Fragrance comparison

Drowning in Zest vs Empire State

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 4 ratings analysed

4 wins

Drowning in Zest

The Dua Brand

3.673 votes

Rank #62,219 Warm SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Empire State

Mundus

5.001 votes

Rank #56,074 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Drowning in Zest takes 4 of 5 categories.

Drowning in Zest
Choose it for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Empire State
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Drowning in Zest4/5

Empire State1/5

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Drowning in Zest
Sillage & projection: Drowning in Zest
Value for money: Drowning in Zest
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Drowning in Zest
Fragranxe ranking: Empire State

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Drowning in ZestThe Dua Brand

Empire StateMundus

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 56%Had 13%Want 31%

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 17%Had 0%Want 83%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

67%Like

33%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 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

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityDrowning in Zest

SillageDrowning in Zest

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value50

Category winnerDrowning in ZestBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

citrus92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

fresh spicy61%

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

rose77%

powdery69%

balsamic61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both warm spicy, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Black CurrantTurkish RoseBlood OrangeBlack PepperGreen NotesPink PepperSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouliAmbergrisTangerineBergamot

No top / heart / base split published

Top15-30 mins

GingerBergamotPink PepperGreen Notes

Heart2-4 hrs

Turkish RoseCardamomBlackcurrant

Base6-8+ hrs

BenzoinSandalwoodAmbergrisPatchouliMuskVanillaCedar

Category winnerDrowning in ZestLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night47

Spring100

Summer50

Fall100

Winter100

Day85

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Casual 37%Work 26%Date 21%Party 16%

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Date 30%Work 28%Casual 26%Party 15%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#62,219

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#56,074

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerEmpire StateHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Drowning in Zest opens with a rush of sweet blood orange, tangy tangerine, and crisp bergamot that smells like a cold citrus soda on a sunny morning. As the bright fruit settles into your skin, smooth vanilla and warm tonka bean rise up, turning the sharp peel into a creamy orange ice pop. A dash of blue ginger, cinna…

Reviews →

Empire State by Mundus opens with a brisk snap of fresh ginger and tart bergamot, backed by crushed green notes and sparkling pink pepper. The initial sharpness softens within minutes. A plush heart takes over, highlighting Turkish rose petals, cool green cardamom, and a dark drop of tart blackcurrant fruit. As the sc…

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, Drowning in Zest or Empire State?

Drowning in Zest takes 4 of 5 categories. Drowning in Zest is rated 3.67/5 from 3 votes; Empire State is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Drowning in Zest for a warm spicy and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Empire State for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Drowning in Zest or Empire State?

Drowning in Zest lasts longest (Drowning in Zest 67/100, Empire State 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Drowning in Zest or Empire State?

Drowning in Zest projects furthest (Drowning in Zest 58/100, Empire State 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Drowning in Zest and Empire State smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Turkish Rose, Green Notes, Pink Pepper and Sandalwood.

Is Drowning in Zest or Empire State better for summer or winter?

Drowning in Zest suits daytime wear; Empire State suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Drowning in Zest and Empire State?

Drowning in Zest features Black Currant, Turkish Rose, Blood Orange, Black Pepper and Green Notes. Empire State has top notes of Ginger, Bergamot, Pink Pepper and Green Notes, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Cardamom and Blackcurrant, a base of Benzoin, Sandalwood, Ambergris and Patchouli.