Fragrance comparison

Durra vs Nisean

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 658 ratings analysed

Durra

The Spirit of Dubai

3.7579 votes

Rank #29,160 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Nisean

Parfums de Marly

4.12579 votes

Rank #3,383 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Nisean takes 4 of 7 categories.

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

Durra3/7

Nisean4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DurraThe Spirit of Dubai

NiseanParfums de Marly

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.75/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

4.12/ 5 · 579 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerNiseanRating 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

47%Love

32%Like

9%Ok

10%Dislike

2%Hate

579 votes

Category winnerNiseanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityDurra

SillageDurra

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value26

¤ Price value38

Category winnerNiseanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

woody100%

amber88%

warm spicy77%

patchouli65%

balsamic53%

earthy42%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both woody, amber and warm 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

Top15-30 mins

Pink PepperLimeGrapefruit

Heart2-4 hrs

SaffronLabdanumOlibanumFlowersGeraniumRose

Base8-12 hrs

Precious WoodsPatchouli LeafAmberCedar

InformationalShared notesPrecious Woods. Durations are only published for Nisean, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer68

Fall72

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Spring53

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day53

Night100

Category winnerDurraMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men54

Unisex37

Women9

Men82

Unisex17

Women1

Work 38%Date 32%Casual 19%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#29,160

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,383

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews82

Category winnerNiseanHigher 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 →

Parfums de Marly Nisean is a dark, dry woody amber that skips the sugary vanilla common in modern niche perfumery. The spray starts sharp. A brisk crackle of pink pepper, bitter grapefruit, and lime lifts off the skin before dense resins take over. Soon, smoky olibanum and leathery labdanum anchor the scent into a ric…

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, Durra or Nisean?

Nisean takes 4 of 7 categories. Durra is rated 3.75/5 from 79 votes; Nisean is rated 4.12/5 from 579 votes. Choose Durra for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Nisean for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Durra or Nisean?

Durra lasts longest (Durra 87/100, Nisean 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Durra or Nisean?

Durra projects furthest (Durra 82/100, Nisean 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Durra and Nisean smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Precious Woods.

Is Durra or Nisean better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Durra and Nisean?

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. Nisean has top notes of Pink Pepper, Lime and Grapefruit, heart notes of Saffron, Labdanum, Olibanum and Flowers, a base of Precious Woods, Patchouli Leaf, Amber and Cedar.