Fragrance comparison

Dark Roses vs Checkmate

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 355 ratings analysed

Dark Roses

Demeter Fragrance

3.7978 votes

Rank #17,186 FruityRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Checkmate

Mind Games

3.96277 votes

Rank #27,761 RoseFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Checkmate takes 5 of 7 categories.

Dark Roses
Choose it for a fruity and rose character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Checkmate
Choose it for a rose and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Dark Roses2/7

Checkmate5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark RosesDemeter Fragrance

CheckmateMind Games

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.79/ 5 · 78 votes

Have 41%Had 10%Want 49%

3.96/ 5 · 277 votes

Have 33%Had 7%Want 60%

Category winnerCheckmateRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

24%Love

45%Like

18%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

78 votes

39%Love

31%Like

19%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

277 votes

Category winnerCheckmateMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity51

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityCheckmate

SillageCheckmate

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value71

¤ Price value26

Category winnerDark RosesBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

rose92%

soft spicy84%

amber77%

sweet69%

green61%

rose100%

fruity92%

Champagne84%

patchouli77%

floral69%

tobacco61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both fruity and rose

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Tea RoseBulgarian RoseRed CurrantDavanaAmberPatchouliHaitian Vetiver

No top / heart / base split published

Top

ChampagneRed CurrantDavana

Heart

May RoseBulgarian RoseRoseMagnolia

Base

PatchouliTobaccoMoss

InformationalShared notesBulgarian Rose, Red Currant, Davana and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Dark Roses, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring54

Summer35

Fall100

Winter58

Day100

Night85

Spring100

Summer69

Fall0

Winter79

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCheckmateMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex24

Women76

Casual 39%Date 27%Work 22%Party 12%

Men13

Unisex47

Women40

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,186

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews14

Overall rank#27,761

PerfumerDavid Apel

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDark RosesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dark Roses by Demeter Fragrance strips away the polite powder of grandmotherly florals. It bites first. Tart red currant and herbal davana explode immediately in a brisk wash of perfumer alcohol. Give it two minutes. As the sharp carrier spirit evaporates, Bulgarian rose and crisp tea rose take over with dewy, green t…

Reviews →

Checkmate by Mind Games opens with a sharp fizz of champagne paired with tart red currant and green davana. The heart quickly thickens into a dense floral bouquet dominated by Bulgarian rose, May rose, and magnolia. As the sparkling top settles, the fragrance shifts into a dark, grounding base of patchouli, oakmoss, a…

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 Roses or Checkmate?

Checkmate takes 5 of 7 categories. Dark Roses is rated 3.79/5 from 78 votes; Checkmate is rated 3.96/5 from 277 votes. Choose Dark Roses for a fruity and rose character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Checkmate for a rose and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Dark Roses or Checkmate?

Checkmate lasts longest (Checkmate 74/100, Dark Roses 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Roses or Checkmate?

Checkmate projects furthest (Checkmate 60/100, Dark Roses 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark Roses and Checkmate smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity and rose accords. Common notes include Bulgarian Rose, Red Currant, Davana and Patchouli.

Is Dark Roses or Checkmate better for summer or winter?

For summer, Checkmate is the stronger pick. For winter, Checkmate is the stronger pick. Dark Roses suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Roses and Checkmate?

Dark Roses features Tea Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Red Currant, Davana and Amber. Checkmate has top notes of Champagne, Red Currant and Davana, heart notes of May Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Rose and Magnolia, a base of Patchouli, Tobacco and Moss.