Elixir vs Zanzibar
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
54%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.
ElixirChoose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
ZanzibarChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Elixir2/4
Zanzibar2/4
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Zanzibar
- Sillage & projection
- Elixir
- Value for money
- Zanzibar
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Elixir
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
ElixirPenhaligon'sZanzibarOlfactumWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.93/ 5 · 1,012 votes
Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%
4.40/ 5 · 5 votes
Have 17%Had 7%Want 76%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate41%Love
43%Like
3%Ok
13%Dislike
0%Hate
847 votes
40%Love
60%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
5 votes · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityZanzibar
SillageElixir
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerZanzibarBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
warm spicy91%
amber83%
smoky74%
balsamic65%
aromatic56%
amber100%
warm spicy90%
vanilla80%
balsamic70%
cinnamon60%
woody50%
Scent match54%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
EucalyptusCardamomCinnamon
Heart
Turkey Red RoseMaceOrange BlossomEgyptian Jasmine
Base
IncenseCedarBenzoinBrazilian RosewoodRed SandalwoodGuaiac WoodTonka BeanVanilla
Notes
LabdanumCinnamonBenzoinHoneyIncenseTonka BeanVanillaBlack PepperBushman CandleCardamomCuminGinger
No top / heart / base split published
InformationalShared notesCardamom, Cinnamon, Incense and Benzoin. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring36
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring50
Summer0
Fall100
Winter100
Day75
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#1,384
PerfumerOlivia Giacobetti
Launched—
Reviews123
Overall rank#39,925
PerfumerBarry Southers
Launched—
Reviews1
Category winnerElixirHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotElixir is a cool, smoky incense fragrance with cardamom, cinnamon, rose and woods wrapped in a steamy eucalyptus lift. Reviewers often describe it as church incense with the windows open, a mix of old stone, warm spice, Turkish bath air and soft rose rather than a heavy resin bomb. It suits people who like atmospheric…
Reviews →Zanzibar opens with a sudden splash of warm orange blossom before settling into a thick, dry heat. Ginger and cumin cut through the initial sweetness, giving it a rough, sun-baked quality that keeps it from smelling like a standard designer sweet scent. As it hugs the skin, the fragrance turns dusty and resinous, driv…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Elixir or Zanzibar?
No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Elixir is rated 3.93/5 from 1,012 votes; Zanzibar is rated 4.40/5 from 5 votes. Choose Elixir for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Zanzibar for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Elixir or Zanzibar?
Zanzibar lasts longest (Zanzibar 72/100, Elixir 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Elixir or Zanzibar?
Elixir projects furthest (Elixir 58/100, Zanzibar 54/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Elixir and Zanzibar smell similar?
Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Cinnamon, Incense and Benzoin.
Is Elixir or Zanzibar better for summer or winter?
Zanzibar suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Elixir and Zanzibar?
Elixir has top notes of Eucalyptus, Cardamom and Cinnamon, heart notes of Turkey Red Rose, Mace, Orange Blossom and Egyptian Jasmine, a base of Incense, Cedar, Benzoin and Brazilian Rosewood. Zanzibar features Labdanum, Cinnamon, Benzoin, Honey and Incense.
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