Fragrance comparison

Illegal vs Rook by Rook

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 118 ratings analysed

5 wins

Illegal

Salle Privée · 2021

3.7371 votes

Rank #36,637 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Rook by Rook

Rook Perfumes

3.4947 votes

Rank #19,102 SmokyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Illegal takes 5 of 7 categories.

Illegal
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.
Rook by Rook
Choose it for a smoky and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Illegal5/7

Rook by Rook2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

IllegalSalle Privée

Rook by RookRook Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.73/ 5 · 71 votes

Have 36%Had 6%Want 58%

3.49/ 5 · 47 votes

Have 20%Had 7%Want 73%

Category winnerIllegalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

39%Like

21%Ok

11%Dislike

3%Hate

71 votes

23%Love

40%Like

9%Ok

17%Dislike

11%Hate

47 votes

Category winnerIllegalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate62

Category winners

LongevityIllegal

SillageIllegal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value35

¤ Price value43

Category winnerRook by RookBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody90%

warm spicy80%

cannabis70%

musky60%

herbal50%

smoky100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

oud69%

aromatic61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

cannabisAbsintheGingerCardamom

Heart

Cashmere WoodLeatherGeranium

Base

VetiverAmbrette (Musk Mallow)Guaiac Wood

Top

SmokeCardamomIncenseGingerYlang-Ylang

Heart

Agarwood (Oud)TobaccoGuaiac WoodViolet

Base

CastoreumVetiverAmbrette (Musk Mallow)CivetAmbergris

InformationalShared notesGinger, Cardamom, Vetiver and Ambrette (Musk Mallow). Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer40

Fall97

Winter83

Day76

Night100

Spring40

Summer20

Fall100

Winter73

Day64

Night100

Category winnerIllegalMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men57

Unisex43

Women0

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#36,637

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2021

Reviews0

Overall rank#19,102

PerfumerNadeem Crowe

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerRook by RookHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Illegal by Salle Privée is a crisp, dry woody fragrance built around an unexpected mix of bitter herbs and smooth leather. The first spray delivers a bracing snap of bitter absinthe and zesty ginger, backed by dry cannabis leaves and warm crushed cardamom seeds. As the lively opening settles, soft cashmere wood and ro…

Reviews →

Rook by Rook opens with heavy bonfire smoke, crushed green cardamom, and burnt incense that hits the nostrils immediately. Perfumer Nadeem Crowe builds a dense, atmospheric blend where birch tar smoke collides with warm ginger and oily ylang-ylang in the opening minutes. As the initial smoke clears, rich guaiac wood,…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Illegal or Rook by Rook?

Illegal takes 5 of 7 categories. Illegal is rated 3.73/5 from 71 votes; Rook by Rook is rated 3.49/5 from 47 votes. Choose Illegal for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Rook by Rook for a smoky and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Illegal or Rook by Rook?

Illegal lasts longest (Illegal 74/100, Rook by Rook 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Illegal or Rook by Rook?

Projection is very close: Illegal 61/100, Rook by Rook 59/100 for sillage.

Do Illegal and Rook by Rook smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Ginger, Cardamom, Vetiver and Ambrette (Musk Mallow).

Is Illegal or Rook by Rook better for summer or winter?

For summer, Illegal is the stronger pick. For winter, Illegal is the stronger pick. Illegal suits evening wear; Rook by Rook suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Illegal and Rook by Rook?

Illegal has top notes of cannabis, Absinthe, Ginger and Cardamom, heart notes of Cashmere Wood, Leather and Geranium, a base of Vetiver, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Guaiac Wood. Rook by Rook has top notes of Smoke, Cardamom, Incense and Ginger, heart notes of Agarwood (Oud), Tobacco, Guaiac Wood and Violet, a base of Castoreum, Vetiver, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Civet.