Fragrance comparison

Islay vs Waves

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 3 ratings analysed

3 wins

Islay

URBIS PARFUMS

5.002 votes

Rank #42,671 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Waves

Zodiac

5.001 votes

Rank #52,122 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Islay takes 3 of 4 categories.

Islay
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Waves
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Islay3/4

Waves1/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

IslayURBIS PARFUMS

WavesZodiac

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

5.00/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 17%Had 0%Want 83%

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 36%Had 9%Want 55%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage100

♥ Love / hate100

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityIslay

SillageIslay

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value100

Category winnerWavesBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

whiskey84%

powdery77%

herbal69%

earthy61%

powdery100%

woody86%

leather72%

violet58%

warm spicy44%

animalic30%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both woody, powdery and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

BarleyHoneyAromatic NotesWoodsy NotesRed Fruits

Heart2 to 4 hours

SpicesVioletChamomileSaffronCedar

Base8 to 12+ hours

WhiskeyPeatLeatherVanilleAmberMuskOud

Top

Spices

Heart

Powdery NotesViolet

Base

Woody NotesLeather

InformationalShared notesSpices, Violet and Leather. Durations are only published for Islay, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men75

Unisex0

Women25

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#42,671

PerfumerHélène Prévot

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#52,122

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIslayHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Islay by URBIS PARFUMS is an oriental woody fragrance built around rich grains, sweet nectar, and smoky spirits. It opens with malted barley, thick honey, aromatic notes, red fruits, and rustic woodsy notes. The heart introduces dried chamomile, soft violet, cedar, saffron, and warm spices, creating an earthy, herbal …

Reviews →

Waves leans powdery, woody and lightly leathery, with a violet softness that keeps the spicy opening from feeling too rough. It reads dry rather than sweet, and the overall texture sounds closer to suede and woods than bright aromatics. Based on the limited performance evidence available, it can wear with strong prese…

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, Islay or Waves?

Islay takes 3 of 4 categories. Islay is rated 5.00/5 from 2 votes; Waves is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Islay for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Waves for a powdery and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Islay or Waves?

Islay lasts longest (Islay 87/100, Waves 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Islay or Waves?

Islay projects furthest (Islay 100/100, Waves 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Islay and Waves smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, powdery and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Spices, Violet and Leather.

Is Islay or Waves better for summer or winter?

Islay suits evening wear; Waves suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Islay and Waves?

Islay has top notes of Barley, Honey, Aromatic Notes and Woodsy Notes, heart notes of Spices, Violet, Chamomile and Saffron, a base of Whiskey, Peat, Leather and Vanille. Waves has top notes of Spices, heart notes of Powdery Notes and Violet, a base of Woody Notes and Leather.