Fragrance comparison

Exotic 3 vs Hephaistos

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 31 ratings analysed

4 wins

Exotic 3

The Dua Brand

4.789 votes

Rank #32,861 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

63%scent match

Closely related

Hephaistos

Irie

3.8222 votes

Rank #56,809 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Exotic 3 takes 4 of 4 categories.

Exotic 3
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.
Hephaistos
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Exotic 34/4

Hephaistos0/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Exotic 3
Sillage & projection: Exotic 3
Value for money: Exotic 3
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Exotic 3

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Exotic 3The Dua Brand

HephaistosIrie

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.78/ 5 · 9 votes

Have 68%Had 9%Want 24%

3.82/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 39%Had 11%Want 50%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

78%Love

22%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

27%Love

50%Like

5%Ok

14%Dislike

5%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage80

♥ Love / hate94

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityExotic 3

SillageExotic 3

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value58

Category winnerExotic 3Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

aromatic69%

leather61%

amber100%

woody91%

warm spicy83%

smoky74%

fresh spicy65%

aromatic56%

Scent match63%Closely related · both amber, warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

BenzoinCuminBergamotCardamomLeatherRoseAmyrisjuniper berryGuaiac WoodSandalwoodPatchouliAmbergris

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

OlibanumBirchIncenseCardamomVetiverLabdanumCuminBergamotGuaiac WoodCedarSaffronSandalwood

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesCumin, Bergamot, Cardamom and Guaiac Wood. Durations are only published for Exotic 3, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring29

Summer14

Fall71

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring43

Summer14

Fall100

Winter57

Day100

Night71

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men80

Unisex20

Women0

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,861

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#56,809

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerExotic 3Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Exotic 3 by The Dua Brand is a dense, warming chypre built around amber, dry spices, and dark woods. The fragrance opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, herbal wormwood, and fresh juniper berry before settling into an intense heart of cumin, cardamom, and saffron. As the initial sharpness softens, rich leather and res…

Reviews →

Hephaistos by Irie opens with a sharp burst of bergamot and cardamom before settling into a dense base of smoked birch, olibanum, and cedar. The dry down turns warm and resinous as labdanum and guaiac wood take over on skin. It fits crisp October days, heavy leather jackets, and outdoor evening gatherings where cool a…

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, Exotic 3 or Hephaistos?

Exotic 3 takes 4 of 4 categories. Exotic 3 is rated 4.78/5 from 9 votes; Hephaistos is rated 3.82/5 from 22 votes. Choose Exotic 3 for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose Hephaistos for a amber and woody character. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Exotic 3 or Hephaistos?

Exotic 3 lasts longest (Exotic 3 84/100, Hephaistos 76/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Exotic 3 or Hephaistos?

Exotic 3 projects furthest (Exotic 3 80/100, Hephaistos 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Exotic 3 and Hephaistos smell similar?

Closely related: a 63% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cumin, Bergamot, Cardamom and Guaiac Wood.