Fragrance comparison

Diwan vs Shamsi

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 100 ratings analysed

5 wins

Diwan

The Spirit of Dubai

4.5275 votes

Rank #24,183 AmberSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

25%scent match

Clearly different

Shamsi

Nabeel

4.2425 votes

Rank #29,863 FruityCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Diwan takes 5 of 7 categories.

Diwan
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Shamsi
Choose it for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Diwan5/7

Shamsi2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DiwanThe Spirit of Dubai

ShamsiNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.52/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 21%Had 4%Want 74%

4.24/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 35%Had 5%Want 60%

Category winnerDiwanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

73%Love

12%Like

9%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

48%Love

32%Like

16%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

25 votes

Category winnerDiwanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityDiwan

SillageDiwan

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value28

¤ Price value80

Category winnerShamsiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

smoky92%

fruity84%

woody77%

rose69%

oud61%

fruity100%

citrus90%

sweet80%

powdery70%

woody60%

tropical50%

Scent match25%Clearly different · both fruity and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Agarwood (Oud)IncenseSmokeRoseDewberryRaspberryAnimal notesStrawberry

Heart

Taif RoseAmberCoffeeEarthy NotesPowdery NotesGeraniumRhubarbFloral Notes

Base

Indian OudWoody NotesLeatherOlibanumGurjan balsamGuaiac WoodCastoreumMyrhh

Top

LitchiStrawberryVineBlack CurrantGrapefruitPlumBergamot

Heart

RoseIrisMagnoliaJasmineGeranium

Base

AmberSandalwoodVanillaMuskMossTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesRose, Strawberry, Amber and Geranium. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring84

Summer53

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring76

Summer100

Fall41

Winter24

Day100

Night60

Category winnerShamsiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men51

Unisex40

Women9

Men4

Unisex57

Women39

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,183

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#29,863

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDiwanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Diwan by The Spirit of Dubai hits skin with heavy incense, dark smoke, and raw Indian oud. Sweet dewberry and ripe plum soften the opening bite before Taif rose and roasted coffee settle into thick amber and castoreum. Built for freezing winter nights, it leaves a dense trail of leather and resins that clings to coats…

Reviews →

Shamsi by Nabeel delivers a bright burst of summer fruits anchored by a warm base. It opens with sweet litchi and tart black currant before settling into a powdery iris heart. The scent is designed for warm days and casual outdoor settings, offering a unisex profile that feels breezy yet substantial.

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, Diwan or Shamsi?

Diwan takes 5 of 7 categories. Diwan is rated 4.52/5 from 75 votes; Shamsi is rated 4.24/5 from 25 votes. Choose Diwan for a amber and smoky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Shamsi for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Diwan or Shamsi?

Diwan lasts longest (Diwan 88/100, Shamsi 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Diwan or Shamsi?

Diwan projects furthest (Diwan 80/100, Shamsi 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Diwan and Shamsi smell similar?

Clearly different: a 25% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity and woody accords. Common notes include Rose, Strawberry, Amber and Geranium.

Is Diwan or Shamsi better for summer or winter?

For summer, Shamsi is the stronger pick. For winter, Diwan is the stronger pick. Shamsi suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Diwan and Shamsi?

Diwan has top notes of Agarwood (Oud), Incense, Smoke and Rose, heart notes of Taif Rose, Amber, Coffee and Earthy Notes, a base of Indian Oud, Woody Notes, Leather and Olibanum. Shamsi has top notes of Litchi, Strawberry, Vine and Black Currant, heart notes of Rose, Iris, Magnolia and Jasmine, a base of Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Musk.