Fragrance comparison

Encounter Fresh vs The Calling

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 385 ratings analysed

Encounter Fresh

Calvin Klein

3.67221 votes

Rank #32,777 CitrusWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

The Calling

Phuong Dang

3.82164 votes

Rank #4,575 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The Calling takes 4 of 7 categories.

Encounter Fresh
Choose it for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
The Calling
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Encounter Fresh3/7

The Calling4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Encounter FreshCalvin Klein

The CallingPhuong Dang

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 221 votes

Have 52%Had 23%Want 25%

3.82/ 5 · 164 votes

Have 15%Had 6%Want 80%

Category winnerThe CallingRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

13%Love

60%Like

10%Ok

17%Dislike

0%Hate

221 votes

29%Love

38%Like

2%Ok

29%Dislike

2%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerEncounter FreshMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityThe Calling

SillageThe Calling

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value62

¤ Price value49

Category winnerEncounter FreshBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

rum69%

fresh spicy61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

sweet84%

chocolate77%

aromatic69%

tobacco61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

MojitoBergamot

Heart1 to 2 hours

RumCardamomLavender

Base2 to 4 hours

SandalwoodPatchouliLabdanum

Top

RumLavenderPink PepperCardamomCuminGreen MangoCypress

Heart

Guaiac WoodCinnamonSaffronClary SageCarnation

Base

ChocolateTobaccoCaramelVanillaSandalwoodLabdanumMuskPapyrus

InformationalShared notesRum, Cardamom, Lavender and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Encounter Fresh, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring76

Summer100

Fall29

Winter19

Day100

Night25

Spring15

Summer8

Fall100

Winter62

Day55

Night100

Category winnerEncounter FreshMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men71

Unisex29

Women0

Men60

Unisex20

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,777

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#4,575

PerfumerBertrand Duchaufour

Launched—

Reviews42

Category winnerThe CallingHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Encounter Fresh by Calvin Klein offers an easygoing, aromatic take on warm-weather grooming. It opens with an uplifting splash of bergamot paired with a crisp mojito accord, delivering an instant citrus and green freshness. As the initial brightness settles, the scent reveals a smooth heart of rum, spicy cardamom, and…

Reviews →

The Calling by Phuong Dang delivers a bold, woody spicy profile built around dark chocolate and tobacco. It features an punchy opening of rum and green mango that settles into a resinous, warm heart. Best suited for cooler evenings, this unisex scent offers a complex, unconventional experience for those who appreciate…

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 Fresh or The Calling?

The Calling takes 4 of 7 categories. Encounter Fresh is rated 3.67/5 from 221 votes; The Calling is rated 3.82/5 from 164 votes. Choose Encounter Fresh for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose The Calling for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Encounter Fresh or The Calling?

The Calling lasts longest (The Calling 85/100, Encounter Fresh 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Encounter Fresh or The Calling?

The Calling projects furthest (The Calling 78/100, Encounter Fresh 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Encounter Fresh and The Calling smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Rum, Cardamom, Lavender and Sandalwood.

Is Encounter Fresh or The Calling better for summer or winter?

For summer, Encounter Fresh is the stronger pick. For winter, The Calling is the stronger pick. Encounter Fresh suits daytime wear; The Calling suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Encounter Fresh and The Calling?

Encounter Fresh has top notes of Mojito and Bergamot, heart notes of Rum, Cardamom and Lavender, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli and Labdanum. The Calling has top notes of Rum, Lavender, Pink Pepper and Cardamom, heart notes of Guaiac Wood, Cinnamon, Saffron and Clary Sage, a base of Chocolate, Tobacco, Caramel and Vanilla.