Fragrance comparison

Forbidden vs Dewaniya

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 192 ratings analysed

Forbidden

House of Matriarch

4.15113 votes

Rank #28,728 EarthyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

24%scent match

Clearly different

7 wins

Dewaniya

Sultan Pasha Attars

4.2479 votes

Rank #5,101 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Dewaniya takes 7 of 7 categories.

Forbidden
Choose it for a earthy and woody character. Best in fall, evening wear.
Dewaniya
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Forbidden0/7

Dewaniya7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ForbiddenHouse of Matriarch

DewaniyaSultan Pasha Attars

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 113 votes

Have 17%Had 5%Want 78%

4.24/ 5 · 79 votes

Have 31%Had 12%Want 57%

Category winnerDewaniyaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

33%Like

4%Ok

12%Dislike

3%Hate

113 votes

70%Love

22%Like

4%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

46 votes

Category winnerDewaniyaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate86

Category winners

LongevityDewaniya

SillageDewaniya

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value48

Category winnerDewaniyaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

earthy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

tuberose77%

white floral69%

green61%

amber100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

sweet77%

aromatic69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match24%Clearly different · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

WormwoodcannabisAbsintheLantana leaves

Heart3-4 hrs

TuberoseBoletus edulisCypriol Oil or NagarmothaPapyrusTurnera Diffusa (Damiana)Pepper

Base8-10+ hrs

Soil TincturePrecious WoodsLeather

Top

SaffronMarigoldOlibanumRoseAbsinthe

Heart

TobaccoCambodian OudHoneyDamask RoseCacao PodCoffeeBlack TeaOsmanthus

Base

Agarwood (Oud)MyrrhCastoreumCade oilCypriol Oil or NagarmothaHaySandalwoodAmbergris

InformationalShared notesAbsinthe and Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha. Durations are only published for Forbidden, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer28

Fall100

Winter64

Day90

Night100

Spring92

Summer50

Fall100

Winter83

Day92

Night100

Category winnerDewaniyaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men12

Unisex59

Women29

Casual 38%Date 32%Work 17%Party 13%

Men47

Unisex47

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,728

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#5,101

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews27

Category winnerDewaniyaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Forbidden by House of Matriarch smells like walking into a shadowed forest after heavy rain while carrying crushed green herbs and sweet white flowers. The opening strikes with a sharp bitter burst of wormwood, absinthe, and aromatic cannabis leaves. Give it ten minutes. The initial sting calms quickly as creamy tuber…

Reviews →

Dewaniya is a dense, animalic, and resinous blend from Sultan Pasha. This attar centers on a complex interplay of Cambodian oud, honey, and tobacco. It suits colder weather or late-night occasions, offering a deep, multifaceted experience that lingers for hours. It is an ideal choice for the enthusiast seeking a matur…

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, Forbidden or Dewaniya?

Dewaniya takes 7 of 7 categories. Forbidden is rated 4.15/5 from 113 votes; Dewaniya is rated 4.24/5 from 79 votes. Choose Forbidden for a earthy and woody character. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Dewaniya for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Forbidden or Dewaniya?

Dewaniya lasts longest (Dewaniya 85/100, Forbidden 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Forbidden or Dewaniya?

Dewaniya projects furthest (Dewaniya 66/100, Forbidden 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Forbidden and Dewaniya smell similar?

Clearly different: a 24% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Absinthe and Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha.

Is Forbidden or Dewaniya better for summer or winter?

For summer, Dewaniya is the stronger pick. For winter, Dewaniya is the stronger pick. Forbidden suits evening wear; Dewaniya suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Forbidden and Dewaniya?

Forbidden has top notes of Wormwood, cannabis, Absinthe and Lantana leaves, heart notes of Tuberose, Boletus edulis, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Papyrus, a base of Soil Tincture, Precious Woods and Leather. Dewaniya has top notes of Saffron, Marigold, Olibanum and Rose, heart notes of Tobacco, Cambodian Oud, Honey and Damask Rose, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Myrrh, Castoreum and Cade oil.