Fragrance comparison

Grecale vs Zen

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 5,705 ratings analysed

Grecale

Paolo Gigli

3.9144 votes

Rank #25,471 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

14%scent match

Clearly different

Zen

Shiseido

4.075,661 votes

Rank #23,913 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3.

Grecale
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Zen
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Grecale3/7

Zen3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

GrecalePaolo Gigli

ZenShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 44 votes

Have 33%Had 23%Want 44%

4.07/ 5 · 5,661 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerZenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

48%Like

0%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

44 votes

38%Love

44%Like

6%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

5,661 votes

Category winnerZenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityGrecale

SillageGrecale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy88%

warm spicy77%

balsamic65%

smoky53%

sweet42%

citrus100%

woody92%

floral84%

patchouli77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

Scent match14%Clearly different · both sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

HyacinthOrangeLemonLily-of-the-Valley

Heart2-4 hrs

IncenseNutmegCloveLavender

Base8-10+ hrs

OpoponaxAmberCedar

Top

GrapefruitPineappleBergamotOrangeRose

Heart

FreesiaRed AppleLotusHyacinthGardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyVioletOrris

Base

PatchouliCedarMuskAmberIncensePine

InformationalShared notesHyacinth, Orange, Lily-of-the-Valley and Incense. Durations are only published for Grecale, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring19

Summer19

Fall88

Winter100

Day38

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Category winnerGrecaleMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men14

Unisex14

Women71

Date 39%Party 25%Work 19%Casual 17%

Men1

Unisex16

Women82

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,471

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#23,913

PerfumerMichel Almairac

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerZenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Paolo Gigli Grecale opens with a sharp burst of green hyacinth, sweet orange, and zesty lemon before shifting into a rich heart of clove, nutmeg, and dry incense. It feels bold and old-world. As the fragrance warms on your skin, balsamic opoponax and warm amber take over, anchored by sturdy cedarwood. The scent evokes…

Reviews →

Shiseido Zen opens with a sharp, fizzy splash of grapefruit and pineapple that feels bright and energetic. As it settles, the initial citrus bite softens into a clean floral heart dominated by freesia and red apple. It carries a breezy, watery texture rather than a heavy sweetness, making it particularly refreshing du…

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, Grecale or Zen?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3. Grecale is rated 3.91/5 from 44 votes; Zen is rated 4.07/5 from 5,661 votes. Choose Grecale for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Zen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Grecale or Zen?

Grecale lasts longest (Grecale 78/100, Zen 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Grecale or Zen?

Grecale projects furthest (Grecale 70/100, Zen 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Grecale and Zen smell similar?

Clearly different: a 14% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet accords. Common notes include Hyacinth, Orange, Lily-of-the-Valley and Incense.

Is Grecale or Zen better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Grecale and Zen?

Grecale has top notes of Hyacinth, Orange, Lemon and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Incense, Nutmeg, Clove and Lavender, a base of Opoponax, Amber and Cedar. Zen has top notes of Grapefruit, Pineapple, Bergamot and Orange, heart notes of Freesia, Red Apple, Lotus and Hyacinth, a base of Patchouli, Cedar, Musk and Amber.