Fragrance comparison

Durra vs Encounter

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 1,121 ratings analysed

5 wins

Durra

The Spirit of Dubai

3.7579 votes

Rank #30,865 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Encounter

Calvin Klein

3.561,042 votes

Rank #31,237 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Durra takes 5 of 7 categories.

Durra
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Encounter
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Durra5/7

Encounter2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DurraThe Spirit of Dubai

EncounterCalvin Klein

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.75/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

3.56/ 5 · 1,042 votes

Have 49%Had 31%Want 21%

Category winnerDurraRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

51%Love

14%Like

6%Ok

18%Dislike

11%Hate

79 votes

18%Love

49%Like

4%Ok

28%Dislike

1%Hate

1,042 votes

Category winnerEncounterMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

LongevityDurra

SillageDurra

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value26

¤ Price value64

Category winnerEncounterBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

rum84%

oud77%

fresh spicy69%

citrus61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Sea NotesWatery NotesAldehydesOzonic notesClary SagePineLavenderCumin

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)Earthy NotesBirch LeafCashmere WoodWoody NotesSandalwoodIncenseVanilla

Base

CastoreumCivettaMuskImmortelleTolu BalsamPrecious WoodsTobaccoVetiver

Top15 to 30 minutes

RumCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

CognacPepperPatchouliJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

Agarwood (Oud)CedarMusk

InformationalShared notesAgarwood (Oud) and Musk. Durations are only published for Encounter, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer68

Fall72

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Spring52

Summer24

Fall100

Winter84

Day62

Night100

Category winnerDurraMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men54

Unisex37

Women9

Men94

Unisex4

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#30,865

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#31,237

PerfumerHonorine Blanc, Pierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDurraHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Calvin Klein Encounter is an oriental woody eau de toilette that focuses on dark spirits, gentle spices, and smooth timber. The opening pairs a splash of sweet rum with crushed cardamom and a bright touch of mandarin orange. As the initial brightness settles, the heart reveals warm cognac accented by black pepper, ear…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Durra or Encounter?

Durra takes 5 of 7 categories. Durra is rated 3.75/5 from 79 votes; Encounter is rated 3.56/5 from 1,042 votes. Choose Durra for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Encounter for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Durra or Encounter?

Durra lasts longest (Durra 87/100, Encounter 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Durra or Encounter?

Durra projects furthest (Durra 82/100, Encounter 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Durra and Encounter smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Agarwood (Oud) and Musk.

Is Durra or Encounter better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Durra and Encounter?

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. Encounter has top notes of Rum, Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Cognac, Pepper, Patchouli and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Cedar and Musk.