Fragrance comparison

Epic Maze vs Russian Gold

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 27 ratings analysed

Epic Maze

Al Aneeq

4.1514 votes

Rank #19,436 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

94%scent match

Very similar

4 wins

Russian Gold

Pure Gold Perfumes

4.6213 votes

Rank #28,267 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Russian Gold takes 4 of 5 categories.

Epic Maze
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Russian Gold
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Epic Maze1/5

Russian Gold4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Epic MazeAl Aneeq

Russian GoldPure Gold Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 42%Had 3%Want 55%

4.62/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 15%Had 3%Want 83%

Category winnerRussian GoldRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

33%Like

11%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

77%Love

15%Like

0%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity98

〰 Sillage88

♥ Love / hate90

Category winners

LongevityRussian Gold

SillageRussian Gold

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value86

¤ Price value100

Category winnerRussian GoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy86%

aromatic72%

amber58%

musky44%

woody30%

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

amber69%

leather61%

Scent match94%Very similar · both fresh spicy, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MaceCardamomCuminNutmegPink PepperMyrtleSaffron

Heart

GeraniumOlibanumMyrrh

Base

MuskAgarwood (Oud)CedarLeatherPatchouliSandalwood

Top20-30 mins

MaceMyrtleCardamomCuminNutmegSaffronPink Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

GeraniumOlibanumMyrrh

Base8-12+ hrs

Agarwood (Oud)LeatherPatchouliCedarSandalwoodMusk

InformationalShared notesMace, Cardamom, Cumin and Nutmeg. Durations are only published for Russian Gold, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring86

Summer43

Fall100

Winter71

Day67

Night100

Spring77

Summer54

Fall92

Winter100

Day35

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Date 38%Party 32%Casual 16%Work 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#19,436

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#28,267

PerfumerMaurus Bachmann

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerEpic MazeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Epic Maze by Al Aneeq is a fresh spicy, aromatic scent with a clean, classic feel at the start, then a warmer, richer dry-down. Expect bright spices up top, a slightly floral, resinous heart, and a base that can turn woody, musky, lightly smoky, with hints of oud and leather. It often suits men who like green, shower-…

Reviews →

Russian Gold by Pure Gold Perfumes is a dense, unapologetic blast of exotic spices, dark resins, and heavy leather. Perfumer Maurus Bachmann built this 2016 release around a thick wall of nutmeg, cardamom, and pungent cumin that hits the room the second you press the atomizer. Within minutes, the fiery opening settles…

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, Epic Maze or Russian Gold?

Russian Gold takes 4 of 5 categories. Epic Maze is rated 4.15/5 from 14 votes; Russian Gold is rated 4.62/5 from 13 votes. Choose Epic Maze for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Russian Gold for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Epic Maze or Russian Gold?

Russian Gold lasts longest (Russian Gold 98/100, Epic Maze 78/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Epic Maze or Russian Gold?

Russian Gold projects furthest (Russian Gold 88/100, Epic Maze 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Epic Maze and Russian Gold smell similar?

Very similar: a 94% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Mace, Cardamom, Cumin and Nutmeg.

Is Epic Maze or Russian Gold better for summer or winter?

Epic Maze suits evening wear; Russian Gold suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Epic Maze and Russian Gold?

Epic Maze has top notes of Mace, Cardamom, Cumin and Nutmeg, heart notes of Geranium, Olibanum and Myrrh, a base of Musk, Agarwood (Oud), Cedar and Leather. Russian Gold has top notes of Mace, Myrtle, Cardamom and Cumin, heart notes of Geranium, Olibanum and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Leather, Patchouli and Cedar.