Fragrance comparison

Dark Desire vs Durra

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 137 ratings analysed

4 wins

Dark Desire

Parfums d'Elmar

4.2158 votes

Rank #11,593 AmberPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Durra

The Spirit of Dubai

3.7579 votes

Rank #29,021 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Dark Desire takes 4 of 7 categories.

Dark Desire
Choose it for a amber and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Durra
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Dark Desire4/7

Durra3/7

Ratings & consensus: Dark Desire
Community sentiment: Dark Desire
Longevity: Durra
Sillage & projection: Durra
Value for money: Dark Desire
Versatility: Durra
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

DurraThe Spirit of Dubai

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.21/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 35%Had 8%Want 57%

3.75/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

Category winnerDark DesireRating 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

51%Love

14%Like

6%Ok

18%Dislike

11%Hate

79 votes

Category winnerDark DesireMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityDurra

SillageDurra

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value26

Category winnerDark DesireBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

powdery92%

fresh spicy84%

oud77%

woody69%

warm spicy61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both amber, woody and fresh spicy

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

Sea NotesWatery NotesAldehydesOzonic notesClary SagePineLavenderCumin

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)Earthy NotesBirch LeafCashmere WoodWoody NotesSandalwoodIncenseVanilla

Base

CastoreumCivettaMuskImmortelleTolu BalsamPrecious WoodsTobaccoVetiver

InformationalShared notesCumin, Agarwood (Oud) and Castoreum. 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

Spring80

Summer68

Fall72

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Category winnerDurraMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men56

Unisex38

Women6

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

Men54

Unisex37

Women9

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,593

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#29,021

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 →

Durra opens with a sharp burst of salty sea notes, cold aldehydes, and clary sage before diving into a dark heart of agarwood and smoky incense. The dry-down settles into heavy castoreum leather, amber, and bitter cumin on skin. It suits cold winter evenings, black-tie dinners, or outdoor gatherings where a dense, mar…

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 Durra?

Dark Desire takes 4 of 7 categories. Dark Desire is rated 4.21/5 from 58 votes; Durra is rated 3.75/5 from 79 votes. Choose Dark Desire for a amber and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Durra for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark Desire or Durra?

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

Which projects more, Dark Desire or Durra?

Durra projects furthest (Durra 82/100, Dark Desire 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark Desire and Durra smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Cumin, Agarwood (Oud) and Castoreum.

Is Dark Desire or Durra better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Dark Desire and Durra?

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. Durra has top notes of Sea Notes, Watery Notes, Aldehydes and Ozonic notes, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Earthy Notes, Birch Leaf and Cashmere Wood, a base of Castoreum, Civetta, Musk and Immortelle.