Fragrance comparison

Epic Desert vs Islay

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 6 ratings analysed

Epic Desert

Amado

3.504 votes

Rank #69,101 FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Islay

URBIS PARFUMS

5.002 votes

Rank #42,676 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Islay takes 3 of 4 categories.

Epic Desert
Choose it for a floral and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.
Islay
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Epic Desert1/4

Islay3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Epic DesertAmado

IslayURBIS PARFUMS

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.50/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 21%Had 0%Want 79%

5.00/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 17%Had 0%Want 83%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

25%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage100

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityIslay

SillageIslay

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value63

Category winnerEpic DesertBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

sweet92%

powdery84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

white floral61%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

whiskey84%

powdery77%

herbal69%

earthy61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both warm spicy and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ChamomileSaffronSpun Sugar

Heart

JasmineVioletOrchidHoneyRose

Base

PatchouliVanillaAmberOudMusk

Top30 to 45 minutes

BarleyHoneyAromatic NotesWoodsy NotesRed Fruits

Heart2 to 4 hours

SpicesVioletChamomileSaffronCedar

Base8 to 12+ hours

WhiskeyPeatLeatherVanilleAmberMuskOud

InformationalShared notesChamomile, Saffron, Violet and Honey. Durations are only published for Islay, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer50

Fall100

Winter50

Day50

Night100

Spring0

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Men75

Unisex0

Women25

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#69,101

PerfumerAnna Chiara di Trolio

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#42,676

PerfumerHélène Prévot

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerIslayHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Epic Desert feels like a sugared saffron floral with a soft, powdery halo. It opens with chamomile and spun sugar, then turns creamy and honeyed through jasmine, violet, orchid and rose. In the dry-down, vanilla, amber, patchouli and a gentle oud-musk base give it warmth and depth. It reads unisex, but the sweet flora…

Reviews →

Islay by URBIS PARFUMS is an oriental woody fragrance built around rich grains, sweet nectar, and smoky spirits. It opens with malted barley, thick honey, aromatic notes, red fruits, and rustic woodsy notes. The heart introduces dried chamomile, soft violet, cedar, saffron, and warm spices, creating an earthy, herbal …

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, Epic Desert or Islay?

Islay takes 3 of 4 categories. Epic Desert is rated 3.50/5 from 4 votes; Islay is rated 5.00/5 from 2 votes. Choose Epic Desert for a floral and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Islay for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Epic Desert or Islay?

Islay lasts longest (Islay 87/100, Epic Desert 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Epic Desert or Islay?

Islay projects furthest (Islay 100/100, Epic Desert 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Epic Desert and Islay smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and powdery accords. Common notes include Chamomile, Saffron, Violet and Honey.

Is Epic Desert or Islay better for summer or winter?

Epic Desert suits evening wear; Islay suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Epic Desert and Islay?

Epic Desert has top notes of Chamomile, Saffron and Spun Sugar, heart notes of Jasmine, Violet, Orchid and Honey, a base of Patchouli, Vanilla, Amber and Oud. Islay has top notes of Barley, Honey, Aromatic Notes and Woodsy Notes, heart notes of Spices, Violet, Chamomile and Saffron, a base of Whiskey, Peat, Leather and Vanille.