Fragrance comparison

Gin Musk vs Istanbul

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 43 ratings analysed

Gin Musk

Alex Perfume

3.5135 votes

Rank #40,580 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

19%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Istanbul

Proad

4.008 votes

Rank #47,435 Warm SpicyCoffee

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Istanbul takes 3 of 4 categories.

Gin Musk
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Istanbul
Choose it for a warm spicy and coffee character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Gin Musk1/4

Istanbul3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Gin MuskAlex Perfume

IstanbulProad

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.51/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 45%Had 3%Want 52%

4.00/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 11%Had 2%Want 88%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

23%Like

11%Ok

0%Dislike

26%Hate

35 votes

50%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

25%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityIstanbul

SillageIstanbul

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value30

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIstanbulBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

musky80%

citrus70%

woody60%

powdery50%

warm spicy100%

coffee92%

amber84%

sweet77%

balsamic69%

musky61%

Scent match19%Clearly different · both musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LimePink PepperBergamotMandarin Orangeelemi

Heart

JuniperGeraniumBulgarian RoseCinnamonOsmanthusTobaccoGinger

Base

MuskOakmossCedarSandalwoodLabdanumBenzoinVetiverStyrax

Notes

CoffeeStyraxLabdanumElemi resinIncenseSweet NotesRaspberryGingerMuskBenzoinRoseTobacco

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesBulgarian Rose, Tobacco, Ginger and Musk. Durations are only published for Istanbul, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer59

Fall88

Winter82

Day94

Night100

Spring0

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men52

Unisex28

Women21

Men25

Unisex75

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,580

PerfumerMaria Celeste Lombardo

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#47,435

PerfumerTristan Badard

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerGin MuskHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Gin Musk is a bright, juniper-led aromatic that really does lean into a gin and citrus impression up top, with lime, bergamot and pink pepper giving it a crisp, fizzy edge. As it settles, florals and spice peek through (rose, geranium, ginger, cinnamon), then it dries down into clean musk with mossy woods, soft resins…

Reviews →

Istanbul by Proad delivers a rich blend of roasted coffee, warm resins, and dark spices. Created by perfumer Tristan Badard, this oriental floral fragrance opens with a sharp flash of ginger paired with tart raspberry and dark coffee beans. As the initial brightness settles, the heart reveals a smooth rose note surrou…

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, Gin Musk or Istanbul?

Istanbul takes 3 of 4 categories. Gin Musk is rated 3.51/5 from 35 votes; Istanbul is rated 4.00/5 from 8 votes. Choose Gin Musk for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose Istanbul for a warm spicy and coffee character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Gin Musk or Istanbul?

Istanbul lasts longest (Istanbul 75/100, Gin Musk 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Gin Musk or Istanbul?

Istanbul projects furthest (Istanbul 63/100, Gin Musk 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gin Musk and Istanbul smell similar?

Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share musky accords. Common notes include Bulgarian Rose, Tobacco, Ginger and Musk.

Is Gin Musk or Istanbul better for summer or winter?

Gin Musk suits day or night wear; Istanbul suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gin Musk and Istanbul?

Gin Musk has top notes of Lime, Pink Pepper, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Juniper, Geranium, Bulgarian Rose and Cinnamon, a base of Musk, Oakmoss, Cedar and Sandalwood. Istanbul features Coffee, Styrax, Labdanum, Elemi resin and Incense.