4.21/5 from 58 votes; Aamal is rated 4.35/5 from 57 votes. Choose Dark Desire for a amber and powdery character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Aamal for a amber and oud character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark Desire or Aamal?

Aamal lasts longest (Aamal 87/100, Dark Desire 79/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Desire or Aamal?

Aamal projects furthest (Aamal 80/100, Dark Desire 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark Desire and Aamal smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, oud and woody accords. Common notes include Bulgarian Rose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Olibanum.

Is Dark Desire or Aamal better for summer or winter?

For summer, Aamal is the stronger pick. For winter, Dark Desire is the stronger pick. Dark Desire suits evening wear; Aamal suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Desire and Aamal?

Dark Desire has top notes of Carrot, Wormwood, Orange Blossom and Cardamom, heart notes of Cumin, Violet, Bulgarian Rose and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Amber, Olibanum and Tonka Bean. Aamal has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), Turkish Rose, Bulgarian Rose and Damask Rose, heart notes of Akigalawood, Benzoin, Sandalwood and Patchouli, a base of Indian Oud, Incense, Amber and Castoreum.