Fragrance comparison

Encounter vs Set Sail South Seas for Men

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 1,085 ratings analysed

Encounter

Calvin Klein

3.561,042 votes

Rank #31,237 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Set Sail South Seas for Men

Tommy Bahama

3.9843 votes

Rank #34,858 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Set Sail South Seas for Men takes 4 of 7 categories.

Encounter
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Set Sail South Seas for Men
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Encounter3/7

Set Sail South Seas for Men4/7

Ratings & consensus: Set Sail South Seas for Men
Community sentiment: Set Sail South Seas for Men
Longevity: Set Sail South Seas for Men
Sillage & projection: Set Sail South Seas for Men
Value for money: Encounter
Versatility: Encounter
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Encounter

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

EncounterCalvin Klein

Set Sail South Seas for MenTommy Bahama

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.56/ 5 · 1,042 votes

Have 49%Had 31%Want 21%

3.98/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 38%Had 20%Want 42%

Category winnerSet Sail South Seas for MenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

49%Like

4%Ok

28%Dislike

1%Hate

1,042 votes

30%Love

53%Like

0%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

43 votes

Category winnerSet Sail South Seas for MenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevitySet Sail South Seas for Men

SillageSet Sail South Seas for Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value64

¤ Price value58

Category winnerEncounterBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

rum84%

oud77%

fresh spicy69%

citrus61%

woody100%

citrus91%

warm spicy83%

aromatic74%

rum65%

fresh spicy56%

Scent match61%Closely related · both woody, warm spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

RumCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

CognacPepperPatchouliJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

Agarwood (Oud)CedarMusk

Top

LimeMandarin Orange

Heart

CognacJuniperViolet

Base

RumWoodsy NotesAmberCardamom

InformationalShared notesRum, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Cognac. Durations are only published for Encounter, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer24

Fall100

Winter84

Day62

Night100

Spring87

Summer100

Fall22

Winter9

Day100

Night43

Category winnerEncounterMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex4

Women1

Men88

Unisex13

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,237

PerfumerHonorine Blanc, Pierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#34,858

PerfumerAnnie Buzantian, Ilias Ermenidis, Raymond Matts

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerEncounterHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Tommy Bahama Set Sail South Seas for Men starts with a bright burst of lime and mandarin orange, capturing the clean breeze of an open coast. As the citrus notes settle, a warm undertone of rum and cognac emerges, shifting the clean freshness into a smooth, boozy warmth. It is a casual fragrance designed for warm summ…

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, Encounter or Set Sail South Seas for Men?

Set Sail South Seas for Men takes 4 of 7 categories. Encounter is rated 3.56/5 from 1,042 votes; Set Sail South Seas for Men is rated 3.98/5 from 43 votes. Choose Encounter for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Set Sail South Seas for Men for a woody and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Encounter or Set Sail South Seas for Men?

They last about the same: Set Sail South Seas for Men 55/100, Encounter 53/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Encounter or Set Sail South Seas for Men?

Set Sail South Seas for Men projects furthest (Set Sail South Seas for Men 56/100, Encounter 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Encounter and Set Sail South Seas for Men smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Rum, Cardamom, Mandarin Orange and Cognac.

Is Encounter or Set Sail South Seas for Men better for summer or winter?

For summer, Set Sail South Seas for Men is the stronger pick. For winter, Encounter is the stronger pick. Encounter suits evening wear; Set Sail South Seas for Men suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Encounter and Set Sail South Seas for Men?

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. Set Sail South Seas for Men has top notes of Lime and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Cognac, Juniper and Violet, a base of Rum, Woodsy Notes, Amber and Cardamom.