Fragrance comparison

Islay vs No. III Swim

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 60 ratings analysed

3 wins

Islay

Floris

4.3611 votes

Rank #35,004 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

No. III Swim

Gabar

4.3349 votes

Rank #12,790 GreenFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Islay takes 3 of 5 categories.

Islay
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
No. III Swim
Choose it for a green and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Islay3/5

No. III Swim2/5

Ratings & consensus: No. III Swim
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Islay
Sillage & projection: Islay
Value for money: Islay
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: No. III Swim

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

IslayFloris

No. III SwimGabar

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.36/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 16%Had 0%Want 84%

4.33/ 5 · 49 votes

Have 10%Had 2%Want 87%

Category winnerNo. III SwimRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

64%Love

9%Like

27%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

47%Love

41%Like

10%Ok

2%Dislike

0%Hate

49 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityIslay

SillageIslay

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value54

Category winnerIslayBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

powdery92%

green84%

iris77%

aromatic69%

smoky61%

green100%

fruity90%

woody80%

aromatic70%

fresh60%

soft spicy50%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both green, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GalbanumBergamotSmoke

Heart

OrrisPatchouliAmberCedar

Base

SandalwoodMuskVanilla

Top15-30 mins

Currant budsGalbanum

Heart2-4 hrs

FigGreen TeaOrrisJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

CedarPatchouliMuskAmberTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesGalbanum, Orris, Patchouli and Amber. Durations are only published for No. III Swim, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring63

Summer50

Fall100

Winter75

Day100

Night83

Spring90

Summer100

Fall21

Winter7

Day100

Night35

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Men5

Unisex62

Women33

Casual 42%Work 31%Date 19%Party 8%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,004

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#12,790

PerfumerRuth Mastenbroek

Launched—

Reviews19

Category winnerNo. III SwimHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Floris Islay opens with a sharp burst of bitter green galbanum paired with cold bergamot and crisp wood smoke. The top notes immediately feel dry and outdoorsy rather than sweet or plush. As the initial greenery settles, a cool heart of powdery orris root and earthy patchouli emerges, anchored by cedarwood and amber. …

Reviews →

Gabar No. III Swim captures the crisp sensation of jumping into cold river water on a warm afternoon. It opens with a piercing snap of crushed galbanum resin and tart currant buds. The greenness bites hard. Within fifteen minutes, the sharpness yields to a lush, unsweetened wild fig note wrapped in earthy green tea le…

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, Islay or No. III Swim?

Islay takes 3 of 5 categories. Islay is rated 4.36/5 from 11 votes; No. III Swim is rated 4.33/5 from 49 votes. Choose Islay for a woody and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose No. III Swim for a green and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Islay or No. III Swim?

Islay lasts longest (Islay 77/100, No. III Swim 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Islay or No. III Swim?

Islay projects furthest (Islay 75/100, No. III Swim 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Islay and No. III Swim smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Galbanum, Orris, Patchouli and Amber.

Is Islay or No. III Swim better for summer or winter?

Islay suits daytime wear; No. III Swim suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Islay and No. III Swim?

Islay has top notes of Galbanum, Bergamot and Smoke, heart notes of Orris, Patchouli, Amber and Cedar, a base of Sandalwood, Musk and Vanilla. No. III Swim has top notes of Currant buds and Galbanum, heart notes of Fig, Green Tea, Orris and Jasmine, a base of Cedar, Patchouli, Musk and Amber.